by Mary Wine
Just one short day she’d been locked in the iron bands, but the sweetest relief moved through her as she fit that key into the remaining shackle and turned it. Metal ground against metal and the rusty lock groaned before opening. She stumbled as she tried to stand, her legs too cold to work without wobbling. She fell against the wall and dug her fingers into the packed mud as she tried to summon enough willpower to make it out of the cabin.
Her face suddenly flamed as she realized she stood there in her knickers. Her temper flared and she cheerfully let it burn because it gave her the strength to stomp over to the pile of her ruined dress. Gathering it up, she hugged it against her open bodice.
“Move behind me, Brianna.”
An insane impulse taunted her to lay a solid slap cross Joseph’s face while she had the chance, but the cold fury in Sloan’s voice held her hand. Her feet were already moving towards the cabin door when Joseph made a lunge for her. His fingers caught her tangled hair, gripping the delicate strands. He yanked on it and her body jerked towards his. Pain ripped through her body making her temper explode. The need to retaliate was too great. Lifting her foot she smashed it into Joseph’s crotch. She stumbled right past him as he yelped and rolled onto his bunk. A hard hand gripped her arm and pulled her right off the floor as if she were a child.
“God damn it, Jonah. Why didn’t you teach your boys any better?” Sheriff Kindle moved forward with his rifle still pointed at the Corners men. “This is turning into one hell of a mess. You are all going to have to sit in jail until the circuit judge comes ’round. I’ve seen too much to ignore.”
She missed the remainder of the lawman’s lecture because Sloan didn’t let her go until she was outside the cabin. He blocked the doorway with his body, his shoulders filling it. But he kept his eyes on the sheriff as she heard the distinct sound of iron cuffs being locked into place. A shudder worked its way over her skin as she realized that she was going to hear that iron grating sound in her dreams for the rest of her life.
Brianna shook off the chill as she wrapped her ruined petticoat around her shoulders like a cape. Her body quivered as she tried to keep her legs straight. Every muscle felt as limp as taffy. But she was determined to walk away from her jailers. No Spencer child was going to collapse because of a little chill and hunger. No sir!
As she lifted her face, a startled gasp left her lips. She found another pair of black eyes watching her. This pair belonged to an Indian. His hair was coal black and brushed his shoulders. Whatever he might be thinking, he masked it expertly. His gaze lingered on her for a long moment before he nodded with approval.
“You do not shriek. That is good.”
She clutched her makeshift cape closer against the wind and scoffed at his comment. “Yelling sure isn’t a lot of help to anyone.”
“No, but keeping a rifle at hand is.”
A chill raced down her back that had nothing to do with the snow. Jerking her head back towards the cabin, she stared into Sloan’s eyes. Fury danced in his dark gaze, but she was still too glad to see him to truly worry about anything beyond the fact he was real. His temper didn’t stand up to her stare. Emotion flickered in his gaze before he shook his head and surveyed her from tousled hair to frozen toes. A dangerous look invaded his expression as he reached out to trace the side of her face. Even the gentle touch hurt. The bruises she knew would show up were right on time.
“It’s nothing.”
His gaze slid over the torn mess of her dress. Ripped edges of calico and muslin from her petticoat whipped around in the wind. She huddled under it, but her knickers and legs were in plain sight.
It was the most undignified position she’d ever experienced, but she was still so glad to see her rescuers that a grin decorated her abused lips.
“It sure as hell is something to me.” Sloan smoothed a finger along her jaw.
The sheriff led Jonah out of his cabin by the chains attached to his wrists. Sloan’s hand tightened on his rifle as she watched him fight off the urge to point the muzzle back at Jonah.
“She done said she loved my boy!”
The sheriff secured the chain to the back of his horse before the men waiting outside the cabin came forward to claim Joseph and his brothers.
“Save it, Corners. I saw the girl in shackles with my own eyes. That’s about as far from love as it gets. It’s a good thing the judge don’t come ’round for another two weeks, cause I think you need the time to sort out your thoughts. You tell that crap to Ambrose and he just might consider giving you a taste of hard labor.”
