"You can't have her," Devon said, his voice calm and low.
Sam laughed. "Of all the people I thought I'd find here, you were the last."
"Was it you outside, before?"
Her brother shrugged. "No. But it was one of my men. He said he was almost caught, and now I see why. You were always good, Dev."
"I still am," Devon said with dangerous meaning.
Her brother stood and approached them, his backup following. "I don't doubt that. You got yourself a nice little set-up here." He cocked his head. "But I heard you flipped sides."
Devon snorted behind her. "Flip sides? Me? You know how I feel about the law. They're all rumors to protect myself in case I got caught."
Juliette gasped at the news, and her brother's roar of laughter echoed through the house. "You always were sly, Devon. I'll give you that. However, in this case, you'll need to relinquish the prize."
With her skin crawling, she wanted to step forward, away from Devon's touch, but he squeezed her shoulder gently, holding her in place. "And what if I refuse? I've been working hard for this payout."
It took everything in Juliette's power to remain upright. She'd been such a fool, thinking Devon was here to protect her, when all he'd done was use her. She felt sick, weak, and angry with herself that she'd trusted him.
"If you refuse, my guys will take care of you." As if on cue, the gang unholstered their weapons, and pointed them at him.
He finally removed his hand from Juliette and raised both in the air. "Hey now—" Juliette could hear the smile in his tone "—none of that is necessary. I'm just not keen on letting my hard work go to waste, but go on. You take her."
At his words, her heart shattered. The tender feelings she'd had for him, the times they'd spent together, the future she'd seen with him, were all destroyed. He didn't care about her, wasn't falling in love with her. He'd only been using her, and she was the stupid woman who'd allowed her feelings to blind her. She'd loved him.
Sam reached out and circled her wrist before yanking her toward him. "That's a smart choice, Dev. With our history, I would've hated to kill you. Perhaps now, we can work together again in the future."
And there was her confirmation. Sam and Devon had worked together in the past. Devon was a criminal. How could she have been so wrong about him?
She glanced up to his eyes and choked down a sob with what she saw. Cool, mocking eyes met hers, and she saw the truth there. This wasn't the Devon she’d gotten to know, the Devon she loved.
That Devon didn't exist. It had all been an illusion. Bile burned the back of her throat.
She started to collapse, but her brother tightly gripped her arm, holding her upright. "Come on, Jules. Don't tell me you honestly fell for his act. You were always too smart for that."
She had always been smart enough to spot a scam, but apparently, not this time.
At her silence, her brother roared with laughter. "Well, I'll be. You went and fooled her, Devon. I'm impressed. With those kind of skills, I'll definitely have need of you in the future."
A wicked smile curved Devon’s lips. "Hopefully for something that pays well. I'd planned on this job sustaining me for the rest of my life." He looked regretful that it had been taken from him, but not overly surprised.
Juliette was definitely going to be sick.
"All my jobs pay well," her brother boasted. At Devon's easy agreement, her brother nodded his head toward the door. "Let's move out, men. We got what we came for."
With shouts of success, the others quickly filed out, and her brother followed them, tugging her behind him.
Unable to stop herself, she glanced over her shoulder one last time at Devon. He'd lost the easy expression on his face, the mocking attitude, and what was left was the Devon she'd come to know. Blazing eyes burned into hers, as if telling her he'd come after her. As if she belonged to him.
She closed her eyes tight again as anguish filled her. It was all a lie. Everything he’d said, everything he’d done. All lies.
And now her brother had her. No one could help her. She was completely and utterly alone.
Chapter 12
They'd ridden a few hours, when Sam decided to make camp. The men were excited, the thrill of their conquest filling them as they went about their tasks.
The fire was going, and food was already cooking in a pot, when her brother came to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be roughing it for a few days, but after that, you'll have the luxury you’re used to again."
She felt numb inside, betrayed by what had happened with Devon. "What do you want from me? Do you want me to hand the mine to you? Is that it?"
He smirked. "No, Jules. No matter what you said or did, I'd have to fight to keep the mine. We’ll have to do things a bit more permanently."
She stilled. He couldn't possibly mean—
"But since you're my sister, I leave the choice up to you." He waved to the five unclean, disgusting men, who sat around the campfire. "You'll have your pick."
Horror washed over her as her worst fear was confirmed. "I have to marry one of them?"
"Yes. It's the only way it'll be permanent. This way, we'll legally be owners of the mine."
As she took in each individual man, she gagged. Each of them was completely abhorrent to her. "You can't be serious. There has to be another way." She took a step away, as if that would save her.
His eyes darkened. "I'm completely serious. You have no choice here. If you want to remain in one piece, you'll do what I say."
"You'd kill me?"
He looked at her as he would an errant child. "What good would that do me? Then we'd never get our hands on the mine." Then, as if he could feel her relief, he added, "But once I'm done, you might wish for death."
All sorts of scenarios ran through her head, and she swore she would never allow any of them to come to pass. She kept her calm and forced herself to look at the ground demurely. "But you're my brother," she said softly. "You should keep me safe."
