by Jane Henry
“Over here’s Doc,” Cole said, as Aida reluctantly followed his gesture. Doc was Cole’s age, a widower in his early twenties, an educated man who’d turned to darker ways when he lost his wife to murder six months after they had wed. He was invaluable as a healer in their group, when gunshot wounds, illness, and disease threatened them. He was also the brains of the group. Tall, with thick brown hair, blue eyes, and spectacles, Doc appeared to be every bit the gentleman and scholar. But Cole well knew what he was capable of, and relied on him when the chips were down.
“Pleased to meet you,” Doc said, tipping his hat to Aida. She gave the slightest nod of her head, but her gaze did not soften.
“You’ve met Junior,” Cole said, pointing another finger at the young blond, who grinned at her while he cleaned his fingernails with the tip of a dagger. Maybe Aida could be tricked into trusting him.
“Howdy,” Junior said. Aida’s eyes softened just the slightest bit. Lucky for Junior he looked innocent. Cole used that to the advantage of his posse on more than one occasion.
“Last of the crew,” he said, pointing a final finger to Preach, shorter but heftier than Cole. Though he was a dependable member of their crew, he held fast to select morals. He had a shock of black hair, piercing brown eyes, a heavy beard, and a well-fed belly. He lifted his bowl to his lips and finished the rest of his beans before lifting a hand to his temple and saluting Aida as Cole introduced him. “Preach. If we need a man with morals, we draw on him,” Cole said, eliciting snickers from the rest of the men and a grin from Preach. The truth was, Preach was the brawn of the group. Having lost his betrothed in a bar brawl in his youth, he’d turned to religion before he’d turned to their dark ways. He was fearless and brutally strong.
“And now, darlin’,” Cole said. “Why don’t you introduce yourself.”
She shoved a corner of cornbread in her mouth and glared silently. Cole clenched his jaw. It’d been less than twenty-four hours since he’d thrashed her, but she was cruising for another trip over his knee before the sun set. He placed his bowl down and pushed himself to standing. Maybe if he bared her bottom in front of the other men, she’d think twice about defiance. But watching him prepare to advance on her, her eyes widened slightly, and she swallowed her bread.
“Aida Perkins,” she said. “And I’ve no doubt you all know who I am, or you wouldn’t have taken me from my home.”
Cole winked at her. “You catch on quickly there, darlin’,” he drawled. “But let’s hear who you are from your own lips. Who’s your daddy?” As the words left his mouth, he felt the reminder in his gut. Some would call him a sick bastard, but he loved making her call him Daddy. It made her squirm, and made his cock harden to see her reluctance to say the name. Daddy.
“George Perkins,” Aida said, lifting her chin defiantly. “Owns the ranch you all raided, and I’m his only daughter.” To Cole’s surprise, she offered no more information, and as she spoke of her father, her jaw clenched. There was something behind her shuttered eyes that looked like barely contained hatred. There was a reason why they’d been sent for her. He’d uncover that reason.
“Excellent,” Cole said, drawing himself to his full height as he turned to face them all. “We leave shortly, move as quickly as we can while the light of day shines. We should reach our destination by nightfall.”
To his surprise, Aida spoke up. “And where is your destination?” she asked.
He merely smiled at her and cocked his head. “Well now, darlin’,” he said. “I can’t be givin’ too many of our secrets away, now can I?” He sobered, his voice dropping, as he walked over to her and the men got busy clearing their dishes and preparing to move on. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “No need for you to worry about any of that. You just keep your eyes on me and do as you’re told, yeah?”
Though her lips were pursed and her eyes gleamed, she nodded. But they all froze, as seconds later, the sound of a horse’s hooves pounding in their direction caught their attention. Aida got to her feet. Cole grabbed her arm lest she thought to take advantage of the distraction and make a run for it. But she stood as still as he did.
Chapter Five
I desire the things which will destroy me in the end. ― Sylvia Plath
The pounding of a horse’s hooves halted as a large steed came into view. Aida’s hand involuntarily went to her chest, though she stayed stock still with Cole’s hand on her elbow. She blinked, surprised that the rider was a woman not much older than herself, with a strange swath of fabric tied to her back. The woman had been riding hard, her eyes wide with terror, as she came to a halt.
