Survivor Pass

by Shirleen Davies

  Bull turned his head toward the other bed, his voice tight. “How’s Noah?”

  “He’s as lucky as they come. We pulled a few bullets out of him. He’ll recover if the wounds don’t become infected.” Doc checked Bull’s dressings.

  “I feel fine, Doc. I’d rather head home.”

  “Not today, Bull. Until the fever goes away, you won’t be going anywhere. Did you meet Doctor McCord?”

  Bull saw Clay standing next to the doctor and nodded. “He said something about helping you and Rachel today. Guess he forgot to mention being a doctor.”

  “It seems he didn’t plan to tell anyone. Then he found you and Noah.” Doc shot Clay a look he couldn’t quite decipher.

  Clay stepped forward. “Just needed some time to sort a few things out in my head. Today made me realize how important my skills are.”

  “And they shouldn’t be wasted, young man.”

  “No, Doctor, they shouldn’t.”

  Clay broke off the banter when Noah groaned and tried to turn over.

  “Hold on, Noah. Let me take a look at your wounds.”

  As Clay checked the bandages, Noah spotted Bull. “You look like hell,” he muttered, trying to mask the agony flashing through his body.

  Bull’s attempt to laugh turned into a grimace as pain shot through him. “We’re alive. I figure that’s what matters.”

  Noah closed his eyes and nodded. A moment later, he’d drifted back to sleep.

  “He’ll be sleeping a great deal during the next few days, as should you.” Doc pulled a blanket from a chest and placed it over Bull. “I have a woman out in the waiting room who’s anxious to see you.”

  Bull pursed his lips. “I don’t know if Lydia should see me like this.”

  “Believe me, she won’t care about anything except you being alive. Clay, would you let Lydia know she can come in?”

  “Of course.” Opening the door, Clay motioned for Lydia. “You’ll only have a couple minutes with him before he’ll need to rest.”

  She nodded, a mixture of hope and happiness crossing her face. “I’ll take any amount of time you can give me.”

  Cash, Alison, and Beau stabled their horses before walking to the jail. They’d buried the bodies in a shallow grave, planning to return with a wagon the following day to bring them back to town.

  “I’ll make some coffee.” Beau picked up the dented coffee pot and grabbed a tin of coffee.

  “I should go home, Cash. A bath and clean clothes are all I need right now.”

  He placed a hand on the small of Alison’s back. “I’ll walk you home, then I need to find Gabe.”

  They hadn’t made it to the door before Bernie came dashing inside. “Did you hear about Noah and Bull?”

  “What about them?” Cash’s eyes narrowed, his voice gruff.

  “They’re at Doc’s. Both were shot.”

  “So it was the Penderville gang.” Gabe paced to the front window, then turned around. “I should’ve listened to you, Cash. You always thought there was a connection.”

  “It’s not your fault, Gabe. I had a gut feeling, nothing more. There wasn’t a shred of proof those men were tied to the Pendervilles. Besides, Beau and I searched several miles outside of town and never saw a trace of the men we saw in the saloon.”

  “It was a bold plan, and it almost worked. The ambush of Noah and Bull, then the attempted shootings of you and Alison weren’t coincidences.” Beau pushed away from the wall. “I need to get back to the jail, check on the prisoners. The circuit judge is supposed to arrive today for the trial on Monday. It can’t come soon enough.”

  “I’ll come back to sit with Noah and Bull after I take Allie home,” Cash offered.

  “No need. We have plenty of people who’ve offered to stay. Get some sleep.” Gabe clasped Cash’s shoulder. “Glad Beau talked me into letting him follow you.”

  Cash smirked. “Me, too, Gabe.”

  Cash escorted Alison to the shop, following her upstairs. After learning about Noah and Bull, then telling Gabe their story about the Pendervilles, neither felt as tired as they had when they rode into town. Alison busied herself making coffee while Cash paced around her home. Placing the pot on the wood stove, she turned toward him.

  “If you’re hungry, I have a few eggs and some potatoes.”

  His gaze moved down her body before locking on her face. He needed to leave, put some distance between them. What he wanted to do was stay, wrap his arms around her and never let go.

  “I should let you get some sleep.”

  “I’m not tired.” She took a few tentative steps toward him.

