Kate's Outlaw (Steam! Romance and Rails)

by E. E. Burke

  He opened his eyes. Then wished he hadn’t. Her gaze stabbed him worse than the knifing injury in his side. His hands slipped on the bars, he couldn't hold on, no more than he could hold onto Redbird. She’d flown from his grasp.

  “Jake?” Concern warmed her voice. Her hands closed over his like she was trying to keep them in place. “Are you…about to swoon?”

  Swoon? He’d never swooned in his life.

  He gritted his teeth, forced his legs to straighten. “No. Not swooning.”

  She searched his face. “Are you sure?”

  “Just need to wrap…my ribs.” He spoke in choppy sentences. If he kept his breathing shallow, his side didn’t hurt as much.

  Her hands moved to his wrists and her fingers circled them, pressing against bruises inflicted by handcuffs. He bore the pain without flinching. Having her touch him was worth the momentary discomfort.

  “Why did you and Charley get into a fight?”

  “I told him to leave you be.”

  Her eyes grew bright, moist. Was she crying for him? The weight on his heart lightened.

  Selfish bastard. Why did it make him feel better to see her grieve on his account?

  He gently twisted his wrists to release her hold, then reached out and cupped her face. Holding her was awkward with the bars between them. But that wasn’t the worst thing standing between them. “You shouldn’t cry for me.”

  “I’m not.”

  That hurt, but he deserved it. “Then why the tears?”

  “You asked me that once before. Remember?”

  “When you wanted to know why I was taking you back. Now you know.”

  “Now I know.” She removed his hands from her face as if she couldn't bear to have him touch her.

  He gripped the bars, wanted to wrench them open, take her in his arms, kiss her until she forgave him.

  Anguish twisted her features. “Why did you let me believe you were a good man?”

  “I never told you I was a good man.”

  “You never told me you were low-down crook, either." She grabbed his sleeve. "What did you do with the money? Did you buy that fancy horse? You certainly didn’t invest it in improvements for your aunt’s home.”

  His face got hot. “I didn’t used the money on myself or my family. I used it for a good cause."

  “A good cause?” She took hold of the bars just below his hands, creating the strange illusion she was the one imprisoned. “What would that be?

  He hesitated. If he lied or refused to answer, she’d forever believe the worst. On the other hand, if he told her the truth and she betrayed him, those white judges would throw their case out. Then what could he do? He sure as hell wasn’t negotiating any deal with her father. The big chief wouldn’t talk to him anyway. He’d want a hanging.

  “If I tell you, you got to swear not to betray me.”

  Her brows shot up. “Me not betray you?” She released the bars and took a step back. “That’s rich. You’ve betrayed me in every way possible.”

  He didn't flinch like when she’d hurled the last insult. Damn it to hell, he should’ve told her before he agreed to come here. He’d wounded her with his distrust. “If I tell you everything, I’m not just putting my family at risk. My whole nation would suffer. I’ve got to have your word.”

  “I offered to help you before, did everything I knew to gain your confidence and that still wasn’t enough. You didn’t trust me then. Why would you trust me now?"

  He clenched the bars. “I came here with you, didn’t I?”

  “Because I blackmailed you into it.”

  “No. I did it because…” He rested his forehead against the bars. What could he say? He’d followed her because he couldn’t bear to let her go? His breath caught at a sharp pain. This time it came from the center of his chest.

  She inched closer. Emotions flitted across her face: suspicion, concern, longing.

  “I believe in you, Kate.” His voice grew rough. He couldn’t hide from her anymore. He didn’t even want to. “You’re a good person with a pure heart. And I do trust you.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a sob. “Don't,” she choked out. “Don't say things you don't mean."

  “I mean every word.” Should he go down on his knees? Would that convince her? “I trust you to do what’s right. Even if it’s not easy.”

  She took a step closer, hurt etched on her face. “Despite what you think, I’m not after revenge. Perhaps your head on a plate, nothing more.”

