“Come and sit, Dominica,” Matt said, his voice, like his hands on her shoulders, brooking no argument.
She went with him only to give herself a few more minutes. But she wished that Matt had not chosen to sit beside her on the arm of the sofa. Her every indrawn breath was filled with his scent. Domini couldn’t stop herself from adding another wish—that Luke was in his place. She didn’t want to believe Toma, couldn’t believe that Luke wouldn’t help her if she wanted to leave here.
“Amanda, is this the true reason you brought me here, to marry your son?”
“There is no need to sound so accusing, Dominica. I paid for your care because of your father. Later, as Toma pressured Matt to find a wife, I began to think that when you were old enough, you would be a perfect choice. Every mother wants her son to have a good wife. I also wanted you to have what should have been rightfully yours. When you—”
“But why did you hide what you were doing from Toma?”
“My dear child, you must stop delving into matters that simply do not concern you. Now, as I began to say—”
“I’m sorry, Amanda. I feel uncomfortable talking about this now.”
“If you are concerned about Matt, do not be. My son will do whatever is best. Whatever will please me. Rid yourself of any fear that he does not want this marriage. Now, I will finish what I have tried to say. When you have the opportunity to fully understand the advantages such a marriage will bring you, Dominica, you will agree that it is the perfect solution.”
“I don’t want your perfect solution, Amanda.” Matt prevented her from standing, but Amanda no longer had Toma holding her. Domini watched her graceful rise from the chair, the precise way she set her glass down on the small side table and saw the chilling appearance of her features as she moved closer.
“Obedience is the one lesson I expected you to have learned at the mission, Dominica. I told you that I wanted my husband to give you what is rightfully yours. Half of the Gold Bar mine belongs to you. Toma is not about to sign that over to you. The only way you will have what your father owned before his death is to marry a Colfax. Do I make myself clear?” Her patience was near an end. Once Matt married, he would inherit everything from Toma, but only if Toma approved of his wife.
“Yes, Amanda,” Domini answered moments later. “You have made yourself quite clear. But you’re assuming that I want money. All of you are. And it isn’t true. I’m—”
“Manners seem to have been another lesson the good nuns neglected to teach you. Stop being rude,” Amanda snapped, seeing in a flash the ruin of her plan because of this young woman’s stubbornness. Marriage equaled inheritance equaled an unfortunate accident for Toma, and she would be free. Nothing was going to stand in her way.
“Toma has told you this is the best offer you will receive and I agree. Matthew, I have already explained, believes you will make him a suitable wife. He does find you attractive.”
“But only if I’m made over in your image, Amanda?” Domini clenched her hands. She should have been sorry for the cutting remark, but at the moment Domini couldn’t summon guilt for the way Amanda gasped, then paled. She had to keep remembering Luke’s warning and use whatever weapons at hand to fight them.
Matt snagged her chin with his hand, forcing her to turn toward him. “Your remark was uncalled for. Now apologize to my mother, Dominica.”
There was the promise of violence in his eyes, and Domini tried to jerk her head free. His grip only tightened. A shudder of fear swept up her body. She fought to contain it, knowing she could not show him how afraid he made her.
“Will you apologize now?” Matt asked very softly, his thumb pressing her bottom lip. The moment she nodded, the darkness left his gaze and he released her.
“I’m sorry, Amanda,” Domini mumbled. She saw the woman retreat to her chair, and looked up at Matt. He was smiling at her, a smile full of approval. And he went on talking as if the incident had never happened.
“I do find you attractive, Dominica. I know we’ll get on well together. Say you will give me a chance.”
With every moment that she remained silent, Matt’s mouth thinned with displeasure. “Dominica, let me reinforce what my father told you. You don’t have a choice. No one on the Gold Bar C will help you. These are troubled times with the Indians taking up arms to fight. Accidents happen. Often fatal ones,” he leaned closer to whisper.
