“Lobo knows how to pick out rings, doesn’t he?”
“I just hope it fits. It fits the end of my little finger, and I think that’s just about the size of Rachael’s ring finger. Think this will help her make up her mind?”
“I don’t know any woman who’d turn that down,” Jules answered.
Jason stared at the ring, puffing on the cigar a moment. “Me either. She won’t say no this time. I won’t let her.” He closed the box and put it back in his pocket. “If she does, she’ll change her mind once she finds out about Joshua.”
Jules grinned wryly, remembering Rachael’s furious words about Jason Brown. Jason was in for a surprise. Rachael Rivers would turn him down again in spite of the ring, and he doubted the death of her brothers would change anything. But he was not about to tell Jason how Rachael talked about him. Let the man find out for himself. Maybe once Jason found out what a bitch she really was, he would finally agree to sell her to Lobo and his men. Jason was getting his hopes up way too high, and that was just fine with Jules Webber. The next few days were going to be interesting. And with the Comancheros so close by, Rachael Rivers could be swept away before people had a chance to blink.
“Well, Sam, let’s go get that bath and a couple of drinks,” Jason said, rising from his chair. “The next few days will be the best of my life. I’m going to see Rachael and give her the ring; and Saturday I’ll announce our engagement at the dance. If all goes right, Rachael and I will be married by Sunday. At the least, Rachael will be weeping in my arms in a few days, begging me to go after her brothers’ killers.” He faced them both with a big grin. “And once the prim and proper Miss Rivers is my wife, I’ll kill anybody who bothers me for the next forty-eight hours while I’m holed up at the hotel with my new bride.”
They all laughed as Jason and Sam left to visit the bathhouse.
Rachael laughed and ran naked out of the waters of the Colorado River. She was soon caught up by Brand. She screamed as he grabbed her and carried her to the blanket, where he fell with her, both of them laughing.
“Now you are my captive,” he told her, rolling on top of her. Rachael’s eyes sparkled with love and passion.
“Please don’t kill me.”
He grinned. “You will die from making love too much. It will be more than you can stand.”
She ran her fingers along the powerful arms. “When will you start the torture?”
He sobered a little, meeting her lips lightly. “Right now.” He teased her mouth with light little bites, then moved over her neck, lightly licking with his tongue, removing drops of water from her skin here and there until his lips reached the sweetness of her breasts.
Rachael had never known such happiness as the past night she had spent sleeping under the stars with Brand; making love twice and then lying in his arms in the wilds of Texas with only the moon for light. Any other time it would have been a terrifying situation for a young white woman, being alone so far from people, in country where renegade Comanche rode. But she felt not one moment of fear, for she was with Running Wolf.
They had risen early this morning and had already ridden far. In only another hour or so they would be at the Double “R.” They had stopped for one last moment of lovemaking and to cool off in the Colorado River before going on. Rachael had no idea what kind of reaction to expect from Joshua, and she fully realized the next several days might be trying indeed. She wanted to make love once more; to feel Brand Selby inside of her and to remember the ecstasy of it; for after they confronted her brother, it might be awhile before they had another chance to do this.
Her breath caught in her throat as he entered her. He magically brought forth her silken moisture, and she shuddered with ecstasy as her insides pulled at him in glorious climax. She was sure this was the most beautiful feeling a woman could experience. Brand grasped her hips with strong hands, pushing deep, branding her as his own.
She felt his life flowing into her, and she whispered his name. He lay down beside her, breathing deeply from his own spent passion.
They lay there quietly for several minutes before he spoke. “We’d better bathe once more.”
“Yes.”
He drew her close. “I love you, Rachael. Everything is going to be all right.”
She kissed his chest. “I hope so,” she whispered.
Lacy answered the knock at the front door, and was startled when she saw Jason Brown standing there. She struggled to quickly regain her composure while he removed his hat.
“Hello, Lacy. I’ve come to see Rachael.”
He stood there in a neat suit, holding a bouquet of flowers. His hair was freshly cut and his face was clean shaven. There was no question that Jason Brown was a handsome man, but now that Lacy knew what she knew about the man, she could see only evil.
