The Shepherd's Heart Series: A Boxed Set Book Bundle Collection Volumes 1-4

by Lynnette Bonner

As Mick slunk away to his assigned post, Cade smirked. Mysteriously – thanks to his knife and a few minutes alone with the horses – Judd’s horse had thrown a shoe five minutes out of town. Cade had hoped it would fall off sooner. But it would still take Judd a couple minutes extra to walk her into town and several more minutes to get the blacksmith to nail it back on. He’d bought himself some time.

  Judd had cursed and kicked at a rock. “Five minutes! I want you in and out in five minutes, you hear? You double cross me, Schilling, and I will hunt you till I die.”

  “What would I have to gain by a double cross?”

  Judd snatched up his horse’s reins and set off walking. “Nothing. Just see that you remember it. You got five minutes in there and if you ain’t out by then, I’m coming in after you.”

  “Five minutes will be more than enough.”

  Now he pulled his bandana up over his nose, more for Mick’s benefit than anyone. Carefully, he made his way down the hill toward the schoolhouse. The little white building was separated from town by a copse of Poplar trees, so little fear of anyone seeing him existed. Besides he could hear the uproar Seth and Billy were apparently making in front of the saloon right this minute. All attention would soon be focused that way, if it wasn’t already.

  Sam had left the door open slightly when he went in, and Cade slipped inside without making a noise. As soon as he stepped through the door and out of sight of Mick, he pulled the bandana down. Sam would recognize him the minute he saw him anyhow, and he didn’t want to scare the teacher half to death. It was going to be hard enough to tell her she had to come with him into the hills and live with outlaws for a few days.

  A wall just a pace ahead separated the entry from the main part of the schoolhouse, hooks for coats on one side and a set of cubby holes for lunches and what-not on the other.

  From the other side a woman spoke quietly. “Yes, I’d be happy to come to dinner at your place this evening, Sam.”

  Cade jolted to a standstill, his spine pressed to the grid of cubby holes. That voice. It couldn’t be! They’d said she was teaching in Madras, over thirty miles from here. His heart thumped hard in his chest.

  A vision of blonde curls and brown eyes a man could drown in leapt to his mind. A woman he’d walked away from and tried to forget. She’d been like a little sister to him all her life, until there right at the end when he’d noticed what a beautiful woman she’d become. If Ma hadn’t been so sick at the time he might have… well… He gave himself a shake. Nothing had come of it and then after Ma’s death everything had been a blur, what with Pa up and running off. Then he’d taken that herd down to Frisco and by the time he got home she’d moved away.

  He glanced down at his trembling hands. There was no way he could kidnap Sharyah Jordan and take her up into the hills with the Rodale gang!

  But… Sky and Rocky had been in town with him just yesterday and hadn’t said a word about Sharyah being here too. Needing to make sure it really was her, he held his breath and listened.

  “Great. I’ll pick you up at six.” Sam replied, more than a little flirtation coloring his tone.

  The hackles rose on the back of Cade’s neck.

  Sam chuckled softly as his lilting words continued. “And maybe I could talk you into taking a moonlit stroll with me, afterward?”

  “Sam… you helped write my contract, remember? You know that even dinner is pushing the limits.”

  There was the rustle of fabric and the woman gave a soft gasp.

  “Yes, but you’ll also remember that I told you I know the head of the school board very well and he thinks I’m doing the right thing, courting you.” Sam’s words were lower, more intimate this time.

  She gave a breathy laugh. “Is that what you’re doing? Courting me?” A tremor laced her voice.

  Cade’s breath came fast and shallow now. Definitely Sharyah. And flirting with Sam, of all people. He rubbed one hand over his face. His time was running out. He had to think.

  Sam mumbled something too low to understand and without another thought Cade lurched around the corner.

  At the front of the classroom, Sam stood, body tilting forward, about to kiss Sharyah. She had her eyes closed and her chin lifted in expectation.

  Cade scanned her in a swift assessment.

  She looked better than any woman had a right to. Several blonde curls had escaped her pins to caress flushed cheeks. Her small hands fluttered in apparent nervous anticipation then settled on Sam’s shoulders. The green material of her skirt splayed out from her tiny waist. A waist currently wrapped in Sam’s grasp.

