by Smith, Bobbi
“They told me that you’d been killed in the shootout at the ranch.” Juan choked as he remembered the agony he’d felt when he’d thought Rick dead.
“I didn’t even get back to the ranch until long after they’d gone with you,” he told him bitterly.
“What are your plans? How can I help?”
“I can’t do anything until we’re out on the trail. Hold tight ’til then.” Rick slowed his pace to accommodate Juan’s painful progress. “Come on, Peralta! Let’s move.” Adding the curt words for effect, he took him by the arm in what looked to be a show of force but what was, in actuality, support for him.
“And the woman?” Juan looked up at him as he posed the question, and he was surprised by the mixed display of emotions that crossed Rick’s face before he answered.
“We ran across her on the way in. I had to bring her along as my own to save her. The others—Luis and Ray—wanted to rape and kill her.”
“Does she know about us?”
“No,” he replied hurriedly. “And I intend to keep it that way.”
“Good. We are safe, then.” Juan breathed a sigh of relief. “Who is she?”
“Her name is Jennie McCaine. She’s Mac McCaine’s daughter.”
“No wonder you are expecting a posse to follow you. He is a very powerful man. He will not rest until he finds her, and he will be looking for you.”
“I know, I know. But I don’t intend for McCaine to catch up with me,” Rick replied, an edge to his voice. “I know these mountains.”
Juan fell silent at Rick’s declaration, recalling the time he’d spent here and the circumstances, and they entered the cave without speaking again.
As soon as Cazador had disappeared outside, Jennie reluctantly got up and went to join Lucia and Chica by the cooking fire.
“Chica,” Lucia said expressively. “He was wonderful! Muy hombre!”
Chica gurgled with knowing laughter. “I can see that for myself.”
“But not as well as I did.” she gloated. “And when he came out of the water—” She pretended to be surprised by Jennie’s appearance. “Oh, Jennie—Good morning.”
Jennie took care not to reveal her innermost feelings, but her stomach churned as she recalled that Cazador’s hair had been wet when he’d returned to their bed the night before. “Good morning,” she said as cheerfully as she could. “What can I do to help?”
They set to work speaking only of inconsequential things until she heard Lucia remark, “Here he comes now.”
Looking up, Jennie caught sight of Cazador coming into the cave with Juan Peralta. For a moment, watching them silhouetted against the brightness of the sky, she was struck by how much alike the two men were for they both were tall and slim and carried themselves with a certain pride, but she thought no more of it when she heard Lucia’s throaty whisper to Chica.
“I cannot wait until he tires of her, completely.”
And the last word burned into her heart—completely. Did that mean he would take her as often as he wanted and then bed other women, too? As he no doubt had last night? The thought nauseated Jennie, but she forced herself to ignore Lucia’s comment.
“Jennie!” Cazador’s call drew her attention and she looked up at him questioningly. “Bring Peralta something to eat,” he instructed as he escorted the old man back to his own bedroll.
Jennie didn’t bother to answer as she hurried to do his bidding.
“I’ll take it over, if you don’t want to,” Lucia offered, eagerly.
“No. I will do it.” She cut her off as she carried the bowl of hot food to where they waited.
Juan spoke softly to his grandson as they watched Jennie’s approach. “I can see why you wanted no harm to befall her.”
“Jennie is beautiful and brave,” he answered softly so that no one else would hear.
“She has come with you this far without knowing the truth?” Juan was amazed.
“I couldn’t tell her. Knowing would put her in too much danger.”
“I agree, but why isn’t she fighting you?”
“She did, at first. Now, I suppose she’s grateful.” The words rang hollowly in his mind and heart. “I did rescue her from Luis and Ray.”
“And she knows the alternative to staying with you is rape or death.” He nodded slightly in understanding.
“Right.” Fleetingly Rick wondered if her response to his lovemaking had been real or an act of desperation.