Lacy swallowed before answering. “Rachael…isn’t here, Jason.”
Jason frowned, looking past her as though he didn’t believe her. “Isn’t here? Where is she?”
“She’s gone to see her brothers.”
His dark eyes moved back to Lacy’s. “Her brothers? How did she get there?”
Lacy folded her arms, finding her courage through anger, as she reminded herself the kind of man Jason Brown was, and what he would do to Brand Selby if he found out about Brand and Rachael.
“Joshua came visiting and Rachael went back with him. It’s just for a day, Jason. She’ll be back late tomorrow—in plenty of time for the dance.”
“Tomorrow!” His jaw flexed in anger and worry. “Are you sure? Are you sure she’ll be back tomorrow night?”
“Yes,” Lacy answered, curious at his anxiety.
“Will Joshua go right back?”
“Well, I…I suppose.” She frowned. “It isn’t the end of the world, Jason. Besides, she had no idea when you would return. The poor girl was feeling low and getting restless, so she went to see her brothers.”
His face actually brightened a little. “Feeling low? Was it because she missed me?”
“You would have to ask her that.”
He looked past her again. “Well, didn’t she talk about me at all, give you any idea about marrying me?”
“Not really. Rachael is a pretty independent girl, Jason, you know that. Sometimes she doesn’t say what she’s feeling. You’ll have to discuss it with her.”
The hope left his eyes. They bore into Lacy’s. “You wouldn’t lie to me about her not being here, would you?”
Lacy stepped aside. “Come in and see for yourself.”
A sneer moved across his lips. “Never mind! You’re sure she’ll be here tomorrow night?”
“That was her plan. If you come by Thursday morning, she’ll probably be here.”
Lacy could see the man was struggling with some kind of indecision before he put on a smile, handing her the bouquet of flowers.
“Then I’ll give these to you, Mrs. Reed.”
Lacy took the flowers hesitantly, hardly fooled by the smile and the flowers. She did not envy Rachael having to tell this man she was not going to marry him. And if Rachael was smart, she would leave town with Brand Selby without mentioning their relationship until they were both safely away.
“Thank you, Mr. Brown,” she quipped.
“I’ll be here bright and early Thursday morning to see her,” Jason told her. “And you tell her I came to see her as soon as I got back and that I brought her those flowers, will you? Oh, and tell her I’m taking her to the dance. I hope she didn’t promise anyone else.”
Lacy faced him squarely. “I’m sure she didn’t.”
Jason bowed slightly, putting his hat back on. “After Saturday there will be no doubt whose girl Rachael Rivers is,” he told her with a grin.
He turned and left, and Lacy closed the door, then leaned against it, breathing deeply. “Oh, Rachael, Rachael, God help you and Brand both,” she murmured.
Jason quickly left, heading for the bathhouse. He charged inside and ordered two prostitutes who were bathing Sam
Greene to leave.
“Hey! What’s goin’ on?” Greene protested.
Jason quickly closed the curtains and bent close to Greene. “Get the hell out of that tub and start riding! You can make time yet tonight. I want you to go to Lobo’s camp right away!”
“But we just got here! My ass is sore as hell, boss. I’ve been ridin’ every day for a month!”
“Do as I say!” Jason barked. “Tell Lobo to wait ’til Friday for that raid, understand? Rachael is out there at the ranch! She’s supposed to come back Wednesday night, but just in case she doesn’t, I don’t want Lobo raiding the Double ‘R’ Thursday. That will give her an extra day. Joshua will probably bring her back. That means he won’t be at the ranch.”
“But then he won’t be killed!”
“I’ll just have to make other arrangements for that—maybe when he does go back you or Jules can follow him and shoot him down after he gets there. Then we’ll just add him to the casualties of the raid. No one will know the difference.”
“Why don’t you just wait a few more days, Jason?”
