Her chin lifted proudly, she looked him square in the eye. “I do. I won’t disobey you.” But she was hurt. He could see it in the way she pulled back from him and wouldn’t hold his gaze. “No need to worry,Daddy.I’ll do what you say.”
The barb stung more than he cared to admit.
Damn it all to hell. Didn’t matter if she was hurt. What did he care if she was upset by his crass words? Shewasa spoiled little princess. If she wasn’t, he wouldn’t have had to take her across his lap to spank the brat out of her. He turned from her, yanking her hand so that she had to trot to keep up with him. When they got back to others, no one was ready yet.
“I told you to be done when I got back here,” he growled at Junior, who was still tying up the bedrolls.
“Yes, sir,” Junior said, looking at Cole curiously as he stormed past.
“You ready to ride?” Cole said sharply to Justice, who merely lifted his brows and nodded in silence. “I said be ready when we got back,” Cole spit out. Justice glared in return.
Cole lifted Aida up on the saddle, before he swung up behind her. “Let’s go, boys.”
He dug his spurs into his horse’s flanks and took off at a gallop. The others could catch up.
* * *
They circled the nondescript town as night fell, each pulling their horses up to Cole’s lead in silence. Aida watched everything, taking in each detail. She tried to piece together what she’d learned. Lawson’s was a stop along the way, but a crucial one. Monty rode up to Cole, and though he whispered, Aida heard every word.
“Sheriff’s likely three sheets to the wind by now,” Monty said in Cole’s ear. “Once he’s down, the rest is child’s play.”
“Of course,” Cole said. “I know.” Aida knew by now their identities could be revealed at any moment. All it would take would be one person noticing Monty’s scar, or Cole’s dark eyes from a ‘Wanted’ poster, and their plans would be shot. If only she could get far enough from Cole to get to someone… but as the wheels turned, Monty’s eyes focused on her.
Monty looked at Aida’s hands around Cole’s waist. “You’re sweet on her, aren’t you?” he asked Cole with undisguised contempt. Aida felt her heart flutter. Sweet on her. Cole wasn’t sweet on her. He hated her. Hated that she was spoiled and wealthy. He wouldn’t have whipped her, taken her from her home, and spoken with such contempt for her if he didn’t find her repulsive.
“Course not,” Cole bit out. “I told you she’s my captive. I need her close so she doesn’t give us away.” Even though Aida expected as much, her belly twisted. It still hurt to hear it.
“Yeah, I heard you,” Monty continued. “And I well know there’s likely a pretty price on her head in Litchfield,” he said, as he spat a stream of brown on the ground. “So you’re carryin’ her to earn that prize, but you’re fallin’ for her.”
“Fuck you,” Cole hissed and Monty’s face spread into a leer.
“No, Cole,” Monty whispered. He spurred his horse to walk within inches of Cole. “Fuck her. You know who I am. We meet up with Pearson soon. And you know Pearson makes me look like a saint. You fuck her, or Pearson’ll be haulin’ her by the hair to his own fucking chambers.”
Cole looked sharply at Monty. “Pearson?”
Monty merely pursed his lips and nodded. Aida’s heart stuttered so that she could hardly think, see, or even feel, as Monty pulled ahead of Cole. “I’d just as soon shoot her as look at her,” he said. “But if you let our plans go to hell because Pearson can’t keep his cock in his pants, I’ll kill you.” Monty’s eyes raked over Aida, and she pulled closer to Cole as Monty trotted away.
Cole swore vehemently, before turning to her. “Whatever happens next,” he said in a low growl. “Whatever happens next, you do whatever you can to trust me. I was a bastard earlier by the creek, but I’m tellin’ you now, Aida, it’ll get worse tonight. Just listen to what I tell you.”
Aida felt frozen in place, both Monty’s and Cole’s words filling her with fright.
Fuck her.
Her heart thundered in her chest as they stealthily trotted their horses up to a back door of a saloon. When they arrived, the door swung open, and an older man with graying hair and shrewd, calculating eyes gestured for them to come in.
“Let my men water your horses,” the man said, “and come on in.”
Cole swung down from his horse, then lifted Aida, as the man’s eyes went to him.
“Cole, you’ve got yourself a girl?” the man asked with surprise. Aida wondered why he was surprised. Was it because Cole wasn’t the type to have a girl? Or that he’d take her traveling with him? In any event, her sense of foreboding increased, and her heart twisted at Cole’s words.
“Not my girl,” Cole said. “Can’t talk about it, Lawson. That said, tonight, no ladies for me. I need rest, and the girl will warm my bed.”
Lawson nodded and gestured for them to come in. Each quietly dismounted, Junior and Justice seeing to the horses with Lawson’s men as Cole traipsed into Lawson’s back door. Cole stiffened when he entered the room, and to Aida’s surprise, he put a protective hand on her arm. His eyes had darkened, his jaw clenched.
At the table sat a tall, lanky man. His hair was a nondescript brown, his eyes muddy and unfocused. He had several empty shot glasses on the table. Aida felt as if she were a specimen on display when the man’s eyes roved over her.
“Pearson,” Cole said with a nod.