by Lana Dare
Bending her knees to stay on her feet, she gripped his arm tighter. “Let go of me. I’m not one of the working girls. I’m not for sale.”
Glaring at her, Rose approached on her other side. “She works for me, Willy. Let her go. She’s got chores to do.”
Willy smiled, revealing rotten and missing teeth, his bad breath gagging Sarah. “She works for you, huh? I ain’t seen this one yet. Where you been hidin’ her?”
Rose stepped closer, running her hand down Willy’s chest. “I haven’t been hidin’ her. She’s busy. She does the cleanin’ up around here, and the laundry. She’s Lily’s girl and way too young for the likes of you.”
His eyes narrowed, his gaze sliding down Sarah’s body and up again to linger on her features. “She ain’t broke in yet?”
Rose seemed to come wide awake with a start, her eyes hard and cold on Sarah’s. “No. She ain’t ready.”
He yanked the shawl aside, his eyes widening when they lingered on the upper curve of her breasts. “Oh, she’s ready.”
Rose gasped, clearly furious. “How old are you, girl?”
Not about to confess her real age, Sarah blinked back tears as the hands in her hair tightened. “Fifteen.”
Willy chuckled and released her, his eyes narrowed and sharp with evil. “I don’t care how old she is. She’s got a body made for sex. Have her ready for me tonight. Get her gussied up in one of those fancy dresses.” His gaze went to her breasts again. “Not that she’s gonna be wearin’ it long.”
To Sarah’s relief, he turned his attention back to Rose. “She’s got me all riled up again. On your knees, whore.”
As soon as Willy released her, Sarah bent to gather the clothing she’d dropped and her shawl, holding the pile against her chest. Never taking her eyes from him, she backed toward the door, prepared to make a run for it if necessary.
But, thankfully, he no longer seemed interested in her.
Breathing heavily, she backed away, blinking back tears she hadn’t been aware of shedding.
She’d never been so scared.
Her breath came out in harsh, ragged gasps, and dizzy with fear, she clenched the clothes in her arms tightly, never taking her eyes from the dangerous outlaw.
When Rose dropped to her knees in front of him, Sarah spun and rushed out of the room, her heart pounding nearly out of her chest. Slamming the door behind her, she turned to race to her room instead of the back porch where the other laundry waited.
She had to get out of here—and it was clear she couldn’t wait any longer.
Still holding the pile of clothes against her chest, she ran for the stairway, grateful that everyone still slept as she rushed to her room, closing and locking the door behind her. Leaning back against it, she dropped the dirty laundry and fought to catch her breath.
She had to think. She had no money, but she had to leave town.
Somehow.
She had to find a way to escape before tonight.
After Willy took her, she’d be sold to any man who had the money, and become a whore—just like her mother.
She had no time to waste. Everyone except the cook would sleep for most of the day, so she had to move quickly.
She would have to walk, and dreaded being alone in the wilderness after dark, but she didn’t have enough money to take the stage out of town.
She didn’t even have enough to buy a meal.
Thinking about the small amount of money she’d managed to squirrel away, she rushed to the corner of the room and dropped to her knees to tear at the loose floorboard. Her heart pounded furiously, her head spinning at the turn her life had taken in the last few minutes.
Taking out the small handkerchief she’d hidden under the floor, she stilled at the unmistakable sound of the stage coming down the street.
Hoping the noise would cover her escape, she tucked the handkerchief with the few coins she’d managed to save into the top of her dress, and pushed the floorboard back into place.
She tossed her meager belongings, including the only other dress she owned, onto the bed, and tied everything up in the thin blanket, her hands shaking so hard that it took three tries before she got the knot secured.
She looked around the room, blinking back tears at the realization that, from this moment on, she was on her own.
She’d love the chance to say good-bye to her mother, but knew she couldn’t spare the time.
Her mother wouldn’t risk angering Rose, and would rush to tell her that Sarah had gone.
They’d find out soon enough, but Sarah wanted to put as much distance between her and Waco as she could before they did.
She was truly alone.
Pushing that thought out of her mind, she took several deep breaths, closing her eyes and lifting her head toward the ceiling.
You can do this. You have to.
She didn’t even want to think about the alternative.
With a hand on the doorknob, she paused, turning back to look at the pile of dirty clothing she’d tossed to the floor.
If she could find another scarf or shawl, she could cover her dirty hair and hopefully draw less attention to herself. She didn’t want to be noticed.
No one would even miss her—except for Willy, and he’d only be angry because she got away from him.
Just the thought of having his hands on her, and the thought of him seeing her naked had her struggling against a wave of terror again.
Breathing heavily, she dropped to her knees and tossed dirty laundry in every direction, desperation making her clumsy.
Red dress. Stockings. Underthings.
No shawl.
“Hellfire.” She threw everything aside, stilling when she heard a dull thud.
Picking up one piece of clothing at a time, she tossed them aside, her heart pounding furiously when she uncovered a man’s vest.