“I don’t want to wait! Lobo is already getting itchy to move on. He’s staying on to do this as a favor for me. Now get the hell out there and make sure he understands he’s to wait an extra day. And you tell that Mexican that if by chance a white woman is at the Double ‘R,’ he’d better not lay a hand on her. She is to be left alive and untouched, understand?”
“Sure. But what should they do with her?”
“Leave her. Abandon camp. Then I’ll ride in and ‘rescue’ her.”
Sam laughed. “Maybe you should go ahead and let it happen that way.”
“No.” He stood up and grabbed Sam’s arm. “Come on. Get out of there and get going.”
“Okay! Okay! You sure know how to spoil a man’s fun. You gonna pay me extra for this?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll be rewarded.”
Jason turned and left, irritated with Rachael for creating this new problem for him. Now he had to find a way to kill Joshua. “Stupid woman,” he grumbled.
Chapter Fifteen
Rachael’s heart pounded as she rode in front of Brand toward the Rivers ranch house.
“I think that’s Josh riding toward us,” she told Brand as someone approached on horseback.
Brand slowed his horse, coming nearly to a halt as Josh came closer, brandishing a rifle.
“Josh, it’s all right. It’s just me,” Rachael called out.
Joshua rode up close, total confusion moving through his brown eyes, followed by stubborn challenge. “What the hell is going on here!” He glared at Brand. “You put my sister down from that horse this minute, or I’ll blow your head off, Indian!”
“Josh, it’s all right. This is Brand Selby, and I came here with him willingly. We need to talk to you.”
Brand kept his composure, reminding himself this was Rachael’s brother, expecting the reaction he was sure would come at first. Joshua’s horse turned in a restless circle, and Joshua kept a grip on his rifle.
“What do you mean, you need to talk to me?” Joshua asked, anger replacing the bold, challenging look.
“Joshua, can we go to the house?”
The young man kept looking from Rachael to Brand and back to Rachael. “Brand Selby? He’s the half-breed who’s been living north of Austin—the one Jason talked about—the troublemaker.”
“He’s not a troublemaker,” Rachael answered anxiously. “Please, Joshua, let’s go to the house. And keep Luke and Matt outside while we talk, will you?”
Joshua hesitated, looking past them as though he suspected some kind of trick. He looked back at his sister. “Is he forcing you to say that? He got friends out there?”
Rachael closed her eyes and sighed. “No, Josh, it’s just me and Brand.”
Joshua still held the rifle as though ready to fire it. “I don’t get it. This man is a half-breed, Rachael. What are you doing riding on the same horse with him, sitting right against him like that? What the hell is going on?”
“If you’ll ride to the house with us, I’ll explain.”
Joshua’s eyes moved to Brand’s. He could not help realizing what a handsome and powerfully built man Brand Selby was, nor could he ignore the proud and honest look about him. But the man was half Comanche, and the sight of his sister sitting close to him on the same horse infuriated him.
“I would have preferred a friendly introduction,” Rachael told her brother. “This is not the kind of hospitality Father would have offered.” She looked back at Brand. “Brand, this is obviously my brother, Joshua Rivers.”
Brand nodded to the young man. “Obviously.” He held Joshua’s eyes challengingly. “I have come in friendship, Joshua. No one is with us, and I look upon you with honor because you are Rachael’s brother. Take us to the house and hear us out, if you will.”
Rachael could see the hurt and anger building in her brother’s eyes as he began to realize there was apparently something more than friendship between her and Brand. Friendship would have been bad enough, but something more would be shocking for poor Joshua. The young man rammed his rifle into its boot, red blotches forming on his cheeks.
“Come to the house then,” he almost hissed. He yanked on the reins of his horse and turned it, heading in a near gallop to the ranch house. Brand and Rachael followed, their packhorse tied to the tail of Brand’s horse.
Far out in one of the corrals Luke whistled to his brother. “Anything wrong, Josh?”
Joshua removed his hat and waved it, their signal that everything was all right. When Luke noticed his sister he ran out of the corral toward her. As he came closer, his smile faded. Brand slowed his horse. “Hi, Rachael.” Luke looked up at her with questioning eyes.