“Help me!” she screamed. The men in the party looked at her in shock. Cole leaned close to Aida and whispered, “You run, I will catch you, and make that whipping I gave you look like child’s play.” She hadn’t thought of running, so intent was she on hearing what terrified the poor woman in front of her, but his hissed warning scared her nonetheless. She nodded. Cole released her and stepped up to the woman.
“Tell me why you need help.”
Aida looked quickly at the other men around her. Justice was unmoved, his cold eyes calculating, but Junior’s hand was on his gun, Doc had stood and now his arms were on his chest, and Preach was standing in a sort of half-crouching position, as if ready to pounce. These men had kidnapped Aida and she’d been treated brutally, but they were not unmoved by a damsel in distress. Aida watched, fascinated.
“It’s my husband,” the woman said. “He’s after me. He’s half-crazed, says I had an affair with another man. I never did, never!” she said. Her wide eyes seemed contrite. “I merely had a neighbor help me when my husband was traveling. He said he would kill me, and I ran. I’ve been riding hard to get to my kinfolk over the river, hoping they’d help me. I thought I’d gotten away, but he’s found me.”
Aida’s breath caught in her throat as the sound of pounding hooves again reached her ears. The men sprang into action. Cole reached his hands for the woman, pulling her down from the horse. He swore aloud as the mysterious fabric on her back squirmed and let out a cry.
“Lord have mercy, it’s a baby,” Preach muttered in his deep, growly voice. Aida gasped as Cole grabbed the woman roughly and shoved her over to Aida.
“You two get behind Preach,” he growled. Aida stood frozen to the spot. Cole reached for her arm and half-shoved her over to Preach. “Now!”
Aida stumbled but obeyed, her arm protectively out to the woman. Preach stood guard in front, as Justice drew his weapon and Junior’s eyes narrowed to mere slits. Doc watched all with calculating eyes.
Seconds later, a second rider came into view, dark hair beneath his hat making him look menacing, a look of fury across his face as he spied the woman.
“You think you’ve found someone to save you, do you?” the man said, ignoring the onlookers. “You’ve done me wrong, and I’ll see you pay for it.”
The woman screamed and got behind Aida. Once again, Aida instinctively put her arms out to protect the woman and her baby. It seemed the man was unshaken by witnesses, and the woman’s fears were not unwarranted. To Aida’s horror, the man reached to his belt and withdrew a pistol. Quick rustles and five clicks sounded at once, as the man faced Cole’s entire crew, each of whom was pointing a pistol at the man.
“No man’ll pull a gun on a woman on my watch,” Cole said in the same no-nonsense voice he’d used to tell Aida to get to cover. “Drop your weapon, or I’ll kill you. You’ve got ‘til the count of three to drop it ‘fore I give my men leave to fire. One…”
The man’s eyes were wild and crazed as his hand shook, pointing the gun first at all of them. Aida’s heart pounded so that she felt strangled by fear, her ability to move or even think frozen on the spot.
“Two,” Cole said, louder this time, and the man still held his gun. Now would be the moment.
“Three.” The man moved to shoot, but shots rang out as Aida pulled the woman to the ground, covering her with her own body, careful not to
harm the baby. She could hear shouts and more shots, a sound of a scuffle. Curse words were uttered, and another shot that had a ring of finality to it. Then everything was quiet. She stayed right where she was, panting, while the woman beneath her lay stock still. Had she been shot? In the silence, the wails of a baby rose loud and strong.
“My baby,” the woman whispered. “Lord have mercy, is he all right?” Aida dared to lift her head just a little, and as she lifted her head, her eyes met Cole’s dark gaze. She gasped, jumping up.
“Your husband’s dead,” Cole told the woman simply. “Stand up.”
Instead of reaching for Aida’s hand, Cole put both arms around her waist and hoisted her to her feet, glancing over her body with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. “You unharmed?” he growled.