Willy’s vest.
Lifting it, she frowned at its weight.
Opening the vest, she fingered the small leather pouch pinned to the inside.
Then she saw another. And another.
Her heart pounded as she turned the vest inside out and saw that three small leather pouches had been pinned inside.
Barely breathing, she unpinned the smallest one, surprised at the weight of it in her palm.
With hands that shook, she untied the strip of leather holding the pouch closed, her breath catching at the flash of light.
Gold.
She counted the gold coins, her heart pounding faster. Twelve of them in the small pouch, and there were two more pouches.
More than enough to buy her freedom.
Thank you, God!
It took her several minutes to unpin the pouches from the vest, and pin the two larger ones to the inside of her skirt. Shaking the entire time, she jolted at every sound, knowing that it was only a matter of time before Willy realized that his money was gone.
He might not come after her, but he’d definitely come after his money.
Straightening, she tucked the pouch she’d opened into the top of her dress, knowing that the cloth she’d used to bind her breasts would keep it in place.
She had to move fast.
Gathering her meager possessions, she raced as quickly and silently as she could down to the kitchen, taking several small loaves of bread and pieces of fruit and hurriedly tying them into a napkin. Trying to control her breathing, she rushed out the back door and around the saloon to the sidewalk.
She’d grown up in Waco, and knew too many people. She didn’t want anyone to recognize her as she made her way across the street to buy a ticket for the stage. Just as she got to the other side of the street, the sound of the train whistle pierced the air.
If she took the train, she could get away faster, and go farther than she would have been able to go on the stage.
Willy Krenshaw wouldn’t be able to catch her so easily.
There would be more people. She could lose herself in the crowd, and hopefully, no one would remember her.
Changing direction, she kept her head down and headed toward the train station, acutely aware of the pouches pinned inside her skirt hitting her legs with every hurried stride. Only a block away, she found herself in the middle of a crowd of passengers from the train, just as a loud commotion broke out in the center of town.
Keeping the shawl in place with a hand fisted in the material below her chin, she sneaked a look over her shoulder, her stomach clenching when she saw Willy outside the saloon.
He looked mad as hell, whipping his head from side to side, obviously searching the street for someone.
Her.
She had to get out of here.
Ducking lower, she kept walking briskly, but not fast enough to gather unwanted attention, not slowing until she got to the train depot.
Slipping behind the small wooden building, she fought for composure. If she cried or acted guilty, people would notice and remember her.
She had to blend in.
If she could just get away, she could have a life—a real life.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened, her gaze drawn to a poster nailed to the side of the depot.
Brides wanted. Circle T Ranch. Desire, Oklahoma. Safety guaranteed.
Safety guaranteed.
She’d never even considered something like that, but at least she would have a man to keep her safe.
She would have a place to go—a place to hide. A husband. A family of her own.
Women alone seemed to end up in trouble. Even Rose, who ran her own business, had to do disgusting things with strange men in order to survive, and she had no man to turn to.
Sarah couldn’t forget the look of fear on the other woman’s face when Willy had made her get on her knees to please him. She’d seen her mother drink in order to face taking strange men into her bedroom.
Sarah wanted no part of a life like that.
The sound of Willy calling her name sent a jolt of terror through her, one that made it nearly impossible to think.
Safety guaranteed.
She couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like to feel safe, and she was too shaken to even think of anywhere else to go.
Without hesitation, she went to the counter on legs that shook. “A ticket to Desire, Oklahoma, please.”
The man behind the counter looked up. “Train don’t go to Desire. Closest station is Tulsa. You can get a ride from there.”
“Fine. Thank you.” She bought the ticket, grateful that the man behind the counter didn’t seem at all surprised that she paid for it with a gold coin. Maybe she could just stay in Tulsa and get a job there.
Pleased that she’d figured out another option, she hid a smile and accepted the ticket.
Although it seemed to take forever, it took only a few minutes to board the train and take a seat on the opposite side, placing herself as far from the bustle of Waco as she could.
Trying not to gape at her surroundings, which seemed so extravagant to her, she held her bundle of belongings close, prepared to run if she had to.
Trying not to gape, she lifted her head just enough to blend in with the others, taking in the ornate curtains on the windows and sliding her hand surreptitiously over the soft, velvet covered seats.
She’d never seen anything so lavish.
No one sat in the seat next to her, and she could only imagine it was because of her worn clothes and hair that smelled of tobacco, whiskey, and sweat.
She just hoped it wouldn’t cause people to remember her.
Sweating, shaking, and praying, she waited—each second seeming to take forever. Her breath caught at the gravity of what she’d done, but she couldn’t look back.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the train lurched, the movement so unexpected that she had to hold on.
Watching the street as they passed, she saw Willy riding his horse through town with two of his men, and he looked mad as hell.
He whipped his head around several times, and although she couldn’t hear what he said, it was clear he was yelling.
Blinking back tears, she turned to look out the window on her side of the train, her heart pounding furiously as the train pulled out of the station.
