Jesse turned his gun on McCoy. “One more peep from you, and you’ll get a bullet. I’m in charge, and if you don’t like it, too bad.” He gestured to the tree with his gun and told Declan, “Get over there. Now. Unless you’d rather take the bullet?”
It took all of his restraint not to argue. He knew Jesse wouldn’t care about killing them on the spot, and frankly, things could be a lot worse. What Jesse didn’t know, was that help was on the way, and they wouldn’t be tied up for long. But heaven help Jesse when Declan was released, because he would hunt Jesse down to the ends of the earth.
Declan smashed his lips together, refusing to say another word. If Jesse knew they’d be rescued, he’d never leave them tied up, as he expected them to perish. They were both witnesses. He and Ellie knew their faces, their names, their voices. If either of them lived, it would mean death to each and every one of them.
He grabbed Ellie’s hand and tugged her over to the tree.
She dug her heels in. “No. We’ll die out here!”
McCoy spit. “That’s the point.” He gave Jesse the stink eye. “Although it would be faster to just put a bullet in each of their heads.”
“This way,” Jesse began as he grabbed a rope, “they both die, except they suffer more. I think it’s a fitting punishment for the marshal.”
McCoy scanned the barren land. There was nothing around for miles. “They could be rescued.”
Jesse chuckled. “By who? A coyote?” He motioned for one of the other men to help him with the rope, before telling Declan and Ellie, “Backs to the trunk, arms down at your sides.”
Ellie stood straight. “No, please. You don’t have to do this. I won’t tell anyone what happened or who you are. I’ll just disappear.”
“Right. You’ll head straight to that fiancé of yours.” Jesse stepped closer to her. “What did you say his name was again?”
“Don’t—” A gun was pointed at Declan before he could say anything else.
He urged her with his full body not to speak. If she told them who her fiancé was, they’d find her.
Ellie looked between the two men, then straightened her shoulders. “His name is Ivan Pavlova. He lives in Promise Creek, Montana. If you ask him for ransom money, he’ll pay it.”
Jesse pretended to mull it over a moment. “Nah. Get to the tree.”
When she still didn’t move, he shot a warning bullet at her toes. “Don’t think I won’t shoot you; I will. And then you’ll be tied against that tree, bleeding, with all sorts of hungry animals roaming around.” The idea put a smile on his face.
Ellie practically ran toward the tree.
Declan cursed and followed her, and when their backs scraped against the bark, the rest of the gang wound the ropes around them. “I don’t suppose you’d consider tying it loosely? For the mountain lion and all.”
Jesse’s response was to jerk the rope tighter.
Declan swore.
When they finished tying it, McCoy laughed right in Declan’s face.
It took all of his willpower not to spit at the lowlife’s smug face. Instead, Declan turned to stone. He would kill McCoy and Jesse. There was nowhere too far on this earth where they could hide from him.
McCoy sneered. “Not so big and tough now, are you, Dec? You’re just some loser on the wrong side of luck.”
Declan didn’t speak, just continued to stare the man down.
Furious that Declan didn’t seem scared or upset, McCoy lost it. His fist connected with Declan’s jaw.
Is that all you’ve got? Declan didn’t make a sound as he repositioned his face forward.
McCoy’s nostrils flared, and he pulled his arm back to strike again, but Jesse called out, “Leave them. We’re heading out.”
With a willpower Declan was surprised McCoy possessed, the man lowered his fist and brushed dust off his vest. “You’ll be lucky if you last the night.”
With that, the men loaded up their gold and cleared out. Neither Declan nor Ellie spoke as they watched trails of dust plume in the air as the gang rode south.
Chapter 7
As the last people she would ever see rode off, Ellie tried to squelch her panic. Those outlaws had left her to die. She’d known they were evil before, but nothing had prepared her for this.
And now she was going to die.
She wiggled uselessly against the ropes. Tied from her neck to her ankles, there was no way she would ever break free of these bonds. Even with a knife, she wouldn’t have the leverage needed to manage the task.
Readjusting her head, she was able to see Declan out the corner of her eye. She wanted to yell, to spew her anger until it leeched from her body. He’d let her believe he was a bad man.
Even worse, she’d let this man kiss her.
Her cheeks flamed. Shame that she’d thought him favorably, an outlaw, and let him kiss her, filled her. It didn’t matter now that she’d thought she’d seen something good in him. He’d treated her well, after all. At least better than the others had.
But the truth of the matter was, he could’ve taken her away from them at any time. He could’ve chosen to save her instead of finishing his mission, but he hadn’t.
He’d let her remain a captive for days, worrying about her life and what would become of her. He’d allowed her to live in terror, wondering if it was finally the moment when McCoy would get his hands on her.
And now they were tied up to a tree. Together. Alone.
“So, you’re a marshal?” She knew it was true, but she had to hear it from his own lips one more time.
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes. “Why?” It was the only thing she could ask. Why was he undercover? Why hadn’t he told her? Why hadn’t he helped her escape?
How many times had she tried to run away or convince him to go with her? He could’ve just let her go.
“Because it was my job.”
She waited for something else, but nothing came. Something exploded within her. “It was your job? It was your job to lie to me? It was your job to let him take me? Abuse me? Terrorize me? It was all your job?”
When he didn’t speak, she craned her neck to glare at him. “You’re not even sorry, are you?” she spat.
He cursed. “I’m not sorry for doing my job, but I am sorry that you were caught up in it. I’m sorry I didn’t get you away sooner. I’m sorry you were taken. I’m sorry this happened to you. If I could go back and change it, I would. But I can’t.”
The self-loathing in his voice eased some of her anger. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked quietly.
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Because I couldn’t. I’d been undercover with them for three months, and before that, I’d been working undercover to work my way up into the gang. I couldn’t risk that you’d let it slip.”
She could respect that. If she’d been in his position, she would’ve keep quiet too. But that didn’t excuse him from one thing. “I understand. But why didn’t you let me get away? You could’ve said I ran, that you couldn’t find me. Why did you keep bringing me back? You knew what would happen to me.”
“I couldn’t. I would’ve lost all I’d worked for if I’d screwed up like that. It was too risky. And I thought we had more time.”
Lead settled in her gut as she looked out at the vast, uninhabited land. “Looks like we’re completely out of time. I didn’t think I’d die this way. No one will even know what happened to me.”
She didn’t think of Ivan in that moment, just her father.
Everything she’d worked for, everything she’d been trying to do, was for him. To force him to see she was of more value than a breeder. She’d have done things with her life. She’d have been useful. If she’d gotten to Ivan, to the ranch he’d promised her, her father would’ve seen that.
“We’re not going to die,” he said with authority.
How she wished that were true. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I can’t move at all. So unless you have some kind of magi
c that cuts through ropes, we’re in trouble.”
“I don’t have magic, but I have helpers.”
“What does that mean?”
“The marshals know where we are, at least the general area anyway. They’re on their way and could be here at any moment. They’ll release us.”
Relief pumped through her. She wasn’t going to die.
But he could’ve let her know that before now.
That was exactly what she’d been talking about. Why did he let her worry about things? “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I wired them when I left to get whiskey.”
She wanted to thank him, but remembering that night, she held her tongue. She was grateful he’d left now, because it meant they’d survive. But thinking of how McCoy had tormented her, she couldn’t express any gratitude.
He waited a moment before saying, “They should be here soon, but they’ll have to find us first.”
Confusion filled her. “So… what exactly are you saying? They might not find us?”
“No. They’ll find us. They just might not find us today.”
She spluttered. “We’re going to be tied up to this tree all night?” Her arms were already falling asleep, and her back ached where a protruding strip of bark dug in.
“We might,” he replied, sounding grim.
He was probably every bit as uncomfortable as she. She had no right to complain about the circumstances. He was right here too, tied to the tree, sentenced to death.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t apologize for this,” he said, lashing out. “None of this is your fault. You were a victim, and it was my responsibility to protect you.”
With the threat of death lessening, his vehement declaration eased more bitterness. “All the same, I’m sorry for the circumstances. I doubt death by tree was on the agenda for the day.” She snorted at her own joke, no matter how morbid it was.
His neck jerked in an unnatural direction so he could see her better. “Are you amused?”
She snorted again.
“You are! I’ve been tied up to a tree next to a crazy person.”
She chuckled then. “Hardly. But it does relieve my mind that others are coming for us. I won’t lie though, I hope they find us before some hungry animal does.”
She didn’t even want to contemplate that. The marshals would find them. And soon. “I’m grateful we aren’t going to die.”
“Well, it’s the right time of year for gratitude. What were your Thanksgiving plans?”
Her smile slowly left her face. Her Thanksgiving plans had radically changed. There was no way she’d get to Ivan in three days. “I was going to get married.”
Declan fell silent. “I’m sorry.”
He probably was, but she didn’t know what to say about it. She tried to shrug, but the ropes wouldn’t allow the movement. “It’s all right. With any luck, I’ll be in Promise Creek in a few days. I’ll figure things out from there.”
“A few days?” He sounded surprised. “That won’t be possible.”
“What do you mean? You said the marshals would find us. If not today, then tomorrow. The conductor told me it was only a few more hours by train when I was kidnapped. Surely I can get there within a few days after they find us.”
“It’s not possible, because you aren’t going. You’re a witness, Ellie. With your testimony, those men will hang.”
The first spark of panic lit within her. “You don’t need me for that. You can testify all on your own. Every judge will believe you.”
He shook his head as much as he could. “Having another testimony always makes a stronger case. And the fact you’re not in law enforcement is even better.”
“I still don’t think—”
“You told them who your fiancé is.”
His words stopped her cold. She had told them. She’d told them exactly who she was marrying and exactly where they could find him. If they saw Declan, they’d know she was alive. They’d know she could testify.
