by E. E. Burke
“Be careful.” His voice echoed in the cavern.
She scrambled to her feet and stumbled deeper into the cave with no other thought except escape. A glance over her shoulder revealed no one in pursuit.
Daylight outlined her captor’s lean form at the mouth of the cave. Why hadn’t he come after her to stop her from escaping?
Ahead, the interior appeared dark and fathomless. He wouldn’t bother to chase her if there was no other way out.
The sound of his footsteps sent another bolt of fear through her.
She whirled around, thrust her hands outward, and blurted the only thing she could think of that might stop him. “I have personal needs. I must attend to them.”
“You will not find what you seek back there. Only bat droppings and animal skeletons.”
“I won’t find what I need here, either.” Trembling, she held her ground.
Was that amusement curling the side of his mouth? “The bushes outside will provide a better place for you to attend your personal needs. Come. I will escort you.”
And remain close to her while she was vulnerable? No, thank you.
She took a step back. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather go by myself.”
“I do mind. After yesterday, I cannot trust you not to run.” He grabbed her arm.
She flinched at a sharp pain. “Ow.”
His grip immediately loosened. He ran his fingers down to her elbow, brushing her jacket sleeve. Her skin quivered as if he’d stroked her bare flesh. It unnerved her, this strange effect he had on her. How could danger be thrilling?
“Did I hurt you?” His gaze reflected what might be regret. His tone implied the same.
She had the strangest urge to brush back his dark hair and murmur assurances. He hadn’t hurt her that badly, not in the way she thought he might.
“It’s a bruise from yesterday. I don’t know where I got it.” She shook her head at what had come out of her mouth. Of course she knew. He’d manhandled her. Why did she imagined this heathen outlaw needed consoling? He wasn’t the one who’d been abducted. “If you truly cared about my wellbeing, you would return me.”
The illusion of regret vanished behind a mask of indifference.
“Are you hungry?” He held up a partially eaten fish skewered on a stick. “I saved you some breakfast.”
“Is that…yours?”
“Half of it. I did not touch this side.”
He’d saved part of his food for her. What did that tell her? That he cared about her hunger? Or he wanted to keep her reasonably healthy until he could ransom her.
While he rolled up the blankets, she finished off the remainder of the fish. His breakfast hadn’t amounted to much, and he’d done without half of it. Whatever his motive, his action reflected generosity. And there had been other things he’d done. Small, yet significant kindnesses, like giving her his blanket, using a scarf instead of leather strings to retie her hands.
He wasn’t as cruel as he wanted her to believe, which meant she might be able to coerce him into returning her before his partner showed up again. That one had no compassion toward her.
He hefted the saddle then handed her the bedroll. “Come.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
As soon as she stepped outside, she stopped, momentarily blinded by the bright daylight. After her eyes adjusted, she saw her captor’s spotted horse near a line of trees.
He nudged her in that direction. “Go on.”
Why? This remote place was be a perfect spot to hold her until they ransomed her.
“Did you have an argument with your partner about something?”
He tied a rope around her ankle. “Take care of your personal needs.”
She could go no further than a nearby bush. Running was out of the question.
If the topic concerned money, he might plan to spirit her away to keep the ransom for himself. Yes, that made sense. Given the choice, she would take her chances with this man instead of the one who had eyed her with such hatred. Greed, she could manage.
In fact, if she offered to pay him, he might return her. Most of her wealth was tied up in railroad stock and her cash went to living expenses. Still, she could scrape together enough to impress an impoverished Indian.
He tugged the rope.
Kate dutifully returned. Ideally, she would pay him off and he’d return her. Her father need never know. She could act as if nothing had happened. Except she ought to warn Henry and her father to lock their private cars.
“I’ll give you a hundred dollars if you take me back.”
Her captor proceeded to saddle his horse without comment.
Maybe it wasn’t enough for the daughter of the man who owned the railroad. Or...did he even know who she was? He’d reacted as if he recognized her, but she’d never seen him before and he hadn’t used her name.
In fact, it didn’t appear as though they planned to abduct anyone. They’d broken in looking for something. She’d interrupted them. In a panic, they’d taken her on a whim.
Dear God. It was possible he had no idea precisely who she was or how much she was worth. Until she could be sure about what he knew, she couldn’t let on.
Her captor’s clothing appeared worn. He’d obtained food from whatever was at hand. Many of the Indians she’d seen were extremely poor. From what she’d observed about him, he didn’t act as if he relished his criminal life.
“How much do you need to go somewhere and start over?”
He clamped his hands around her waist. Awareness zinged through her.
She jerked away, flustered and confused. What could explain this senseless attraction to a stranger, and an outlaw at that? It had to be the odd situation. Her observations about his few kindnesses had made her feel close to him. But she knew Henry much better and had never felt these things when he touched her.
“Get on the horse,” the Indian demanded.
Kate planted her heels. Not before they settled this. “Name your price.”
His gaze made a slow trek down her body. The tingles returned. This time, stronger than before. She prayed he couldn’t see how thoroughly he rattled her.