Domini pressed against the sofa. She closed her eyes against the penetrating strength of his. Confusion reigned. Matt’s threat made no sense. If they wanted to kill her, why didn’t they? There was no need to go through the farce of a marriage. There had to be something more. But what?
Matt straightened in his perch on the sofa’s arm. He trailed his fingers from Domini’s shoulder down to her hand, then raised his hand to cup her cheek.
“Marriage is truly the best solution, Dominica. Say yes.”
“Is this a private proposal or can anyone get in on the action?”
Luke. Domini felt relief flood through her. But she noticed that Matt was tense and very still before he lowered his hand and slowly turned to where Luke stepped into the room from the open French doors.
Domini wanted to run to him, but as he stepped into the lamplight she saw his forbidding expression as his gaze swept over each one of them in turn. She didn’t bother to look and see what Toma, Amanda, or even Matt thought of his sudden appearance.
She noticed that he seemed different, but it was more than the change of clothes and his shaving the thick growth of stubble. Luke’s hair was tied back, and an open-throated soft blue shirt set off the lean, hard planes of his face. A black leather vest hung open, revealing the gleaming of a fancy silver buckle on his belt. Domini’s gaze slid down to the gun he wore as he came into the center of the room.
“This has nothing to do with you, Luke.” Matt rose and stood with his hands curled into fists at his side.
“Doesn’t it?” Soft, Luke’s voice was nonetheless taunting.
“Toma.” Amanda demanded her husband’s attention. When he didn’t answer her, she looked up at him. “Tell him to leave. Matt is right. This has nothing to do with Luke.”
But Toma was smiling. “Luke is right. Pour yourself a drink. Hell, boy, pour me a man’s drink, too. I’ve had enough of this fancy swill.”
Amanda rose. “I will not stay—”
“Sit down. You’ll stay until I say you can go. Luke has every right to be here. Matter of fact,” Toma said, grinning at his wife’s discomfort as he took the drink Luke handed him, “I’m gonna up the ante.”
With drawing horror Amanda stared first at Toma, then turned to look at Matt. “No. Do something. You cannot allow—”
“Matt’s got no more say than you do, Amanda.”
“Of all the cruel, inexcusable acts I have had to suffer through over the years, Toma, what you are going to propose—”
“Keep quiet, woman. This, my dear, deceitful wife, is the play you began with your secrets and your lies. I’m just adding another player.” He would never admit to her what had prompted his decision. Luke wasn’t going to back down about his decision to leave for good this time. Maybe Toma was getting old, or maybe all his sins were coming home, but he was going to seize this opportunity to make things right with Luke. He had allowed Amanda her way in most things, even when his guilt made him turn away from her cruelty over the years.
“Please, Toma. Please do not do this. Dominica certainly does not deserve—”
“You should have thought of that before you brought her here,” he returned in a chilling voice.
“Stop it!” Domini bolted from the sofa and repeated her demand in a louder voice. “Stop tormenting her, and stop tormenting me. I won’t be a player in your game.”
Matt came to stand beside Domini. “Damn you, Toma! Haven’t you punished my mother enough? Why insist that Luke stay? He’s made his feelings about you and everything that that bears the Colfax name plain t
hrough the years. He doesn’t want any of it!”
“But you do, Matt. You and your mother have schemed to that end. You think I don’t know? More the fool you, boy. You’d like nothing better than for me to turn it all over to you. And I still might. But Luke gets his chance with the little filly and what I’ve built.”
Matt took a threatening step forward, then stopped himself. “Why the hell shouldn’t I want it all? I’m the one who’s has to live here and put up with your impossible demands, trying to measure up to your idea of a man. And nothing I did was good enough, was it? You always compared and found me wanting no matter how hard I tried to please you. No one can fill your damn boots, Toma, not without getting crushed by you in the process.”
“You don’t get yourself settled down, boy, I’ll use these boots to do that an’ more.”
Matt shot a wild look at Luke. “You put him up to this, didn’t you? I should have known better than to believe you were really quitting and pulling out this time. There’s only one reason you’d be here, Luke. So what the hell did the old bastard offer you?”
