ROMANCE: PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Coveted by the Werewolves (Paranormal MMF Bisexual Menage Romance) (New Adult Shifter Romance Short Stories) (53 page)

              Curly had come to her boarding house and caught her off-guard by drawing a gun on her. With only a few words, he’d made it clear she had to follow him. His behavior was bizarre, though. There was almost no pleasure in what he did, while at the restaurant it had seemed that he had nothing but lasciviousness about him.

              She tried pleading with him with her eyes. He saw it, looked away. After she started to make a great deal of incessant noise under the gag. He tried to ignore her, but as she grew louder, he finally got up and went over, pulling down her gag unkindly.

              “You keep making noise, I’ll plug you, got it? Just keep it shut.”

              “Water. Please! That’s all I ask for.”

              He huffed in annoyance. “Later.”

              “Please! I’m so thirsty. Or at least leave the gag off for a bit. I promise, I’ll be quiet.”

              Curly shook his head. “I don’t know.”

              Louisa tried to gather her thoughts and speak clearly. “Curly, whoever told you- it was Frank right? If Frank told you to do this thing, he mostly wanted to keep me quiet so I wouldn’t shout, right? That makes sense. So if I’m not noisy, there’s no reason to keep this on me. I don’t want you to hurt me. Therefore, you can trust me. Is that okay then?”

              He grunted his assent, then sat back in the chair.

              “You’re too kind. I’d like to ask another kindness. If you could get me a glass of water, I’d be most grateful. Could you do that, Curly?”

              He considered the matter before giving a curt nod and leaving the room.

              It was her chance. She had been working at the poorly bound knots from the moment he’d tied her up. Curly was, apparently, quite bad at tying a rope into knots. She slipped her delicate hands out and began to look around for anything should could use as a weapon. When her eyes settled on something, she smiled to herself.

              Curly returned with the water and she appeared as she was, her hands bound behind her back. “Thank you so much.” She told him. “Please, just give me a sip.”

              The downstairs had been raucous that night as it normally was, but they both paused when they realized it had gone silent. Curly paused as he brought the glass to her lips, and turned around.

              She didn’t hesitate. Louisa brought the chamber pot up that she’d had hidden behind her and slammed it onto the man’s temple. He crumpled below the bed and she sprang up to escape.

###

              Downstairs, the music stopped as Jeb Bradford entered the saloon, armed with a rifle. Durant was sitting at a card table, looking very much like the king of the world. When Jeb entered, he spotted no less than four of Durant’s gunmen spread around the room.

              “Aw hellfire.” Durant cried from behind the table. He tried to leap to his feet, but the table was in his way.

              “Durant!” Jeb held his gun steady, aimed directly at the man’s head. Frank stopped in his tracks, his hands hovering over his gun belt. Jeb kept a close eye on the other men.

              “Durant, there’s been enough bloodshed. I’m going to make you a deal. You leave town right now. Just take off. You leave and never come back, and I’ll let you live another day. Boys,” he added, addressing the hired guns, “You don’t need to get cut down for this man. There’s no reason you need to die.”

              Frank didn’t move. “So I just walk on out and you’ll let me go- just like that?”

              “You have my word.”

              “Well.” He seemed to think it over. “All right then. You’re a fair man, Jeb Bradford. I’ll give you that.”

              A crashing sound of pottery momentarily distracted Jeb and he looked up when he heard the clatter. Frank took the opportunity to draw and fire.

              The bullet grazed Jeb’s cheek. It burned as it cut the skin. Almost reflexively, he squeezed the trigger on the rifle, and Frank Durant flew backwards, slamming into the wall behind him.

              A man behind the bar tried to go for his gun, but Jeb cried out to him, holding out a hand. “Wait! Stop where you are.”

              The bartender held very still, weighing his options. “I’m listening. Go on.”

              “My business is done. I’ll give you the same deal I gave Frank, and I mean it. Come on, fellas. There’s other towns, other jobs. I’ll even give you time to pack. Just leave your guns where they are.”

              The survivors looked at one another. The bartender walked away from his weapon, hands up. They all began shuffling by him, looking down and leaving quickly.