It was such a simple ending. Brianna watched the deputies pull Joseph and his brothers towards town. They walked their horses, forcing their prisoners to follow or be dragged. Joseph cussed as his younger brother whimpered. Fatigue suddenly rose up and slashed right into her. Her eyelids were so heavy, it hurt to keep them open. Every muscle she owned began to shake. Her legs felt like butter, too soft to support her weight.
Sloan moved before her brain grasped that he was in motion. A hard arm snaked around her waist as he clasped her to his larger frame. He handed off his rifle to the Indian before hooking her knees and lifting her up. Her body shook harder as her fingers dug into the harsh fabric of his black duster. She caught a hint of his scent and it drew a long sigh from her lips. It was a tiny sound that only reached his ears, but she saw the corners of his lips twitch slightly in response. Maybe she was only seeing what she wanted to, but for the moment it was perfection.
Her belly refused to let her sleep very long. It rumbled and hurt as it cramped up. Rolling over, Brianna gasped as pain twisted through her middle making her eyes sting with unshed tears. Her nose caught the full aroma of cooking food and another cramp twisted her gut. Staring across the room to her little stove, she blinked at the sight of Sloan tending to whatever was cooking in her iron pot. His black duster was missing, but his rifle leaned against the wall within easy reach. He was wearing only a shirt today, no overvest to complicate his appearance by making the man look too formal. His shirtsleeves were rolled up, displaying his forearms. Coupled with the fact that the door was firmly closed and she was still in her corset and knickers, the moment was far too intimate.
“That bastard didn’t feed you, did he?” Sitting up, Brianna felt her mouth water just because they were talking about food. “No.”
Sloan picked up a plate and began spooning up whatever he’d cooked. She didn’t care what it was, as long as it was food. Mule meat would have found favor at the moment. Steam rose from the pile of beans. She detected the scent of bacon mixed in, too. A westerner’s staple, the beans absorbed the salt and fat from the bacon. The local Indians called it “chili” and often put other vegetables or different meats into the mix.
Brianna held out her hands for the food. The spoon resting on the side of the tin plate rattled because her body shook. The tremor running down her limbs made her mad. “Joseph thought he could starve me into a wedding.”
She placed a spoonful of the meal into her mouth to avoid mentioning any details beyond Joseph’s main goal. The memory of his bare cock made her thighs squeeze tight as she took another bite.
Sloan’s eyes caught the defensive motion. His lips pressed into a hard line as he watched her clean the plate. She was too hungry to care how ungraceful it was to shovel the steaming food into her mouth like a miner. Her brain urged her to eat as fast as possible in spite of the fact that she understood the ordeal was over. She scraped the last bit of food off the plate and swallowed it with a satisfied sigh.
“What did he want in exchange for some warmth?”
She choked. Her eyes rounded as her memory offered up a perfect recollection of just what Joseph wanted to demand from her. Her temper ignited as she felt a spike of terror go through her. Joseph Corners certainly wasn’t worth her fear!
“It doesn’t matter, because he’ll never get it from me.” She stood and moved across the floor to place the empty plate on the sideboard where her sink was. A tin of water w
as standing in her sink and she plunged her hands into it. She suddenly felt filthy.
“I need a bath.” She didn’t care if her voice sounded desperate or not. Her skin felt like it was crawling with vermin.
“I figured you’d say that.”
Her large pot was steaming on the back burner of the stove. The white vapor looked like heaven to her. The bedroom door was open and her tub shimmered like an oasis.
She didn’t give Sloan another thought. Ripping at her few remaining garments, she didn’t even wait for him to add the hot water. The need to scrub her skin didn’t care if the water was one degree above freezing. She stepped into the cold water and sat down as he poured the steaming water in.
“Slow down, honey.” His voice was low, but so sweet she felt tears sting her eyes. Her emotions teetered dangerously as she tried to cling to her composure. It seemed a poor ending to dissolve into a weeping puddle now that she was back under her own roof, but her fickle feelings wanted to take center ring. Cupping her hands under the water, she drenched her face to avoid letting Sloan see the tears glistening in her eyes.