She’d escaped.
She was on her way to another life.
She was on her way to a new town—to a husband.
To a man she didn’t even know.
It terrified her, but not as much as returning to Waco.
She’d made her decision, and there was no going back.
Staring out the window, she settled more comfortably in her seat and imagined the man she would marry—a nice, gentle man.
Like Mr. Andrews, who always smiled at her and fussed over his wife, who’d taught her to sew.
Like Mr. Smith, who worked in the livery and always had a piece of fruit or a cookie for her.
Like Mr. Johnson, who owned the General Store and slipped her candy when no one was looking.
She knew nothing about love, and didn’t plan to find it.
She needed safety, and a place to hide.
She didn’t dare dream for anything else.
Chapter Two
Phoenix Royal hid a smile, amused that two of Tulsa’s bad asses and the town’s worst troublemakers quieted when they saw his oldest brothers, Hawke and Blade.
Giving his two stone-faced brothers a wide berth, they strode past them and headed down the street toward the livery.
He and his brothers had reputations for not backing down from a fight—any kind of fight—but a glare from his older brothers seemed to strike terror in men who liked to terrorize others.
Phoenix, as always, thought it funny as hell. He’d always been proud of them, and because they’d been left alone at an early age, the three of them had always been close.
His brothers were unlike any other men he’d ever met, and made others nervous, much to Phoenix’s unending amusement.
Both Hawke and Blade wore clothing made of buckskin, as if they didn’t want anyone to forget that they were half-Indian. Blade wore his hair in a long braid down his back, while Hawke wore his loose, giving him a wild, savage look that made even the toughest men take notice.
Phoenix wore his hair shorter and bought his clothes in town. He didn’t look for trouble, but didn’t go out of his way to avoid it. Unlike Hawke, he and Blade spent as much time as they could enjoying the amusements they found in town, including the bordello across the street.
Looking in that direction, he grinned, smiling at the two giggling women standing on the small porch in front of the saloon. He and Blade had bedded both of them several times, and he wished he had the time to enjoy them right now. Knowing he’d never be able to convince Hawke to spend the night in town, he nodded in their direction and turned back to his work.
Lifting another bag of flour onto the buckboard, he waited until the men still eyeing Hawke warily were several yards away before he spoke, careful to keep his voice low. “Everyone in town seems to be scared of you.”
Hawke grunted in response and turned to go back into the general store for another load of supplies.
Blade smiled and followed his brother. “Maybe they’re just afraid we’re gonna scalp ’em.”
The train whistle sounded as the train pulled into the station at the edge of town, so Phoenix didn’t even try to answer. Following his brothers, he glanced around, nodding at the greetings from several townspeople. They called to Blade as well, but very few dared to address Hawke.
He reached the store just as Hawke exited, and stepped aside so his brother could pass with his armload of supplies. “It wouldn’t hurt you to go have a drink while you’re here in town.”
“Don’t drink.”
Phoenix shook his head, knowing his brother never touched alcohol because Hawke never wanted to be out of control. Phoenix thought it would be good for his brother to relax once in a while, but relax wasn’t a word in his brother’s vocabulary. “I know the saloon girls would love to get to know you. T
hey ask about you every time I go. It would be good for you to have some fun.”
Hawke grunted again, not even slowing. “You have enough fun for both of us. The saloon girls seem to be waiting for you.”
“And for you.”
“If you decide to pay them a visit, you’ll have to make your way home by yourself. I’m leaving as soon as I check the train station.”
Accepting the bags of sugar from Blade, Phoenix headed back to the buckboard. “We could all spend the night, and head back after breakfast in the morning.”
Hawke grunted again and headed back inside the store, his expression hard with disapproval.
Shaking his head, Phoenix loaded the bags onto the buckboard and sighed in frustration. He hated that his brother never seemed to enjoy anything. He worked and slept. Day after day.
Hawke seemed to get harder and colder with every year that passed, and it worried Phoenix.
His older brother got especially cold when the subject of women arose.
Clenching his jaw, Phoenix started back inside with the intention of trying to talk Hawke into visiting the bordello with him.
As far as Phoenix knew, Hawke hadn’t been with a woman in years—not since the woman he’d courted back east had informed him in no uncertain terms that she’d never tie herself to a half-breed—and Phoenix worried that he’d keep getting worse.
As he started into the shop, Blade came through the door with bags of flour over his shoulders.
“You’re wasting your breath.” Blade’s lips thinned, his eyes glittering with anger. “Hawke isn’t about to mingle with the townspeople, Phoenix. He barely speaks to the men on the ranch, and he actually likes them. There’s no way he’s going to put himself in the position to be humiliated by a woman again.”
Wincing, Phoenix gestured toward the women across the street. “They always ask about him. There’s something about his cold attitude that’s a challenge to them or something. They all want to be the one to make him smile, and to soften him up a little.”
Blade’s lips twitched, but his expression remained hard. “That’s not ever gonna happen.”