“Well, if you want Malo to believe that she is your woman, you had better act like it. The man is astute. He will catch any flaw and know.”
Rick knew what his grandfather was telling him and, though he had wanted to refrain from making love to Jennie while they were in the midst of the outlaws, he realized now that he could not avoid it.
Walking slowly toward them, Jennie couldn’t help but notice the intensity of Cazador’s expression and she wondered at the cause.
“Here’s your food,” Rick said as she neared.
“You will need to untie me.” Juan gestured helplessly.
Rick knelt down beside him and efficiently untied his hands.
“Thank you,” he told him with exaggerated, sarcastic politeness, and then he turned to her to take the bowl. “And thank you, my dear.”
“You’re welcome,” Jennie responded. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“No. No, this is fine.” He gave her a warm smile as he began to eat.
Jennie glanced up at Cazador to see if there was anything he wanted. “Would you like your breakfast now?”
“Not yet,” he replied curtly. “You can go ahead and eat if you want to.”
“All right,” she answered as she started back to join Lucia and Chica. Jennie sensed that he was angry about something, but she had no idea what it was.
Rick watched her go, his thoughts troubled. How he wished the whole ordeal was over and they were all safely back at El Rancho Grande. Then he would be free to tell her the truth and all the problems they had would be over. Resigning himself to continued secrecy, he turned his attention back to Juan.
“If I can get a knife to you, do you have a place to hide it?” he murmured in low tones.
“Yes.”
“Good, I’ll try to figure something out before we leave here.” As he spoke, he saw Lucia heading their way carrying two tin mugs of hot coffee.
Lucia had been pleased by Jennie’s hasty return and saw the opportunity to insinuate herself into Cazador’s company.
“I thought you might like some coffee.” She offered them each a cup of the steaming brew as she joined them.
Juan took the coffee and thanked her. “You have been good to me since I’ve been in camp here, Lucia, and I appreciate it.”
Rick was surprised by his statement. He had thought Lucia to be a selfish young woman, who thought of no one but herself, and suddenly, now, he realized that there was more to her than that.
“Thank you,” he said as he drank from the cup.
And Lucia smiled sweetly, touching Rick’s arm in a casual gesture that she knew would look intimate to Jennie. “You’re welcome. There is plenty more food.”
“This is more than enough for me,” Juan told her.
“Cazador?”
“I will eat later, with Malo.” Rick was glad that she seemed to have no hard feelings about his rejection of her offer the night before.
“I would like to talk with you for a moment alone, if I could?” She looked up at him hopefully and, though he thought better of it, he agreed.
“I can’t leave until his guard returns. It would not be safe to trust Peralta untied.”
“Ramon is coming now.” Lucia indicated the Mexican who was heading in their direction.
Just roused from a short, unsatisfying sleep, Ramon was hung over and not at all thrilled with having to stand guard over the decrepit old man.
“Is it your duty now, Ramon?” Lucia asked.
“Yes. You two can go on. I will watch him,” he
growled at Rick and Lucia, and they walked away together.
Jennie was sitting by the campfire with Chica when she saw Lucia put her hand on Cazador’s arm again with comfortable familiarity. A slow burning anger flared to life as she watched them, and when he looked down at Lucia and laughed at something she said, Jennie wanted to slap them both.
Lucia was very aware of Jennie’s eyes upon them and smiled coyly at Cazador, telling him huskily, “Please—after last night, could we talk outside?” She wanted to convince him that her interest had been momentary so he would let his guard down, and she also wanted to set up a scene to make the other woman suspicious of his motives when he was with her.
Rick studied her for a moment and, sensing nothing threatening in her moves, he nodded his agreement and followed her from the cave. Lucia walked ahead of him some distance, until they were away from the prying eyes of the guard, and then turned to face him.
“I wanted to apoligize.”
“There’s no need—”
“No, wait, let me finish.” she said quickly. “My loyalty does lie with Malo. I wanted you to understand that. And I did not want to cause any trouble for you here in camp.”