Her soap bar appeared in his hand as he held it up for her. Grabbing it, she attacked her legs and body with a zeal that left her skin pink. His hand invaded her bath as it captured her wrist. He pulled the soap from her grasp, while his opposite hand pushed her shoulders gently forward.
“It’s over.” He moved the soap over her shoulder blades in a soothing motion.
“I know.” She did but her body quivered as he washed her like a newborn. It didn’t make any sense, but it felt so secure that she closed her eyes to savor the moment. She didn’t want to think about what might happen tomorrow, all that mattered was that Sloan was here now.
He rinsed her off and she stood. Uncaring of the fact that she was nude. Confidence filled her as she watched the way his obsidian eyes traced her curves. She felt beautiful, so completely radiant in that moment. There were no words to describe it because she witnessed it on his face.
Her lover’s face.
Her nipples tingled before drawing into tight little buttons. His gaze lowered to her chest, watching them peak. Sloan reached for her arm and his fingers curled around her biceps. Their eyes met and a ripple of sensation shook her as she witnessed the fury burning in those dark orbs.
“Take me to bed.” Her voice was husky. A blush warmed her face, but she didn’t look away from her companion. A solid tug and she tumbled into his chest. He slid his arm around her waist to press her against his frame. “Joseph isn’t the only man around here who’ll covet this mill or your body.”
“I know.” She pressed her fingers against his disapproving frown, tracing his lower lip with a fingertip. “Let’s talk about it later.”
Temptation flickered in his eyes. She felt his chest shudder with a rough breath as he slipped one hand down her back. He clasped a cheek in a firm hand, gently squeezing as he watched her. She felt the unmistakable bulge of his erection against her belly. Hot need bubbled up inside her with frightening speed. Her hands curled into talons that clawed at his shirt-covered chest. A frantic need ran through her to share her body with the man of her choice. All her life, she’d been lectured on keeping her purity, but today it felt far more important to be in charge of just who she gave her favors to. The cold and hunger would have broken her at some point, because the instinct to live was stronger. It was a harsh fact that made her stretch up to Sloan’s firm mouth.
“Kiss me.” She smiled at the sound of her order. It echoed through her thoughts, driving Joseph’s sniveling demands out.
He met her halfway, his lips pressing a hard kiss against hers. Twisting in his embrace, she kissed him back with all the raw emotion pouring out of her. Her fingers pulled on his shirt, searching for his skin. She reached between them to stroke his cock through his britches. A soft snarl of achievement broke through their kiss as she handled his sex because she wanted to. Not because he’d ordered her to do it.
Joseph’s words rose in her head and she greedily let her hands begin to act out his demands on the man of her choice. Fallen woman maybe, but at least she wasn’t a frightened little virgin anymore. Childhood needed to end sometime.
Brianna groaned as he broke off their kiss. Sloan frowned at her as he fingered her jaw.
“Does it hurt?” Desire made his tone rough. It unleashed more excitement inside her, touching off a deep yearning to toss everything civilized aside. She wanted to be used by him and meet him in the middle of that battleground where she could take as well as be taken.
“I want you naked too, Sloan.”
Taking a half-step away from him, she watched his reaction to her boldness.
Speaking the command aloud excited her. A harsh grunt came from Sloan as his lips twitched up.
“All right, honey, we’ll do it your way.” His eyes glittered with passion as he crooked one finger in her direction. “I enjoy your hands on me a whole lot.”
Closing the distance between them, she rubbed over the front of his chest as she searched for the buttons holding his shirt closed. He sucked in a breath and waited as she opened each one, trailing a single fingertip over his bare skin. The hair covering his hard chest was dark and crisp. She enjoyed his hardness just as much as he liked her curves. It delighted her because it was such a contrast to the softness of her own body.
“Don’t forget the pants.”
