Western Homestead Love (Trilogy Bundle)

by Hart, Melissa F.

  Erin’s uncle laughed and jabbed his gun toward Matt. “Give me your gun, and we can arrange that.”

  “No!” Erin lunged for Matt but her uncle grabbed her arm.

  “Boys, truss up the sheriff. We’ll leave him out here for the wolves. I don’t want the law out here getting any ideas that we’re killing lawmen. And take his gun.”

  Erin bit her lip and fought the tears that burned the back of her throat. She was so sorry. Sorry for so many things. She’d been a fool to think she could ever start a new life.

  “And take his horse.”

  He pushed Erin toward her own horses and wagon. “We don’t need her gear, and it will only slow us up. Tie Erin’s horses to yours. I’ll handle my niece.” He sneered the last word, and Erin dreaded the long ride home. None of her uncles had liked her much, but they tolerated her because she was family. They hated that she never followed the rules and always challenged protocol. There had been no shortage of threats. Until now, Erin never thought they held any weight. Now she knew differently.

  She tried to crane her head around and see what they were doing to Matt and when she could cause a diversion. Her uncle shoved her in the back. “Keep going.”

  Erin scanned the camp but she didn’t know what she could do that would give Matt an advantage against all the guns. Even if he could get his own unholstered, there was no way he could take out all three of them before one of them shot him. She could take off running and draw her uncle away, but she had a feeling that the two other men would take any excuse to kill Matt.

  She needed to keep him safe and unharmed until they got out of the camp. She was still worried about what would happen after they left, especially if they were leaving him without a weapon and at the mercy of the patrolling wolves.

  Behind her, a scuffle erupted. She twisted out of her uncle’s grasp in time to see Matt take a punch to the face. He bent over and barreled forward into one of the men, pounding his shoulder into the man’s gut. The one behind jumped on Matt’s back and the three of them went down in a heap of bodies.

  “No!” She lunged forward and stumbled. Her uncle grabbed for her, wrenching her shoulder painfully. She stretched her hand toward Matt, straining to see him beneath the two big men as they rained punches and kicks onto his slumped body.

  Matt made one final burst of an attack and managed to regain his feet and head butt one of the men, who crumpled to the ground. His frantic search for Erin found her and their gazes locked. Terror welled up inside her. They were going to do terrible things to him. She just knew it.

  The horses reared and strained against their ropes. Matt’s broke free and raced into the darkness but Erin’s were too secure and couldn’t move more than a few inches away. Chaos reigned and everything moved so fast.

  Crack!

  The boom of a gunshot froze everyone. Erin’s gaze swung to Matt’s as he stood heaving over one body and with his arms wrapped around the neck of the other man.

  Her uncle stood beside the fire, gun raised high in the air. He lowered it and pointed it at Matt’s head. “Let go or I’ll shoot you.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Without hesitation, the gun swung to point straight at Erin. “Let go.”

  Chapter Five

  Matt couldn’t believe this was happening. Never in the years that he’d been sheriff had anyone been held at gunpoint and the only creatures that had infiltrated their cozy town had been the four-legged kind.

  These men meant business and were professionals. He had no chance to save Erin from them.

  And somehow she seemed to know them. He’d heard of the Whitcomb name, but thought they’d all stayed back east. Was that why she’d been traveling alone? And refused all his help?

  He’d been such an idiot to let the desires of his body put them both in danger. Now her uncle had a loaded gun pointed at her head, and there was nothing Matt could do about it. He’d never felt so helpless in his entire life.

  For a minute, he’d had the upper hand. If he could have unarmed the other man, he could have shot Erin’s uncle and gotten them both to safety somehow. Now he had no idea how to get between the men and Erin.

  She stood frozen on the other side of the camp, too far away for him to save. Her face conveyed every single fear and dashed dream that he had no chance of saving.