“You want gold, I imagine.”
“I want you to stop talking and mount up.” He laced his fingers together, indicating she should put her foot in his hand. “Here you go.”
Kate hesitated. If she rode in front of him again, he would touch her and her body would betray her. Besides, she couldn’t get away with his arms around her. “I’ll ride behind you.”
His scowl reappeared. “So you can kick my horse again?”
“I won’t. I promise.” She mentally crossed her fingers.
“Get in the saddle, in front. Unless you want to stay here and wait for Charley to come back and make good on his threat.”
“Charley? Is that your partner?”
Alarm flashed in his eyes. He’d let the name slip unintentionally, along with something else. That cruel look on the other man’s face, she hadn’t misread it. Charley wanted to kill her.
Chapter 6
Jake held Redbird tight while he guided his horse down the narrow trail leading away from the hideout. His anxiety had ratcheted up with every minute she’d stalled. He had no illusions about his cousin’s reaction to their flight. He’d be furious, and fast on their trail.
After their morning conversation, his cousin would believe he had turned yellow and decided to return Redbird to the railroad worksite, and would set off in that direction. Eventually, Charley would figure out where they were headed and would come after them. By then, it would be too late. She would be under Na’s protection. Their traditions would keep her safe until he could figure out how to untangle this mess he’d created.
“Are you taking me back to the worksite?” She craned her neck to look around the next bend. “The path looks familiar.”
Observant, as well as clever and resourceful. Admirable traits, if she were not such a pain in the ass.
Jake sighed wearily. He considered telling her where he planned for her to stay until he could return her safely. She would not believe his good intentions. Worse, she might think he was softening and try to run. He was too tired to put up with her tricks. Let her think he was returning her. She might be more docile—for a time.
“You have a good eye. We passed by here before.”
She nodded, taking his answer for yes.
It was a small sign of trust. One he would ultimately misuse. For the purpose of keeping her safe—at least safe from Charley. He had less certainty that he would be able to keep his hands off her if she did not stop moving.
Her hair had come loose from the knot and its curls circled her head like a fiery halo. The color and texture provoked more than curiosity. He longed to rub his face in it. If he did that, it would arouse him and frighten her and make the journey a misery for both of them.
“Here, wear this to protect your face.” He dropped his hat over her head.
“Thank you. I didn’t have the opportunity to collect mine.”
His lips twitched at her pert reply. When she reached up to adjust the hat, his smile faded. Raw blisters around her wrists looked painful. The last time he’d tied her hands, he used cloth to avoid damaging her tender skin. She had worked hard to escape her bonds, to the point of ripping his scarf with her teeth.
Feisty. Not easily frightened. Yet, smart enough to know when fear was her friend. Quick-thinking, too. Yesterday, she would have bashed him in the head with that rock had Charley not called out.
At a creek, Jake led his horse into the water and let Thundercloud pick his way along the shallow bed. Redbird gripped the saddle horn and leaned away from him. She would never be comfortable riding like that. He circled his arm around her waist. She resisted, which came as no surprise. He had forced her to use him as a saddle yesterday. If he could put up with this uncomfortable attraction, so could she.
“Easy now. Relax. I will not hurt you.”
“So you say.”
“I do say. And I keep my word.”
She cast a doubtful frown over her shoulder. Then she finally allowed him to draw her back against him. He expected her to ask him to remove his arm. She curled her fingers around his wrist instead. Whether intentional or not, it indicated trust.
Even if he could not be honest with her, he could show her respect, which meant he had to ignore her soft backside between his legs, her mesmerizing hair and lemony scent. He would think about other things—like how stupid he’d been to agree to thievery and suggest abduction as a solution. But if he hadn’t taken her, she’d be dead.
For a time, they rode in silence. He let his hand slide to a more comfortable position on her hip. Their fingers touched. He laced them together without even giving it much thought. Until she didn’t resist. Then he noticed, along with a warm, pleasant feeling in the center of his chest, which took him a moment to work out.
Contentment.
His heart jumped like a jackrabbit. No, that was not what he felt. He would never be content with a white woman.
Redbird wasn’t just any white woman. He’d known that before he’d taken her. Since the first time he’d spotted her in the flesh three months ago, when he had posed as a tracklayer and spied on the railroad. He had watched her from afar, had noticed how proudly she held her herself, like a queen or a goddess.
Her fragrance teased his senses. He put his nose forward, then realized what he was doing and sat back. Lust had addled his mind. What did it matter if she fit perfectly in his arms or if she smelled so good that he couldn’t stop sniffing her hair? This white woman was no sun goddess or even a benign spirit. She belonged to a rich man.
That railroad chief did not deserve her if he couldn’t take better care of her.
Jake tightened his hold. “Why did your man bring you along?”
“My man?”
Did she have more than one?
“The workers call him Chief.”
“Oh. You mean Mr. Stevens. He’s the Chief of Operations, that’s why they call him that. He’s not my— I mean, he didn’t bring me out here. The decision was mine.”
