by Lynn Landes
"Bronnah, I need you." He sinks down on the bench leaving her to make her choice. Another bolt of lightning illuminates her in the silver glow, and he growls reaching for her hand. "You're so beautiful," gently he tugs her towards him and parts her torn blouse. Careful of her wound he spreads his legs and pulls her to stand between them placing her breasts at the perfect height for his hot tongue. Gently he tastes, sucking and rolling his tongue around, first one and then the other. Bronnah's head falls back, and she arches into his exquisite heat. "Yes," her body quivers and Chase groans.
“Let me see you,” he releases her, and she steps back clutching at the torn pieces of her shirt.
At that moment Bronnah knows that every second of her life was leading her to this moment with this man. She surrenders to Chase and drops her blouse, reveling in the way his eyes glaze over with desire. Like a predator stalking his prey, his eyes follow her hand to the waistband of her skirt, and she smiles when he leans forward as if he's about to pounce. Her skirt falls to the ground, and he sucks in a breath. "You truly are a Goddess!"
Ignoring the cold Bronnah walks towards him, desperate to be back in his arms. “Your turn,” she whispered. “I want to see you too, Chase.” He stands and fumbles with the buttons of his shirt finally shrugging it off. Instantly, her hands explore the chiseled planes of his chest. She delighted in the way his body reacts to her touch. His muscles jump, and he groans as her hand follows the carved planes to the waistband of his jeans. When the button pops on his denims, Chase jerks her into his hot body and ravishes her mouth, teasing and tantalizing her until she thinks she will explode with need. Shucking off his jeans, he looked down at her and asked in a hoarse voice.
“Bronnah are you sure?” She smiles and nods her head.
“Show me what it’s like to be loved by you, Chase.”
“I will.” Standing nude in the glow of the lantern, with the storm raging around them, he does.
Chapter 25
Bronnah wakes the next morning, stretched out on top of Chase's chiseled torso. "Good morning, beautiful," he smiles softly at her. Bronnah grins and trails her fingers down his body teasing and stroking him, delighted at his sharp intake of breath. His chest rumbles, and she laughs.
"Careful woman or you'll wake the beast," he teases.
“Are you scared of a wee slip of a girl like me?” She taunts and squeals in delight when he rolls her swiftly to her back and buries himself deep inside her heat. Her groan of ecstasy is the only sound she can make.
“Ah, so that’s how I get you to listen?” Chase moans as he strokes her.
The next two-days are spent loving, resting, and planning. Tucked into this little corner of the world it feels as if they are the only two people on earth. Chase goes through the ledger and is shocked at the names inside.
“Bronnah this is much worse than I thought. This is major slave trafficking." His horrified eyes look across the table to hers. "It's a miracle you managed to escape." A soft rain falls outside, and Bronnah is glad for it. Sometimes it feels as if the weather is a shield protecting them from danger.
"I know, Chase. What will we do?" She asked reaching for his hand. He wonders at the soft, tender touch and the trust he feels in it.
“We stop them. I have to get this ledger to headquarters, Bronnah before they find us.” When she jerks her hand back his eyes narrow. He lifts a hand to stop her arguments, “I have a friend who can help us. He works…” a knock at the door has them both leaping to their feet. He gestures for her to be quiet.
"Marshall, its Mason. Don't shoot!" Bronnah sags in relief, but Chase stops her before she can open the door. Chase circle points to the back door, through the tower and she nods in understanding.
“Coming, just a second,” Bronnah calls out and tucks a knife into the sleeve of her shirt as Chase sneaks outside.
"Bronnah," Mason is standing in a steady rain, and he smiles at her. "Cap asked me to bring you some supplies. He points to the wagon, and she steps back to let him in.
“That’s very kind of him, come inside and out of the rain.” Not seeing any signs of danger, she smiles in relief.
“No point yet, let me just unload everything first. Is Chase here?” His eyes search the room behind her.
“Yes. He’s catching up on his sleep.”
"The life of a Marshall, guess I picked the wrong career. I'll just drop the supplies here, and you carry them to the kitchen. That will create less mess."
