by Ava Sinclair
“No,” she said, her tone determined. “I mean, I appreciate it, but I don’t want those men knowing about this place. Besides.” She took Gage’s hand. “My place is with my man, with my papa.”
Gage nodded now. “Even so, I need to get you somewhere safe,” he agreed. “I hate to take you to the U.S. marshal’s office in McLean before I can clear your name, but I may have to do that. They’ll protect you there, and I can join up with the other marshals to hunt the real criminals down.”
When Billy wiped away a tear, she felt a soft hand cover her own.
“Don’t worry,” Bebe said. “Gage is a lawman. He knows what he’s doing. And I know he’ll be able to straighten all of this out. It’ll be over in no time flat, and you’ll come back here for a visit.”
From the other side of the room, even Nurse Ida offered encouragement. “That’s right. And there will be no danger in riding the ponies. But no racing. It scares me half to death.”
Billy forced a laugh, and the two couples managed to talk of pleasant things, wanting to enjoy the last of their time together before the sad departure. It was decided that traveling by train was much safer than traveling by stage. Dr. Adler prepared a bottle of the tonic that Billy had started to take daily, and even made a gift of two bottles with fitted nipples. He also gave Gage the name of several potential nurses he believed could be employed to help with Billy a day or two a week, once they got settled.
After a tearful goodbye between the young women, who had bonded over mischief and discipline, Gage and Billy boarded the train, continuing their charade of traveling as a man and his teenage charge.
As the train rattled along the rails, Gage studied his Billy. He was astounded by her ability to adapt—to submit when she needed to and to speak up when she thought it was necessary. She was very quiet now as she watched the countryside outside the window race by. From where it peeked from her bonnet, her profile was nearly perfect.
“You’re quiet,” he said.
She glanced at him. “I’m scared, Gage. Not for myself, but for you. And I was thinking how odd it was, how this is the first time I’ve ever… cared for someone enough to be afraid. When I was with Simon, I was afraid of him. But never for him. I told myself I loved him—that I submitted to him because he was stronger and wiser and deserved it. After all, Simon had pulled me out of that awful orphanage. He’d given me a place to stay and food to eat and pretty clothes.” She sighed. “But he also made me do things that I knew were wrong. He didn’t keep me safe. He put me in danger, and more than once. And then when he came to me…” Here she winced at the memory. “I wanted to give him what I’ve given you. I know I’m… different from other women. But he was a bad papa, Gage. He hurt me, and not in a way that made me feel good. He didn’t care if I took pleasure. He told me it was my job to make sure he had his. He said that was how I could prove I was a good girl who deserved all the nice things he’d done for me. It wasn’t until I met you that I knew what it was to be happy… that I knew what it was to…”
She looked into his eyes now, and he crossed the short distance between them to take her seat and pull her into his lap.
“I love you, Billy James,” he said. “And let me tell you something. Once we get to McLean and get this whole mess straightened out—and it will get straightened out—I plan to make an honest woman of you. I want to marry you. I want to marry you and spend the rest of your days making sure you understand how much you are worth to me. Do you understand?”
She nodded, unable to speak for the lump in her throat. When she finally was able to find the words, they thrilled Gage’s heart. “I love you, too,” she said. “I love you so much. To think that you would marry me… oh, Gage. Nothing in this world or the next could make me this happy!”
He pulled her into his arms, dying to kiss her, but they both stopped and just touched foreheads. They were still traveling as father and daughter, after all, and even if their words weren’t overheard where they sat away from other passengers, they could not risk being seen kissing.
It was a long journey—it seemed—to McLean. Now that he’d proposed, all Gage could think about was making Billy his wife. But there was an obstacle ahead of them. He had to clear her name, and quite frankly, fear that he might not be able to do that was making him as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. His boss, Jake Ferguson, was a by-the-books kind of man. If Gage brought her into the marshal’s office, it would take something other than Gage’s word to keep Ferguson from throwing the book at her. She was a fugitive, after all.
