An Agent for Meghan

by Ginny Sterling

  Breathe.

  Calm down.

  Stay still.

  She’s fine. Nice swing she’s got.

  Be calm, Agent Gaines.

  Shh. She’s okay.

  “Yeah,” Joker said flatly the moment Meghan reared her head back and spat directly in the face if Espinoza. “She’s not okay. Not at all! Move it, Gaines!”

  Jack was already up and brandishing a pistol in each hand as Joker hopped to his feet, gleefully.

  “Hey-a fellas,” Joker cried out, firing buckshot towards the men emerging from the house. He let out a whoop and ran towards them, slinging his rifle like a scythe and hitting them in the knees.

  Jack looked away to where Meghan was standing with the rope around her neck, her wide eyes frightened. He swung his arms towards her, aiming at Espinoza and pulled the triggers at once… only to hear the painful click that his guns were out of bullets. He saw the realization and defeat in her eyes as they held his.

  “I’m sorry, Jack.”

  He wasn’t giving up.

  He ran directly to her, yanking his knife out of his pocket. It felt like his body was moving in slow motion as he saw Espinoza kick the stool out from under her. The coward turned tail and ran… and Jack didn’t care.

  The seconds ticked and he saw the loose rope tighten as he reached Meghan. He wrapped his arms around her body, heedless of where he grabbed her at, in order to hold her up.

  “Jack! Oh my gosh… Jack! Don’t let go. Please!”

  “I’m not letting go. I’ve got you, sugar. Hang on.”

  “Can we not use that word?”

  “Can we not make me laugh right now?”

  “Jack… I don’t want an annulment,” she said softly, causing him to glance up at her in surprise and happiness. Her warm eyes were watching him as tears streamed down her face.

  “We’ll talk about it later.”

  “That’s fine. It won’t change my mind.”

  “I don’t think anything could… uh, Joker? JOKER!” Jack yelled, seeing the man whooping and hollering around in the dirt like a banshee. He needed him to help get Meghan down from here!

  “See this? This is me whoopin’ your tail,” Joker cried, mockingly, and glanced up at Jack where he was struggling to keep Meghan still, before coolly pulling the trigger at the man on the ground. “I’m done playing, buddy. Duty calls!”

  “Hold her,” Jack gritted out as Joker ran over.

  “No! Jack don’t let go.”

  “Sugar I gotta cut the rope.”

  “He’s got a knife too.”

  “Fine, Joker cut the rope and hurry.”

  “Don’t let go,” Meghan repeated as she felt the rope pull against the knife. Her hands were painfully numb as well as her feet from being tied so long. She couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be to hang!

  “Got her,” Joker said quietly. “She’s free.”

  “Can you go after Espinoza?”

  “Yep. You stay here with her,” Joker ordered, jogging over to one of the horses that was saddled already. He hopped on and quickly took off, leaving them there in the dirt among the dead. Jack carried her over to the grass, away from the tree, and set her down gingerly.

  “Sugar, I am so sorry that I wasn’t here sooner,” he whispered, his hands trembling as he sawed gently at the ropes at her wrists with his knife. He was terrified to cut her and frankly pretty shaken by the ordeal. He couldn’t imagine how she felt right now.

  “My ankles are bound,” she whispered, trying to rub the feeling back into her hands awkwardly. Unapologetically, he pulled up her skirt to her knees and began sawing through the ropes around her boots. It was almost as if the two of them were shaken to the core. Her limbs were exposed from the knees down and he simply didn’t care right now, he was only focused on one thing and that was making sure she felt safe. Once the rope gave, she shoved the fabric of her skirts back down demurely. He loved that about her, she was such a surprise…

  He loved her?

  Jack hesitated, looking at Meghan, and saw she still had the frayed noose hanging around her neck. “Sugar, close your eyes,” he instructed, pulling it loose so he could slip it over her head. As he reached for her, he felt it loosen as something turned over in his heart.

  She trusted him implicitly and it humbled him that such a wondrous creature could be so prickly one moment, cunning the next, and then need comforting in another breath. She was an amalgamation of everything he could ever want in a friend, partner, lover, and wife… wrapped in a beautiful package.

  Leaning forward, he pulled the rope over her head and caressed her neck where it had once been, knowing he’d been so close to losing her. Her doe eyes opened slowly and he saw her staring at him in awareness.

  “I knew you’d come,” she breathed.

  “I always will for you,” he uttered, “there’s no spiders now, sugar.”

  “No there isn’t,” she said with a smile, “my husband.”

  “I like the sound of that, sweet wife.”

  Her breath mingled with his only seconds before he tenderly kissed the side of her lips. Her cheeks were so soft and even as she sat there looking perfectly bedraggled, covered in mud and blood, she was the most enchanting creature he’d ever seen.

  “You missed,” she teased, smiling and wincing.

  “I can’t bear to hurt a hair on your head and I think kissing my wife properly can wait until that little lip is healed,” he admitted tenderly, his thumb caressing it carefully. “Are you sure about the annulment?”