  In an instant, he’d gone from enjoying the sweetest thing he’d ever laid eyes on to having her ripped out from underneath him and now she was in serious danger. There had to be a way to save her. Maybe if he let them think that they could take her, he could find a way to ambush them. If he let them get a bit of a head start, he could easily follow until the time was right to rescue Erin.

  He stared at Erin, trying to convey his promise that he’d find her.

  He let go of the man’s throat and backed away, hands raised. Both men rose from the dirt and yanked Matt’s arms behind him painfully, but he refused to let his face show a single bit of the pain, lest he scare Erin.

  She’d been beyond brave, first making the trek all the way to her land, and then demanding to be able to do it all herself. He’d been enamored by her guts and will from the very second. It came as no surprise that she’d tried to find a way to shoot her way out of this situation. He knew that she’d be fine even if it took him days to get to her. He hoped it wouldn’t but without his horse and without any weapons, he was going to have to do some quick thinking once they left him.

  They tied his hands behind his back, then lashed the rope to a tree. If that wolf came back, he’d be an easy dinner. Matt filled his lungs, hoping that once they left, he could find some slack in the rope.

  Erin tried to look tough, but Matt could see the pale tint to her lips. She trembled and got to her feet, never breaking Matt’s gaze. The horses fidgeted nervously, and she glanced toward them. Matt could see her trying to figure out how to make a break for it. When her gaze slid back to his, Matt shook his head harshly then looked at her uncle.

  “Fine. Take her.”

  Erin flinched, and Matt’s heart squeezed. Hang in there, Erin.

  TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK TWO: Western Seduction - Volume 2

  ***

  Western Seduction

  ***

  Synopsis

  Bloodied and hurt, Matt wakes to find Erin’s homestead in shambles, and she’s nowhere to be found. With no other choice, he must pursue her kidnappers to bring her back.

  A small town sheriff is no match for her evil uncle, and she knows it. As they ride further and further away from her new start, she loses hope that she’ll ever see Matt again.

  With guns blazing, Matt swoops in and saves the day, rescuing Erin and making quick work of the men who’ve taken her. As she tends his wounds, they can no longer fight their attraction to each other.

  ***

  Chapter One

  Matt’s head throbbed. He tried to open his eyes, but one was nearly swollen shut. His hands were numb and wrenched behind him. He shifted, and a spike of pain lanced through his shoulder. With his one good eye, he surveyed his situation. The sun was coming up, his horse was munching grass on the far side of a dying fire, and Erin was nowhere to be found.

  If he didn’t figure out how to get himself out of this situation, he’d have no chance of fixing hers. He eased one foot forward and managed to shake his knife out of his boot. With some careful maneuvering, he cut himself free and his arms fell forward like dead weights. Matt eased sideways and lowered himself to the dirt and let the blood flow through his limbs while he figured out a plan.

  Erin’s uncle would assume that Matt would follow if he could, so Matt’s attempt to rescue Erin would need to be fast and perfect. As blood rushed through his arms, streaks of pain radiated from his wrists out the tops of his shoulders. He’d be lucky if there wasn’t permanent damage.

  He whistled for his horse, and the beast lifted his head and nickered then gingerly picked his way through the camp. When Matt’s stirrup was near enough to grab, he pulled himself upright
and clung to the saddle for support until his head stopped spinning. If he managed to pull this rescue off without getting killed, it would be a miracle. His head and every joint in his body screamed in agony, and all he wanted to do was lie right back down and sleep for few days until the swelling went down.

  But Erin didn’t have a couple days.

  Depending on how fast they were moving, she might not even have a couple hours. If they got too far ahead of Matt, he’d never catch them. Every minute cost him miles of distance. Drawing a deep breath, he pulled himself into the saddle and groaned as his body adjusted to the new position and waves of pain pummeled him. He leaned forward and fumbled with his canteen, bringing it shakily to his lips. He drank heartily and used the water to dab at his eye. Apparently, it wasn’t completely swollen shut, just crusted over with blood. He probably looked like death riding, but hopefully Erin wouldn’t care what he looked like when he got here, only that he got there.