His finger roughly notched up her chin, forcing her gaze on him. "It's only because I'm your brother that I'm giving you a choice. Also, I'm not allowing them to touch you until you make your decision." He hunched down so his face was right in front of hers. "I'm doing all of that because I'm your brother."
She shivered. Her brother hadn't always been a bad guy. When they were younger, they'd loved each other. She didn't know when this change happened, but it had taken place long ago, and in the time that they'd been apart, it had only gotten worse.
As if he sensed her acceptance, he released her. "You have the night to decide. Then, as soon as we find someone to marry you, it'll be done."
He walked away without another word, not that she had anything to add. It wouldn't matter if she argued against it. She had no choice, and she'd be a fool to alienate him further.
As it was, she was unbound, and free to move around. She didn't have her pistol, but her brother hadn't checked her for any other weapons.
She stilled, wiggling her ankle against her knife, reassuring herself it was still there. She wouldn't be able to take them all out with her weapon, but if any of them touched her, she wouldn't hesitate to use it.
The men wandered around camp, drinking, joking, laughing, as they celebrated their victory. As the night wore on, she went closer and closer toward the light of the campfire, as if it would keep her safe.
As the men lost their inhibitions, their comments turned darker and bolder. Her brother said nothing to dissuade them, which only spurred them on. They taunted her with the things they wanted to do to her, things that made her skin crawl. The details only got more graphic as the evening wore on, their language more specific, until she thought she was going to be sick.
She kept her back to them, never acknowledging their words, but that didn't stop them. Their lusts only seemed to thicken.
When she didn't think she could stand it any longer, one of them grabbed her and spun her around, his hands tugging at her clothe
s. Before she could scream, her brother was there, pushing the man away from her.
He cocked his gun, pointing it at the other men. "No touching. Until she makes her choice, no one touches her. You got that?"
The men grumbled, but finally agreed. It didn't stop the hungry, angry gazes as they stared at her. The looks were intrusive, and she felt stripped bare, violated.
She spun away and gagged. How could her brother do this to her? How could he allow these men to treat her so? He might've said they couldn't touch her now, but by tomorrow he'd give permission for one of them to.
She stared in the fire until tears burned her eyes. No matter what Devon had done, he'd never treated her this way. He was nothing like these men. He'd always been kind, protective, caring. He'd never forced her to do anything she didn't want to, and in fact, had done everything in his power to give her the choice.
He'd taught her how to defend herself, how to keep herself safe. He hadn't wanted her to be a victim, to be taken against her will and forced into a marriage, just as her brother was doing. He'd wanted her to be free.
She thought over what had happened in the house, the conversation they'd had with her brother. Her fear of seeing Sam and the other men had clouded her judgment.
There'd been six of them in total. There was no way she and Devon could've defended against that. What had the options been?
Devon could have fought and been killed, but what would that have accomplished? She would still be with her brother, and Devon would be dead.
Her brows furrowed as she tried to remember every word from the conversation. Devon had only said he was using her, after her brother had suggested it. In fact, he'd allowed her brother to lead the entire conversation.
She stilled as a thought filled her. Was it possible he'd lied? She hadn't been thinking clearly at the time, allowing her fears to overwhelm her better judgment, but she acknowledged now that he could've been. He could have lied, followed along with her brother, in order to remain alive.
A part of her felt foolish for even considering it, but she was. The way he'd looked at her before she walked out, as if he were trying to tell her he'd come for her, that he cared. It filled her with hope.
He told her he wasn't good, that he'd had a past. She understood that now, but she also remembered something her brother said. He'd heard Devon had switched sides, that he was no longer a criminal, and now worked with the good guys.
As she thought about it, about what she knew of Devon, truth filled her. She let out a gush of air. Devon was good. He might have had a rough past, and she wouldn't judge him for it. She'd made mistakes herself, and didn't expect anyone to be perfect.
What mattered was that he'd changed. He'd locked away the bad things he'd done, and had chosen to live his life in the light.
What had he given, sacrificed, to make such a change? She knew it couldn't have been easy. He may not have even chosen for himself, but she was proud of the man he was. The man she knew he was.
Because no matter what her brother or Devon had said, she felt the truth within her.
She closed her eyes and let hope fill her heart. Devon would come after her, just as he'd promised. She only had to hold out until then.
She opened her eyes slowly, determination filling her, a plan forming in her mind. Her brother might have known her through and through when they were younger, but he didn't know the woman she'd become.
Her trials had honed her, had given her strength. Mostly because of him. She went over all her self-defense skills in her mind, imagining how she might use them in the current scenario. She planned on fighting, on not giving in. Her brother didn't know what was coming.
It was the next night when Devon finally caught up with them. After the gang had left with Juliette, he'd waited until it was safe before grabbing supplies and saddling his horse.
It was dark, and it had taken him time, but he'd been able to follow their tracks. Sam was either careless or stupid. Clearly, he didn’t think Devon would come after them, or be able to follow. In either case, he was wrong.