He cursed Simon Holloway for being smart enough to have kept Billy isolated for so long without giving her a clue of exactly where she was. What’s more, Gage was beginning to suspect that Simon Holloway wasn’t the man’s real name. He’d asked around, and no one had heard of him. Any man with the kind of spread and cash Billy had described had to be known to somebody. It occurred to Gate that Simon had probably used a fake name with her, and it saddened Gage to know that his sweet young lady had not only given her heart to the wrong man, but to one so dishonest that she’d never even known his real name.
The sights and sounds of civilization began to appear slowly—a farm here, a house there. Soon the buildings were more numerous and closer together and then the town emerged. It was larger than any they’d visited yet, and as the train pulled into the station and chugged to a steamy stop, Gage could see the apprehension building in Billy’s eyes.
“What if they lock me up?” she asked quietly. “What if—even after they hear my story—they lock me up and take me away from you forever and ever?”
“Hey,” he said as they prepared to depart the train. “You don’t need to worry about that. But look… I know you’re tired. Why don’t we get a room and at least let you rest up before we go over and talk to the other marshals? What do you say?”
She forced a smile and nodded. “That would be nice.”
The nearest inn was large and clean. Gage got them a room with a bath for Billy and ordered them a late lunch of ham, boiled potatoes, fresh green beans, and cornbread. After they ate, Billy stretched and yawned, obviously tired by the trip.
Gage knew he should take her with him, but when she asked to lie down for a moment due to exhaustion, he remembered what Dr. Adler had said about the special needs of women like his Billy, and how important it was to make sure she did not get overly stressed. It was going to be stressful enough to meet with the head marshal, who would most likely grill her. Gage didn’t want to subject his little Billy to that any more than he had to until she was ready.
“I’m going to step out for a bit,” he said, and when she looked afraid, he put a reassuring hand on her forehead. “It’s all right. I’ll let the desk know to keep an eye out by order of the U.S. marshal’s office.”
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To pave the way at the office,” he said. “I think it’s better if I speak to Ferguson before I take you in. You stay here and rest, you hear me?”
“Yes, papa,” she said, feeling safe enough to slip back into her little-girl self. Gage watched with love in his eyes as she popped her thumb in her mouth and drifted off to sleep. He felt a rush of love as he looked down at her sleeping form, then left the room, locking the door behind him.
Dear Lord, let Ferguson be understanding, he prayed. I can’t lose her.
Chapter Fifteen
She was dreaming of a wedding—a wedding held outdoors in the blowing prairie grass. There was a preacher, and an arbor covered in roses and she and Gage were standing under it. To the side, Dr. Adler and Bebe were smiling. Nurse Ida was there, wearing a funny hat. That’s how she knew it was a dream. In it, she was distracted by the hat and trying not to giggle.
She was still giggling a little when a tapping sound woke her up.
“Room service, miss,” said muffled voice from the other side of the door.
Billy sat up in the bed, staring at the door. She looked out the window. T
he sun was only a little lower in the sky. She couldn’t have been asleep very long, she decided, but wasn’t quite sure. How long had it been since they’d eaten?
The tap came again. “This tray is heavy, miss,” came a weary voice. “Could you please open the door so I can leave it inside?”
“I-I’m not hungry,” she said.
There was no response at first. “Your gentleman companion told us to send it up. If you don’t take it, then we’ll have to throw the food out and it’ll be money wasted. Listen, I’ll just leave it out here, outside the door. If it’s not picked up within the hour I’ll feed it to the dogs in the alley.”
Billy heard the footfalls as whoever left the tray walked away. She stood up now, nervously biting her lip and eyeing the door. It would be very much like Gage to have ordered her something to eat. He’d been very conscious of her getting enough food and rest. Picking up her dolly, she walked over to the door and put her ear against it. She heard nothing on the other side.
She opened it a crack. Sure enough, a covered tray could be seen through the slight opening. Billy breathed a sigh of relief, and chided herself for being needlessly paranoid. She opened the door and stooped down to pick up the tray.