  “You can have it.” Hell, she might as well take his heart while she was at it. “Just give me your word you won’t use what I tell you against my family or my people. I don’t expect you to protect me.”

  Her brow furrowed in confusion. Or was it worry? Did she care if he went to prison? She might want to throw him down a deep dark hole after he told her what he’d done. “All right. You have my word.”

  He heaved a sigh of relief. Now, he could tell her the truth. “We used the money on a lawsuit to challenge the land grants.”

  Her jaw unhinged and her mouth hung open. If he’d told her he’d used his ill-gotten gains to build a machine to fly to the moon, she couldn’t have looked more surprised. “The lawsuit? Are you saying you stole the money to pay for a court battle?”

  Stealing wouldn’t have been his first choice, but he’d plotted the crime, so he had to own it. “I studied the laws and cases pertaining to treaties, found what I thought was a good defense. But I knew none of our people had enough money to pay for it.”

  “So you decided to steal it.” She stepped closer, the straw crackling beneath her boots. The lantern’s soft glow made her face appear a pale oval in the darkness. “And Charley? What’s his part in this? Don’t tell me he wasn’t involved.”

  Charley. How to explain? The answer wasn’t as simple as saying they were family.

  Jake pushed away from the bars and began a slow pace, favoring his uninjured side. He wouldn’t blame his cousin for the choices he’d made. On the other hand, Kate deserved to know what had brought him to this.

  “Charley was going to steal from whites to get the money we needed. I was afraid he might wind up killing somebody. So I suggested we take what we needed from the railroad. I said I’d do the job with him, so long as he agreed not to hurt anybody.”

  She shook her head like she couldn’t believe it. Did she think he’d lied to make himself look better?

  “Charley was part of it, but it was my idea to steal the payroll.”

  “Like Robin Hood,” she murmured.

  Jake stopped in front of her. Had he misunderstood? The pain in his side had flared so hot he couldn’t think straight. He lowered himself to the greasy straw and leaned against the bars. “Did you say Robin Hood?”

  She squatted next to him. “Take from the rich railroad baron and give to the poor tribe. A Cherokee Robin Hood.”

  He’d heard the tale, but hadn’t made the association. “I guess you could call it that. You could also call it stealing.”

  She searched his face. What was she looking for? Some sign of honor and decency in the face of an outlaw. That was only true in stories, not reality.

  “I’m not a good person, Kate. I’m sorry if I let you believe that.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I haven’t decided about the good part. But you are very clever.”

  “Clever?” That wasn’t what he’d expected her to say.

  “Brilliant, even.” She breathed a soft laugh. “I’d love to see my father’s face if he found out. He’s so rarely bested.”

  Jake shook his head. Had he lapsed into a delusional state? She wouldn’t be complimenting him for stealing her father’s money.

  “You might’ve come up with a better idea if you hadn’t been so concerned about protecting Charley. I’m seeing a pattern here.”

  He shifted his gaze away, uncomfortable with her observation. “There’s no pattern. It’s not what you think. I owe him.”

  “Owe him? Why? Because he�
�s your cousin?”

  Jake tried to swallow past the knot in his throat. He didn’t want to explain why he owed Charley. She wouldn’t be impressed and she sure as hell wouldn’t call him brilliant. There was only one word she could use.

  Coward.

  ###

  Kate shifted into a sitting position as close to Jake as the bars would allow. Beads of perspiration slid down the small of her back. Lord, it was sweltering in here. How could he stand it? And that atrocious stench coming from the hay, even animals had cleaner stalls.

  Dirt and blood stained his shirt, nasty cuts marred his cheekbone and lower lip, and his right eye was puffy and bruised. Judging from his shallow breathing, he probably had broken ribs. Had no one sent for a doctor? As soon as she left she would see to it.

  But she wasn’t leaving yet. Not until she had the answer to why Jake felt he owed Charley. This, she suspected, would reveal a great deal about what had driven him to violate his conscience and become a thief.

  “Will you tell me what happened?”

  Her question was met with a long silence. Apparently the answer was more complex than she realized, or he was reluctant to share the story.

  She leaned a shoulder against the bars. “I’m going to wait here. Until you’re ready.”

  He turned his head, which brought their faces so close he could have leaned forward and kissed her. He didn’t.

  The weight on her heart grew heavier. “You’ve trusted me with so much. Will you not trust me with this?”

  “You may wish I hadn’t.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.”

  His gaze shifted to some point just past her shoulder, and he seemed to retreat to a place she couldn’t go. “It happened during the War of Rebellion, or the Great Cause, depending on which side you were on. We didn’t want to be on either side of the white men’s war, but our leaders couldn’t keep us out of it.”

  “During the war?” So this had happened some time ago, anywhere from five to nine years in the past. “You couldn’t have been much more than a child.”

  “I was fifteen when Charley left. At the time, I was living with him and his wife. Some of our men went to fight for the Union. Others went with the Confederates because they promised they’d leave us alone if they won. With the men gone, Charley said I ought to stay home and watch over the women. I promised him I would.”

  Kate’s skin prickled with a sense of impending doom. She’d asked him to tell her this story, but now she wasn’t so sure she wanted to hear it.

  “One day, some bluecoats came to the house. They were loud and rude, waving their guns around, demanding something to eat. Ocoee tried to calm them, but they cursed at her. I told them we wouldn’t feed them if they were disrespectful. One of them knocked me down and took my gun, threatened to shoot my parts off. Ocoee pleaded with him, said she’d fix them dinner, give them whatever food they wanted if they’d leave us alone.”

  Jake turned his face away, but not before she saw the darkness in his expression. She started to reach out, wanting to reassure him. But he was no child needing comfort, and she had no business touching him. She rested her hand on the bar instead.

  “Ocoee fixed dinner and sent me to get water,” he continued. “She met me by the creek. The soldiers had found the corn liquor and were getting drunk. She’d snuck out with some excuse. But the men followed her. They said she wasn’t finished cooking for them. I told them to leave her alone. One pulled a gun and shot at me, but he was so drunk he missed. Ocoee wrested with him. She yelled at me, told me to leave and stop causing trouble. The man kept firing, the others were laughing. I could tell they enjoyed watching me jump. A bullet grazed my shoulder...”

  Jake’s throat worked. “I ran.”

  Kate winced. Dear God, he’d been little more than a boy. Scared, outnumbered, outgunned.

  “After the men left, I slipped inside the house. I found…” He hesitated, his expression bleak. “I found Ocoee sprawled on the floor. Naked, with blood on her thighs. There were flies crawling on her. I carried her to the creek to wash them off.”

  Bile surged up the back of Kate’s throat. She covered her mouth.

  Oh God, poor Jake, and that poor woman.

  “Ocoee, she…she was beautiful. And brave, like you. But I can’t remember what she looked like. All I see is her head twisted like they’d tried to take it off.”

  Jake’s voice had gone flat, devoid of emotion. He could’ve been telling a story, someone else’s story. But it hadn’t happened to someone else.

  Kate struggled to maintain the tenuous grip she had on her emotions. It took every ounce of willpower not to break down and weep, but Jake didn’t need her tears. He needed her strength. “If you had stayed, they would’ve killed you, too.”

  “It would have been better if I’d died. At least, more honorable.”

  Kate twisted, studying the harsh lines of his face. How could she reach him? How could she make him see he was wasting his life because of guilt? “Choosing to live isn’t dishonorable.”

  His expression remained wooden. She reached through the bars and gripped his shoulder, squeezing to get his attention.

  “If you’d died trying to protect her, what good would have been accomplished? Her sacrifice would’ve been useless. She gave you a chance to live. Wishing you’d died instead shows contempt for that precious gift.”