“Y-yessir,” Aida stammered, confused as to why he was checking to see if she was unharmed when a woman with a child had been just as vulnerable. Preach came to them in three large strides, his enormous hands gentle as he reached to the woman’s back and ever so gently extracted the baby, his growly voice crooning as he hushed it. But Cole hadn’t left Aida’s side. His eyes roamed her body, hands probing to see if she had, indeed, been unharmed. His large, strong hand grasped her elbow, and Aida was reminded that she was no willing member of their party, but a captive.
“Take the body,” Cole barked out to Justice and Junior. “Drag it to the river. You know the routine. Take any money and give it to the woman, any weapons we keep for ourselves.” He turned to Preach. “Check the horse for injury and bring ‘em here.” To Doc, he said, “You check her and the baby over.” The men sprang into action, and Aida watched, mesmerized as Cole gave his final instructions. “Leave the body face down, where he’s unlikely to be found until the face is unrecognizable. Clean well, cover your tracks, and come back here as quickly as you can.”
Clearly, they’d done this before. Likely many times.
It wasn’t until Cole’s arm went around her shoulders that she realized she was trembling so badly her teeth clattered together. When his mouth came to her ear and whispered, “Hush now, darlin’. You’re all right, and no harm will come to you,” she noticed the trembling began to lessen. She wondered at first if his tender side was just a show for the woman, so she’d trust him, but the woman was off with Doc, and Cole and Aida were nearly alone. Still, she would not, could not soften, even now.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she said, attempting to pull away from him. He merely gave her a sidelong glance and held on tighter.
“You be a good girl, and you will be fine,” he replied. Given the choice to fight and provoke him or pretend to comply, it seemed the best option was feigned submission.
If feigning submission was what would help her get to safety and freedom, she’d put on her best show.
She bowed her head and whispered, “Yes, sir.”
The grip on her elbow did not slacken.
Chapter Six
One need not be a chamber to be haunted. ― Emily Dickinson
Cole watched his men assemble in front of him.
“And what do we do with the woman and baby?” Justice said, a lip curling, glaring at Cole as if somehow he was responsible for their larger party. “She got a name?”
“Patricia,” Cole said.
Justice frowned. “We’ve no time for this bullshit, and another woman and a baby in our group’ll complicate things.” Justice had no use for those weaker than himself, unless it was to use a whore to his advantage. He was brief, he was cruel, and he moved on. To him, expending effort protecting them was a preposterous notion.
“Drop ‘em by the river and let them fend for themselves,” Junior said, his lips pursed with sarcasm. “Is that what you’d have us do?” Junior’s penchant for pretty ladies would harm them one day, Cole was sure of it. His brother’s ruthless nature was far more useful in their line of work.
Justice made a move to advance on Junior and Junior turned to face him. Cole held out a hand, prepared to pull them off each other and beat the tar out of both of them if they fought.
“Enough.” They knew not to push him. Both men froze, glaring at each other.
“She said her family’s nearby, no?” Preach said. All eyes turned to him. “She’s got kin just over the river,” he said. “We’ll be behind in our plans if we all go deliver her, but I can escort her. Won’t be but a half day’s journey. I’ll meet y’all up at Lawson’s mornin’ after next.”
Cole shook his head. “Not sure it’s right to split,” he said, removing his tobacco pouch from his pocket.
“What other choice do we have?” Preach asked. “Leave a woman with a baby? You know me, Cole. I’ll bust the nose of any man I need to, and just as soon pump iron into a man deservin’ of it as I would pick my teeth after dinner, but I won’t be party to abandonin’ a woman and child.”
Justice glared at him and spat on the ground furiously. God, Cole had to get him hooked up with a woman of the line the next town up. He had to calm the hell down.
