by Rye Hart
The moment he brought it to Marianna's nostrils, her world went dark.
Chapter Nine
Marianna slowly opened her eyes and gasped as she realized where she was. She was tied up in the corner of a dark, crowded cabin, and she was alone.
Thankfully, her mouth was not gagged and she was able to suck in a few deep breaths of fresh air as the memory of the strong chemical smell still burned in her nostrils. Only when she regained her bearings, did she take a moment to try and sort through where she was and how she could escape.
A small lamp burned in the corner, offering her a little bit of light to see the interior of her prison. When she took a look around the room, she saw the walls were lined with unidentified wood crates, which naturally piqued her curiosity.
As for her body, her feet were bound tightly together, while her hands were secured in front of her. These were the only bindings on her body, which meant that, if she could somehow free one or the other, she might be able to get out alive.
That is, if she could even find her way back. She had only spent a few short weeks in Texas, and in that time, she barely left the ranch. Marianna had no idea where to go or how to make her way back. And by the lack of light that filtered through the cracks in the door, it was late at night and she would have no sense of direction.
She was trapped and she didn't know what to do. She wondered how she could have ended up in such a situation.
She couldn't make sense of it, unless Larsen was involved in less than legal activities. Had he cheated someone on a deal? Perhaps he was involved in smuggling activity?
"Stop it Marianna," she chastised herself in an attempt to quell her growing distress.
She needed to think of a plan, fast.
She took stock of the items in the room that might aid her ability to free herself. She noticed that a nail stuck out the side of one of the carts placed near her. She figured, if she scooted herself close enough, she might be able to use the nail to hook the rope around her wrists and pull the ties apart enough to free her hands. It was worth a shot and, at this point, she didn't have much else to lose.
She moved closer to the nail, hooked it under the taught threads, and began to pull. With each tug, the ties around her wrists loosened and brought her closer to finally freeing herself.
Her wrists chafed and stung with the exertion, but she pushed through. Her will to survive the night kept her going.
Eventually, with a triumphant and controlled squeal, she was able to pull her wrists free. She rubbed the sore skin for a moment, before she bent forward and untied the knot at her ankles.
Once she stood up, she made her way toward the door. She leaned against the wood frame and strained her ears to try and hear any noise from outside. When she was convinced that no one was waiting for her, she reached for the handle. She didn't know how she would get back to the ranch, or if it was safe to return, but she knew that if she could get far enough away and hide, she might have a chance of avoiding a more gruesome fate.
Before she opened the door, she gave a silent plea for Larsen's life. "Larsen," she whispered into the dark, "stay safe, please." Even though she had barely known the man, she felt drawn to him in a way that had transcended reason and she hoped that wherever he was, he was safe.
As she stepped outside, her body slammed into a tall, impassive wall. The wall muffled her shriek, when he placed a hand over her mouth to quiet her. It was Larsen.
"Shhhh, we don't want anyone to hear us," he whispered.
Marianna instantly relaxed.
Larsen removed his hand from her mouth. He brought his lips close to her ear, as to allow his words to only be heard by her. "I was just about to come to rescue you," he told her.
"I can rescue myself," Marianna said a bit too hotly. She pulled back from him, the sensation of his hot breath on her ear still lingered. It had sent a shiver down her spine and, for a moment, she had forgotten that they were still very much in danger. She didn't need herself becoming distracted by Larsen, especially since she still was a little bit angry with him as he had been the reason she had been tied up in the first place.
"I can see," he drawled. "How about you follow me around back; I was able to get us a horse." He brought his arm around to capture Marianna by the waist and guide her away from the small cabin that she had been held captive in.
Marianna allowed him to guide her without protest. She was still caught off guard by his sudden appearance, and wondered how he had been able to avert the bandits and find her.
On the other side of the cabin, a horse was tied to a post. Marianna recognized it as the mare that the leader of the bandits had been riding.
"What happened to the horse we had been riding?" she asked cautiously.
Larsen whispered back, "She took off. I suspect she is already back home."
"But how did you get away?" she asked curiously.
Larsen chuckled. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve," he replied.
Marianna raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh?" she questioned.
Larsen motioned toward the horse. "How about we get ourselves out of here before we go into the logistics of how I escaped," he teased lightly.
Marianna shot him a hard look, but her eyes twinkled with laughter. She was surprised that almost being murdered by bandits, kidnapped, and then barely escaping could have her in such a good mood. She was pretty sure that she had started to lose her sanity the moment that she had arrived in Texas — or was it when she first laid eyes on Larsen?
Larsen helped her onto the horse and then swung up behind her. As he brought his arms around to secure his hold on the reigns, Marianna leaned back against his strong chest. She liked how she felt secure, safe even, despite the fact that a group of hardened criminals could jump out at any moment.
"Are we heading back to your ranch?" she asked as Larsen turned the horse away and urged the animal into a gallop.
"No," he stated firmly. "It isn't safe at the moment. By tomorrow my Bessie should be back at the ranch, which will alert my workers that something is wrong.”
"Wouldn't they have figured that out when we didn't return before dark?" she questioned.
Larsen shrugged. "Not always. It's a long journey, and sometimes I stay in town for the night."
"Oh," Marianna exclaimed. "But how will you know Bessie will make it back to the ranch?"
"Because she is resourceful," he spoke into Marianna's hair. Larsen brought his hand up to touch her chafed wrists. "A lot like you," he added gently.
Marianna felt the hairs on her arms raise, and her body shivered where he touched her. She thought his hand lingered on her wrist a little longer than necessary, and she was surprised that she enjoyed the sensation. She felt a little guilty that she liked how Larsen looked at her and reveled in the way it felt to have his body pressed up against her back. She had only lost Kevin a few months ago, she shouldn't already be thinking about the touch of another man so quickly. But this was the man to whom she was considering marriage. Was it so awful that she didn’t mind the way she felt with him?
Something stirred within her when Larsen Dover was near, something she had never quite felt with Kevin. This feeling was exhilarating, enticing, and just a little bit frightening. Yet, despite her trepidation, she felt the urge to embrace the feelings that she had unknowingly begun to develop for Larsen.
She moved her hand out of his grasp and brought it to settle over his own hand. With a gentle ease, she guided his hand around her waist so that he held her securely against him. "I don't want to fall," she whispered shyly, but she knew that the real reason was because she enjoyed the way it felt to be in his strong arms.
"I would never let that happen," he said gently as his lips brushed the top of her head.
Marianna had had more excitement in her life in the past few weeks since arriving in Texas, than she had in her whole eighteen years living in Valley Springs. She had no idea she could be so resilient, yet so far she had survived a fire, bandits, and a kidnappin
g all in in the course of two weeks. Had she known that her world would be so different, she wasn't sure the old her would have agreed to come out here. But the new Marianna was glad she did.
Marianna allowed her eyes to close and her mind to drift, assured in the knowledge that she was safe with Larsen. The horse galloped in a steady rhythm, while the nighttime noises echoed around them. She didn't know where he was taking her, but she felt confident that it was somewhere safe.
Chapter Ten
Marianna came awake when she felt Larsen nudge her gently.
"We need to go on foot from here," he said softly. He slid off the horse and helped the still sleepy Marianna to descend. With a swift motion, he slapped the horse's rear and sent the animal into a rapid gallop away from them and back into the night.
"Why would you send it away?" Marianna gasped in horror. She wondered how they would ever get back without their only mode of transportation.
"He would simply lead the kidnappers right to us. It is best to send the horse back to its owner and throw them off our scent," he explained.
"But where will we go?" she protested.
"Into the cliffs," he motioned behind her.
Marianna turned around and gasped as her vision adjusted to take in a large outcrop illuminated by the full moon. "We’re going where?"
"Here," he reached for her, "take my hand."
Marianna felt hesitant about climbing into the cliffs, but as soon as her hand slid into Larsen's large strong palm, she instantly felt safe. "If you say so," she relented.
The hike into the cliffs was brutal, but Marianna refused to allow Larsen to see how taxing it was for her. As they treaded up a narrow path on the side, she did her best not to look down. It was Larsen's confidence that kept her calm and assured her that they weren't going to walk right off the cliff.
"We are here," he finally said, breaking the long silence that had descended over them as they had climbed.
"Where?" Marianna looked around her. They were standing on an outcrop shielded by a few overhanging rocks.
"There is an entrance to a tunnel." He guided her around the little bend.
"A tunnel to where?" she questioned.
"To the edge of my property," he explained. "My lands are quite expansive and this outcrop marks one of the farther edges of it. I discovered this tunnel in the cliffs several years ago. We should be safe here."
Marianna trusted that Larsen knew what he was doing. There were still questions in her mind about Larsen’s background that remained in her mind, but she knew she would raise them at the right time. For now, she chose to take his lead because it felt right.
"Once it starts to get light out, we can make our way through. It's not too long of a walk."
"And until then?" she asked.
"We will have to stay the night," he stated calmly.
Marianna nodded that she understood. But as she agreed, she felt a gust of wind whistle past her and send a chill down her spine. She brought her arms around her chest, and she could feel her teeth rattle slightly.
Larsen responded the moment he saw she was cold. "Here," he took off his thick cowhide jacket and brought it around Marianna's petite frame. "I would build a fire, but I don't want to alert anyone that we are here."
"I understand," Marianna replied. She clutched at the corners of Larsen's jacket, it was large and warm and it smelled like him; like musk and sandalwood. It was oddly comforting, yet it all felt like too much. Marianna felt her resolve crack and the intense pressure of the situation they had just survived weighed her down; she felt tears sting her eyes.
Larsen must have seen the wet gleam in her eyes reflected in the moonlight, as he instantly moved forward to bring Marianna into a comforting embrace. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I should never have brought you here," he said.
Marianna sniffled. "I wouldn't change that you brought me here," she said softly in between a few hiccups.
Larsen went still. "But I have already brought so many problems into your life," he said in his enticingly deep voice.
"My life was already far more complicated before you," she confessed. She turned her face up to meets his, their gazes connected through the dim light that seeped into their stone shelter.
As their eyes met, Marianna wondered if Larsen would kiss her. Kevin had been the only man who had ever kissed her before, and even then, it had been short and chaste. But here, all alone with a man she barely knew, Marianna longed for him to bring his lips down to meet hers. She wanted to know what it would feel like to push up on her tippy toes, slide her arms around his neck, and feel the roughness of his thick beard as it brushed against the soft skin of her cheeks. She could feel those cheeks heating and she hoped that Larsen couldn't see her blushing through the moonlight.
Larsen cleared his throat gruffly. "It will be dawn soon, so we won't have to wait here for long," he muttered. His voice sounded thick and hoarse as if he was struggling with himself.
"I see," Marianna mumbled. She retracted her arms from where she had brought them around his waist when she was seeking comfort. She started to move away when he stopped her.
"Wait," he said as he caught her hand up in his.
Marianna looked at him expectantly.
"We will need to sit together, for warmth," he explained.
Marianna simply nodded her agreement and allowed Larsen to lead her to a spot on the rock floor. He showed her where to sit, and when she was comfortable, he moved in next to her. She tried not to think of the close proximity of their bodies.
She was starting to get an idea of who Larsen Dover was. He was a lot more complicated than she had originally anticipated. When she had agreed to come out west to see if she could even marry him, she thought she would first have to understand his motivations for marriage. But after her short time on the ranch, she had already seen how it wasn't just her who was interviewing him for a potential spouse, but Larsen was testing her too. After she had met his two boys, she understood why he had written to his family requesting to send him someone who could care for them like a mother. The thought behind his action demonstrated how kind, thoughtful, and caring he was underneath the thick beard and manly demeanor. She felt like she had finally started to crack his hard character, and she liked what she saw.
As she drifted off to sleep once again in his arms, she hoped they would be able to find out why they were targeted by the bandits. She hoped that everything on the ranch was okay and that Marshal and Elijah were safe while they were gone. She knew they could trust most of Larsen's ranch hands, especially James, to watch over the boys while they were away. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind warned her to be wary and that the attack was no coincidence.
Chapter Eleven
This time when Marianna awoke, the sun was streaming through the small entrance to the tunnel. The sunshine was a welcoming sight after what had been a long and difficult night. She was still wearing Larsen's jacket, but its enigmatic owner was nowhere in site. Marianna wasn't worried as she had a feeling that she knew exactly where Larsen was.
She picked herself up and turned toward the inner part of the tunnel. At the very end, she could see a small sliver of light and she suspected Larsen would be on the other side.
She made her way down the tunnel, allowing the slowly growing light to be her guiding point. When she made it to the end, she had to shield her eyes from the blaring brightness of the sun. She took a look outside the exit and was surprised to see that it opened on to an easy path that led down into a landscape that resembled an oasis. A small stream was barely concealed by a few trees. And as she glanced down, she saw a figure jump into the crystal clear waters.
She decided to be bold and make her way down the path to join him.
At least that was her plan, until a rough arm snagged her from behind.
Marianna screamed, but her cries for help barely echoed off the walls around her, let alone reach Larsen's ears.
"Shut up," a frighteningly fa
miliar voice barked at her.
Marianna struggled to turn around and face her assailant. She let out a gasp when she saw that Marcus Maine, Larsen's ranch manager, was the one that held her in a vice-like grip.
"It's you!" she accused, as she tried to break free from him. Marianna had suspected that there was something suspicious about Marcus. He disliked her from the moment she arrived. His arrival in to this very spot, so soon after their attack, couldn't be coincidence.
"Stupid girl," he muttered. He quickly overpowered Marianna and used his force to tie her hands in front of her.
Marianna's wrists were still raw from the bindings that had held her captive the previous night. These fresh bindings chafed the sensitive skin and pained her greatly.
"If you hadn't broken away the first time, we wouldn't be in this situation," Marcus grumbled angrily as he finished the last knot of Marianna's bindings.
Marianna couldn't believe it. "You were responsible for all of this?" she questioned him with newfound fervor.
"You weren't supposed to be a part of that," he sneered menacingly.
Marianna gasped. "You were after Larsen? But why?"
"That's none of your business," he spat. "All you need to know is that you got in the way! Again!"
Marianna shot him a confused look. Her heart was pounding with fear, but she didn't want to show any more weakness in front of him.
Marcus grunted and rolled his eyes at her. "It would seem that Larsen has a bit of a soft spot for you, as after my men negotiated his release, he came back for you. I always knew he was a fool."
Marianna was shocked by Marcus's words. "What are you saying?"
"Larsen offered his ranch in exchange for your life, but my men refused to hand you over until he returned with the deed to the property. Once Larsen left, he snuck back and took down the imbeciles I hired just so he could rescue you." Marcus chuckled as he leaned back on his heels and surveyed Marianna where she was tied up on the floor, "But his affection for you will be what destroys him in the end."