She had been about to deny their relationship. Why? Was she trying to shield him or his money? Any self-respecting Cherokee man would be humiliated if a woman had to protect him.
“He should have made you stay home. It is not safe for you to be wandering around alone.”
She released a soft snort. “They’d be in complete agreement with you.”
“They?”
“He, I mean, Mr. Stevens.”
Again, she stumbled on her words.
Jake’s instincts warned she hid something he needed to know. In order to keep her safe, he had to find out as much as he could. “How long have you belonged to Stevens?”
Her body tensed. “I’m not his possession.”
“But the workers said you belong to him.”
“The workers?” She twisted with a frown. “When did you talk to the workers? And why were you asking about me?”
Jake cursed his loose tongue. He had let too much slip. Smart as she was, she would soon figure out the reason for his spying. “Turn around. Your movement spooks my horse.”
She faced forward. “You’re avoiding my question.”
“I overheard them talk at the party.”
When she pressed no further, he relaxed. She had accepted his explanation.
He was still curious as to whether she actually belonged to the railroad chief. Were they not married? Jake capped the notion before it formed. If he had a grain of common sense, he wouldn’t trust a word out of her mouth. Denial aside, she belonged to Stevens. Why else would she be with him? Like most whites, she lied.
After he felt certain he hadn’t left an easy trail, he guided the horse out of the creek. The forest remained quiet. Birds stayed in the trees. Nothing indicated they were being followed.
Jake released his breath with relief. His cousin must have fallen for the trick and headed back to the worksite. In the time it took him to figure things out, Redbird would be in a place where she’d be safe, yet unable to cause trouble.
She sat straighter and looked around. “You’re not taking me back. We’re going in the opposite direction.”
Perceptive, as well as persistent.
“I never said I would take you back.”
“But you…” She jerked her hand away. Whatever trust she’d given had been rescinded. “Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Safe?” She huffed a dark laugh. “Your partner wants to kill me.”
“I will protect you.” He’d made a promise, whether she realized it or not.
He reached up to touch the arrowhead on a leather string around his neck. The powerful totem, which belonged to the famous warrior Dragging Canoe, had been passed down through his mother’s family. His ancestor had defeated many enemies, some of them in his own clan.
Jake frowned, troubled. Would Charley become his enemy? At one time, they had been closer than brothers. He did not want bad blood between them, much less allow it to come to blows. At the same time, he would not let Charley hurt Redbird. He had not run this time out of cowardice. He’d run because he didn’t want to be forced into choosing between them.
“You won’t have to protect me if you take me back. I’ll pay you five hundred dollars.”
Jake’s instincts perked up. “You will pay me? Don’t you mean Stevens?”
“I’ll get my hands on the money. Why does it matter where it comes from?”
He was tempted to see how high she would go. Except, if he traded her now, she’d be able to identify him and Charley, and he couldn’t take that chance. Not until his family’s land was safe, and he had convinced his cousin to leave her alone. “I can’t take you back. Not yet.”
Redbird retreated into sullen silence. He did not believe for a minute that she had accepted her fate. More likely, she continued to plot her escape. Out here, there was n
owhere she could go without getting lost. Let her scheme all she wanted.
After a time, the sun’s rays beat down from directly above them. Jake used his sleeve to mop the sweat from his forehead. He missed his hat. By now, his horse needed water, and Redbird probably required relief. It wouldn’t hurt to stop for a few minutes.
He headed for the shade of a river birch overhanging a creek branch where they would find fresh water. “We will rest here.”
Surprisingly, she said nothing when he helped her down. Her eyes had a glassy look and her face was flushed, but without sweat. He had seen this happen before when one of his young cousins had been overcome by heat.
“You need water. Go get some.”
Redbird wobbled to the edge of the creek, sank to her knees and dipped her hands to scoop a drink of water. Satisfied she had followed his instructions, he removed his coat to cool off then turned his attention to the horse, while keeping one eye on her.
She hung her head and didn’t move.
Worried, Jake went to her side. He knelt in the grass and reached out to cup her cheek. Her face still glowed red, even though she had been wearing his hat. Was that normal for a fair-skinned woman? He decided it wasn’t.
“Take off your jacket.” At her look of alarm, he softened his voice. “You are too hot.”
“I’m not that hot.” She eyed him with suspicion.
He waited patiently until she undid a few buttons. From a pocket, she withdrew a dainty handkerchief and used it to dab her face. That little bitty rag didn’t do much good.
Jake dunked his scarf in the creek. He took hold of her arm to turn her toward him so he could squeeze water over her forehead and reddened cheeks. When she tried to pull away, he kept a firm hold, only this time with care not to bruise her. “I’ve seen others get sick, even die, if they cannot cool off.”
He pried open three more buttons on her jacket. Underneath were her undergarments. No more. If he kept undressing her, he wouldn’t stop.
With his wet scarf, he bathed her throat. Beads of water dribbled down the slender column of her neck to collect in a hollow at the base. He imagined putting his lips on that spot, following his hands as he undid her remaining shirt buttons.