His voice hinted at a dare. She licked her lower lip as need burned hotter inside her. She never hesitated, but popped open his waistband when she reached where his shirt was tucked into his pants. The smaller buttons that secured his fly didn’t take long to unfasten and she boldly let her fingertips stroke the hard flesh of his cock. His cheek flinched as a groan escaped his lips. Hunger glittered in his eyes as she reached completely into his pants to close her fingers around his length.
“Does it help to be in control?”
“Yes,” she almost shouted. He chuckled at her, cupping her face and smoothing his fingers over the tender spots left by the blows she’d received. Her eyes closed as his fingers moved over the same skin that had been abused. Sloan’s touch was a healing balm that soaked into her soul, restoring her balance.
“That’s it, honey. Don’t let anyone keep you under their heel.” He laid a soft kiss on top of one bruise. His lips trailed a string of tender salutations over her jaw and up her cheek. A shudder shook her body as her breath rattled roughly from her chest. The tension melted away as his cock twitched in her grasp.
She needed to test out another one of Joseph’s demands before she let Sloan claim her body again. She had no idea where the urge came from, only that she was determined to prove she would perform when she wanted to and not because she was broken into submission.
Lowering to her knees, she pulled his cock into view. The head was as thick as a plum with a slit on its top. A ridge of flesh ran around the top of it. Leaning forward, she let her tongue lap that slit.
“Holy Christ! That bastard wanted you to suck him off?”
A hard hand gripped her hair to hold her head away from his cock. He controlled the grip, preventing pain from shooting through her scalp. Raising her gaze, she looked at the harsh anger on his face, but it was overshadowed by excitement.
“So what? I wouldn’t do it, but I want to try it now with you.”
A husky chuckle was his response. Admiration flickered in his eyes as he released her hair. “All right, honey. Flex your wings.”
Leaning forward, she let her mouth open enough to fit around the head. One hand was still threaded through her hair and it flexed as she closed her lips around his cock. A harsh grunt hit her ears, kicking up her desire as the power shifted between them again. She was the one on her knees, but the control rested with her. Trailing her fingers over his length she let her tongue play with the part that was inside her mouth. The scent of his skin filled her senses as she pulled her head away and opened her jaw wider to take more of his length. The hand in her hair flexed a
gain as a growl rose from his chest. A sound of deep enjoyment that made her even more determined to keep at the task. His hips jerked forward as a muffled word got caught between his clenched teeth.
He pulled her head away. Brianna raised her face to look at his and shivered at the expression. She’d pushed him past his limit this time. There was no more patience, only hard hunger dancing in his dark eyes.
“I need to get inside you.”
It was the sweetest compliment she’d ever heard. The naked honesty made her shake with need. It didn’t make sense and she didn’t want it to. Her skin was rosy-warm and she just longed to be free of every stitch.
Sloan clasped his hands around her waist and raised her off her knees, his gaze focused on her breasts. His grip tightened as he leaned down and sucked one hard nipple into his mouth. A sigh rose from her lips as he worried the sensitive tip with his tongue. He smoothed his fingers over the curves of her hips. He released her nipple and clasped each of her thighs.
“I just can’t wait any longer, honey.” He picked her up and moved between her thighs. Pushing them wide with his hips. He pressed her against the wall as the head of his cock nudged the folds of her sex.
“Hold onto my shoulders.”
There was hard demand in his voice. It excited her, making that spot at the top of her sex throb with anticipation. Her body felt empty to the point of desperation. Her hips tilted towards him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his entire chest against hers, the hair rasping against her smooth skin. His hips drove his cock up into her with a smooth motion that made her whimper.
“I’ve never wanted to be inside a woman so damn much in my life.”
He pulled free and pushed deeper. Pleasure filled her as she tried to move her hips in time with his, but he held her hard against the wall. There was only delight as he gripped her bottom and thrust between her thighs. Sensation took command of her thoughts, jerking her away from anything beyond meeting the pace her partner set. Her heart pounded as it sent blood racing through her veins. Every inch of her skin was acutely sensitive and it heightened every point of contact between their bodies. But the deepest sensation was centered around his cock. Deep inside her, it twisted and tightened as she tried to push her hips against him harder, but was held in place for his desire.
