doing?”
“I’m not taking any chances with you.” He secured the rope so her feet and hands were trussed behind her back.
“I promise I won’t–”
“Shut your mouth, kid, before I lose what little is left of my control and cram your teeth down your throat. Get some sleep. We ride hard tomorrow.”
Jonah collapsed down onto his bedroll. He couldn’t believe his own stupidity. How long had it been since he’d allowed someone to sneak past his defenses like that?
Years.
But Cade had those big, green eyes and he’d already been through hell. And the kid was just so scrawny, Jonah had doubted he could beat his way out of a grain sack. He’d felt sorry for him, wanted to take it easy on him. He’d let his guard down and in his arrogance, Jonah hadn’t believed the kid capable of putting one over on him.
Now he had a goose-egg the size of his boot heel on the back of his head for his foolishness. Who would have thought the kid had it in him, had the strength to pick up that piece of wood and not only give it a good swing, but hit anything with any measure of success? Well, he did hit something – Jonah’s head. Good thing it was harder than most. Jonah snorted. It would take more than a big stick to best him.
Maybe that was how Cade had overpowered Robert – taking him by surprise.
Five
CADENCE WOKE UP THE next morning to the chorus of every muscle…every bone, joint, tendon – and even her skin – screaming in agony. If it had a name, it was in pain. That late-night tumble into the sandy, gritty pit of hell called the Texas desert plain, combined with one big, heavy-as-a-boulder U.S. Marshal had come back to haunt her.
His face came into view, looming above hers and she was sorely tempted to spit in it. “I’m going to untie you,” he said, not looking the least bit sorry that he’d done it in the first place. “Take it slow before you move too much. You need to work the circulation back.”
When he reached toward her face, she flinched away from him. “You’ve got a few cuts there, on your cheek,” he said, gesturing with his hand.
He cut the ropes, then, and Cadence groaned as she flexed her fingers, and stretched her arms and legs. She forced herself into a sitting position. He was still crouched in front of her, knees wide. Without following his asinine advice, she swung her fist.
Her punch hit his jaw with a satisfying smack .
Jonah’s head turned to one side. He’d barely flinched. It hadn’t even knocked him to his finely molded ass as she’d hoped. Cadence cursed loudly, pulling her throbbing hand into herself, cradling it in self-pity. She should have kicked him between the legs, instead!
“I suppose I deserved that,” Jonah said mildly, and then stood up and walked away. He returned with a plate of cold rabbit meat, setting it in front of her. “Eat up. We head out in ten minutes.”
So much for the nicer side of Jonah Kincaid, Cadence thought sullenly, her shoulders sagging. At least he hadn’t killed her. She pushed the meat around the plate, picked up a piece, and placed it in her mouth. It tasted like sawdust, her appetite completely lost. Suddenly, a wave of despair settled heavily over her. She was unable to stop the tears as they flooded her eyes, spilling onto her cheeks.
Her situation was hopeless. Her attempt to escape had failed. It was only a matter of days before the moon was full and she would turn into the worst kind of hussy. And she was on her way back to New Orleans, where she would stand trial for murder…and probably hang.
Maybe it would have been easier for everyone if Jonah had just killed her. But no – what a selfish thing for her to even contemplate! She could not wish Jonah to become a murderer.
“Are you crying?”
Cadence stared at the pair of boots that appeared in her blurry line of vision. She noted vaguely how his shiny, silver spurs contrasted sharply with the scuffed leather. Damn him for always sneaking up on her like
“I’m not taking any chances with you.” He secured the rope so her feet and hands were trussed behind her back.
“I promise I won’t–”
“Shut your mouth, kid, before I lose what little is left of my control and cram your teeth down your throat. Get some sleep. We ride hard tomorrow.”
Jonah collapsed down onto his bedroll. He couldn’t believe his own stupidity. How long had it been since he’d allowed someone to sneak past his defenses like that?
Years.
But Cade had those big, green eyes and he’d already been through hell. And the kid was just so scrawny, Jonah had doubted he could beat his way out of a grain sack. He’d felt sorry for him, wanted to take it easy on him. He’d let his guard down and in his arrogance, Jonah hadn’t believed the kid capable of putting one over on him.
Now he had a goose-egg the size of his boot heel on the back of his head for his foolishness. Who would have thought the kid had it in him, had the strength to pick up that piece of wood and not only give it a good swing, but hit anything with any measure of success? Well, he did hit something – Jonah’s head. Good thing it was harder than most. Jonah snorted. It would take more than a big stick to best him.
Maybe that was how Cade had overpowered Robert – taking him by surprise.
Five
CADENCE WOKE UP THE next morning to the chorus of every muscle…every bone, joint, tendon – and even her skin – screaming in agony. If it had a name, it was in pain. That late-night tumble into the sandy, gritty pit of hell called the Texas desert plain, combined with one big, heavy-as-a-boulder U.S. Marshal had come back to haunt her.
His face came into view, looming above hers and she was sorely tempted to spit in it. “I’m going to untie you,” he said, not looking the least bit sorry that he’d done it in the first place. “Take it slow before you move too much. You need to work the circulation back.”
When he reached toward her face, she flinched away from him. “You’ve got a few cuts there, on your cheek,” he said, gesturing with his hand.
He cut the ropes, then, and Cadence groaned as she flexed her fingers, and stretched her arms and legs. She forced herself into a sitting position. He was still crouched in front of her, knees wide. Without following his asinine advice, she swung her fist.
Her punch hit his jaw with a satisfying smack .
Jonah’s head turned to one side. He’d barely flinched. It hadn’t even knocked him to his finely molded ass as she’d hoped. Cadence cursed loudly, pulling her throbbing hand into herself, cradling it in self-pity. She should have kicked him between the legs, instead!
“I suppose I deserved that,” Jonah said mildly, and then stood up and walked away. He returned with a plate of cold rabbit meat, setting it in front of her. “Eat up. We head out in ten minutes.”
So much for the nicer side of Jonah Kincaid, Cadence thought sullenly, her shoulders sagging. At least he hadn’t killed her. She pushed the meat around the plate, picked up a piece, and placed it in her mouth. It tasted like sawdust, her appetite completely lost. Suddenly, a wave of despair settled heavily over her. She was unable to stop the tears as they flooded her eyes, spilling onto her cheeks.
Her situation was hopeless. Her attempt to escape had failed. It was only a matter of days before the moon was full and she would turn into the worst kind of hussy. And she was on her way back to New Orleans, where she would stand trial for murder…and probably hang.
Maybe it would have been easier for everyone if Jonah had just killed her. But no – what a selfish thing for her to even contemplate! She could not wish Jonah to become a murderer.
“Are you crying?”
Cadence stared at the pair of boots that appeared in her blurry line of vision. She noted vaguely how his shiny, silver spurs contrasted sharply with the scuffed leather. Damn him for always sneaking up on her like
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