Defiant

by Smith, Bobbi

  “You’re not Kane McCullough?” Michelle asked first in open surprise, trying to make some sense out of what Rachel was telling them.

  “There is no Kane McCullough,” Clint answered. “I made up the alias to use as a cover while working to track down the Tucker Gang.”

  Rachel told them what had happened to his family, and both her mother and Michelle had tears in their eyes as they heard the terrible story of his loss. She went on to explain how he had tracked the gang to Dry Springs.

  Clint spoke up, telling them, “I never wanted to involve Rachel in any of this. I came to town intending only to try to work my way into the gang as the gunfighter Kane McCullough, so I could identify their main leader and bring them down, but after the night of the storm, all that changed.” Clint smiled down at Rachel as he told them, “I fell in love with your daughter that night.” Clint paused and looked up at Reverend Hammond and his wife. “And I want to marry her.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Rachel, will you marry me?” Clint asked, turning to Rachel.

  “Yes.” Rachel was breathless in her excitement. True, they’d said they loved each other, but she’d had no idea he was actually going to ask her to marry him. Her happiness was so great, she embraced Clint, unmindful that her father and mother were standing right there.

  Martin and Anne were completely taken aback by all that had just happened. To learn that the man they’d believed to be a deadly gunfighter was, in truth, an ex-Texas Ranger was startling enough, but now, to find that he loved Rachel and wanted to marry her was the answer to all their prayers.

  “Reverend Hammond, may I have your daughter’s hand in marriage?” Clint asked.

  Her parents shared a look before Martin answered Clint. “Yes.”

  “Oh, Papa.” In her happiness, Rachel went to hug him and then her mother.

  Michelle looked on, stunned by the revelation of Clint’s true identity. She realized Rachel had been right when she’d sensed that he was not a cold-blooded gunman. When Rachel finished embracing her parents, Michelle gave her a hug, too. She was amazed that her prayers had been answered so quickly.

  “But how are you going to be married if you’re still looking for the Tucker Gang?” Martin asked.

  “That’s what I’ve been worried about. I don’t want to put Rachel in any danger, and if the news of my true identity or our marriage gets out, whoever tried to kill me before might try to come after her, too.”

  “Can’t you give up your desire for revenge and settle down here with us and be a part of our family?” Anne asked.

  Clint’s gaze was steely as he looked at her. “No. I’ll never give up on bringing in the Tucker Gang. I’m going to see to it that they pay for what they’ve done.”

  “But what about Rachel? If you’re married . . .” Martin broke off, worried about her future with Clint.

  “That’s why I thought it would be best if we kept the news of our marriage private. That way, Rachel can stay with you while I finish what I’ve started. It could be over real soon, if things work out the way I hope, or I could still be on their trail for months yet. One way or the other, nothing is going to stop me from seeing this through to the end, and that’s why I need to know that Rachel is safe here with you.”

  Martin understood the seriousness of Clint’s intent and knew there was no point in trying to dissuade him.

  “Do you want me to marry you now—tonight?” Martin offered.

  “Would you?” Rachel was breathless at the thought. True, her whole life she’d dreamed of a romantic church wedding—of a white wedding gown and a beautiful ceremony, but that was before Clint. Now all that mattered was that he loved her and wanted to marry her.

  “Your mother and Michelle can be your witnesses, if this is what you want,” Martin offered.

  Rachel turned to Clint. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’m sure,” he answered with no hesitation.

  “I’ll get my Bible,” Martin said.

  A short time later, Martin returned. He drew Clint aside to speak with him.

  “This belonged to my mother,” he said, handing Clint a simple gold wedding band. “I know that in the future you may want to get another ring, but I thought for today. . . .”

  “Thank you,” Clint said. He was truly grateful for the reverend’s thoughtfulness.

  Martin was ready then to begin the ceremony.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the joining in holy matrimony of Rachel Hammond and Clint Williams.”

  Rachel almost felt as if she were dreaming. Clint had saved her from the drunk and saved her from the storm. He had come to her and proclaimed his love. He was with her now, taking a vow that would bind them together forever.

  “Do you, Rachel Hammond, take this man Clint Williams to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

  “I do,” she answered softly, thrilled at the thought of being in his arms forever.

  “Do you, Clint Williams, take Rachel Hammond to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

  “I do,” Clint pledged.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife,” Martin proclaimed. “Do you have the ring?”

  Clint took the ring out of his pocket and slipped it on Rachel’s finger.

  “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder,” Martin added.

  Clint didn’t wait for the reverend to say anything more. He gathered Rachel in his arms and kissed her.

  It was a tender moment that left them both breathless when they moved apart.

  Clint went to her father and shook his hand. “Thank you, sir.”

  “God bless you, son,” Martin said, looking Clint in the eye. “And take care of my daughter.”

  “I will,” he told him.