He'd been surprised Sam had believed his story about pretending to be on the right side of the law. Juliette had contributed to that. Her shock, her obvious sense of betrayal, had cemented his story and had convinced Sam of the lie.
It gutted him, knowing what she thought of him. Knowing she thought he'd used her. But it was his own fault. Had he told her the truth about his past sooner, she wouldn't have doubted him. As it was, his past had been thrown in her face, and she'd reacted. He'd have to convince her none of it was true.
He heard the sounds of the camp in the distance getting louder, and he crept toward them with grim determination.
He didn't have a plan, and hadn't had time to get help. It was still him against six men, but he had surprise on his side.
He couldn't count on Juliette's help, not knowing whether they'd discovered her hidden knife, or perhaps whether they had her bound, but he swore no matter what, no matter if he got hurt, he would free her.
He only hoped he wasn't too late. The thought of her hurt or scared filled him with fury, but he tamped down the feelings. He took a deep breath, clearing his anger, knowing it was of no use to him, only a hindrance.
If they were going to make it out alive, he needed to keep a clear head.
The noises escalated as he approached, as if the men were worked into a frenzy. He hid behind a bush, angling until he could see what was happening.
Juliette stood with her back to the fire, the rest of the men surrounding her. Her spine was ramrod straight, and even though she was putting on a brave face, he could see the fear in her eyes.
His hands clenched, and he wrestled down the urge to march into the clearing. He needed to remain calm, smart. As of right now, she looked unharmed, and that was all that mattered.
He held still, wondering what was happening. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long.
Her brother came out of the single tent set up, and approached her. "Time's up, Jules. You had all the time needed to make your choice. Which one will you let have you?"
Sam's intentions were completely clear, and Devon's gut roiled.
Juliette's chin notched up as she tried to hide her fear. "None of them. Please, Sam. Don't force me to marry any of them. I'll give you everything from the mine, but don't make me do that."
"Sorry, little sister. As I told you, it's the only way to ensure we get to keep it forever."
She lowered her head. "I refuse to choose anyone."
Even from this distance Devon heard Sam sigh. "If you do that, I'll be forced to choose for you. Is that really what you want?"
If she responded, Devon couldn't hear her. Finally, Sam shrugged. "Fine. If this is the way you want it, then that's the way it’ll be." He nodded to one of his men, the biggest of the group, one Devon didn't recognize. "She's yours, Nick. Do what you want.”
The man in question leaned back his head and roared, laughing at the end, obviously ecstatic with the turn of events.
Juliette’s eyes widened, and she stepped closer to the flames as the man approached her, licking his lips. “Come here, sweet thing.”
Juliette shuddered. “No.”
The other men laughed, angering Nick. Devon knew getting the man angry was a risk to Juliette, but at the same time, it would cloud the man’s judgment.
Nick stormed forward and took Juliette into his arms, crushing her body against his in a show of dominance.
She struggled against him. “Let me go! You have no right!” It took everything in Devon’s power to remain still. He needed to wait for the right moment.
“Your brother just gave me the right.” The man gripped Juliette’s hair, yanking her head back so she looked at him. He was already lowering his head to crush a kiss against her lips, when Juliette spit in his face.
The man flailed back, roaring, before he backhanded her.
She fell to the ground with a cry, and her brother only shook his head at her supposed stu
pidity.
Rage filled Devon. The moment Nick had hurt Juliette, he’d signed his own death warrant.
Nick roughly grabbed Juliette. “I’ll teach you to mind your place.” He dragged her out of the campsite and into the shadowy trees.
She screamed, yelling for her brother to help, but Sam didn’t even look in her direction. Devon would take care of him later.
Quietly, Devon made his way around the fringe of the campsite, moving where Nick had taken Juliette. He could hear Juliette stumbling behind heavy footsteps, and Devon hoped Nick would continue to drag Juliette farther and farther from the campsite. It would be easier to pick him off that way.
Devon knew he was close when he heard the footsteps stop. Juliette cried out, and then there was a tumbling sound.
“Don’t! Don’t touch me. Get off me!”
Devon appeared behind them in time to see Nick on top of Juliette, bunching up her skirts.
She bucked beneath the man, trying to throw him off, and Devon charged just as Juliette reached into her boot. Her knife glinted in the moonlight a second before she sliced it through the air and buried it in the side of the man’s neck.
Nick jerked, reaching for the knife, but that was as far as he got before he collapsed on top of her. She whimpered, but Devon was already there, throwing the man’s body off. “Shh. You’re okay. It’s me.”
Wild eyes met his, and it took a moment for them to clear. “Dev—Devon?”
“Yes. I’m here.” He didn’t know if he should reach out and gather her in his arms, didn’t know if he had the right. But before he could make the choice, she launched herself off the ground and flung her arms around him.
She shook, trembling, against him. “You came for me.”
He closed his eyes tight and placed a hand on the back of her head, cradling it against him. “I always will.” He held her for a second, longer than they could afford, until he pulled her head away and looked in her eyes. “Listen, this isn’t over yet. We need to get out of here."
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