  “I’m coming, Erin. I’m coming.” He urged his horse into a gallop and fought the urge to vomit with every pounding beat. Matt headed east, hoping to pick up their trail before dark.

  Or before he passed out.

  Chapter Two

  Erin stared through the thick forest at the rising sun, fuming. Her uncle hadn’t said one word to her since they left her homestead. He’d tossed her on his horse and headed right back over the miles she’d worked so hard to put between her past and her new future. When they’d finally stopped, she’d been so covered in dust and grime and fallen leaves that she’d nearly begged him for a quick dousing in the river, but she didn’t dare show any sign of needing anything from him. Her pants were starting to itch, and she really wished she’d have changed into a new pair before she’d crawled into bed all those hours ago.

  It felt like a lifetime ago and now she was faced with an uncertain future if ever there was one. She wanted to ask her uncle who’d sent her, why he’d been the one to come after her, and what her family thought of her.

  She’d expected a lecture or expression of disappointment, even a backhand across the mouth for trying to make a new life. His silence and disgust for her was unprecedented. Erin didn’t want to give into the defeat pressing against her heart. There had to be a way to get out of this situation and beyond her history. She didn’t want to be a part of her family anymore. She wanted a new start. A fresh start.

  Her eyes watered, and she looked away from the sun. A start that included upstanding wholesome men like Matt.

  What a disaster that had turned into. Maybe it was better that she was riding away and wouldn’t have to face him again. She couldn’t believe how willingly she’d slipped into an overexcited state of desire. Even now, the thought of his hands on her body filled her with a lust and longing so deep and solid that her knees wobbled. For one moment, everything had been right in her world.

  But like every other time, the moment her toes neared the line where she could turn the corner in her life, something from her past pulled her back. In the case of her uncle, quite literally.

  He paced back and forth in front of the fire, clearly agitated that they’d had to stop to rest the horses and grab a bite to eat. Erin had refused food and would hold out as long as she could. Maybe if she was a complete nuisance, they’d let her go or not drag her all the way back to her family.

  The men with her uncle were getting quite vocal about whatever they were discussing on the far side of the camp. Erin strained to hear the conversation but they’d tied her up by the horses and their constant fidgeting made it impossible to hear more than every third word. Maybe if she could figure out what the issue was, she could poke at it some more and add to the growing dissention. All she needed was a tiny space to escape through. They may be professional thieves and crooks, but she was pretty sure none of them had any experience with kidnapping. They’d already left her alone and untied twice and she’d patiently waited for them to realize their mistake, luring them into a false sense of security that she wasn’t a flight risk.

  Not that she had any idea what she was going to do when the moment came that she could actually do something to change her situation. If she left them any option, they’d just keep coming and coming and coming. Her family was nothing if not relentless. It was one thing that gave her hope that she’d make it on her homestead. She knew those genes were as unavoidable as her family’s reach. Given the chance, she’d have made it.

  One of the men stomped off, and Erin perked up. Things were escalating quickly. Her uncle pulled out a gun and shot the remaining man right in the chest.

  She jerked and bit down hard to keep from crying out as a red stain bloomed outward on his chest and the man fell backward off the log.

  Another shot rang out loudly a dozen feet to her left. She jerked her attention back to her uncle and he lifted his gun, surveying the thick trees around them. The sun hadn’t quite chased all the night’s shadows away, and she strained to see something moving in the depths of the crowded trees. Nothing moved. Her ears strained for a noise that was out of place. The horses tensed, but didn’t move, their ears twitching back and forth while they listened too. Hopefully whatever was going to happen would push the horses away from where she was tied up instead of over the top of her. She eased onto her feet, inching her tied hands higher and higher on the tree. There wasn’t much slack in the line, but she could at least dodge left or right if things got too crazy.