He met her eyes evenly, his remembrance of Juan’s words about her tender care of him during his captivity softening his feelings for her. “There has been no trouble, and you have done nothing to be sorry for.”
“Thank you,” she said, her tone suitably grateful. “I’d better get back inside. Malo may be up.”
And she hurried from his presence, afraid that she might betray the pulsing need she felt for him. He was so handsome, and he’d been so kind. But he stayed with her, his long strides matching her quicker, shorter ones, and they reentered the cave together.
Jennie noted their return and grit her teeth in subdued fury. Why was he humiliating her this way? He had barely spoken to her this morning and yet he had time to spend, alone, with Lucia.
Lucia was smiling triumphantly as she came back to the fire, but she said nothing, allowing her expression to tell Jennie all she wanted her to know.
“Malo is up,” Chica said, breaking the tense silence among them.
“I will see to him,” Lucia said, sighing heavily and worrying about what he would do to her this morning.
Fixing him something to eat, she carried the hot bowl of food and a mug of coffee to where he sat on his bedroll waiting for her. She approached carefully, not quite sure of her reception.
“I have brought you breakfast.” She placed the food before him and waited, nervously, for his reaction.
“I want tequila. Bring me a bottle,” he growled as he lifted his nearly empty bottle to his lips, draining its contents and then tossing it carelessly against the rocky cave wall where it shattered on impact.
Hurrying to get him another, she returned quickly and handed it to him. Pulling the cork out with his teeth, he drank thirstily of the liquor and then wiped his mouth with his forearm before looking at Lucia. His eyes narrowed as he remembered the night just passed, and he stared at her long and hard, making Lucia even more tense than she had been.
“What were you doing outside with Cazador?” he demanded, his eyes snaking over her.
Knowing that he had been asleep when she’d left the cave, Lucia knew it was safe to lie to him. “I wasn’t with Cazador.”
“You came back in at the same time,” he charged.
“We were not together, Malo. Why would I want to be with him when I have you?”
“Do you?” He sneered.
And Lucia gasped as she feared the worst. “Malo, please, I would never betray you. You are the only man for me.”
Grabbing her wrist in a viselike grip, he pulled her down beside him and slipped his hand within her blouse to toy with her small breasts. “You are lucky that I am feeling generous this morning, you know?”
“You are?” she whispered, fearful of what he might do next.
He jerked her to him, pushing her blouse off her shoulders. “I am,” he said smoothly just before his mouth crushed down on hers in a vicious possession that left no doubts as to his mastery of her. “I find that I still want you. So, I will keep you for myself, for now.”
Lucia relaxed, secure once more in her position. Raising her arms about his neck, she pressed herself tightly to him. She was not yet ready to make her next move on Cazador and until then, she had to keep Malo happy. “I will be good to you, Malo. I always have been.”
But her words were met with quick anger as he grabbed her by the hair and jerked her painfully back, his black expressionless eyes burning in intensity as they roamed over her face and bared breasts. “You have no choice, do you, Lucia?”
She shivered at his coldness but didn’t flinch. “But I come to you willingly. Is that not worth something?”
He snorted derisively as he pushed her down on the rough ground and, brushing her skirt aside, he rid himself of his pants and took her there, quickly and efficiently, in front of the others.
“He is an animal,” Chica seethed as she turned away. She had been watching and hoping that nothing terrible would happen to Lucia this morning, and now, she knew that her friend was safe. For, if Malo had still been angry, he would not have had sex with Lucia; he would have beaten her.
Jennie, too, averted her eyes from Malo’s fervid possession of Lucia’s body, and she wondered how the other woman could tolerate his filthy hands upon her.
Though Rick knew that Malo’s open taking of her was a common occurrence among outlaws, he was disgusted by it. Taking great care to disguise his emotions, he left the cave and sought out the best vantage point to see if there was any sight of a posse.
