“Our father beat the living daylights out of us, or did you forget?” Warion shook his head with his jaw clenched tight.
“If I remember correctly, Wolfe took most those beatings for you two when he hadn’t even deserved it,” Lexi added. Both the men just looked to the ground and didn’t answer.
“Neil had his problems, just like any other man,” continued Anna Mae. “While he didn’t show it, he loved each and every one of you.”
“Hmmph!” It was Ginny stating her opinion this time. “If he loved me, then why did he offer me up as a mail order bride to a man three times my age and ship me off to the east coast?”
“He did it because he knew the man would take good care of you and provide you with everything you needed since he had money. He told me that your mother had always had high hopes for you, and on her deathbed she made him promise to make sure you married a man who would take good care of her youngest child and only daughter.”
“She did?”
“If any of you would have taken the time to actually talk to your father, you’d know all this. He may have seemed to you like a drunken, abusive bastard, but he wasn’t – not really. He had a kind heart under that hardened exterior and often told me that family meant everything to him.”
“I suppose he never did hurt you, did he?” asked Wade.
“And neither would he.” Anna Mae shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.
There was a bang of the front door and Lexi looked up to realize Wolfe had been listening to the entire conversation. She figured it was a good thing that he heard about his father. What she didn’t like was that he’d also heard Emma saying she didn’t want him to stay. That part cut her to the bone. She only hoped she could change her daughter’s opinion about him, because she decided that she wanted a serious relationship with the man who’d been her best friend for her entire life.
Chapter 7
Lexi followed Wolfe out into the stables, walking carefully in the dark, clutching her shawl around her and watching so she wouldn’t step in a pile of manure. “Billy?” She spoke softly and looked into the stable but could see nothing.
“Billy, are you out here?” she called again, peering into the darkness. She jumped and screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked up into the blue eyes of her best friend.
“Lexi, go inside. You really shouldn’t be out here in the dark.”
“I need to tell you something.”
“I heard everything Anna Mae said about my father, so there’s no need to repeat it.”
“I know you did. I wanted to apologize for what Emma said about you.”
“Yeah. That wasn’t easy to take from a four-year-old.” He repositioned his hat on his head and looked up toward the moon. “I can’t blame her for not liking a man like me. I’m sure I’m not at the top of anyone’s list about now.”
“You’re at the top of my list.”
“He looked into her eyes and took her hands in his. “Don’t put me on a pedestal, Lexi, because I’m more than likely to fall off. I’m not proud of how I acted in the past. I realized today in the saloon that William was right. I’m a de Wolfe and I want to run with the pack, not be a loner anymore.”
She giggled. “What does that mean?”
“It means from now on I’ll go to any extreme to help my family, even if they don’t want me to do it.”
“Your siblings will come around. Just give them some time.”
“What’s the real reason you followed me out here?”
He was a bounty hunter and could read things in people’s words as well as their actions. She couldn’t hide from him the real reason she was here and neither did she want to.
“I followed you out here to tell you -” She stopped suddenly, frightened that he might turn her away. If he did, what would be in store for them in the future? She wanted him in her life, but she suddenly wasn’t as sure that he wanted her.
“Do you remember when we were young and we used to climb up into the hayloft and look at the stars all night?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she said, with a smile spreading across her face. “Though it was common for you to sleep in the hayloft, the first time I fell asleep up there caused a big stir. Everyone talked about it and the rumors were that we spent the night together.”
“Well, we did,” he said with a grin that warmed her heart immensely.
“You know what I mean.” She hit him playfully on the arm, and he took her hand in his. The warmth of their bodies touching caused a spiral of excitement to course through her.
“Let’s do it again, Lexi.”
“What?” She giggled. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a beautiful night, and there are a million stars in the sky. Let’s go up to the hayloft and lay in the hay and pretend we see things in the stars that aren’t really there.”
“Well, I don’t know.” She looked back toward the house and saw Anna Mae watching them. She was glad Emma wasn’t with her. Then Anna Mae turned and went inside, and Lexi saw her closing up the door.
“Unless you’d rather not,” he said, removing his hand from hers.
“No.” Her heart jumped when he pulled away. She didn’t want him to leave her. “I want to go up to the loft with you, Billy. I want to lay there and see things in the stars the way we used to, all those years ago.”
“Then allow me.” He swept her off her feet, and she squealed in delight and threw her arms around his neck.
“What are you doing?”
“I don’t want your dainty little foot to step in a surprise in the dark.”
“Well, what about you? You can’t see where you’re going either.”
“Don’t worry about me. Bounty hunters have the eyes of an owl and the ears of a . . . a . . . hare.”
That made her laugh. “This is the Billy I remember,” she told him, holding onto him tightly. “Now take me to the hayloft and let’s have some fun.”
Wolfe put Lexi’s feet on the ladder and stayed close behind her, protecting her as they ascended up into the hayloft of the barn. She collapsed in the hay, laughing, and he liked hearing the sound of her laugh again. It’d been too long.
