Demanding Satisfaction [Bride Train 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (41 page)

“Mrs. Frost?” She nodded. “I’ll let Mrs. McLeod explain, but the short answer is, yes.”

Gabe caught her before she hit the floor. She curled into his chest, weeping silently. Oz bounced on his toes. His fists were curled and his jaw tight.

“Mr. Cutler, rest assured that your partner gave him that punch you wish you could throw.”

“It’s Oz,” he replied, not at all upset at being caught. “Maybe I’ll have to take you on instead.” He cocked his head as Sophie hurried back into the room. “Since Sophie doesn’t have a father or brother to protect her.”

As soon as Sophie came close enough, Josh curled his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She squawked, but he gave her a quelling look. She flushed and bit her lip, then smiled brilliantly and leaned against him.

“Lily, my dear,” asked the judge, though he stared at Josh as if he was about to sentence him for murder, “how long will it take you to throw together a wedding breakfast?”

Josh’s heart sped up at the challenge. For that was what it was, the old wolf stating the rules of his pack. Josh could either bow down and live in peace, fight the old man, or leave.

“Sophie has already agreed to be my wife,” he said to the silent room. The women squealed and rushed forward. He was pushed out of the way as they circled around her. Sophie turned to her friends, and he backed away.

“I’ll wait to marry you two until your brothers get here, of course,” said Thatcher. Josh found him at his side. The man had the same piercing sense of intelligence and cunning as Allan Pinkerton.

“There’s a bit of a problem with that,” said Josh. “I work for the Pinkerton Detective Agency and Max has this idea none of us can marry until we formally resign. But I’m not going to leave the woman I love alone without my ring on her finger.”

A small hand grasped his arm. He hadn’t realized Sophie was at his elbow. He looked into her pink, shining face. He saw the love that he’d never thought to find.

“Oh, Josh,” she murmured.

Hearing the love in her voice, he had to respond. He bent her over his arm and, to the hoots and cheers of the crowd, thoroughly kissed her. She returned it with equal enthusiasm.

“Sophie will be enjoying our hospitality until the wedding,” declared Lily when they came up for air. He felt like a shock of cold water had been thrown over him.

“Pardon me?”

She lifted a prim eyebrow. “I will not sit by and let her virtue be compromised. You may sleep in Sophie’s bed near the kitchen if she allows, but she will not share it with you until my husband marries you.”

Lily had sent Sophie to work in a saloon in wide-open Bannack City, knowing she might be forced to work as a whore, and now she was going to keep his woman from him? Lily narrowed her eyes. Judge Thatcher did the same. All day he’d been thinking of what he would do when Sophie was relaxed in her own bed. That was obviously not going to happen. They shouldn’t have snuck away without telling Max and Sam. Who knew how long it would be before his brothers arrived and they could marry. From the determined set to Lily’s chin, it was not going to happen until the whole family was together. He groaned his frustration.

“You’re lucky,” drawled an aristocratic English voice. “Ace Langford,” he said, identifying himself. “I had seven guns, numerous knives, and a claymore aimed at my throat when I was forced to propose to Jessie. Luckily, I wanted her.”

Unlike her brothers, Jessie was maybe five foot one. She handed her baby to the wiry man beside her and poked Ace in the belly, hard. “You only wanted me because I was better at ranching,” she grumbled. “And I only agreed to marry you so I could get my horse back. Otherwise”—she turned and glared at two men who must be the last two Elliott brothers, Jack and Patrick—“I would have enjoyed myself thoroughly without the benefit of marriage.”

Josh had heard that only Sin could quell Jessie when she got riled. Since the man was in Bannack City, she had a free rein. He imagined the fiery woman going head-to-head with Sin, who was six foot six. He took another look around the room. Every female stood with a straight back, even if their heads barely reached their husbands’ shoulders. A closer look showed one woman who didn’t fit the mold. A half-bald man stood by her side. A stripling boy, who must be the man’s son, flanked her other side. But though she trembled, she met his eye boldly, almost defiantly. He nodded and she returned it gravely. Something bad had happened to this woman, but she was well on the way to overcoming it. Sarah’s eyes were swollen and red, but she was once more on her own feet.