The next thing she knew, she was being flung across the floor by a booted foot. Billy tried to scream but the wind was knocked out of her. Her assailant shut the door before she could crawl toward it and hauled her to her feet to pull her back against his chest. Billy could feel the smooth skin of his face against hers, could smell the scent of cloves on his breath.
“Let me go, Simon,” she finally managed to say.
He jerked her back against his body. “What? No ‘hello’ for the man who took you in, the man who took care of you?”
“You never took care of me, Simon. You just used me.”
He pushed her to the bed so violently that she rolled halfway across it, coming to a stop on her back. Billy lay gasping, staring up at her assailant over her heaving breasts.
Simon hadn’t changed a bit. He’d never been a big man. Some would have termed him a dandy for his impeccable dress and good looks. He had a slight build and short, perfectly groomed hair, dark eyes, and a permanent smirk. And smarts. His wits and his capacity for cruelty were what had made him such a criminal genius.
He bent now and picked up the doll. “So I see,” he said.
“How did you find me?”
He walked over. “I told you I would.” He looked down at the doll, turning it over in his hand. “Gift from your lawman?
The fear that flickered across her face was unmistakable.
“Oh, yeah. We know about him. And we know he’s over at the U.S. marshal’s office right now, trying to convince them that you didn’t act alone. Of course, by the time he comes back here and finds you gone, and the innkeeper carrying on about how this innocent-looking girl robbed the place with the help of a couple of men, he’s going to feel like the idiot he is.” Simon chuckled. “Of course, they’ll eventually take you in. Not alive, unfortunately. Halfway out of town you’ll break your pretty neck on a fall from your horse. Your cohorts will have escaped.” He sighed. “He’ll probably lose his job for incompetence.”
Simon smiled as he held up the doll. “But at least he’ll have this to remember you by.” He stared at the doll again. “Hmm… kind of looks like you, Wilhelmina.” He tossed the doll aside and was suddenly on the bed, his lean, muscular body pressing hers into the soft mattress. He cupped her chin in his hand so she had no choice but to look into his cruel, dark eyes.
“What did you think, Wilhelmina? Did you really think I’d just let another man take what I’d selected? Trained?” He pushed his hand under her skirts and she closed her eyes against the invasion. “You know I’ve always told you I was going to be your first and last. Or else you’d pay. Do you remember that?” When she didn’t answer, he slapped her. “Do you remember that?”
Billy knew she had to think fast. He was going to kill her. It wasn’t speculation anymore, and if she didn’t play her cards right, he might kill Gage, too, although if Simon pulled it off and made Gage think she’d been playing him all along, he may just die from the pain of a broken heart. The man had proposed to her. He loved her.
Think, Billy! Think!
She dragged her gaze up to Simon’s. “How can you be so stupid, Simon?” she asked, letting the tears well in eyes she allowed to go soft with contrived innocence and hurt. “What was I supposed to do? Let him know what happened? Do you think for one minute I forgot who my teacher was? You trained me, Simon. You trained me to be the best. I almost pulled it off. And yes…” Her chin began to wobble. “I failed. But it wasn’t because I wanted to. And I’ve only cooperated with him because I know how easily distracted men like him can be. Simple men. You always said you’d never met a smart lawman, or an honest one. And you were right. So if you want to kill me, then kill me. But at least give me the satisfaction of going through with your plan. My only regret is that I won’t be able to see Gage Chandler’s face when he finds out I got away.” She pressed her breasts against him as she spoke, hiding her revulsion. She knew he loved her small tits with the long nipples.
Simon looked down at her, and she could see the first glimmers of doubt in his eyes. He still cupped her chin in his hand and now brought his mouth down to hers. Billy forced herself to return his kiss with convincing passion, praying that he would not delve between her legs to search for wetness that wasn’t there, not that it mattered. Many a night she’d bitten the pillow when he dry-fucked her. She always thought he got off on hurting her; that was just how Simon was.