He pulled open the window and settled down next to her, laying back and putting his hands behind his head.
“Just look at those stars,” he said. “Beautiful.”
“I think I see a horse in the stars.”
“Where?” Wolfe cocked his head but couldn’t see what she was talking about. “All I see is a line of stars that look like a – a serpent.”
That was unnerving to see at the moment, but Lexi’s next action had him forgetting about the horrid beast from his dreams.
“Not over there, it’s over this way.” She reached over and turned his face in her hands.
“I don’t see it.” He stared at her lips.
“Of course you don’t see it, because you’re not looking at the sky.” Her eyes settled on his lips as well.
“I see something I like a lot better than horses.” He lifted his chin and now their lips were almost touching.
“So do I.” Her eyes closed slightly and she wavered.
“Kiss me, Lexi, before I go mad with want.”
“I wouldn’t want to be the one accused of making you crazy.” Her breath brushed across his lips and he could feel the intense attraction between them.
“Too late for that.” He put his hand behind her head and pulled her to him, kissing her ever so gently.
“I like that,” she whispered, sounding so seductive. “Do it again.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a smile and this time kissed her deeply. He wrapped his arms around her and they fell back in the hay. Her body felt so good pressed up against him, and he wanted her badly. “I can’t believe I was so blind that I didn’t realize we were supposed to be together. I’m so sorry if I hurt you by sleeping with Gretta. I just wasn’t thinking straight at all.”
“Let’s forget about the
past for a minute and just live in the present, shall we?”
“Gladly.” He pulled her down next to him in the soft hay, and she reached up and took off his hat, throwing it to the side. “Then she reached for his gunbelt and with one hand managed to undo it.
“Do you ever go anywhere without your big gun?”
“That depends which gun you’re talking about.” He raised a brow. While kissing her, he reached out and fondled her breast right through her clothes. She arched her back, and pushed herself into his hand further.
“Wolfe, that feels so good.” She kissed him with even more passion.
Lexi found it hard to breathe, and felt as if she were going to swoon. She felt hot, very hot, and Wolfe’s teasing her right through her clothing was driving her out of her mind.
Then his hand slipped under her skirt, and he unclasped the strap the held her Derringer to her leg. He pushed it aside, and his hand was back - trailing up her leg ever so slowly. It settled at the juncture of her thighs. His fingers worked their magic on her, making her moan in delight.
They continued to kiss and she bravely reached down and fondled him right through his trousers. He was hot, hard and ready.
“I want you, Wolfe. Take me, please.”
There was no doubt in her mind that he’d do it, but instead he fell onto his back and let out a deep breath instead.
“What’s the matter?” She hoped he wasn’t really stopping at a time like this.
“I want you, too, Lexi, but I won’t take you like this. I made that mistake last time, and I want to change.”
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying, I’m going to please you, because you don’t deserved to be teased and left hanging. But I’m going to wait.”
“Wait? For what?” She’d never heard anything so ridiculous in her life.
“I’m going to wait til I feel the time is right, and then I’m going to ask you to marry me. And when we’re married, I’ll make love to you the proper way and we can create a baby of our own.”
“Oh, Billy, you want to marry me?” She stared at the ceiling, feeling the flush of her cheeks.
“I do,” he said with a sad nod. “However I don’t want my stepdaughter to hate me. So I’m going to do everything I can to get Emma to accept me first.”
“I’m sure with such a charming man like you, that won’t take long at all.”
“So does that mean you’re accepting my proposal?”
“It means, what took you so long? Yes, I’ll marry you, because I love you.”
“I’ve never been in love before, but I think – I think I’m in love with you too. This is all new to me, Lexi, so I’m just asking you to be patient.”
“I’ll be as patient as you,” she said, sitting up and pulling her clothes back into place. “I don’t want to be pleased until you are as well.”
“Then we’ll wait,” he said softly, pulling her back into his arms.” She laid her head against his chest, and it felt so good she thought she would die. She was in his strong embrace and she felt so protected. It was as if everything was going to be fine now since Billy was back in her life again.
She cuddled up against him as he kissed the top of her head.
“I think I see that horse you’re talking about now,” he told her.
She giggled, gazing out the open window. “It’s not a horse anymore – now it’s a ring. A wedding ring, if I’m not mistaken. Her eyes drifted shut as thoughts of marrying Billy filled her head, making her so happy. This was her dream come true.
Chapter 8
The next morning Wolfe woke up to the sound of someone calling out his name.
“Billy, get up. Your family needs you.”
“Who said that?” Lexi sat up and looked around, rubbing her eyes. The first rays of sunlight filtered in through the open window, promising to be the start of a beautiful day.
“You heard him too?” Wolfe sat upright and looked around for William.
“Heard who?” Lexi yawned.
“It’s William. He’s telling me my family needs me.”
“William?” she asked in a groggy voice. “You’re talking about the ghost?” She looked around, searching for him as well.