Domini had to look at Luke then, for she wanted to see him when he answered Matt. But he wouldn’t or couldn’t meet her direct gaze. He tossed back his drink, and she watched the strong, tanned column of his throat as he swallowed, then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. Both his gaze and smile were taunting as he stared at Matt.
“Answer me! What the hell did he offer you, Luke?”
“Guess about the same as he was offerin’ you. Puttin’ up the Colfax holdin’s for grabs. Winner takes all.” He didn’t look away from Matt, but his question was put to Toma. “Ain’t that right, old man?”
“You don’t need me to answer. You’re doin’ just fine, boy.”
Hearing Toma’s prideful tone, Domini shot him a look, but Luke spoke and she glanced back at him.
“It’s this way, Matt. He’s figured out the perfect solution to get what he wants. A salve for his conscience. Pardon,” Luke said, followed by a short mocking laugh. “He doesn’t have a conscience, no more than his wife does. She brought Domini here to use as a knife to twist in the old man’s gut. Why the hell he’s willing to let her is something you’ll have to find out from him.”
“Luke?”
He heard the tremble in Domini’s voice, but he couldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t. Not until he saw that once more she stared at Toma. He knew that Toma’s smile confused her—it wasn’t just the frown creasing her brow, or the pleading way her hand rose, then fell to her side. He could feel it. And he knew it was because confusion over why he was here was in his own mind.
“You’re all forgetting one thing,” Domini said softly into the tense silence. “I don’t want to marry anyone.”
Luke ignored her. “What the old man wants, Matt, is for you and me to fight it out. Take her for a wife, and you gain everything that carries a Colfax brand.”
“Over my dead body.”
Luke’s hand spread over his holster. “Any time, Matt. Just tell me when.”
Domini flung herself at Luke. “Stop this. You can’t threaten to kill someone.” She grabbed the edges of his vest, demanding, “Look at me! How can you be a part of this? How can—”
Luke took hold of her shoulders in a punishing grip until she released her hold. He spun her around and held her in place. Over her head he stared at Toma.
“Tell her.”
“Luke’s got every right. He’s a Colfax, too.”
“Colfax?” Domini whispered.
“My younger son. Mine and Amanda’s.”
Chapter 15
Secrets. She’d known Luke had them. It made no sense that she was shocked. But Domini twisted away from him, then evaded Matt until she stood shrinking against a wall, pressing both hands against her chest. Her heart pounded until her whole body felt buffeted by the rhythm of its beat. Chills tingled over her skin. She wondered if any of them could see that she was shaking.
He’d lied to her. Domini didn’t realize she had whispered her accusation out loud until Luke loomed in front of her.
“Never. You asked if I worked for him. I do.”
“You lied by omission, Luke. Never once did you tell me who you really—”
“I’m me. Luke. Period. I gave up cashing in on the Colfax name a long time ago.”
“And you are the sole judge of what lies and secrets are innocent and which ones are harmful?” Domini wrapped her arms around her waist—she was chilled to the bone. Had she been blinded? How could he have fooled her? Why hadn’t she seen the resemblance that was so plain now? Toma’s son!
“Leave me alone, Luke.” Her voice wavered and cracked.
Luke muttered profanity that had her turn her head away from him and close her eyes.
“Get away from her,” Matt ordered, shoving his brother aside.
“Touch her an’ you’ll find it’s the last time you use that hand.” Crowding Matt aside, Luke leaned close to Domini. He cradled her chin with one hand and reached for her shoulder to turn her toward him, but Domini jerked away.
Smugness rode Matt’s voice. “Now, will you leave her alone? She’s made it plain that she doesn’t want your hands on her.” His face suddenly looked older, harder, almost threatening.
“Call him off, Toma, or the deal’s done right now.”
“Matt, come away. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunity to state your case to Dominica.” Toma moved to refill his glass. “Matthew.” His order was harsh with command that expected instant obedience.