  Sam shouldn’t be anywhere near her. He was the president of the school board for crying out loud! Talk about taking advantage of a woman.

  Anger, hot and ugly, surged up inside him.

  “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He folded his arms and leaned into his heels, proud of the calm his voice portrayed.

  4

  Sharyah squeaked and spun toward the voice. A voice she would still have recognized a hundred years from now. “Cade!”

  Sam leapt back as though stung by a bee.

  How much had Cade seen? A hot wave flooded her face and she smoothed at the fabric of her skirt.

  Shoving his hat back on his head, Cade glowered at Sam. “Yes. Cade.”

  “B-Bennett!” Sam stuttered, smoothing trembling hands down the front of his coat.

  Sharyah clenched her own quaking fists, knowing just how he felt.

  With swift strides, Cade devoured the distance between them. “Don’t use that name! You want to get me killed?”

  Sharyah frowned. What did he mean? She glanced down and blinked. Cade held a gun in his hand, but he had it pointed off to one side. “Wha-What are you doing, Cade?”

  Heaven help her, he looked good. She followed the sinewy forearm behind the gun to the broad expanse of shoulders stretching tight the fabric of his blue shirt, then slid to where his gun belt emphasized trim hips, and continued down the denim expanse of firmly splayed legs to the black hand-tooled leather of his boots. But it was when her gaze rebounded to his eyes that her knees went weak.

  Eyes as blue as the sky and studying her with decided disappointment.

  “Good grief man, put that thing away,” Sam demanded. “What’s gotten into you?”

  Cade ignored Sam and held her gaze. He scanned every line of her face, a heat in his expression that made her pulse thrum. The air in the room grew thin and inadequate.

  One of his eyebrows cocked. “Didn’t expect to find you here.” His mouth quirked up on one side as he nodded his head toward Sam. “I see you aren’t pining away for lost love.”

  She couldn’t have spoken if her life depended on it. She swallowed, hating herself for the blank slate that filled her mind, giving her no quip of reply.

  Suddenly his expression turned serious and he glanced toward the back door. “Sam, I don’t have a whole lot of time to explain.” He gestured with the gun and pulled a long strand of rawhide from his back pocket. “Sit down in that desk.”

  Sam looked aghast. “Have you gone mad?”

  With an exasperated grunt, Cade grabbed him by the forearm and jerked him into the desk.

  Sharyah gasped. “Cade! What are you doing?”

  “Shut-up and listen.” Cade holstered his gun and glowered at Sam. Then set to tying Sam’s hands with sure swift strokes as if she’d never spoken. “Sam, I haven’t had time to talk to Katrina yet, but something big is about to go down and I think it has something to do with you. I’m here to kidnap the school teacher—”

  Sharyah took a step back. “Kidnap me! You’ll do no such thing!”

  “—because Rodale noticed your interest in her. He wants something from you. What is it?”

  Sam stared at Cade, jaw slack, face paling.

  Cade bent down and spoke in Sam’s ear, his voice remained low but he slammed his palm against the desk. “What is it?!”

  Sam jumped. “I don’t—I don’t—I don’t know! I don
’t have anything he would want.”

  “Cade, stop it!” Sharyah plucked at his sleeve.

  He pointed a finger in her face. “Be quiet and sit down a minute.”

  A wash of light-headedness swept over her even as she stumbled a few steps and sank into her chair. She’d never seen him like this before. He always joked and teased. Laughed. Winked. This focused intensity was new, and she wasn’t sure she liked it. Not even a little.

  Cade returned his attention to Sam. “Rodale will be here any minute. And,” he jabbed a finger in her direction, “she’s in danger because of you. So you better start thinking and figure out what he wants from you because,” he lowered his voice even more and stepped around to meet Sam eye to eye, “I’m not going to put her in danger. She and I are going to walk out that back door and go to someplace where she’ll be safe. In a few minutes, Rodale is going to come storming in that door,” he pointed toward the main entrance, “and you’d better be ready with either the information he wants or your gun, otherwise he’ll kill you.”