  What she really wanted to know was whose gun had gone off in the forest. She couldn’t hope that it was Matt. He was probably still unconscious in her camp, or currently walking back to town since they’d done away with his horse. No way would he be coming after her anyway since she was the one who’d gotten them in this mess.

  The other gunshot must have come from her uncle’s man. Maybe he’d tripped or something in the thick underbrush. Her uncle moved closer to the edge of the clearing, but didn’t leave the campsite. He scanned the forest but didn’t move any closer. “Joe.”

  Nothing.

  A worried coil sprang up in Erin. Something bad was about to happen and the fear of the unknown nearly undid her. She plucked at the rope around her wrists, desperate to be free.

  Her uncle called out again. “Joe? Answer me.”

  If someone was taking out her uncle’s men, then they were most likely not going to leave her alone. At least with her uncle, she had a fairly good chance of being returned to her family unharmed.

  For every minute that Joe didn’t answer, Erin worried that the amount of that chance was dwindling rapidly. She got part of the knot attached to the tree to come undone, freeing up a few inches of slack. While she watched her uncle and scanned the forest, she picked at the remaining knots until her fingers bled.

  Her uncle moved deeper into the forest and a sudden flurry of activity froze Erin’s limbs. Grunts and howls and scrambling make the underbrush twitch with aggression. She picked at the knots faster. If she didn’t get out of here and back to her homestead, she’d be imprisoned—or eaten—by whatever was attacking the men.

  The noise stopped, and Erin raised her head. She scanned the underbrush but nothing moved. The horses lifted their heads and whinnied. Her heart was pounding a million miles a minute.

  Matt stepped from the brush a few feet to her left and she screamed, then clamped her lips shut. One eye had a massive bloody cut over it and his other was starting to purple. His lip was busted, there was bruising around his neck. She couldn’t believe he was here, couldn’t believe he’d come after her. She wanted to thank him and throw herself at him. Her eyes were so wide they felt like they were about to pop out of her face. She was trembling with the adrenaline and emotion. He sliced through the rope and tossed her over his shoulder and raced through the brush to his waiting horse. Erin lifted her tied hands. “Cut me loose.”

  He tossed her on the front of the horse. “No time.” He banded an arm around her waist and kicked his horse’s sides hard, launching them forward like a rocket. Erin kept twisting behind
her to see if her uncle’s men had begun the pursuit. She couldn’t see anyone, but they were racing through the early dawn hours, and she wasn’t sure anyone could keep up with their pace. She tried to look at Matt, but his face was a mask, devoid of emotion. She was so thankful that he’d saved her, and she hoped they were going to stop soon so she could tell him.

  He turned hard off the main path and guided the horse through thick underbrush and weaved around the trees. Erin no longer had any idea which direction they were headed and this must have been how he caught up with them so fast. She was extra grateful that he knew his way around this land. “Thank you.”

  He grunted and shushed her.

  Erin wasn’t sure, but he seemed mad. And she supposed he had a right to be, but it wasn’t like she’d asked him to come rescue her. She had been the one to drag him into all the trouble, which she really did feel bad about. If he’d just stop, they could talk about what happened. She could explain about her family and why she’d been running away.

  They rode into a tiny clearing and a cabin sat tucked back along the edge. It looked like it hadn’t been inhabited for a couple decades.

  Matt reined the horse to a stop. “I need to rest.”

  Erin twisted around to look at him. He sounded pained. His face was white, and she was worried about him. “Are you okay?”

  His mouth was set in a stern line and he nodded, then climbed off. Erin's hands were still tied, so she had to wait for him to help her down. Her feet wobbled, and he grabbed her arms to steady her, then dropped his hand and moved to the cabin door. Erin picked her way over fallen logs and tangled underbrush as she tried to follow. She wasn’t sure why Matt was being so curt. By the look of his face, he was probably in pain.