  “I don’t wish for a useless death. I just wish I could’ve traded my life for hers.” The pain threaded through his words pulled at Kate’s heart.

  “I know you do,” she said, unable to manage more than a whisper. “But that’s not what happened. You weren’t given that choice.”

  He closed his eyes. “No. I was given a choice. I made the wrong one.”

  Kate eased her grip on his shoulder. Her hand drifted down his arm and she closed her fingers around his. She’d never convince him he’d done the right thing. But she longed to help him find the courage to forgive himself. She squeezed his hand. “You have a choice now, as well. I pray you’ll choose to accept Ocoee’s gift and let go of the past.”

  Jake laced his fingers with hers and his grip became so tight it hurt. The ache spread until it seemed to encompass her entire body.

  She’d arrived here tonight with guns loaded, prepared to mete out justice. Then Jake had completely disarmed her, and with the truth, no less. Despite what he thought, he was one of the most honorable men she’d ever met. He’d kept her safe, had returned her, even fought his cousin—the one he felt he owed so much—to protect her. Even if he hadn’t told her everything, he’d trusted her enough to come with her and give compromise a chance. And he’d come knowing full well he could be caught should someone recognize him, or if she decided to turn him in. Indeed, she could ensure he’d be locked up for a very long time. But how could she condemn him for the choices he’d made? Would she have done any different, given the same circumstances? According to the law, he should go to jail. But her heart told her he’d been in a prison of his own making for far too long.

  “It’s late.” Jake spoke softly. “You should go.”

  With ponderous movements, he came to his feet. He reached through the bars to offer her assistance. She gripped his hand and stood, brushing off black pieces of straw and Lord knew what else from her skirt.

  She glanced around at the filthy cells. “Your injuries require tending and you need sleep. Neither of which you’ll get in here.”

  Jake’s lips twisted in a wry smile. “Don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime soon. But I feel better since you came to see me.”

  “You feel better?” Kate released a ragged laugh. She couldn’t imagine feeling worse. Her plans lay in shambles, her hopes destroyed. There’d be no partnership with Jake in forging a negotiated settlement, no relationship of any kind. He’d never fit into her world, and she couldn’t be part of his.

  She lifted the lantern off the hook. The light slashed across his face. His flat expression conveyed more hopelessness than any sign
of emotion might’ve done. “Goodbye, Kate.”

  He hadn’t called her Redbird. A knife-like pain pierced her chest. He was right. She wasn’t Redbird, and she couldn’t be a part of his life. It was time to say goodbye.

  But there was something she wanted to do for him before they parted ways. She wanted to offer him a gift like Ocoee had done years ago. What he chose to do with it would be up to him.

  Chapter 8

  "Release that Indian? Are you crazy?" Henry stood, propping his fingers on the desk the way Kate's father did whenever he wished to tower over her to rant about something. "You can't be serious. That man and his partner stole our payroll."

  "We don't know that." Kate popped out of the chair and crossed to the window so Henry couldn’t see her face. She was a terrible liar.

  Of course she knew what Jake had done. He’d admitted as much. But there were other things he’d revealed, as well—his love for his family, his sacrifices, his commitment and devotion to his people. These qualities defined his life. His heart called to hers at a level she couldn’t explain, but knew it had something to do with who he was, who they both were. She couldn’t turn her back on him any more than he’d been able to turn his back on his cousin.

  After leaving the jail, she'd rousted a local attorney and hired him on the spot, telling him it was his job to get Jake freed and keep him out of prison. In the meantime she'd take up his fight to protect his family's land. He could no longer do it without losing his life. And that was something she couldn’t bear.

  “Is that why you’re here?” Henry demanded. “Because of that Indian?”

  Yes. No, she couldn’t say that. Henry would flat-out refuse to help. She wouldn’t have approached him at all had she not been desperate. Only with his support would she stand a chance of getting her father to bend. But first, Henry would have to bend, and she would fare better gaining his cooperation if she appealed to his reason. He was, above all, a practical man.