  Sharyah couldn’t believe this was happening. She leapt to her feet. “Kill him! Cade, you can’t let that happen.”

  Cade’s jaw clenched and he paced two steps down the aisle and then returned. With a low growl he slapped one of the desks then continued pacing. He rubbed the back of his neck in thought as his gaze stopped on Sharyah. “No, I won’t take you into a situation like that.” His attention returned to Sam and he bent until they were face to face. “You had to have known something when you hired me.”

  Fear bulged in Sam’s eyes and he couldn’t seem to meet Cade’s gaze. “I’m telling you I have no idea what they could want from me!”

  “So help me… If something happens to her, I won’t be responsible for what I do.” A tremble coursed through the edges of Cade’s words.

  Sharyah’s insides went all soft. He cared that much for her?

  Cade straightened and tossed her a glance then returned his attention to Sam. “She’s like the sister I never had, and you’ve put me in an untenable position here.”

  Her eyes narrowed and the softness hardened to granite anger. Again with the sister he never had nonsense.

  Cade took her arm. “Sharyah we have to—”

  The back door crashed in with a shuddering clamor.

  She squeaked and spun to face the entrance.

  Cade jolted and jerked the bandana around his throat up over his nose.

  “Schilling! You coming? Judd’s horse is just about ready and he said he’d meet us at the top of the hill.” A blond man appeared at the rear of the room, a pistol in his hand. He scanned the space, but stopped when he noticed Sharyah. His gaze slithered over her and a leering light leapt into his eyes. “Well! What have we here?”

  Her heart hammered in her ears and she looked down at her desk, hands fluttering to straighten books that were already straight.

  Cade hesitated as though trying to decide what to do.

  Sam sat still, his hands resting in plain sight on the desk.

  Sharyah felt more than saw Cade’s attention hone in on the pistol the man held. Cade’s own gun was still in its holster.

  After only a split second Cade said, “I’m getting there.” He stepped between her and the man’s continued perusal. “Just give me a couple minutes to finish up.”

  Footsteps sounded coming nearer up the aisle. “Well hurry it along. The fight just broke up and the Sheriff is giving them the boot now. We’ve only got minutes to get out of town. I’ll keep an eye on the lady and the door.” Several swift strides and the man stepped around Cade and took her by the upper arm. “Hello, darlin’.”He leered as he started to pull her toward the door of the schoolhouse.

  Stark fear coursed through her.

  She scrabbled a hand across the top of the desk as he dragged her by, searching for anything to use as a weapon. The Webster’s Dictionary! Snatching it up, she swung with all her might and slammed it into the man’s head with a satisfying thunk.

  His hat fell to the floor and he grabbed at his head. A string of violent curses darkened the air. Just as quickly he spun around and reached for her, one hand balled into a fist and anger blazing from his eyes. “Why you little—”

  Cade knocked his hand away and scooped Sharyah behind him with one arm. “Mick, we need the lady in one piece if she’s to be of any use to us.” He bent and picked up the man’s hat, shoving it into his chest as he gestured toward Sam. “You finish up with Perry, and I’ll deal with the lady. We’ll wait for you by the door.”

  He presented his back to the man, slipped his gun from his holster, and led her several steps down the aisle. “Ma’am, if you just give us your cooperation I’m sure you’ll find we really are reasonable folks.” He kept his gun carefully trained to one side, pulling some leather thongs from a pocket. Lower he added, “I need you to trust me, Shar. There’s a lot more to this than I have time to explain right now. But there are others whose lives I have to consider.”

  She shook her head and backed away, gaping at him. “Are you crazy?” she whispered. “I’m not going to some outlaw hideout with you!” She nodded her head to where Mick was busy gagging Sam and mouthed, “There’s only one. You can take him.”

  He shook his head, his gaze darting to the windows before returning to capture hers.

  She gritted her teeth. “No.” She trembled perceptibly, hating herself for the show of weakness even as she slid a step away from him.

