The Lawman Claims His Bride (Love Inspired Historical)

by Ryan, Renee

  Megan nodded.

  He removed his hand from her mouth.

  She broke eye contact and tried to decide her best route of escape. She might have said she wouldn’t scream, but she’d never said she wouldn’t run.

  In the next heartbeat, she took off in the direction of the main house. Before she’d gotten far Hunter scooped her off the ground and then tossed her over his shoulder. “The hard way it is.”

  She squirmed, trying to break free but he tightened his hold on her, gripping her so hard the breath whooshed out of her lungs.

  “Don’t worry, Mrs. Mitchell. My brother is a smart man. I predict he’ll be coming to rescue you very shortly.”

  Everything in her froze. “You aren’t going to hurt Logan, are you?”

  “That, my dear girl, will be entirely up to him.”

  * * *

  “What do you mean Megan is gone?” Logan growled out the words through clenched teeth.

  His parents shared a look before his mother stepped forward and touched him on the sleeve. “She was upset. She asked for a moment alone. I’m sorry, Logan. She must have slipped out the back without us knowing.”

  Maybe she’d just gone for a walk. Maybe Hunter hadn’t come for her. The despair curling in Logan’s throat and clogging the air in his lungs told a different story.

  “Before you go searching for her, you should know what upset her.” His mother handed him Megan’s sketchbook.

  “Turn to the last page,” his father urged.

  Fearing what he’d find, Logan flipped quickly through the book, barely taking note of the various drawings. Until he noticed a pattern. There was a shadowy figure in all the scenes, a man that looked a lot like Logan, but not completely.

  His hand stopped turning pages as his gaze connected to a picture of him just outside the cabin. His eyes were full of love and adoration. It was as though Megan had looked straight into his heart and captured his feelings for her.

  His mother leaned over him and sighed wistfully. “Everything’s going to be all right between you two.”

  Logan nodded. Yes, everything would work out between them. He would see to it, even if it meant begging her forgiveness every day for the rest of their lives.

  “There’s one last drawing.” She flipped the page for him. “This is what upset Megan.”

  Just as it had when he’d seen Hunter’s name on Mattie’s list, Logan’s heart picked up speed and his mouth went dry. The look of anger and hatred in his brother’s eyes was unmistakable. Megan had seen Hunter clearly. Too clearly.

  This cabin feels lived in, she’d said yesterday.

  Logan had foolishly told her not to worry. He’d believed they were completely alone. They had been at the time. But the cabin had definitely been lived in.

  Hunter had been the squatter.

  How could Logan have missed something so simple, so basic? By bringing her to the Flying M, he thought he’d brought his wife to a safe place. Instead, he’d put her straight into the heart of danger.

  Fighting against his own panic, he took off at a dead run, jumped back on his horse and headed north.

  “Logan, wait,” his father called after him.

  “I’m going to get my wife back.”

  He just prayed Hunter hadn’t gotten to her first.

  Twenty minutes later Logan caught sight of the smoke coming from the cabin’s chimney, calling to him like a beacon. He pushed his horse harder.

  For the first time in his life, Logan feared he couldn’t protect Megan. Lord, help me. Help me protect Megan from Hunter.

  Mere feet from the front door, he jumped off his horse and burst inside the cabin. The room was cast in shadows, with only a small portion illuminated by a fire in the hearth. Despite his inability to see well, Logan was aware of everything in the room with sharp-edged clarity—the snap of the fire, the smell of pine, the sound of heavy breathing. His own?

  “Megan.” He shot his gaze in every direction. “Megan, where are you?”

  “Over here.” The sound of her voice nearly flattened him, but he managed to turn in her direction.

  All his fears vanished the moment he saw her face. Although shadows fell over most of her body, Logan could still make out her expression. There was no fear in her eyes.

  “Megan.” He started toward her, but stopped cold at the sound of a shotgun’s hammer clicking into place.

  “Stay right where you are, little brother.”

  Logan swung in the direction of the voice. Alert, watchful, angry, he focused on the barrel pointed at his heart. He’d been so concerned about Megan’s safety he’d made an amateur lawman’s mistake. He hadn’t checked to make sure the cabin was clear.

  Desperation had made him stupid. And now Megan was in danger.

  “We aren’t brothers.” He all but spat the words, then lowered his gaze over Hunter. He noted the look of strain in the lines around his eyes and mouth. “No brother of mine would hurt the woman I love.”

  Hunter’s eyes went dark and turbulent. “I haven’t hurt your wife. Go on. See for yourself. But first, remove your weapons.”

  Logan calculated his next move. If he jumped Hunter he’d have the element of surprise on his side. But even if Logan managed to avoid catching a bullet in his chest, Megan could be hurt. Logan unstrapped his gun belt and lowered it to the ground.

  “Kick it over to me.”

  Growling, Logan did as requested.

  Hunter grinned at him. “Now you may check on your wife.”

  Still holding Hunter’s gaze, Logan inched toward Megan. At the last minute, he broke eye contact and dropped in front of her. He rested his hands on her knees and took a good look at her. She was tied to the chair in a manner that secured her arms against her waist.

  “You tied her up,” he said, struggling to control his temper.

  “Couldn’t have her running back to the folks.” He chuckled. “Your wife certainly has...spirit.”

  Before Logan could tell Hunter to leave his wife out of this, Megan’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Listen to what your brother has to say,” she urged. “His story will surprise you.”

  Logan’s hands clenched into fists at his side as he rose to confront his brother. “Did you kill Kincaid?”

  “The man had it coming.” Hunter’s gaze turned hard and unrelenting, his gun still pointed straight at Logan’s heart. But when he stared into his brother’s eyes, Logan did not see an outlaw. Rather, he saw a man stricken with grief.

  “Did you kill him to protect Megan?”

  “She had the blackguard subdued before I arrived.” He looked over at her with a hint of admiration.

  “Then why’d you do it?” Logan took a miniscule step forward.

  “Don’t come any closer,” Hunter warned.

  Logan complied midstep. “Why did you kill Kincaid?” he repeated.

  “He murdered my wife.” Hunter’s gaze turned haunted.

  “You got married?”

  “Five years ago.”

  “Cole attacked your brother’s wife, in the same way he attacked me,” Megan said when neither man spoke again. “But she wasn’t able to fight back because she’d just had a child who’d died in her arms. She was too weak to defend herself.”

  Logan’s heart tumbled in his chest. “Is that true?”

  Hunter nodded. His eyes were so wounded Logan knew there was no doubting the story. “I’ve spent the last two years hunting the bast—” he looked over at Megan “—er, outlaw.”

  Sadly, Hunter’s tale was not a new one. Logan had spent much of his career tracking men like Kincaid. He’d brought most to justice. “You should have let the law handle it.”

  “Would you have?”

  “I am the law.”

  “We b
oth know you wouldn’t have waited for a trial to determine the outlaw’s fate.”

  Logan didn’t argue the point. But he wasn’t the one who had to face up to his actions. He wasn’t the one who’d killed a man.

  Despite understanding why his brother had murdered Kincaid, vigilante justice was never the answer. “There are laws in this land for a reason.”

  “Justice was served.”

  “Now who’s kidding himself? What you did to Kincaid wasn’t about justice. It was about vengeance.”

  “And what, Logan? Vengeance is God’s alone?” Hunter sneered at the sentiment. “Always taking the righteous path, huh little brother?”

  Logan ignored the goading tone. He knew his duty. There was no joy in the knowledge, only a deep sense of regret.

  “I have to arrest you, Hunter.” He shook his head sadly, wanting to rage in frustration at the unfairness of the situation. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you get a fair trial.”

  “You know I can’t take that chance.”

  Before Logan could make a move, Hunter rushed him. The last thing Logan heard before his world went black was Megan’s scream.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Logan wasn’t moving.

  Please, God. Please, Megan prayed. Don’t let him be dead.

  Swallowing back her panic, she focused all of her efforts on the rope securing her to the chair. Hunter had positioned the knot at an awkward angle, which required extra concentration on her part.

  Her arms protested in the twisted position in which she held them. Megan ordered herself to relax, to focus only on freeing herself and not on the pain in her cramping muscles, or on the fact that Logan was...still. Not. Moving.

  The knot slowly released, enough for Megan to wiggle out from under the rope. Free at last, she dashed to her husband.

  “Logan.” She knelt beside him, ran her fingers across his cold forehead. Fear unfolded in her chest, crowding out the breath in her lungs. He looked terribly pale. Too pale.

  Had his brother killed him?

  Oh, Lord. Please, let Logan be alive. It was the most desperate prayer of her life.

  “Come back to me,” she whispered, tears running down her cheeks. The force of her love was so fierce it nearly blinded her. “Logan, do you hear me? Wake up.”

  She placed her hand on his chest, felt the slow rise and fall of his breath and blew out a sigh of relief. “Still alive.”

  He murmured something incoherent, moved his head around, moaned heavily and then—finally—he opened his eyes.

  “Oh, Logan. Praise God.” She dropped a kiss to his lips. “Welcome back.”

  Wincing, he reached up and touched her wet cheek. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.”

  She blinked back her tears. “Can you sit up?”

  “Won’t know till I try.” He lifted slowly to a sitting position but then cupped the back of his neck. “My head is pounding.” She could see him struggling through the pain.

  Gripping his shoulders, Megan supported his weight while he caught his breath. Eventually, he pulled himself to a standing position, took two unsteady steps then collapsed on the sofa with a hiss.

  Megan sat beside him and lightly touched his arm. “Where do you hurt?”

  “My head.” He rubbed his palm over his temple. “What happened?”

  “Your brother hit you with the butt of his gun.”

  “Right.” He took a ragged breath of air then looked furiously around the cabin. “Where’s Hunter?”

  “Gone. And if I’m not mistaken—” she gave him an apologetic grimace “—he took your horse with him.”

  “Smart. It’s what I would have done.” There was no respect in his tone, only a sad note of acceptance.

  Megan moved her hand to Logan’s chest. His heartbeat was stronger, steadier. Wanting a more personal connection, she leaned forward, hoping to place her cheek next to her hand, but he stopped her progress midway.