  “A lot has happened today, Allie.” He narrowed the distance between them. “It would be best if I left.”

  Stepping to within a few inches of him, she placed her hands on his chest. “I think you should stay.”

  Clutching his hands into fists, he held his arms rigid at his sides. “You’re tired and not thinking straight. Besides, a lot of people know I walked you home. We need to consider your reputation.”

  “I’m not worried about it.”

  Cursing under his breath, Cash relaxed his hands, moving them up to grip her shoulders.

  “I care about it, but you’re making it hard for me to do the honorable thing.”

  Smiling, she moved her hands in slow circles on his chest. “You didn’t do the honorable thing a few weeks ago.”

  His breath hitched as her hands created a heat which ripped through his body. Each stroke chipped away at his resolve to take it slow, court her, make sure he was who she wanted.

  “Did I misunderstand when you said you loved me?”

  “No,” he ground out, raising his hands to cover hers. “You heard me right.” His eyes smoldered, darkening to a deep emerald green when she let her leg travel up his. “Allie, you’re making this difficult.”

  She raised onto her toes, brushing a kiss across his mouth.

  “Do you want me, Cash?” Moving her hands from under his, her fingers trailed a sensuous path up his arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she aligned their bodies, feeling a shudder pass through him a moment before a deep growl escaped his lips.

  Losing the battle, Cash scooped her into his arms, walking the short distance to the bed. He gently eased her down, bracing himself on his elbows, hovering above her.

  “Is this what you want, Allie?”

  “Yes,” she breathed out, her heart pounding.

  “Are you sure?” His lips made a path from the corner of her eye to her jaw, then down the smooth column of her neck.

  “Yes.” She felt fevered, as if she’d explode if he didn’t give her what she wanted.

  Moving up to her mouth, he hovered an inch above it. “There are conditions this time.” His hand stroked a path down her arm, resting on the curve of her waist.

  “Conditions?” She squirmed against him.

  “Do you want to hear them?” His hot breath washed against the sensitive skin below her ear.

  “I, um…yes, but hurry.”

  He chuckled at her impatience, glad she wanted this as much as he did.

  “First, no more lies. Not ever.”

  “No more lies,” she agreed.

  “Second, you’ll tell our friends about your past.”

  “Fine. I’ll tell them. Please, Cash…” Her voice trailed off as he sucked lightly at the hollow of her neck.

  “So impatient.” He lifted his head to stare into her eyes. “Third, and this is the most important condition, Allie.”

  Her eyes widened, her breath coming in gasps. “All right.”