Juan, had he been free and in possession of a weapon, knew that he would have killed Malo at that moment. He had developed a caring for Lucia and, though he knew that it was her life, he hated to see her so used.
The other men watched avidly, though, each wishing that there was enough time to vent their lust on Chica.
Lucia lay beneath Malo’s pounding body, grateful that he hadn’t hit her. She knew from past experience that he would not take long this morning and as soon as he was finished, she would be able to resume her old routine, unafraid of his wrath.
Thinking only of his own gratification, Malo climaxed and then slowly moved off of Lucia’s submissive body. Straightening his pants, he shifted away from her and took another drink of his tequila. Lucia sat up and, after pushing down her skirt, she stood up.
“What do you want me to do this morning?”
“Start packing. I want to be on the trail by noon. There has been enough celebrating for now.”
“All right.”
“Lucia?” His voice was stern as he stood and called her back.
“Yes?” As she turned toward him, Malo slapped her unexpectedly with brutal force, knocking her sideways.
“Remember!”
Sobbing, Lucia nodded as her hand flew to her injured cheek, and she raced from the campsite as Malo looked on, smiling his satisfaction.
Chica had witnessed his savage blow and spoke in low tones to Jennie. “Come on. Let’s go wash these dishes and see if we can help her.” But as she got to her feet, Luis came up behind her and tried to grab her around the waist.
“Chica!” Jennie warned and Chica turned on him, a knife suddenly appearing in her hand.
“Tonight, Luis. Not now.”
Glaring at the wicked looking blade, he smiled quickly and stepped back. “Whatever you say.”
Malo roared with laughter at Chica’s command of the situation, and Luis scowled blackly at him, determined to make Chica pay for his humiliation when he got her alone that night.
“Thanks,” Chica said as she slipped her knife back in her waistband. “He’s a cruel one.”
“I know. He’s an animal,” Jennie replied, glad that she had saved her from the other man’s lust.
Chica nodded. “Now, let’s go see if we can find Lucia.”
Carrying the heavy load of dish
es with them, they headed for the small pool, watching as they went for some sign of Lucia. After settling down at the water’s edge, Chica looked around quickly.
“I will go and look for her. It is not good that she sulk. That will only make him angrier.”
“I’ll be fine here. Go ahead.” Intent on washing the dirty utensils, she didn’t hear them coming until they were already at the clearing.
The sound of Cazador’s deep voice startled her from her work, and she looked up just as he walked into view, his arm protectively around Lucia’s waist as she leaned heavily against him. “Some cool water should help,” he was saying as he guided her toward the water.
Jennie stared at him, disbelieving. Lucia had run outside, not so much to escape Malo as to seek out Cazador’s protection. She was livid. How had he soothed her? With gentle kisses and soft words? Furious, she wanted to jump to her feet and run away as fast as she could, but she held her ground, all the sweet emotions she felt for him freezing deep inside of her.
Rick stopped briefly as he came face to face with Jennie, but he knew that he had to rely on her trust in him and he continued on, helping Lucia to kneel down by the pool. Lucia was delighted with this unexpected turn of events, and she gloated as she sensed Jennie’s surprise and jealous fury.
Chica returned just then, interrupting Lucia just as she planned to make another move on Cazador. “There you are. Are you all right? I was worried.” She hurried to go to her friend’s aid.
“I will be fine. My lip is bleeding a little, but other than that—”
“I will leave her in your care, Chica.” Cazador stood and moved away.
“Cazador?” Lucia’s voice was soft with gratitude. “Thank you—for everything.”
He nodded abruptly and faced Jennie. “I want to talk to you,” he said, knowing she was angry, and he wanted to settle things between them right then.
Jennie glared at him over her shoulder. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“But I have something I need to say to you,” he answered and his hands were not gentle as he pulled her up to him.
“Let me go!” she hissed, struggling to be free of his restraining grasp.