  “Hunter tied you up. How’d you get free? Did he let you go before he left?”

  “I freed myself.” She motioned to the pile of discarded rope now lying on the floor.

  “You freed...” His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Yourself?”

  “You weren’t moving, Logan. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. I had to get to you, make sure you were all right.” She gave him a frustrated glare. Really, did he not know her at all? “I’m perfectly capable of heroic feats when the situation warrants.”

  He continued staring at the rope. Wonder eventually took over the confusion in his gaze. “Of course you’re capable. I never should have doubted you or your ability to take care of yourself. Or me, when the situation warrants.”

  She cupped his cheek and smiled into his eyes. “Is that an apology?”

  “No, this is.” He tugged her onto his lap and pressed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry for misjudging you. You are a strong, beautiful, capable woman in your own right. You are amazing, spectacular, worthy of poetry. Songs should be written in your honor. You are the sunshine of my life.”

  Who knew her husband could be such a romantic? “Well, I—”

  He kissed her on the lips, cutting off her words. “I’m sorry for not taking the time to get to know the real you.” He pulled away and rubbed the back of his head. After a moment, some of the pain left his eyes. “I was wrong to hold on to the image of you I’d created in my head while we were apart. That wasn’t fair to either of us.”

  “Well, now, that’s an even better—”

  He kissed her again, this one lasting longer than the first. When he pulled away a second time, they were both gasping for air.

  “Most important of all, I’m sorry I waited five years to make you my wife.”

  “Oh, Logan, apology accepted.” She lowered her gaze as her own remorse reared. “But you aren’t the only one to blame for our misunderstanding. I was too proud to let you take care of me. I’ve spent so many years fending for myself I had no idea how to surrender to someone else’s strength, even when I needed to.”

  “Apparently, submission comes hard for us both.”

  “Well, I for one made a promise to live with you in the holy state of matrimony as God ordained it,” she repeated the words from their marriage ceremony with fervor. “That means there has to be a certain amount of give and take on each of our parts. I’m good at giving, but I still have to work on the receiving portion of the Lord’s command of me as your wife.”

  He touched the wedding ring he’d put on her finger less than a week ago. “I promise not to overdo the protection portion of His command for me as your husband.”

  He seemed truly remorseful. It took a very strong man to admit he was wrong. Was there any wonder why she loved this man?

  “I like you worrying about me,” she admitted. “I like knowing you will protect me in times of trouble. It’s just that, for the last few days, you’ve—”

  “Smothered you with my notion of protection?”

  “Maybe you did overdo it a bit.” She kissed his lips then scooted off his lap so she could look at him directly. “I don’t want you to stop caring for me. I just want you to remember I won’t break under a little adversity now and then.”

  “I won’t forget. And if I do, simply say the word rope and I’ll remember how you untied yourself while I was lying on the ground completely subdued and unconscious.” The tender, honest way he looked at her confirmed the truth far more than his words. Her husband finally saw her as she was today.

  Megan wanted to pull him to her, but now that he was fully alert she steered the conversation in a more difficult direction. “What about Hunter?” Her lips quivered with the compassion and pity she felt for her brother-in-law. “Are you going after him?”

  Logan sat motionless f
or a long while, his gaze locked on the cabin’s door. “No,” he said at last. “Hunter will eventually be caught and brought to trial, but not by me.”

  “Surely you understand why he killed Cole.”

  He rubbed a hand down his face and released a long burst of air. “No matter how much I sympathize with his reasons, Hunter killed a man. I’ll have to write up a report. Wanted posters will have to be hung across the territory. But I’m going to let another marshal track him down.”

  “I’m sorry, Logan.” The sorrow in his eyes was so real, so mournful, Megan’s heart broke for her husband. “I can see how hard this is for you.”

  “Hunter is my brother. My family. I allowed myself to forget that over the years. Maybe if I’d have reached out to him that night in the brothel he wouldn’t have become what he is today.”

  “You mean a man grieving the senseless death of his wife?”

  “No.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t begrudge him that. What I can’t ignore is that he resorted to vigilante justice. He broke the law. The law I’m sworn to uphold.”

  “Logan—”

  “Don’t worry, Megan. I won’t turn my back on him again. When he’s caught, and he will be caught, I’ll ask for leniency and do everything in my power to ensure he receives a fair trial.” He fell silent.

  Megan could practically hear his mind working through the rest of his thoughts. She didn’t press him further. Instead, she switched the conversation yet again. To a much happier subject. “You realize where we are. And what we did the last time we were here.”

  His gaze darkened with an altogether different range of emotions. “I remember.”

  “Do you also remember which one of us took matters into their own hands when the other one was being overprotective and...smothering?”

  “Yes, Megan. I remember.” Grinning now, Logan pulled her back into his lap and buried his face in her neck. “I love you, sweetheart.”

  “I love you, too.” She wrapped him tighter against her. “So very much.”

  For a moment, they simply held each other. But Logan knew the time had come to discuss one last matter. “There’s something else we need to talk about,” he said.