They’d come after her. “Oh no.”
He didn’t speak, but let the situation simmer as she had one realization after another.
She couldn’t go to Ivan. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Her dream of owning her own ranch slowly fell away from her grasp like sand. She’d never show her father her potential. She’d never prove to everyone that, although she was a girl, she could produce the best cattle in the country. She’d forever be some rich man’s daughter.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, then exhaled it slowly.
This would not finish her. She would not let Jesse and his gang ruin her life. By all she held dear, she would get to Ivan, she would get her ranch, and she would prove to everyone she could do it—that she was worth something.
Steel wrapped around her heart as she looked at him. “What do we need to do to end this?”
“After we get out of here, we’ll meet together with the marshals and chart a course of action. We know where they’re going to rob next. At least, where they said they would.”
“You think it’s a trap?”
“Could be. I don’t know if he knew who I was before, or after, that moment. If he didn’t know, I’m certain that it’s good information, even if he doesn’t take the opportunity. But if he knew, it could be a trap.”
That didn’t make sense to her. “If they knew who you were, and planned to kill you, why go through the bother of setting you up? Especially if he was going to kill you anyway.”
“I don’t know. But what I do know, is that you can’t trust anyone. Jesse is dangerous. I’ve seen him make plans that made no sense at all, but worked out brilliantly in the end. There’s a reason men follow him, even types like McCoy, who would rather seize power for themselves.”
“How will you know if it’s a trap?”
“I won’t. Not before anyway.”
That didn’t sound good. If it was a trap, and he walked right into it… “You might die.”
“That’s been a possibility from day one.”
He said it so casually, but no one could be that cavalier about death. No one was ready to die at a moment’s notice. He must have some reservations about riding in there, guns blazing. “Why do you do it?”
He was quiet a moment, and she wondered if he’d answer.
“Because I’m able. I don’t have anyone—no family, no one who worries about me. I can do the jobs most others can’t.”
“Sounds lonely.”
She could hardly imagine such an existence. She’d always had her father, and even if he hadn’t given her all she’d needed emotionally, he’d always cared for her in his own way. He’d provided for her and looked out for her.
In truth, she realized, he’d let her be who she was, even if he didn’t understand it. He could’ve refused to let her work the ranch. He could’ve hired nannies and tutors to come in and teach her how to become a proper lady, rather than having Mrs. Potter, their dear cook, teach her the basics of how to present herself in company.
“It can be. But when I start feeling that, I remind myself how many people have their loved one’s home because I saved their lives. It more than makes up for it.”
She didn’t agree or disagree. Really, what could she say? She’d never felt the particular pull to tie herself to one man, but those thoughts slowly simmered in the back of her mind now. What would life be like to have a man by her side? One who stood up for her, supported her, even loved her?
Ivan would never be that man. At least, she didn’t think he was someone she could come to love, if his letters were any indication. But she was grateful to him. Grateful he was willing to give her a chance. That was more than most men had been willing to do.
“Do you love your fiancé?” he asked.
Her mouth fell open, but no words came out. Until finally, “No.” The plain, cold truth. She didn’t love Ivan. She didn’t even know the man.
“Then why are you marrying him?”
&nbs
p; The sudden need to defend herself rose within her chest. “People marry for reasons other than love.”
“True,” he said slowly. “I just didn’t take you as the type.”
“The type of what?”
“The marry for money type.”
She gasped, straining against the rope. “You don’t know anything about me. Nothing at all.”
“You’re right. Forgive me. But I know that if you were devoted to your fiancé, you would’ve never kissed me back the other night.”
She recognized the granule of truth in his words. She had kissed him back. Even though she was engaged. Even though he was an outlaw and one of her kidnappers. “I didn’t have any other choice, did I? I thought you all were going to kill me.” When he didn’t answer, she shook her head. “Maybe we shouldn’t talk any longer. There’s nothing more to say. When the marshals get here, we’ll do what needs to be done.”
“Agreed.”
She turned her head away, refusing to think of why his easy agreement made her want to cry.
Chapter 8
Declan cursed his jealousy and lack of control. He’d been out of line. He didn’t know everything about Ellie, but she was no fortune hunter. She must have a good reason for marrying her fiancé. A woman with her looks would never be desperate for offers.
She’d already told them she had a wealthy father who might be willing to pay a ransom. And Declan was willing to bet the man would. No matter what the argument, a man didn’t turn his back on his daughter. Especially not one like Ellie. She was a gem, a prize men fought over.
The kind of woman bandits kidnapped off trains.
His face went expressionless before rage could take hold. He’d had little choice in her abduction if he’d wanted to keep his identity a secret, but it still gutted him thinking of what she’d been through, because he hadn’t been able to completely protect her.
The small things he’d been able to do to shield her weren’t nearly enough.
“Well, what do we have here?”
Declan closed his eyes on a curse when he recognized the man’s voice. It just had to be Jack, didn’t it?
A Mail-Order Chance Page 6