Josh gave Sophie a squeeze. His cock had hardened with that kiss, but he was under control again. If this was the way the river was running, then he’d go with the flow. She might already be carrying their child. He shook away thoughts of a baby. He had far too much on his plate already. But they’d been doing everything possible, day and night, to create a child.

“I’d be honored to have you conduct our wedding ceremony,” said Josh formally.

“Welcome to Tanner’s Ford, son,” said Judge Thatcher. He shook Josh’s hand, pressing just enough, and then looked around the room. “Well? Aren’t you women going to rush off and plan Sophie’s wedding?”

“Whoa,” interrupted Sheriff Barstow. “You ladies can git, but I ain’t going nowhere until I hear about this Isaac galoot.”

Josh heard the folksy words but, having met the man, knew he was no backwoods, small-town sheriff.

The room went silent except for the soft sounds of babies. Josh nudged Sophie. “It’s your story to tell, baby,” he whispered. “I’ll be right here beside you.” He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. She squeezed back, cleared her throat, and took a breath.

“I’m afraid this may be a shock, as we all know him. It was that newspaperman, Buford Hames, who—”

Roars of fury sent the babies to wailing. There were only four that he could see, but it was enough. Husbands settled flustered wives in chairs while glaring at Josh as if their upset was his fault. He waited patiently, silently supporting Sophie.

When the pandemonium had cleared, only the men were standing.

Sophie held up her hand. The group slowly quieted, though Josh caught rumbled threats muttered between the men.

“I don’t know if Lily said anything, but I put myself out as bait to catch Mr. Hames.”

“You did what!” Thatcher glared at Lily. “You put Sophie up to that, and didn’t even speak to me about it?”

“It worked, Ambrose,” Lily replied, grinding the words out between her teeth. “Now calm down and let Sophie tell the rest of the story.”

“We’ll be having words later, woman!”

Lily’s cheeks turned pink at the threat, though her eyes shined. Josh made sure Sophie stood in front of him, blocking certain parts. He had a good idea what the older judge would be doing to his wife. The same thing Josh wanted to do right now. Paddle her ass, kiss her silly, then plow her pussy until she screamed.

“I had help,” continued Sophie. “Tess, a woman who worked at the saloon, left a poker heating in a brazier. When Mr. Isaac came in, he wore a leather mask. I grabbed the poker and jabbed it at his face. It slid down the smooth leather to his cheek, then dug in.” Her smile blossomed. “Hames now has a deep burn, one that won’t ever fade.”

“What else happened?” demanded Beth. “What did our husbands do to help?”

Sophie tilted her head up to Josh. “You tell them. I wasn’t there.”

“Ranger and Sin started a fight in the saloon to take attention away from—”

“Naw, that’s not it,” interrupted Patrick, grinning. “They’ve been wanting a reason to go at each other for months now. I wished I’d seen it! Who won?”

“It was interrupted,” said Josh. He returned the grin. “I figure they’ll both boast of beating the other.”

“Oh, no,” groaned Jessie. “That means they’ll have to do it again!”

Josh got the impression she was eager to watch rather than upset.

“When Sophie and I left this morning, Hames was in jail.” Josh wouldn’t say anything about the other crooks except to the sheriff and judge. He didn’t want anything getting back to the Jennets before his brothers hauled them to justice.

“It’s over?” asked Molly.

“Yes,” answered Sophie.

“Good,” declared Lily in a no-nonsense voice. “Gentlemen, I suggest you head somewhere else. We ladies have a wedding to plan.”

“I’ve got some fine brandy and whiskey,” said Judge Thatcher. “Shall we give Mr. Gibson a Tanner’s Ford welcome?”

Josh leaned down to kiss Sophie, but two sets of arms hauled him backward.

“Na-uh,” growled Nevin on his left. “You’ll marry her before you taste her again.”

“I’m sure you understand,” said Patrick on the other side. He grinned as if looking forward to Josh fighting.

Josh had two older brothers. He recognized the same “I dare you to try” attitude. If there were just the two, he’d go for it. But around them was a circle of equally eager men.