  “Marry me.”

  ~~~~~

  Epilogue

  Two months later…

  Cash watched Allie move about the crowded yard of Redemption’s Edge, hugging people she barely knew who’d come to celebrate their marriage. His love for her had swelled each day since she’d agreed to become his wife. Some thought his decision to wed her had been too quick. He knew differently.

&nb
sp; Not one to believe in love at first sight, he always thought the woman he married, if he ever did, would be someone he’d known for months, maybe years. A friend who turned into a lover. His thoughts changed the moment he met Allie.

  “You look like a man well and truly caught.” Noah held a cane in his left hand, bracing himself, letting his right arm hang loose at his side. He’d spent two weeks in Doc’s clinic before being released. The last six weeks had been dedicated to recovering the use of his right arm and hand. He’d had a small measure of success each day.

  “Is that how you felt when you married Abby?”

  “I felt that way within moments of my first glimpse of her.” Noah chuckled, remembering their rocky courtship. “I just never thought I’d be lucky enough to win her.”

  Cash’s gaze moved over the crowd once more, resting on Bull standing with his arm around Lydia. “Bull seems to be recovering.” Cash knew he’d gone back to work at the Pelletier ranch a week after the shooting. “Alison told me they’ve set a wedding date.”

  “He told me early summer.” Noah shifted his weight, grimacing at the pain. “It’ll be a great day when I can throw away this cane. Dang thing reminds me how much work I have ahead of me.” He glanced at Cash, seeing the confusion on his face. “I’m doing everything Doc recommends. So far, I don’t see much improvement.”

  “It’s going to take time, Noah. If anyone can turn this around, it’s you.” Cash thought of his friend, Stephen, having only one leg and an arm which hung limp at his side, knowing there was no hope of ever getting full use back. At least Noah had hope, and Cash knew he’d do all he could to recover what he’d lost.

  Noah returned a grim smile, his eyes reflecting the true burden he faced to get back the life he had before the ambush.

  Cash opened his mouth to say something more when he spotted Alison and Abby walking toward them.

  “Gabriel is asleep, Noah. I thought you might want to ask me to dance.” Abby slipped her hand in his and squeezed, even though he couldn’t return the gesture.

  “Abby, I—”

  “No excuses, Noah Brandt. You can do anything you put your mind to. Right now, your wife wants to dance with her husband. So put your mind to it.”

  Cash draped an arm over Allie’s shoulders, both laughing as Abby dragged Noah toward the band.

  “Where do you think the orphans are off to?” Cash asked, seeing Lydia’s younger sister and brother, Selena and Sam, dash toward the bunkhouse with Billy and Margaret Zales. All except Billy had been living at Redemption’s Edge since a group of men, including Bull and the Pelletiers, found them living in a cave over a year before.

  “Seems they’re just being kids, Cash. Having a great time at our wedding.”

  He nodded, ignoring the prickly sensation which always signaled danger.

  “You aren’t worried about them, are you? They’re at our wedding. What could possibly happen?”

  Shaking off the unnerving sensation, Cash smiled. “You’re right.”

  Allie reached up, stroking a finger along his jaw. “Let’s not think of anyone except us the rest of today, Cash.”

  Clasping her hand in his, he brought it to his lips, kissing each finger, then burning a trail across her palm to her wrist. Shifting her in front of him, he placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

  “Concentrating on you the rest of the day sounds real good, Mrs. Coulter.” Hearing the band start a new song, he smiled. “Will you dance with me?”

  They found an open spot on the dance platform next to Bull and Lydia, who seemed too lost in each other to notice anyone else. The band broke into a lively number, people whooping and clapping as the dancers tried to keep up with the beat.

  Cash pulled Allie to him as laughter filled the air. Ignoring anyone who might be watching, he brushed a kiss across her lips, then repeated it until she placed her palms flat on his chest to stop him.

  “Mr. Coulter, I do believe you’re trying to seduce me.” She flashed him a brilliant smile.

  “You would be right, Mrs. Coulter.” Cash started to lower his head again when ear-piercing screams had him stepping away, pulling Allie behind him.

  “Help! Someone help us!” The panicked cries came from behind the barn.

  “My God, Cash. It’s the children.” Allie started to dash toward the barn when Cash pulled her back.

  “You stay here, Allie. Let me see what’s happening.” Cash didn’t wait for a response as he, Bull, and most of the men took off at a run.

  Rounding the barn, they stopped at the sight before them. Billy lay on the ground, blood flowing from a gash on his head.

  “Somebody get Doc Worthington,” Dax shouted as he dropped to a knee next to Billy, checking his pulse, then tearing off his shirt, holding it to the wound. “He’s alive.”

  Jack, Lena and Gabe’s seven-year-old son, stood ramrod straight, his gaze focused on the horizon, pointing. Selina, Lydia’s eleven-year-old sister, stood beside him, her face streaked with tears.

  “Jackson?” Gabe knelt beside him, drawing the boy to him. “What is it, son?”

  Jack’s vacant gaze moved to Gabe.

  “They took him,” Selena sobbed.

  “Who, Selena?” Bull asked, kneeling down, turning her toward him.

  Her panicked face, flushed and wet with tears, tore into Bull.

  “Sweetheart, tell me what happened,” Bull coaxed in a soft voice as Lydia ran up to them, placing an arm across her sister’s shoulders.

  Glancing around, Lydia’s heart began to race when she didn’t spot her brother, fifteen-year-old Samuel. Her voice shook as she turned Selena to face her. “Where is Sam?”

  A haunted look crossed Selena’s face. “They took him, Lydia,” she choked out. “The Indians took Sam.”

  ~~~~~

  Thank you for taking the time to read Survivor Pass. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.

  Please join my reader’s group to be notified of my New Releases at: http://www.shirleendavies.com

  I care about quality, so if you find something in error, please contact me via email at shirleen@shirleendavies.com

  ~~~~~

  About the Author

  Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

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  Other Books by Shirleen Davies

  http://www.shirleendavies.com/books.html

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