  “I’m positive. I will not sign it, Jack.”

  “This is your one chance to get out of this,” he warned with a tender smile and saw her eyes light up. Getting to his feet, he helped her stand. He was surprised to see her so easily link her arm around his waist and realized that she belonged at his side.

  “Maybe I don’t want out of this…” Meghan said. “This… is pretty wonderful and I like the start of it. Well, everything but the noose.”

  “I could do without that,” he agreed, holding her against him. “I love you, Meghan… There’s something about you that makes my heart beat quickly when you are around.”

  “You love me because I make you giggle like an imbecile,” she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her breath on his neck made him shiver as he restrained a faint giggle of sheer joy at the freely given embrace. “Have I told you that I still have a room at the boarding house, dear husband?”

  “Planning on making me into your simpleton again?” he said, grinning widely at her veiled suggestion. His Meghan was perfect in every way.

  “Certainly.”

  “So, tell me about the whiskey…” he teased, breathing in her ear and wincing. “And maybe we’ll get you a bath first, love.”

  “Only you could get away with saying that,” she grimaced, rolling her eyes.

  “Because I plan on washing your hair for you,” he promised tenderly, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. He would never let her go again and would always protect Meghan with everything in him.

  “Sounds like a plan, partner.”

  Epilogue

  “Jack, are you alright? You are looking a little nervous,” Meghan asked, glancing at her husband as they sat at the large table in the corner of the restaurant. She’d talked him into helping connect her family here in Texas – her sister, Bernadette… and in return, she invited his.

  Fallon and her husband, Rourke.

  She’d requested Jack reach out to Joker, but Jack flatly denied it.

  Joker was laying low and still after Espinoza. Until he was found, they were all in danger. The last message Jack had received two months ago was that Joker was on the move and a ‘plan was coming together’. That made both of them a little nervous. The man was a wild card, matching his name, with an eccentric streak to him that could be a little alarming at times… but often worked, according to Jack.

  Glancing up, she saw Fallon walk into the room followed by her husband.
The initial pang of jealously at seeing such a warm smile on the beautiful woman’s serene face didn’t make her feel anything but happiness for her husband. She was glad they had someone that truly cared in their lives. Instead, she felt included in the friendship.

  Meghan’s relationship was secure with her husband and it was like suddenly everything was coming together perfectly. He was such a tender and kind man, more than she ever realized. She loved that if she kissed him, touched him, or hinted at something more personal… he still gave a little laugh just before sighing in bliss. That little intimate chuckle between them had become her goal, each and every time she touched him. She couldn’t wait to tell him she was expecting a child, knowing Jack would become an emotional mess.

  Her sweet, tender, wonderful man.

  “Meghan! You are positively glowing! I’m so glad for you both,” Fallon cried happily, pulling her into her arms and hugging her. She felt a pang, wishing she’d felt so comfortable before meeting the woman who’d married Jack first.

  “Oh yes, we are terribly happy,” Meghan grinned mischievously. “Thank you for the annulment you gave him.”

  “You hear that, Rourke? She’s thanking me like you thanked Jack!” Fallon crowed happily, hugging Jack. Her husband’s tender gaze met Meghan’s and she smiled lovingly at him. She knew he was checking to see if she was alright with the show of affection between friends. Nodding slightly, she saw the look of relief and realized that this couple would be a part of their lives forever.

  Looking over her husband’s shoulder as he shook Rourke’s hand before hugging him and clapping him on the back, she saw Bernadette enter the dining room on the arms of a handsome man.

  “Bernie?” Meghan whispered, stunned and thrilled to her toes that her sister had seemed to also find someone she cared for. “Bernadette!”

  “Harrington, I see you’ve hung onto your agent as well,” Jack said with a knowing smile, looking at Meghan. She realized that her clever husband had known all along that her sister was part of the Pinkerton Agency.

  “Meghan! You look so lovely! What did father say of you leaving?”

  “I didn’t tell him,” Meghan confessed. “I wrote and told him we were both doing well and moving on with our lives – and that we would reach out soon. He hasn’t replied as of yet.”

  “I’m sure he is quite unhappy that we’ve paved our own path.”

  “Truthfully, he would be quite pleased to see you settled in with Park Harrington as they’d requested.”

  “And you?”

  “I didn’t have a beau of my own… giving me the freedom to find love all on my own,” Meghan reminded her. “May I introduce you to my husband, Jack Gaines.”

  “Ah yes,” Bernadette said wryly. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Mr. Gaines. I can say that I’m grateful that Park stepped forward to marry me instead.”

  “What?” Meghan asked, stunned.

  “Jack was sent to Texas to take on another agent and I wouldn’t let him marry my fiancée,” Park explained, looking down at Bernadette tenderly. Meghan’s eyes swung to Jack’s in confusion.

  “I was assigned to another new agent and Park stepped forward. There would have been another annulment in my future, sugar, because I could never care for another like I adore you,” Jack said tenderly, pulling her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles.

  “You requested another agent be sent down… and I arrived,” Meghan said, putting all the puzzle pieces together in her mind.