“Luke,” Rachael said softly, reaching out and touching his dark hair. “It’s only been a few weeks, and look how you’ve grown.”
Brand dismounted and lifted Rachael down. He walked around the other side of the horse with her, where Luke stood. Brand kept hold of his horse’s reins as Rachael hugged her brother. Luke looked past her and stared at Brand, who looked huge to the thirteen-year-old boy. He pulled away from his sister but kept hold of her.
“You all right, Rachael? Who’s this big Indian man? How come you’re with him?”
“Luke, this is Brand Selby. He’s only half Indian, and he owns a ranch northeast of Austin.” She took hold of her brother’s hand and turned to Brand. “Brand, this is my youngest brother, Luke. Luke, Brand and I are…we’re very good friends. I’ll tell you more about it after we go in the house and talk to Josh.”
Luke studied Brand with curiosity rather than hatred. He put out his hand hesitantly. “Hello,” he said. Brand smiled, shaking his hand. “Hello, Luke. I’m glad to know you.”
They let go of each other’s hands and Luke looked over at Rachael. She was smiling. He turned back to Brand. “Glad to know you, too, I guess.”
“Luke, where is Matthew?” Rachael asked.
“He’s farther out—a couple of cows strayed off this morning. He went after them.” He scratched his head. “What are you doing here, Rachael? I mean, I’m glad to see you, but Josh was coming into town in a couple more days. You know it’s dangerous to be riding out here.”
“We had a special reason for coming,” she answered. “And I’m in no danger when I’m with Brand. He has lived among the Comanche—knows their language and knows many of them personally. They won’t bother me as long as I’m with him.”
Luke looked up at Brand again. “You look kind of like my pa with them buckskin pants and all. Did you know my pa?”
“No,” Brand answered, smiling softly. “But from the way Rachael has talked about him, I wish I had. I’m sorry your pa died, Luke.”
The boy sobered. “Yeah. He was a real good man. It’s kind of hard around here without him.”
“I expect so. My place is a lot smaller than this one, but it takes a lot of work to keep it going.” He looked around at tidy corrals and n
eat sheds. The horses in a nearby pen looked sturdy and well cared for. Green hills rolled out toward open plains to the north and west, and to the northeast he could see stands of elm and cypress trees that ran in a row along the Colorado River. “This is a fine place you have here, Luke.”
“Thanks, Mr. Selby. My brother, Josh, he’s the one who really keeps it going. We all three own it now, but Josh, he makes all the big decisions right now.”
“That’s how it should be. You should listen to your big brother.”
Rachael gave Luke another squeeze. “You go ahead with your chores. We’ll be inside with Joshua for a while. If Matt comes back, tell him to stay outside awhile, will you?”
“Sure, sis. Is something the matter?”
Rachael released her hold and smiled for him. “No. I’ll explain later, Luke.”
The boy shrugged. “Okay.” He looked up at Brand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Selby.”
Brand felt some hope in Luke’s friendly attitude. But then Luke was only thirteen. He wished Joshua would have had the same friendly greetings for him. He nodded to Luke. “Thank you, Luke.”
Luke quickly kissed his sister’s cheek, and turned to leave. Brand could already see through Rachael and Luke the love this family must have shared, and the kind of people their parents must have been. He prepared for the worst with Joshua, telling himself as he took his horse’s reins and they walked to the house that he must stay calm. Joshua was obviously prejudiced, although under other circumstances he would probably be at least friendly, although cool, to Brand. But because his sister was involved, it would be another story. Joshua’s love and concern for his sister was going to come far above any other feelings, perhaps even above Rachael’s own feelings and wishes. Joshua was reacting like any big brother, and now that their father was dead, the young man would feel even more responsible for his sister’s welfare, let alone the fact that he had been listening too much to Jason Brown.
Joshua stood on the front porch glaring as Brand and Rachael came closer and Brand tied his horse. Josh turned and said nothing as he went through the door, leaving it open for them. Rachael looked up at Brand, her eyes tearing with apology.
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