"Sounds good." Bronnah watches feeling uncertain as he begins to unload the crates. He makes two trips with crates stacked with food. The last package is wrapped in brown paper, and it's in Aimee's handwriting.
“This is too much, they didn’t have to do this,” she insists as Mason stomped the rain off his boots and shrugs out of his overcoat. “Would you like some coffee?” she asked nervously.
“That would be perfect.” Mason sits with her while she unloads the jars of food into the pantry. “Cap wants you to know you can stay as long as you need too. What you did to save those women, it was impressive, Bronnah.”
Bronnah turns and stares at him for a moment, “No, it was selfish of me, Mason. I shouldn’t have put your life and the lives of others at risk. I should have trusted Chase to do his job.” Ashamed she turns away when she realizes the truth of the words.
"Chase was right," she whispered. Mason moves to stand beside her, and they both turn when he speaks.
“Of course, I am. I’m always right,” Chase said with a chuckle.
Bronnah rushes to his side in relief. "Mason, welcome." Chase tucks Bronnah into his side, pressing a kiss to the side of her head while shaking his hand.
"Captain Perry sent meat, bread, and even milk and eggs," Bronnah said. Chase smiles at her excitement.
"Excellent, how are things at the docks? Anyone looking for us?" Mason glanced at Bronnah who has stepped to the stove to make more coffee, and he hesitates to answer.
Noticing the silence, she turns to look at Mason. "We need to know, Mason." She slips her hand into Chase's, and he squeezes gently.
“One man was looking for you, Chase,” Masons responds watching Chase’s reaction.
“Did he give you his name?”
"No, but I happened to be in the saloon last night, and I heard one of the girls call him Leo if that helps. How long you plan on staying?" he asked softly.
Chase doesn’t reply, the name Leo has him going on full alert. “Leo Gatewood is a cruel, sadistic son of a bitch.” Chase rushes through the doorway and into the bedroom grabbing his rifle. “Mason, I don’t mean to be rude, but we are leaving as soon as we can pack.”
"I can help you. Do you need a ride?" Mason offers. Bronnah watches Chase with a sinking feeling.
“No, you should go. I don’t want you caught in the middle of this.”
Bronnah is quiet as Chase walks Mason outside to his wagon. He pulls out cash and gives it to Mason to pay the Captain for the supplies and returns to find her standing still in the same spot. "Bronnah?" She rushes into his arms, and he pulls her close.
“Part of me had hoped we could hide forever here,” she sighs.
“Where is that fiery Irish girl of mine? I need you to be strong and trust me. Can you do that?”
"I do trust you, Chase." He kisses her hard on the mouth.
"Finally. When this is over Bronnah, you and I will talk about our future. I'm gonna saddle the horse, you start packing." He's gone before she can respond.
"Our future?" she whispers with a soft smile.
Bronnah rushes to the bedroom and quickly shoves her things into the bag. She rips open the package from Aimee and laughs with relief. Inside is a new dress, made just for her to travel in. Emerald green with buttons up the front with a long matching skirt and a new corset. A note, from Aimee, reads:
‘Just in case you were lucky enough to see that big knife once more!’
Bronnah laughs and dresses quickly, finishing with her black boots. She tucks the knife back in
to the sleeve of her dress and smiles when she picks up the pillow and smells it. Chase. God, he smells almost as good as he feels. Glancing around the lighthouse, Bronnah has to force herself to leave and pack food for the trip. Who knows how long till they eat again? After straightening the bed and picking up any trash, the house looked almost as if it hasn’t been lived in.
When the door opens to the tower, she turns with a smile expecting Chase. Bronnah whirls to run and the window explodes in front of her. "Don't make me kill you!" The man snarls cocking his pistol once more.
Bronnah freezes and faces him, "What do you want?" she demands. He stomps towards her and grabs her by the upper arm, and his stench causes her to gag. She knows that smell, he's using the drug they gave her.
“You.”
Chase steps inside the barn and to saddle the horse. "Damn," Leo is a pig. He likes to slaughter for fun, and he's a mean drunk. Chase met him on a job in San Francisco, and he was horrified by the man's treatment of the prisoners.