  His eyes above the bandana narrowed, darkening to the color of an ocean storm as he advanced a step. “You’ll be with me. I promise to keep you safe.” He straightened and added loudly, “Don’t make me hogtie you and carry you out of here over my shoulder like a gunny sack, ma’am.”

  She lifted her chin and backed up some more. “You wouldn’t dare!”

  Was that a crinkle of humor at the corners of his eyes? If so he hid it quickly.

  His shoulders drooped wearily and he muttered something indecipherable before he said, “Suit yourself.” He sheathed the gun once more and snatched a hold of her wrist. His voice lowered again, “On second thought it’s probably better this way. I wouldn’t want you trying anything that would buy you a bullet from one of the gang.”

  Her free hand shot out of its own volition, her palm itching to connect with the side of his face.

  With a lightning-quick move, he caught her wrist while her hand was still a good six inches from its destination. Slowly his thumb stroked her pulse, his eyes never leaving her face. The red cloth of the bandana moved in and out with each breath he took, the movement growing more pronounced the longer they stood there.

  Cade seemed to shake himself and took a step back. Dropping one lid in a quick wink, he tipped his head toward her still itching palm and whispered, “I saw that coming.” His eyes did crinkle at the corners this time. “Wonder how I knew you would be slap happy?” Calmly, he slid a slip-knot in one end of the leather down to her wrist.

  “You’re laughing at me!” She made sure to keep her voice down. “How could you find anything in this situation even remotely humorous?” She lifted her chin, refusing to meet his gaze for even a moment longer. “Besides, I’ve never slapped any man but you.” Her eyes betrayed her and darted his way before she jerked them back into proper alignment with her chin.

  He laughed outright then. “Well, maybe I should take that as a compliment.” He pulled her other hand over, wrapping the cord several times firmly around and tying it off. “There that should keep your hands under—”

  There was a loud hollow thunk and a short grunt from Sam in the child’s desk.

  Sharyah’s eyes widened. Mick had just knocked Sam out!

  “Schilling, pony up! What’s taking you so long?” Mick stalked past, slapping Cade on the shoulder and gesturing with his gun that he should hurry up.

  “I’m coming, Mick. Just some women make it harder to be a gentleman than others if you catch my meaning.”

  The man chuckled, lifted his hat, and g
ingerly rubbed his head. “Sure do.”

  Cade grinned. “I’ll be along directly. I think she’s coming around to my way of thinking now.”

  A slow leer stretched Mick’s mouth. “Want I should help you with that? I think between the two of us we could make quick work of teaching her a lesson.”

  A muscle bunched in Cade’s jaw. But all he said was, “Take a look outside and make sure all’s clear, would you?”

  Mick sighed and disappeared behind the partitioning wall, presumably to make sure their escape route was unobstructed.

  Cade turned back to face her. “Now, if you’ll pardon me…” He swept his hat from his head, bent forward and planted his shoulder in her middle, swinging her up and over before she could even cry out in surprise.

  “Sam is hurt! You put me down this instant, Cade Bennett!” she whispered fiercely.

  He dropped her to her feet, gripped her shoulders, and gave her a firm shake. “Don’t call me that or you’ll get us both killed. The name’s Schilling. Cade Schilling. Sam will be fine. I tied his hands loosely. As soon as he regains consciousness he’ll be able to get free.” Another swoop and she was back up on his shoulder.

  She felt more than saw Cade glance in Sam’s direction and then she was watching the schoolhouse steps disappear from sight.

  Cade trucked up the hill behind Mick and deposited Sharyah on her feet before Judd. He steadied her and clamped his jaw shut tight, angry with himself. He never should have taken the time to question Perry. He should have just grabbed Sharyah and helped her escape the first moment he recognized her voice. Once Mick had busted in, it was too dangerous to try and get away. Any strange sounds coming from the schoolhouse would have brought Judd and his whole team on the run and there would have been too much danger of her getting hurt.

  “You made it. I was beginning to wonder.” Judd eyed him warily, then after a long moment turned to Mick. “WhooEee you should’ve seen the fight that Seth and Billy put on out in the street. That little brother of ours should’ve gone into boxing, I tell ya.” He chuckled and clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder.