Knowing not to press Jesse, Alex rode on for several minutes, enjoying the rugged splendor of the Montana mountains. Maybe after getting home and settling in, he’d approach the subject again.
Two voices raised in anger came from a distance.
"Did you hear that?” Alex thought he heard two people arguing. Long ago, he had learned Jesse's hearing was more finely attuned than his.
"What?" Jesse turned his head.
Suddenly a scream echoed nearby. A female’s scream. They shared a quick look filled with concern.
"Someone's in trouble," he said. What the fuck was a female doing out here? Almost in perfect unison, they charged, leaving the road and galloping toward the crying.
When they reached the top of a small knoll, Alex saw a woman and man struggling below them. His hand was on the bodice of her dress as he tried to tug it down. To him, it looked as if the man was forcing himself upon her.
Obviously, his advances were not wanted as the woman kicked and clawed trying to get away. Alone, he would succeed. But not with the two of them here. The fucker would learn to fight someone his own size.
They raced toward the fighting couple. Leaning to the side of his saddle as he reached the bastard, Jesse jumped off his horse and landed on the back of the man, who had pulled back his fist. Another second and the asshole would have hurt the beautiful blonde.
Alex felt his fists tighten and longed to show the man justice.
Twirling the man around, Jesse pounded him in the face, sending the miscreant staggering back. He was a few inches smaller, many pounds lighter. Still, it was a fair fight and he would know what it was like when the fight was more evenly matched. He would lose against Jesse.
Then I’d have my turn to pound his face.
"You don't ever hit a woman," Jesse said on a snarl and rammed his fist into the man's face again. The sound of the man’s nose breaking made Alex grin.
All the memories of Sarah came rushing back and he had to fight the bottled-up rage. Instead he turned his attention on the woman.
"Are you all right?" Alex asked her, climbing down from his mare. Holy fuck, it seemed that Jesse might’ve been right. The true woman happened to just come along, and she needed their help. A sense of
rightful peace slammed into Alex as he approached the woman.
A gorgeous blonde stood to the side trembling, watching the men fight. The blue of her muslin dress accentuated her sapphire eyes, and the fit hugged her full figure and trim waist. Long pale curls hung down her back and the image of her hair draping around his cock making a curtain as she sucked him had his heart pounding in his chest.
Her full breasts were just the right size to fit in a man’s hands and her wide hips were perfect for riding his cock. When her blue eyes turned and gazed at Alex, he thought of how they would look filled with passion as he made her his.
Like he was approaching a frightened filly, Alex moved slowly. Who knew what the fucker had done to her before they intervened? The woman clutched the front of her dress, crying.
She shook her head and sobbed. The urge to wrap his arms around her and protect her almost overwhelmed him, but he feared she would bolt down the hill.
"He's trying to ruin me, so I'll marry him,” she said with a little sob. “I’ll never marry him.”
Her whole body shook. Tears streamed down her face. Unable to resist, Alex reached out and wiped the tears from her cheeks, her skin soft as silk. The sweet perfume of lilacs floated over him, and he had to curb the urge to comfort her further for fear of scaring her. He and Jesse were big men, her size diminutive with her standing before him.
She should feel safe with them, nothing more. He would see to it that she understood they would defend her.
"Shh, you're safe," he said. "Do you know this man?"
She took gulps of air to calm herself. Nodding, her loose curls bobbed. "Yes, he's my stepbrother."
Stepbrother? Who the fuck tried to rape kin? This asshole was the lowest of the low. He deserved every one of Jesse’s hard strikes and then some.
The man reached for his gun, and Jesse yanked the Colt 45 from his hand and shoved him, sending him sprawling to the ground. He loomed over the asshole in the dirt, breathing hard, blood streaming from his nose.
"She's my fiancée,” he said, gazing up at Jesse who Alex could see was struggling to regain control of his emotions. The fucker on the ground had evil intent in his gaze. Alex was sure it was from their intervention.
No man ever got away with hurting a woman around Jesse. Or him. But right now, all Alex could think about was the woman standing before him. As he watched her shake her head vigorously in denial, he imagined how she would sound crying out his name in pleasure.
"Is this true?” Alex asked, speaking in a soft voice like he would to a skittish mare. He had to make certain the man’s claims were not factual.