He pulls the horse around front and ties the rope to the front post, before heading back to the barn to clean it up. Captain Perry was kind enough to let them use stay, and he wants to leave it for the next person who might need a refuge. Glancing at the soft light through the window he smiles. This has been an amazing few days. Bronnah is a puzzle that he's not sure he would ever be able to solve, but it would damn sure never be boring. She is soft, sweet, and vibrant. One second, she's all sugar and sweet, but watch out if you piss her off. "I love that about her," he whispered. He goes pale when he realizes he loves most things about her.
Chase steps towards the lighthouse when her scream cuts through the air and the window explodes from a gunshot. He drops to the ground, roaring out her name. “Bronnah!”
Her scream almost stops his heart. "No!" Leaping to his feet, he rushes inside and tells himself to calm down. Leo is counting on him rushing inside to save her, and he has Bronnah in a choke hold with his pistol trained on the door.
Bronnah panics, she can’t let him shoot Chase! Dropping one arm, she shakes the knife down into her waiting palm. The moment the door opens, she shoves the blade into Leo’s thigh, just as he pulls the trigger. Chase falls to the ground as Leo screams in pain and releases her. She bolts for the spiral staircase running, hoping to draw him away from Chase.
"You Bitch! I'm gonna make it hurt! I'm coming for you!" he screams and jerks the blade from his thigh. Stalking over to Chase he grabs him by his hair and lifts his head. Chase's eyes snap open, and he grins.
"Got you," he seizes Leo by his throat and throws him back over the dining room chair. The bullet winged Chase's arm, but it missed anything major. Chase isn't expecting Leo to rush at him with full strength, he's like a raging animal, screaming, spitting and beating at him. A chair hits Chase and sends him crashing into the small table. It explodes under his weight.
“I’m gonna get her!” Leo’s spits and runs for the stairwell, ignoring the blood streaming from his thigh and runs up the stairs two at a time, to catch his prey. Bronnah circles around the light, weeping and rushes outside into the deck surrounding the lighthouse.
"Chase," she whimpers as she Leo stalks her. His greasy hair flies around his wild eyes, and he approaches her slowly.
“Don’t worry, he’s dead. You’ll be joining him shortly,” he laughs at her gasp of horror and runs straight at her. Bronnah swings the piece of wood she found and slams it into his wounded thigh. This time, the pain seems to register. He falls screaming to the deck and kicks her feet out from under her. Bronnah falls hard that her ears ring when her head strikes the wooden deck. Leo rolls on top of her and seizes her throat.
Two dirty hands close over her throat, and he squeezes, choking the life out of her. Bronnah fights, scratching and beating at him but nothing stops him. A shot sounds out and Leo jerks, staring down at his chest in horror. “I’m killed.” He slumps over as Chase shoves him off her. Coughing she sits up and stares at Chase.
“Chase!” She sobs, scrambling to her feet she runs to him. He catches her with his wounded arm but does not take his eyes or gun off Leo.
"I thought… you're okay!" Holding her trembling form against him, he snarls, "I need you to go pack and clean up what you can. No matter what you hear, do not come back up here." He shoves her towards the spiral stairs.
"I thought he was dead, Chase?" She coughs and wipes at her eyes.
“Not yet. First, I need to have my questions answered. Go now, Bronnah.”
Gone is the gentle lover, kind soul, justice-seeking Marshall and, in his place, is… the soldier. Slowly, she descends back down into the house and shuts the door to the tower room behind her.
Bronnah does as Chase demands, cleaning the house, packs food, and cleans up her appearance. When the screaming starts, she blocks it out as she learned to do in the workhouses. After ten minutes of grunting, screaming, and wild laughter, she decides to walk to the beach. Sitting in the sand with her arms wrapped around her knees, Bronnah weeps for what they have become.
Time passes, maybe ten minutes, perhaps an hour or more, she isn't sure and doesn't care. The sound of his footsteps in the sand has her looking up at him and gasping in shock. Chase is covered in blood that isn't his own. In one hand is his large bowie knife. He drops the knife in the sand and unbuckles his gun belt, handing it to her.
"The blood of the dead stains my soul, Bronnah. I'm a monster, and when the others come for you, it will not matter who, or why, only that I stop the threat."