  “Exactly. Every obstacle between us was removed, and placed where it belonged, so that way we could be a couple someday,” Jack confirmed, wrapping his arm around Meghan’s waist proudly.

  “I believe that with all my heart.”

  “I don’t know that I would refer to my wife as an obstacle,” Park said with a slight smile, as Bernadette poked him gently and smiled.

  “No, ol’ Jack… I dinna like ye referrin’ ta my wee Wren as that either,” Rourke frowned heavily. Fallon laughed and rested her face on Rourke’s shoulder, snuggling up to him.

  “Everything has worked out perfectly for all of us and we couldn’t be more blessed in happiness,” Fallon said cheerfully.

  “Agreed. Let’s enjoy a fine meal together, as a family, in this new land full of new opportunities,” Meghan agreed. As they took their seats, it brought tears to her eyes to see everyone they cared for around them, talking, laughing, and sharing stories.

  “I wish Joker was here with us,” Jack whispered, leaning towards her. “The man’s like a brother to me and I hope he has a chance to meet someone someday who’s perfect for him, too. I love you, Meghan.”

  “I do too, my love. Joker is a good man.”

  “Are you okay, sugar? Your eyes are bright with tears,” Jack asked, kissing her softly on the cheek.

  “I’m fine, love… I’ll tell you later,” she promised, reaching over and patting him on the thigh under the table. Meghan burst out laughing as he quickly swallowed a chuckle and gave her a knowing look.

  An Agent for Fallon

  Til’ death do us part…

  Fallon Byrne was positive that her fiancé had used every excuse in the book to keep from marrying her. Biding her time patiently, she discovers that the Denver office will hire women as Pinkerton Agents – effectively cornering the man she’s loved for years into becoming her partner and her spouse!

  Rourke accepted a job offer of becoming a Pinkerton in the Chicago office while on the run from a looming threat back home. When his headstrong fiancée announced her intention of joining the ranks – he realizes that her destination could split them in two unless he agrees to head for Denver, working for Archibald Gordon.

  Can their love endure with demands that becoming an agent entails, or will upholding the law split them apart?

  An Agent for Clementine

  Grab it today on Kindle Unlimited!

  Hidden identities, an infamous robbery, and a sudden marriage make for one sweet & tender adventure!

  Clementine Fenton was betrothed for years to a man she’d never met, pushing off the nuptials for as long as possible. When her family goes behind her back and she discovers that her marriage is impending – she makes a break for it! Running away to join the Pinkerton Agency, she’d longed for a life of adventure and independence.

  Jericho Buchannan knew this day was coming and dreaded it with every fiber in his being – he was going to be shackled into a loveless marriage with a woman he’d never seen before. He was at the precipice of his new career as an agent, something his father couldn’t understand. Jericho knew his duty was to take over the family business, but yearned for a last hurrah before settling down.

  An Agent for Gillian

  Grab An Agent for Gillian- Click here!

  Two wrongs don’t make a right – or do they?

  Gillian Jameson had lost her world when her husband died. Alone, scared, and desperate for something to fill the emptiness in her soul- she turns to the Pinkerton Agency for help. What she never expected was to be married again, especially to a man like Cade Malone.

  Cade had a recklessness to him that was born of sheer desperation. His wife and child were gone. He was running from memories that haunted him with every breath and nightmares that plagued him each night. What he needed was a reason to go on- and it certainly wasn’t in the form of a new partner.

  Can two broken souls form a bond between them? Will seeing another person who is struggling to deal with the trauma in their lives be just the thing to help old wounds heal – or would falling for each other simply create another emotional scar that is just too great to bear?

  Joker’s Wild

  When the deck is stacked against you...

  Rosemary Weaver is keeping a secret that’s driving her away from everyone and everything she’s ever known. She needs protection, a place to hide, and a way to disappear from the men who are chasing her. When she hears of an outlandish opportunity to serve as a Pinkerton Agent in the wilds of Texas, it’
s the perfect solution — until she realizes her new husband will be the notorious quick-draw, known as the Joker.

  Agent Joaquin “Joker” Hillard knows what his peers say about him. They think he’s reckless, a prankster, wild, and unpredictable. But those are the very traits that make it no trouble to play along with an elaborate plan to capture a dangerous outlaw who’s managed to evade the authorities so far. He is highly intrigued at the opportunity to pick out a new partner via a mail-order bride company, that is, until he lays eyes on the stunning creature.

  How is he supposed to work with someone who appears as soft and gentle as Rosemary? Her plan to use herself as bait to draw out the criminal worries him, but her secret — once revealed — utterly terrifies him on behalf of her safety. Can these two turn the tables on a horrific enemy, or will this case require more than Rosemary’s wildcard of a husband can deliver?

  About the Author

  Ginny Sterling is a Texas transplant living in Kentucky. She spends her free time (Ha!) writing, quilting, and spending time with her husband and two children. Ginny can be reached on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or via email at GinnySterlingBooks@gmail.com

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  Copyright © 2020 by Ginny Sterling

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