  When Martin turned to Rachel, she went straight into his arms. “I love you, Papa.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Anne was looking on, teary-eyed. This wasn’t quite what she had dreamed of for her only daughter’s wedding, but it didn’t matter as long as Rachel and Clint were in love. She embraced them both, and then said with a smile, “We won’t be having a big reception tonight, but we can have cake. I baked one this morning. Shall we all go out to the kitchen?”

  They laughed and started from the room.

  Michelle gave Rachel a quick hug before following the others.

  “Are you happy?” Michelle asked her.

  “Oh, yes.” Rachel smiled as she watched Clint walking away with her father. “I just can’t believe everything happened so fast. I mean, it was such shock just finding out who Clint really is, and now we’re married.”

  “See, your instincts were right about him. You believed all along he wasn’t a gunfighter.”

  “Let’s just pray that he’s able to bring in the Tucker Gang fast. I’m worried about what might happen. He’s only one man going after whole gang of killers—”

  “He’ll do it. You’ll see.”

  They shared another quick hug. The men had already gone into the kitchen while the women lingered behind.

  Martin and Clint sat down at the kitchen table together to eat their cake.

  “Now that you’re married, how do you want to handle this?” Martin asked.

  “It’s probably best if Rachel and I keep our distance. I know there’s talk going around, but for now, there’s not much we can do about that. When the time comes, the gossips are going to find out just how wrong they were.”

  “That’s right. There is one thing, though, Clint.” Martin looked up at his new son-in-law, wanting to counsel him.

  “What?”

  “Remember that the Lord said ‘Vengeance is mine.’ You weren’t raised to be like those killers. You are not a cold-blooded murderer. You’re a Texas Ranger. Arrest them and bring them to justice. Let the law handle them.”

  “They deserve to die,” Clint ground out.

  “And God will see that they are held accountable for their actions. Don’t lower yourself to their level—f
or your own sake.”

  Clint looked at Martin and said slowly, “I have to bring them down.”

  “I understand, but remember, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ ”

  Clint didn’t respond. There was nothing he could say.

  Martin spoke up to break the silent tension of the moment. “I think I already know what I’m going to preach about at the prayer service tomorrow night.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I think I’ll try to reach our ladies who like to gossip so much. I think ‘Judge not lest ye be judged’ is appropriate. The only trouble is, those who need to hear it probably won’t listen.”

  “You’re right about that.”

  “What are you going to do about the outlaws if they don’t show up in Dry Springs soon?”

  “If they’re not here within the next week, I’ll have to ride out and start looking for them all over again.” The prospect didn’t sit well with Clint, and he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. “That’s why I need to know that Rachel is with you, because it could take a while to find them.”

  “Godspeed to you, Clint,” Martin said, wanting him to find the peace he needed so desperately. He could only imagine the pain Clint had suffered in the loss of his family.

  Anne, Rachel, and Michelle came into the kitchen then, and Martin looked up.

  “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride—except for my own, of course,” Martin said.

  Rachel sat beside Clint at the table, while Michelle took a seat next to Martin. Anne served them cake before joining them.

  Clint listened to the easy conversation going on around him and realized again just how much he missed his family. He remembered the dinners his mother used to make when he was growing up and the closeness he and his brother had shared. It had been a wonderful time, and it was lost to him forever.

  Rachel was watching him and sensed the darkening of his mood. She reached out to touch his arm. When he looked down at her, though, she saw only warmth in his gaze.

  “You are one beautiful bride,” he told her.

  “And you’re one handsome groom.”

  They had eyes only for each other.

  Michelle was watching them together. She was saddened that their marriage had had to take place under circumstances like these. She knew the weeks ahead weren’t going to be easy for them, but she was glad Rachel and Clint had found each other and professed their love. She just hoped the mission Clint was on would be over quickly so they could live happily ever after together.

  Finishing her cake, Michelle rose from the table. “I’d better be going home. It’s getting a little late.”

  “Thank you for being our witness,” Rachel said as she got up to walk her out.

  “I was honored,” Michelle said, smiling. “I’ll see you later.”

  Rachel accompanied her to the front door and saw her off. When she returned to the kitchen, her mother and father were also getting up from the table.

  “We thought you newlyweds might like a little time alone,” they said. “We’ll be upstairs.”

  Martin went to Clint and shook his hand again. “Welcome to the family, son.”

  “Thank you.”

  Anne came up to him, but she didn’t bother with small talk. She simply gave him a hug before leaving them alone.

  “Do you want to go in the parlor?” Rachel offered.

  Clint had other ideas. He took her arm and drew her to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent to her and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

  Rachel gave a soft murmur of surprise that turned to a purr of delight as she nestled against him. Being in his embrace was ecstasy for her; she hadn’t realized until that moment how much she’d missed being in his arms. When the kiss finally ended, Rachel was staring up at him in breathless wonder.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  Clint stared down at her and knew how blessed he was that she had come into his life. Rachel had proven to him that there was still beauty and innocence in the world.

  “I love you, too.”

  He kissed her one more time. This time it was a cherishing kiss that spoke of tenderness and devotion, and then they moved into the parlor to sit on the sofa together.

  “What’s going to happen to us now?” Rachel wondered.

  Clint had known they were going to have to talk about the future. There could be no avoiding it, and no matter how he tried to look at things, these next weeks weren’t going to be easy.

  “For right now,” he began, “to the outside world, there is no ‘us.’ To everyone except your parents and Michelle, I’m still Kane McCullough and you’re still Rachel Hammond.”

  “I understand, but it doesn’t make it easy for me.”

  “There’s nothing easy about this. The Tucker Gang is as cold-blooded as they come. The farther you stay away from me, the better—for now.”

  A flicker of wicked delight shone in Rachel’s eyes as she leaned toward him for a kiss. “Do you really want me to stay away from you—‘now’?”

  “Well, not right now,” he murmured, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.

  They embraced, clinging together as they shared kiss after passionate kiss.

  Clint wanted to caress her. To strip away the barrier of their clothing and claim her for his own for all time, but it couldn’t be. There was too much at stake. With the last thread of sanity that remained, he forced himself to put Rachel from him.

  “Clint?” She breathed his name, wanting to go back into his arms, wanting to be near him, to hold him and never let him go.

  “Rachel, we have to stop, because”—he paused and gave her a wry smile—“If I don’t stop now, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to stop.”

  “Good,” she said seductively.

  The husky sound of her voice sent a jolt of sensuality through Clint. He wanted Rachel more than he’d ever wanted another woman, but he couldn’t allow himself to give in to his passion. He held himself rigid, struggling against his need to love her.

  Rachel’s sanity slowly returned. She wanted to go back into his embrace and stay there forever, but she knew this was not the time.

  “This wasn’t quite the wedding night I’d always envisioned—being at home with my parents.” She tried to make light of the situation.

  “I’ll make it up to you,” Clint said, drawing her back to him for one last soft kiss. “I promise.”

  Rachel looked up at him as he rose to leave. “I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

  “I’ll be looking forward to it,” he told her, and then he forced himself to walk away—to walk out of the room and out of her life, for now.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Clint left the Hammonds’ house and started back toward the hotel. He intended to spend the night alone in his room, but after having held Rachel in his arms, he knew he wouldn’t fall asleep anytime soon. He decided to stop at the Last Chance for a drink before calling it a night.

  Clint wasn’t quite sure what kind of greeting he was going to get when he went into the saloon. After the way he’d left there earlier that evening, he wasn’t sure Trey would be too glad to see him again. Clint walked through the swinging doors and stood there for a minute, waiting to see what was going to happen.

  Trey spotted him right away and called out, even as he set a glass on the counter and began pouring him a shot of whiskey, “Am I going to have to call the law out on you again tonight, McCullough?”

  “No, Deputy Evans calmed things down,” Clint replied, going to stand at the bar.

  Trey handed him the drink and took the money he offered. “I don’t think Ed will be giving you any more trouble about the preacher’s daughter. The deputy came back in and had a long talk with him.”

  “Good.”

  Clint turned around and leaned back against the bar as he took a drink. He surveyed the room, checking to see who was there. He hadn’t expected to find anything different tonight, and he wasn’t surprised. The usual crowd was drinking and
gambling, and, as he’d suspected, there was no sign of Glen Tucker or Ax Hansen.

  “Things have been real quiet since you left.”

  “Just the way you like it, right, Trey?”

  “That’s right.”

  Clint drained his glass and put it back on the bar.

  “You want another?”

  “No. It’s time to call it a night. Don’t let things get too wild around here.”

  “I won’t.”

  Clint left the saloon and made his way to the hotel. He went up to his room and let himself in. The room was dark, just like his mood.

  Clint saw no reason to light the lamp. He didn’t even bother to undress. He just put his gun belt within reach on the nightstand and then stretched out on his bed. He lay staring up at the ceiling, going over in his mind all that had happened that day, beginning with the fight in the saloon and his talk with Nick. He remembered his surprise at finding himself standing across the street from the Hammonds’ house just as Rachel and Michelle came out of the garden.

  He and Rachel were married now.

  She was his wife.

  Clint smiled into the darkness at the thought.

  This was their wedding night.

  And he was alone.

  Clint realized he should have stayed at the saloon a little while longer and had a few more drinks; it was going to be a long, lonely night.

  After Clint left, Rachel went upstairs. She sought out her parents to tell them good night, then went on to her own room to get ready for bed. She’d thought she was strong enough to handle everything that had happened that day, but as she sat alone in her bedroom, her tears started.

  Rachel was crying for herself—and for Clint.

  Their marriage was supposed to be the beautiful beginning of a new life together, but it was not the start she would have chosen.

  This was their wedding night, but because of the vicious men who’d killed his family, they were forced to be apart.

  Her heart ached for Clint and the suffering he’d endured. She could only imagine the horror he’d lived through, and she wanted to make his future one of joy. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to hold him and to love him, on this, their wedding night.