Domini heard their voices, but they all sounded far away. Luke had lied to her. Luke was Toma’s son, a Colfax. He had … No! She couldn’t think about any more now.
“Step aside, both of you,” Amanda ordered. She shot Luke a glaring look of warning when he stood firm. “Toma, if you want a bride alive, get rid of him, too.”
“What I want is for everyone to stop mollycoddlin’ that girl so she gives me an answer.”
Amanda reached for Domini, but she shrank away from her touch. Luke spun Amanda around, ignored her yelp, and with a gentle shove sent her toward Matt. To keep his mother from falling, Matt held onto her. With both hands braced on the wall, Luke used his body to cage Domini where she stood and protect her from the others.
“Listen to me,” he leaned close to whisper. “I haven’t changed any. Forget that my name’s Colfax. I’m all you’ve got between you and them, Domini.” He swore viciously when she lifted bruised, bewildered eyes to his.
“That’s it. I’m taking you out of here.” He swung her up into his arms, his look so forbidding that both Amanda and Matt stood aside for him. He was thankful that Domini wasn’t fighting him as he reached for the brass-work handle on the door. Before Luke managed to get it open, a sharp knock made him step aside as Madison Grady burst into the room.
“Toma, we got trouble. Big trouble. The Nez Perce killed thirty-four soldiers up in White Bird Canyon last week. There’s gonna be hell to pay with them running loose in these mountains. The army’s got—”
“Amanda, leave us,” Toma said, moving quickly to pour a drink for Grady. “Luke, you take that girl to her room an’ come back here. You tossed your hat in the ring. That means you need to know what’s going on.”
Luke nodded. He had done just that. Involved himself when all he wanted was to get away to where no one had ever heard of Colfax land, Colfax money. His hold on Domini tightened a bit when he saw that Grady was looking at her. Toma saw it, too.
“Never mind the girl, Grady. She’s none of your concern. Drink up. Soon as Luke comes back—”
It was all Luke heard as he strode out into the hall. There was no sign of Amanda. He’d been afraid she would be lying in wait. He rubbed the side of his cheek against Domini’s hair as his quick steps took them down the hallway to her room.
Once inside, Luke set her down on the settee. The wood box, he saw, had been replenished, and the fire built up to last th
e night. When he rose and looked at Domini, he found himself pained to see her pale. She sat with her arms crossed over her chest, rubbing her upper arms as though chilled. And maybe she was, he admitted, but only from the past hour’s company.
He wondered if he should attempt an explanation. The thought was dismissed in the next few moments. Luke doubted she would listen to anything he had to say. But there was a need in him to tell her why he had become a part of Toma’s scheme.
She looked up, right through him, her eyes glazed as she began rocking back and forth. Luke couldn’t walk away from her.
“Domini?” He came to hunker by the side of the settee and tried to take one of her hands within his. His mouth tightened just as her fingers did on her arm. “All right, I won’t touch you, but—”
“Go away.” Weak and soft, it was all she could say. Tears burned her eyes. She refused to cry. If she cried, she would let the pain free.
Luke reached up to her braided coil of hair and began plucking out the pins. She jerked her head back, but he caught her around the neck with his free hand until he was done. Tucking the hairpins in his vest pocket, he rocked back on his heels.
Domini refused to acknowledge his continued presence. Their games are deep and vicious. Luke’s words. Luke’s warning. But he had never included himself. And his was the deeper, far more vicious game.
She was suddenly so lightheaded she thought she would faint. Domini squeezed her eyes shut on hot tears. Determinedly she blinked them back. She couldn’t give in to the need to cry. Shaking her head in denial, she tried to remember that Luke would hone in on weakness the way a predator honed in on prey.
“Honey, I’m a patient man when I want to be. I can stay here all night until you’re ready to talk to me.” He gazed at her, his mouth gentling as he reached out to touch her cheek. Her flesh was cold. His eyes were thoughtful when she finally lifted her head to look at him.
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