MATTIE
She should have been suspicious when she saw the horse was saddled and waiting for her, but she just thought that her men sent her a ride. She should have been suspicious when he called her Miss Byrne, but she wasn’t used to her married name yet.
Thirty minutes out of Bridgewater, the truth came out.
It was a trap and she’d fallen for it.
Frank came riding toward her and she was terrified. She turned her horse and kicked the sides to race back to Bridgewater, but he had too much of a head start on her. Riding up beside her, he grabbed the bridle of her horse and pulled him to a stop.
“Hello, Mattie. Where is your husband?”
She glanced around for the boy who had brought her the note and saw him riding off at a fast pace in the distance. She’d been tricked.
Sometimes it was better not to say anything. So she just stared at him.
“They have the town quite stirred up over some dead cows.”
That had been her idea and somehow it seemed to have come back to haunt her. Her men were away in town and she’d fallen for a fake note. How stupid could she be and now Jesse and Alex would be so angry at her for disobeying them.
“Is mother all right?”
“Your mother died hours after you left. She’s already in the ground.”
Pain stabbed her heart and tears welled up in her eyes. Her mother had died alone and she didn’t deserve that.
“Oh, don’t get all teary eyed. Papa said no one heard her screams. She went peacefully with a pillow over her head.”
Dear God, they had killed her. She should never have left her. While she knew Edward and Frank were heartless, she never believed they would murder her mother.
“You bastard,” she said glaring at him. “She was dying. Why couldn’t you let her die in peace?”
Frank’s face took on an ugly scowl and he glared at her, though lust lurked in the shadows of his eyes. He’d always wanted her and now she understand what he wanted to do to her. Now she understood that she would die rather than let him touch her the way her men did.
“Because the bitch gave you away to total strangers. But don’t worry, I’m here to rescue you from a depraved life of horror. Of course, Papa is working on getting your husbands killed right now, so don’t be looking for them to come rescue you anytime soon. Because they’re going to be in the same grave he dug for your mother.”
A sob escaped from Mattie. Somehow she had to hold onto hope that her big, strong men were capable of taking care of themselves. That they had not walked into a trap like she had. Somehow she had to kill Frank.
“Come on, let’s get going. We’re going back to the house where you belong. You’re not going anywhere, unless you, too, want to join the dead in the graveyard in the back. I bet we could find a spot for you there. But first, we have to marry.”
So basically, the man was already telling her that after they wed, she’d be as good as dead. What better way to spend her inheritance than without her objections? It was a decent plan as long as they killed Alex and Jesse.
But her men were strong and she trusted them to find her. They had promised to protect her, and right now, she was needing their protection.
The sun was on a slow descent in the western sky and she knew that if they didn’t find her before dark, she would be in serious trouble.
Frank took her reins and tied them to his saddle horn. “Can’t have you getting away.”
He turned his horse and hers followed his as they began to trot back across the meadows taking her farther and farther from Bridgewater. Taking her farther from the life she had come to love.
Please, she prayed, let Alex and Jesse realize that something is wrong. Let her pleas spread across the universe to them.
Tears ran down her cheeks and she reached up and swiped them away. When Frank wasn’t looking, she went through the saddle bags, looking for a weapon, anything to maim him.
“You know, sweetheart, I’m sure you’re no longer a virgin. I’ve heard terrible stories about Bridgewater. Did they share you with other men? I’ve heard they trade women like they barter for cattle.”
“Shut up, Frank. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, so you liked it then. I’ll have to remember that.”
Whatever she said to him would only be used against her. She had to look for any kind of chance to escape.
“You know I’m tempted to stop and take you right here. Just the two of us. No one to interfere with me taking what’s mine. They were wrong to interrupt us. I know you were just waiting to feel my cock up your young pussy.”
If only she could keep from hearing his horrible words. It was then she remembered how much he hated hearing anyone sing. She began to hum a song, she knew. Then the words formed and she began to sing.
“Shut up, Mattie. You know I don’t like music.”
She kept singing, knowing she had to push him to the edge before she could get him to stop.
“Mattie, I’m only going to ask you one more time.”
“I’ll stop singing if you’ll stop talking about fucking me. Because I’d rather die than feel your cock in me. My husband is on his way even now to find and rescue me from you again. Only this time, he’s not going to be as gentle.”
She began to sing once again. Anything to keep him from talking about how he planned on taking her.
“All right, I won’t say anything else about what I have planned for you. But know this, I will use you, marry you, and then my father can get his hands on your inheritance.”
“Oh, you’re not going to get any of my money?”
There was silence.
“Seems to me, you’re the one who is planning on marrying me. It should all be yours and not your father’s. You never could stand up to your father. Always willing to do his bidding, whether it was in your interest or not.”
There was silence.
“Just shut up, Mattie. We have another hour before we’re home. Be thinking about all the ways I’m going to fuck you.”
As the scenery rolled by, all she could think about was how she would retaliate for her mother’s murder. How she would fight Frank.
And if he killed her men, she would kill him. Because there was no way that Frank and Edward were going to win. She had found happiness and she would not let them destroy it.