“As long as I buy the first round,” he said.

“He’ll do,” declared the judge.

Sophie rushed up. She was tall enough to go up on her toes and kiss him. He got a fleeting taste of her before he was hauled away. She gave him a wide smile of promise.

“Keep that thought,” he called out. She laughed and waved as they hauled him backward out of the room.

Once out of sight of the women, they released him. The congratulatory pats on the back almost knocked him over. He’d find a reason to get them back. For now he’d go along with their plans.

“I don’t want to ride another horse for at least a week,” said Sam. He groaned as he dismounted. Stumpy came out of his livery stable to meet them.

“Stop complaining,” replied Max. “My back end is just as sore.” He dismounted, holding onto the pommel for a moment extra to steady his legs. They hadn’t had much sleep the night before and, like the men from Tanner’s Ford, had worked all day looking for Hames. The others decided to keep an eye on the jail once Hames was found and returned to it alive. But he and Sam decided to ride hell-bent for leather after their wayward brother and his bride. Their bride.

“Josh better not have married Sophie without us.”

“He knows better than that.”

“Ain’t been no weddin’ yet,” said Stumpy. He cackled. “Ain’t been nuttin’ goin’ on. Judge said that feller cain’t even kiss Miz Sophie afore he says words over ’em.”

A wave of relief swept over Max. He trusted Josh, but Sophie was a far greater temptation than anything any of them had been faced with.

“Can you tell us where they are?” asked Max.

“Yer brother’s stayin’ in Miz Sophie’s room at the hotel. She’s stayin’ with Miss Lily and the judge. Won’t be no shenanigans that way.”

“Hotel’s got a bath,” said Sam. “Don’t want our bride to see us like this.”

Max smacked his hand against his coat. A cloud of dust drifted in the cool breeze. He dropped his saddlebags over his shoulder. After handing a few coins to Stumpy, the two of them headed down the boardwalk. Their heels clumped on the wood and their spurs jingled as they stretched their legs out.

“There’s lights. That’s a good sign,” said Sam. He sped up, so Max kept pace. They entered the hotel kitchen through the back door.

Meggie Elliott looked up from the stove. She dropped the spoon and rushed to the dining room door. “They’re here!”

Josh was the first one through the door.

“It’s about time! They won’t even let me kiss her!”

Sophie flew through the door, right into Sam’s outstretched arms. Max hauled Sam away before they could kiss.

“If Josh can’t kiss her,” he said, “there’s no way you’re going to do it.”

He snagged Sophie, managing to pat her bottom before she was hauled away. People exploded into the room, then out again, yelling.

“I’ll get the judge and Miss Lily!”

“Clear out those chairs so we can have a wedding!”

Max looked at Sam, then at his clothes.

“There won’t be a wedding until we can get cleaned up.”

An hour later he and Sam had joined Josh and the other men in a second-floor room at the hotel. Oz Cutler had broken out a very good bottle of whiskey to celebrate. Max figured it was more for Sarah’s freedom from Isaac than Sophie’s wedding.

A knock and the door opened. Judge Thatcher and Sheriff Barstow entered. The room went silent. Max swallowed. Was this it?

“No, I didn’t bring the sheriff to haul you in front of me,” said Thatcher to a white-faced Josh. “We want to know what happened with Hames.”

“I haven’t had a chance to tell Josh this, but Willy Wright hauled us down to the jail,” he frowned at Sam. “Was that just this morning?” Sam nodded. Max shook off his exhaustion. “Hames was gone.”

“What the—”

“He was taken during the night by some of the women he’d abused,” said Sam into the uproar. “Willy found him in the cellar of the Golden Nugget. He was alive, but it looked like dang near every woman he’d tortured had added her own touch. He’s got a line of burns, likely the ends of fireplace pokers, all up his thighs.”

“He still got his balls?”

“Yes, but he’s not going to get any use out of them. When Willy found him he was curled in a ball, whimpering and talking to his dead mother. We brought him back to jail and he did the same. Don’t think he’s going to get his mind back.”