Cole gave a curt nod. “We can’t all go together,” he said. “That much is true. Seems there’s one bad choice and a worse one on the table here.” He cursed, kicking the toe of his boot in the dirt while he took a tug on his cigarette. Slowly exhaling the smoke in wispy tendrils, he narrowed his eyes on Aida and Patricia. The women spoke to one another in hushed whispers. Cole frowned. It wouldn’t do to have Aida telling her anything about their group. He’d allowed them to stay together to keep them quiet, but now he wondered. If Patricia knew she’d been kidnapped… But before he met with his men, he’d threatened Aida with another whipping, warning her not to tell Patricia the truth. If she responded to fear, then fear would be his ally. And she knew he was a man of his word. As he glanced over at her, she tucked in a blanket around the sleeping baby. After the commotion, the infant squalled loud enough to wake the dead, but Patricia had quickly hushed him with feeding and rocking. Now the two women and baby sat at a distance while the men convened.
If Aida obeyed, now would be the time to turn on his charm. Fear, then feigned kindness, would ensure her submission. He might even earn her loyalty, if played right.
He glanced back over at Patricia. Preach was offering to take her to her family, but Preach was an integral part of his play. The timing could work out well. He ran a finger along the stubble on his jaw as he mulled everything over.
Cole scowled. “All right, Preach,” he said. “You take the woman and baby. You leave her with her kin, and you hightail it back to where we’re supposed to meet.” He paused before continuing. “You know what’s at stake if you don’t meet us at Lawson’s.”
Junior swore. Doc scowled, and Justice looked ready to spit nails. Preach knew exactly where they were supposed to meet. The plans had been in place for months. Preach nodded his assent, though, and the men disassembled as Cole and Preach finalized plans.
As night began to fall, Cole instructed Doc to get dinner going. “You be sure you cook those beans as well, yeah?” he asked. He wanted Doc to cook foods Aida didn’t like. He would train her. She would hate him in the end, but he was going to give it his best shot. The woman would learn to obey.
* * *
As night fell, Cole instructed his men to quit their jobs and get some rest. They spread out their bedrolls, the woman and baby at the furthest end of their company, Junior on one side and Doc the other. Preach stood sentry for the first night watch. Justice would be up next, and Cole would take the shift at daybreak. It was time for Cole to put the next part of his plan into action.
Aida was sitting apart from the rest, righting her hair and frowning, clearly uncomfortable with the thought of another night sleeping on the hard ground, removed from her vanity mirror and precious pampering tools. Cole’s lips twitched. She certainly had been jolted out of what was comfortable and familiar. He hoped her being uncomfortable would make his next plans work well. He ambled over to her and crouched down.
“How you doin’, darlin’?” he asked, tryi
ng his best to appear truly concerned for her. She shifted and looked up at him, shrugging, but didn’t answer.
Lowering his voice and raising his eyebrows slightly, he leaned in. “Aida, when I ask you a question, I expect an answer.”
Her eyes glanced side to side before she whispered, “Fine.” She turned away from him. This wouldn’t do at all.
“Night’s growin’ cold, darlin’,” he murmured. “You’ll share a bedroll with me tonight.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed in anger. “I wouldn’t share a bedroll with you if I were freezing to death!”
Leaning closer to her, he took her chin in his hand. “I didn’t ask you, sweetheart. Now you go right yourself for bed and strip to your chemise. I’ll prepare our bed, and you’ll join me.”
“I will not,” she hissed.
Cole was unmoved. Leaning in close, he whispered in her ear, “I don’t care who’s in our company or if it’s night or day. You defy me and I’ll whip you. Is that what you want Daddy to do? Strip you and paddle your bare bottom? What will the others say?”
“They’ll say you’re a brute,” she whispered back.
His plan was not working. Though he was certainly prepared to whip her—and suspected she’d land herself over his knee before the week was out—this strategy wouldn’t be as effective given the next leg of their journey. He tried a different tactic.
Reaching a hand out, he gently encircled her neck and drew her close to him. He might’ve been rough with her, but women were not immune to his seduction. He flexed his fingers on the back of her neck, massaging, as he whispered in his deepest voice, “Aida, we got off on the wrong foot. I spanked you for defyin’ me, and I’ll do it again if I have to. But I don’t want to punish you.” It was a lie. His cock twitched with the mere thought of taking his hand to her bare bottom. “But you must obey me for your own good.” His voice dropped lower. “You’ve had a long day, darlin’. You be a good girl now, and do as you’re told. You may even find if you obey me, I treat good girls very nicely.”