“He’s not here. I just heard his voice and it sounded important.” He hurried to the window and looked out, then bit the side of his cheek as he spotted Jacko from the Hendershott gang. The man dismounted in front of the house and Wolfe now regretted leaving his rifle inside last night. He could really use it about now.
“It’s one of the Hendershott gang.” He quickly fastened on his gunbelt, and checked the barrel of his revolver to make sure it was fully loaded.
“It’s who?” She walked up to the window and looked out, but Wolfe grabbed her and pulled her to the side. With his shoulder to the frame of the window, he raised his gun and swore again. “I’m too far away to hit him from here without my rifle. I’m going to have to go down there if I want a clean shot.”
“Oh, it’s that gang you’re hunting for the bounty, isn’t it?”
“It is.” He stuck his gun back into the holster, and started down the ladder. “If there’s one, that means they’re all here somewhere. Stay here and for God’s sake keep out of sight.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to take care of a little unfinished business. And this time, none of them are going to escape.”
Lexi watched out the window, managing to stay hidden at the same time. To her horror, the door to the house opened, and Emma ran out.
“Emma, no! Get back inside,” she shouted, without even thinking what she was doing.
“Mama?” The girl looked up toward the window of the hayloft, and then to the man in front of her and screamed when she saw him draw his gun. In a split second, the man had grabbed Emma and held her in front of him with his gun to her head.
“No!” Lexi turned to leave the hayloft to help her daughter, but was stopped by someone holding a gun to her as well.
“Scream out for help and I’ll blow your brains out, little lady. Do you understand?” The man was dirty and had a full beard and smelled really bad.
She clasped a hand over her mouth and just shook her head. She looked around for her Derringer, but didn’t see it in the hay.
“Now you’ll go down the ladder first, and if you try to warn Wolfe, you and your daughter both die.”
Tears welled in her eyes and she bit her tongue in order not to cry out and get them killed. She wondered if Wolfe would be able to save her daughter, because if she lost Emma, she didn’t know what she’d do.
Wolfe had just lined up a clear shot from behind the buckboard, and his target was in range, when Lexi shouted from the hayloft. It alarmed the man, and he now knew of Wolfe’s presence. Why couldn’t she have just stayed quiet? Now he’d have a hell of a time taking out Jacko with him using Emma as a lifeline.
“Let the girl go, Jacko,” he called, stepping out into the open with his gun pointed directly at the man.
“You shoot and this little girl dies with me,” Jacko snarled.
Emma cried and pulled against the man’s grip, and Wolfe knew he’d have to calm her down or things were going to go from bad to worse.
“Emma, you need to stay still and quiet, sweetheart,” he told her.
“Mama, I want my mama,” shouted the girl.
“You’re mama will be here soon, but for now you have to trust me, all right?” He wondered where Lexi was. Since she’d been fool enough to shout out, he figured she’d be fool enough to run out into the open to try to save her daughter as well. It was much too quiet. Something was amiss. It bothered him that he didn’t know where the rest of the Hendershott gang was either.
He couldn’t take his eyes off Jacko, or in a split second Emma could be dead. He saw a slight movement of the curtains in the house, and hoped to hell his brothers had gotten their lazy asses out of bed by now and realized what was going on.
Then all of a sudden, Lex
i’s voice came from behind him. “Trust Billy, sweetie. He’ll protect you, I promise.”
“Lexi, get back, it’s dangerous,” he told her, keeping his eye on the little girl and his gun aimed at Jacko’s head.
He heard the sound of a hammer of a gun being pulled back, and then a low voice growled in his ear. “You make one false move and I’ll blow the head off your little lady, and my brother will take out the child as well.”
Wolfe froze, not sure what to do. He’d been off his game and hadn’t had the time to figure out the whereabouts of the rest of the gang. He’d had to step out in the open to try to save Emma’s life, or else he would have taken a moment to get his bearings.
“Drop the gun, Wolfe,” came the warning voice from behind him. He heard Lexi cry out slightly, and wondered if the man was hurting her. He knew as soon as he dropped the gun he was dead. On the other hand, he could probably take out one of the men before he hit the ground, but it was still a risk because in the process he could accidentally kill either Lexi or Emma. Visions of his dream surfaced in his mind, and he heard William’s words telling him he was the only one who could change the outcome.
“You heard my brother, drop the gun or I kill the little girl now.” Jacko pulled back the hammer and the sickening click echoed like a nail in a coffin in Wolfe’s ears.
“What is it you two want?” he asked. “Money, food? I’ll give it to you. Just leave the women alone.”
“Men, let’s show Wolfe we mean business,” said the man from behind him. Out of the shadows stepped two more men, and things went from bad to worse.
“If you want cattle, go ahead and take them,” he told him, not really meaning it, just trying to stall for time, waiting for his brothers to notice what was happening.
“What we want is for you to throw down your gun, so do it now,” warned the man.
Wolfe of the West--World of de Wolfe Pack Page 6