“What have you become, Chase?” She whispered.
"I am a weapon, trained on the battlefield." Chase runs from the look of horror he is sure to see in her eyes. Bronnah watches him dive into the ocean to wash away what he can, and she's ashamed. She realizes that she isn't the only one with demons.
Bronnah cleans up and begins the slow task of heating of water and filling the tub. One, by, one, she fills the tub with steaming water until it's ready.
Chase returns chilled to the bone after burying Leo and watches as she pours the last bowl of water into the tub. No one speaks, she simply puts the bowl down and walks over to him and begins unbuttoning his shirt. Bronnah drags the stained garment off and tosses it on the floor, next his denims. Bronnah backs up as he jerks them off and when he straightens, she gasps. His arm is sliced from the bullet grazing him and she rushes to tend him.
"No," he begins unbuttoning her top, one excruciating button at a time until finally revealing the corset beneath. He glares at the offending cloth. "Don't even think about using your knife on this," she snaps back and laughs when he starts to step towards her.
"I swear, Chase. Get in, and I will take it off." Chase climbs in with a sigh, sending a splash of water up over the sides of the tub. Bronnah strips and turns to look at him. She steps into the tub, and he scoots forward so she can straddle him. Sinking down on him, Chase takes her hard. He pounds out his fear his worry, his rage. Finally, turning her around to face the end of the tub, he slows his rabid pace. Gently he soaps her back, trailing his fingers down her beautiful spine and ass. He pulls her back against him so he can soap her breasts, and arms, down, her sides. Bronnah is whimpering with desire by the time he slips a hand lower to wash her thoroughly. “Please Chase!” she begs, and he flips her around and takes her mouth.
She scales up his body, pushing him back into the water once more and he watches, his goddess reach her peak.
“Bronnah!” He roars as he joins her. She smiles collapsing on top of him. They hold each other until the water runs cold and she begins shivering.
"You're no weapon, Chase." She sits ups and grabs his face in her hands, forcing him to look in her eyes, "You are the winds of justice, and you are mine." The weight of a thousand chains fall from his soul and tears fill his eyes. "Say it, Chase. Say you are mine," she demands.
“Alright, you are mine,” he replies.
Bronnah’s eyes light with joy.
“Aye, I am yours.”
Chapter 26
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“So, this Irish dreamer thinks she can save the world?” His laughter is deep as he strokes Eve’s shiny black hair. Jonas smacks Eve’s hand as she reaches for the bottle. “Not yet, pet.”
Eve whimpered and begs, “Please, Jonas!”
“Did you miss me?”
Eve glares at him with hatred, until he holds up the vial in front of her. Lust fills her eyes, and she jerks at her bonds trying to get to him. Jonas laughs as he strokes a hand up her leg.
"It's been three days love. I think your system should be clean enough for a great show." Unbuttoning his new dark gray suit jacket, he shrugs it off and turns to hand it to his new assistant.
“Jonas,” Eve licks her dry lips. “Surely you don’t have to do this, I can…” Jonas growls and spins slamming a hand over her mouth and nose causing both women to jump in shock. Her almond shaped eyes bulge as he cuts off her oxygen.
“I’ve had a terrible morning, Eve because of you! That Irish twit has managed to steal four more assets, and now Mr. Chen wants me to handle this personally.” He releases her mouth and turns away to calm himself as she gasps for air. Glancing at the luscious redhead he smiles. “You may welcome our guests out front, Natalia.” She curtsies and leaves quickly, happy to escape.
“I must say you do look incredible. I will give Carmen a raise when I see her. She made my new suit. What do you think?” Eve is in a gold Asian-inspired gown. Her makeup is perfect, and she is powdered and ready to please the investors.
“Now, where was I?” Jonas turns and begins checking the straps on the table which hold down Eve’s legs and arms before turning to his black bag.
“That’s eleven, then.” Eve murmurs in a strong voice. “Eleven girls she has freed. It would only make sense that she will go after more, Jonas. It’s a shame Rose lost the ledger. If only there were a second copy.”
Jonas stops and places the needle on the table, before turning to look at her. “What did you say?”