“Keep this up and I might just let you live,” he said.
“I love you, Uncle Simon.” She felt herself nearly choke on the words, feeling as if she were betraying Gage by even saying them. But she had to, if she was going to save her own life. And his.
“That’s better,” he said. “But know this: When I get you back, I’m going to stuff your ass until you scream. And then I’m going to beat it until you scream some more. Hell, I might even sit back and let Dirk take a razor strop to you while I watch…Yeah… I’d like that, watching you scream and beg, bent naked over a hay bale in the barn. And if you’re real good to me afterwards, and take my cock in your mouth, then maybe I’ll let you stick around a little longer, hmmm?”
She nodded, even though his words turned her blood cold with fear. “Anything to make you love me again, Uncle Simon.”
“Yeah,” he said slowly, and stood up, raising her from the bed. “Truth be told, I’d love to fuck you right now. But we’ve got an inn to rob.”
Simon had two guns. He held one out to her, and she tried not to be too eager as she reached for it. But he pulled it back at the last minute with a laugh. “Hold on. I’m not about to hand you a loaded gun. You haven’t earned that.” He laughed as he opened the chamber and dropped the rounds into his hand. Then, flicking it closed, he handed her the empty pistol.
“There you go,” he said, turning away. “Now you have the gun, but can’t hurt anybody since…”
There was a thud as he hit the floor.
“That’s what you think.” Billy looked at the prone body of the man she’d just hit with the butt of the pistol. There was a spot of blood on his temple, and a bruise was already blooming around it. She wondered if he was dead and decided that she didn’t care. Then she decided she hoped he was alive, and was relieved when she realized he was breathing. Even if Simon was planning to kill her, there was no way to prove it. And she didn’t want to hang.
Running to the wardrobe, she flung it open and looked inside. Gage had several ties, which she now used to bind the unconscious Simon. She bound the ties unnecessarily tight, remembering all the times he’d bound her to the bed in a manner that left her wrists bruised and sore for days. After also securing his ankles, she stuffed a third tie in his mouth and tied a fourth tie across it.
“There,” she said, and began to plan her next step. Kneeling down, she fish
ed the bullets for the pistol from Simon’s pocket, and took his gun, too, for good measure. Then she crept to the window, scanning the streets below for his henchmen, especially Dirk.
She dared not risk going out of the building, so she quietly straightened her clothing, put the gun in a velvet handbag and walked from the room, scanning the halls until she came upon a maid, probably the one Simon had gotten to leave the tray by the door.
“You,” she said, calling urgently to the girl. When the maid approached, Billy pressed a coin into her hand. The girl’s eyes widened. It was probably more than she made in a week. “I need you to run to the U.S. marshal’s office. Do you know where it is?” The girl nodded. “There’s another coin in it for you if you bring back the man called Gage Chandler. Tell him that Billy needs him.” She paused. “Tell him to be careful, and to bring backup. You be careful, too. Walk. Don’t run. Don’t draw attention to yourself.”
The girl did not need to be told twice. She practically shot down a back staircase but obeyed Billy’s orders and walked briskly until she was out of sight.
And now Billy waited for what seemed like forever, scanning the streets through the lace curtains, looking for her tall, handsome, square-jawed lawman. Her heart did a little twist when he came around the corner. Billy could tell he was playing it safe. He only casually glanced toward the inn as he walked, keeping his main focus on his surroundings. He kept to the boarded sidewalks of the town, allowing the opportunity to duck inside quickly should he need to.
Then she heard footsteps on the back stairs and drew her gun, unsure of just what to expect.
When Gage kicked the door open, gun drawn, she had hers at the ready, in case it wasn’t him. They stood there for a moment, weapons pointed at one another, until Gage lowered his.
“Christ,” he said, his voice cracking. He covered the distance between them, scooping her up in his arms and into a hug. Then he glanced over, obviously noticing the prone man on the floor, who was starting to moan behind his gag.
