“I am not going to go and see my father, Sid. Please give it up. I don’t know what lies he told you, but I was not jilted. I crawled out of an upstairs window and down a tree because he locked me in my room, intending to starve me until I agreed to marry the man he choose. He sent the law after me, claiming I stole the horse that I bought with my own money. He also claimed I was a runaway, underage, and he insisted they bring me home. Fortunately for me, I had the bill of sale for my horse and my birth certificate. I am twenty-two years of age, a hopeless old maid in my father’s eyes. He is trying to sell me because my virginity has a high price. The man he picked couldn’t find a woman back east who would have him… and I won’t have him, either.”
“Your father told me you would say something of that sort, and he assured me that none of it is true. He wants you to come home, Serenity, and I am going to take you to him.”
“No. I won’t go.” She got up and laid out her bedroll, climbing inside and wrapping the blanket around her. It wasn’t long before she was sound asleep.
Sid got his blanket roll and bedded down just far enough away from her that he could keep an eye on her; he was positive he would wake instantly if she so much as moved.
Serenity waited until the big man was sound asleep, and not just pretending to be asleep. She knew that trick and often used it herself. She waited until she was positive he wasn’t faking the snores, and then she sat up, to see if he would react in any way. He didn’t. Serenity quickly rolled her blankets and saddled Fire, leading him away from the camp before mounting and riding away. With any luck, she had at least a four hour head start; three, if he was an early riser.
*****
“We need to get word to Miss Serenity,” the Mayor of Lakewood said quietly. “Vaughn and Victor Troyer have killed two sheriffs in less than a week! And Victor has done nothing but threaten to kill Miss Serenity for shooting Vincent, and look what he did to Myrna! She’s more dead than alive, and Doc don’t know if he can save her!”
“We got to wire that Sid Prentiss, too, Pa. He’s the one who shot down Vaughn before he could kill Miss Serenity. They both need to know he’s out there running loose and lookin’ for them!”
“You go and take care of the wires, John. I’ve got to start searching for another sheriff. I can’t believe this!” The mayor shook his head as John ran to do his father’s bidding. John offered to pin on the badge, but the mayor was against it. He didn’t want his boy killed trying to uphold the law. Lately it seemed to be a very dangerous job!
*****
“Where’s Miss Serenity?” Bart asked, waking Sid.
Sid sat up and immediately looked to where the redhead had put her blankets last night, only to discover that she’d risen without him knowing it. Her stallion was missing, too, which meant she lit out on her own one more damn time! He was disgusted with himself. If not for that headache and concussion, he never would have slept so soundly.
“Do you want me to help you find her, Sid?” Bart offered, frowning.
“You have your hands full right here with your wife and baby to take care of, Bart. I’ll find Serenity,” he promised.
“You might as well eat something before you ride out after her.” Bart put on a pot of coffee, then blurted, “It just don’t seem right for her to keep on runnin’ from you, especially after the way she was cuddling up to you last evening.”
“She doesn’t want to go home to see her father.”
“Maybe you should listen to her. I mean really listen to what she’s not tellin’ you. Miss Serenity is a good woman, and if her Pa was a good sort, she wouldn’t feel the way she does about him,” Bart reasoned.
“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” Sid admitted. “You might be on to something, Bart.”
“She just don’t seem the sort to run away from her troubles.”
“She keeps running from me,” Sid growled.
“You keep tellin’ her that you’re gonna take her to her father. If she was a selfish girl who only thinks of herself, she’d shoot you with that gun she wears. She knows how to use it, Sid. Once I heard her full name, I knowed she is that female bounty hunter that folks around these parts talk about. She has a reputation for dealin’ harsh with criminals.” He looked up at Sid. “She keeps runnin’ to keep from having to shoot you.”
Sid frowned, deep in thought. When the coffee was ready he helped himself. It was good and just what he needed.
*****
The morning air was chilly and Serenity stopped to build a fire and put on a pot of coffee to warm her hands and her insides. She was also hungry, so she put some bacon on to fry, and opened some beans to add to the skillet. Later today she would get a good meal from the restaurant in Hidden Tree. Julie Stiles owned the restaurant, and her cooking was always good; but Serenity had an entire day of riding before she arrived at her destination. She enjoyed her coffee and her breakfast, and then made sure the fire was completely out before she rode on. It wouldn’t do for Sid Prentiss to catch up with her while they were out in the open. She knew for an absolute fact that he would have her hide if he got his hands on her and there was no one around to protest or make him stop! She didn’t need that, and there would be no way of stopping him short of shooting him, and she just couldn’t do that to the man. It wasn’t his fault that her father was such a convincing liar. Or that he offered him so much money he couldn’t resist taking the job. She knew her father well.
She rode for another hour before she sensed trouble. A shot rang out, and Serenity hit the ground.
*****
Sid told Bart to keep his rifle handy, and reminded him not to trust strangers until he had time to judge their intentions. Bart promptly reminded him that he’d kept him at bay for more than an hour when he first approached. Sid chuckled at that, but warned, “There are some bad people out here, Bart. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for trouble. You have a lovely family,” he reminded the kid, nodding toward Tilda and baby Cathy who was nestled in her Mama’s arms.
He then rode out, following Serenity’s trail. He was pretty sure she couldn’t have ridden very far in the dark, at least not without the danger of Fire stepping into a hole, and he was positive she would never put her stallion at risk. Sid was sure he could catch up with her, hopefully before the sun was too high. She had to be heading for Hidden Tree, and that was just fine with him. There was a restaurant there that served great food. Julie Stiles made the best biscuits he’d ever eaten, and her fried chicken was perfect. Yes, he hoped that Serenity was going in that direction.
He rode at a steady pace, hoping that Serenity had stopped to rest and he could overtake her. He suddenly heard gunshots and he had to force himself to slow down and assess the situation before he charged in and got himself killed. He drew his gun, and then proceeded on foot. He spotted Fire up ahead; the horse was standing protectively over his mistress. Sid was terrified that Serenity had been shot, and he scanned the area, looking for her shooter. He heard hoof beats, and then saw a horse riding hard in the opposite direction. It was too far for Sid to make out the man’s identity, but he vowed he was going to track him and bring him to justice for harming the little redhead.
Sid was gentle as he rolled Serenity over. There was no sign of obvious injury; and then he was suddenly looking into the barrel of her gun. She had one lightning fast draw!
“Sid! Where did you come from?” she asked, promptly holstering her weapon. “Someone shot at me, and I thought you were him!”
“Are you hurt?” he asked, unable to fault her for trying to protect herself.
“No, just a bit shook up,” she admitted, and didn’t resist when he lifted her to hold her close. She suddenly felt so safe and loved, which was ridiculous. Sid certainly didn’t love her! But, he made her feel so special when he held her tight, like he was doing right now.
“I was scared out of my mind when I saw you lying so still, Serenity. I saw the shooter ride off, but he wasn’t close enough for me to know who he was. Thank God you aren’t hurt!” He shocked himself when he found himself kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that!” he quickly apologized; but to his surprise, she put her arms around the back of his head and pulled him down so that she could kiss his lips. He gathered her even closer and kissed her back. Her lips were so sweet and willing, and he felt himself growing hard as he kissed her over and over.
Serenity was shocked at how his kisses affected her. Her body was trembling with need, and she wasn’t some naïve little girl who didn’t understand what a man and woman did together in bed. But she hadn’t experienced those feelings before, and she instinctively knew that she desired Sid Prentiss!
“We have to stop this, honey.”
“Why?” she asked, insulted.
“Because I refuse to take you right here on the trail. What kind of man uses a woman in that manner? Your first time should be in a proper bed, in a room with a door, and not someplace where anyone could happen by. I won’t shame you like that.”
“All right, I understand now. I thought you didn’t want me!” she expressed her feelings.
“I want you, honey. Believe me, that isn’t the problem, but I owe you better. You are a lady in spite of those pants you persist in wearing,” he was teasing her just a bit, and she looked a little less upset with him. “We need to get to Hidden Tree and see if we can figure out who was trying to kill you.”
“It was probably some outlaw who wanted to steal whatever I had, or maybe my Fire,” she added.
“Could be, but you know that bounty hunters make enemies. Keep your eyes and ears open, and I’ll do the same.”
Serenity didn’t argue. She mounted and headed Fire in the direction of Hidden Tree. “How do you always know where I am heading?” It was obvious she was exasperated at the very idea.
He chuckled in pure amusement. “How is it you always know where bounties are headed?” he asked her in return, and then chuckled again when she blushed. He suddenly turned serious. “Do you really have a birth certificate that isn’t faked?” he asked.
“Yes, I do,” she promptly answered, and two seconds later she produced it.
After looking it over, he realized it was real as could be and that Serenity was old enough she did not have to go home to her father unless she wanted to. If he made her, she could have him arrested for kidnapping. “Your father said you are only sixteen.”
“Yes,” she sighed. “He’s wrong, and thank the Lord I had the sense to grab my birth certificate when I left… and the bill of sale for Fire. I bought him as a colt and raised and trained him myself,” she said proudly. Then she looked at him with troubled green eyes. “Where do we go for now on, Sid? Do you believe me, or are we going to keep playing cat and mouse until one of us decides the other is a nuisance and does something about it?”
“I don’t know what game your father is playing, but I’m on your side now, honey.” He was going to protect her and keep her safe, and he would do whatever it took to make that happen. Sid suspected he was already half in love with Serenity. “What we have to do now is find out who is trying to kill you.”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t ever had someone take a pot shot at you, Sid! It goes with the reputation,” she insisted.
“Bounty hunting is too dangerous for a little girl like you to be doing, Serenity,” he said so seriously, that it made her look at him in surprise.
“Sid, you sound like you really care!”
“I do care, damn it, and if I catch you going after any more outlaws, I’m going to put you over my knee and spank you until you don’t have a butt left!”
“Bounty hunting is what I do,” she argued.
“Not anymore,” he growled.
“Oh really? And just what do you propose I do for a living? Work upstairs in a saloon?”
“Hell no, and I’d better not catch you inside those places, either.”
“This may come as a surprise to you, Mister, but you don’t have the right to tell me what I can and can’t do!” She nudged Fire and took off, anxious to get away from the aggravating man.
“Come back here, Serenity!” Sid roared, giving chase. “This time I really am going to cut a switch!” She didn’t respond, just leaned forward over Fire’s neck and urged him to go even faster! “Damn it!” Sid growled. “Come on, Hardhead; we need to catch that fool woman before she breaks her neck!”
Serenity knew that she was going to have to outsmart the man if she hoped to escape him. If he tried again to tell her what she could and couldn’t do, she was going to lose her temper! The problem was that she’d been too damn patient with the man! Her mind was so occupied in getting away from Sid that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, and she ran right smack into a band of Comanche braves! At least she now knew who’d tried to shoot her a while ago. They had taken Victor Troyer captive too!
*****
The little brat gave him the slip! Sid couldn’t believe it, but she had. Somewhere she’d taken a swift turn off the traveled road, and she was probably laughing herself silly at him! Serenity Compton needed her bare backside set on fire! And once he’d whaled the tarnation out of her, they were going to have a serious talk. He didn’t know why he felt so protective of Serenity, but he did. In fact, he couldn’t stand it when she was out of his sight. Sid was pretty darn sure he was falling in love with Serenity. When she kissed him, he felt something beyond a physical reaction. He felt as though she belonged with him. And his need to keep her safe from harm is what had prompted her to run from him once again. The problem was that he hadn’t told her that he was falling in love with her, and that he hadn’t paddled her sweet butt. That was one little detail he was going to take care of just as soon as he found her and could get her alone. He wasn’t going to humiliate her by putting her over his knee in public, not like he had in the general store in Beaumont. No, he wouldn’t permit her to goad his temper again. Once that detail was taken care of, he was going to make her tell him more about her father. He believed Serenity when she told him that she was innocent of all the things Harrison Compton claimed. She certainly didn’t behave like a woman suffering from a broken heart, and it was more than obvious that she could take care of herself.
Sid finally found the spot where she had veered off the road, and he also found the spot where she ran into a bunch of unshod ponies. The Comanche had her! He felt his heart lurch in fear, and he didn’t care what the odds were, he had to find Serenity and rescue her. It didn’t take him long to get close enough that he could hear screams. He was going to kill every last one of them!
*****
Serenity did her best to keep her expression calm and not show the fear that was growing inside her. The Comanche braves seemed very angry, and unless she was very wrong, they seemed to be of three generations. There was an older man, a man of middle age, and three younger men, one of whom couldn’t have been over fourteen years of age. One of the younger men peeled another slice of skin from Victor and he screamed. The man laughed. “Did my sister scream, white devil?” another of the young men asked in English.
“I don’t know your sister! You have the wrong man!” Victor gasped, trying to convince them.
“You lie!” the eldest man claimed, nodding at the younger man to continue the torture. Victor screamed again and again.
Serenity felt cold inside. She wondered if Sid was trying to find her, and she prayed that he was! She couldn’t bear it if they touched her and forced themselves on her body, and she knew that she wouldn’t go with them willingly if they thought to make a slave of her. Her only hope of escape was Sid Prentiss, and she silently begged him to come before it was too late.