              After they’d all gone, Jeb had a chance to look up at the second floor. Louisa was standing there, looking winded and relieved. “You’re here!” She called out in surprise.

              “I am, Miss Louisa. And I see you’ve managed your own escape.”

              “That I have.” She replied, and hurried down the stairs to him. “But I always appreciate your good help, Mr. Bradford!”

###

              “This is nice.” Louisa proclaimed as they sat down by the river. Jeb had taken her by horseback to the quiet spot beneath a large shade tree.

              “I’d hoped you’d feel that way, Miss Louisa.” He said. Jeb spread out a blanket and began to set out a spread of bread, cheese, meat, and fruits.

              “I hope you aren’t too confident in yourself, Mr. Bradford.”

              He chuckled. “I’d never be so bold. I do think at this point in our acquaintance it would be fine if you just called me Jeb, Miss Louisa.” He sat and offered a hand.

              She sat down on the blanket beside him. “Very well, Jeb. But you must also call me Louisa.”

              “I’ll do that, ma’am. Louisa, I mean. It may take a little getting you used to.”

              “I don’t mind if you don’t, Jeb.” She murmured.

              They sat quietly, enjoying their meal and watching the river roll by. Louisa was grateful for the silence. The violence and horror of the month before had unnerved her in many ways. But with Frank Durant’s reign of terror now a thing of the past, Oak Ridge was becoming a real town again. Business at the Daisy was booming. The Lucky Star hadn’t shut down overnight, but it’s activities were limited to being little more than a watering hole. The Sheriff had decided to enforce the law again, enforcing a curfew and putting an end to the gambling and the brothel. Things had gotten much better overall, as the last of the worst element went on to other parts of the West.

              “You know, my sister has a funny idea.” Jeb said after they’d finished. “She thinks I might be falling in love with you.”

              Louisa smiled, but her smile faded. “You shouldn’t tell jokes like that, Jeb.”

              “I’m not joking. It’s what Ann thinks. She said as much after church services this past Sunday. Says it’s the way I look at you.”

              Louisa’s gaze met his own green eyes. “And what do you think?”

              “I think she’s right.” Jeb said, leaning into kiss her.

              As their lips met, Louisa felt intense love and joy move through her body. She reached up to touch his hair and placed her hand on his broad shoulders. They grew closer together, holding each other. When their kiss ended, she felt surprised to find she was crying.

              “What’s the matter?” Jeb asked, brushing away her tears from her cheek.

              “I- I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I didn’t honestly expect love when I came out here. Thomas’ letters… your letters… they gave me hope that I’d find something more when I finally escaped Baltimore. I didn’t expect much. Maybe some security, a place to call home. But with you, I feel more than that. I would have never believed that could be real joy in my lifetime.”

              Jeb held her close once more. “You can have all of that. You’re a good soul, Louisa Forest. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives together. Would you… would you stand up, please?”

              She was confused by this. “Why?”

              He chuckled. “I think the traditional way to do this is for you to be standing while I’m on one knee.”

              Louisa drew in her breath sharply. “You’re serious?”

              He got to one knee and fumbled in his pocket. She stood, trembling before him.

              “It’s not a fancy ring. I wanted to get you something prettier, a bigger rock.” He showed her the ring.

              She didn’t know what to say as she looked down at the piece of jewelry he held in his hand.

              “Louisa Marie Forest, will you be my wife?”

              She enveloped her warm hands around his calloused ones. “I will. I’ll marry you, Jeb.”

              They stayed together by the river for a long time until the sun went down and the darkness began to overtake them. They rode away, happy and ready to make plans for their new life together.

###

              Uncle Jim’s wake was a major event in the life of the community, as was befitting a man who’d lived to the ripe old age of 89. Everyone had turned out. Gertie made it, despite the fact she was wheelchair bound. For that, Louisa was grateful.

              “I know what a bother it is for you to have to come out like this with your arthritis, Gert.” She said, welcoming her to the ranch.

              “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Gertie told her, allowing one of Louisa’s children, young Thomas Bradford, to wheel her about. “Uncle Jim was a good man. One of the last of the pioneers of this town, you know.”

              “I suppose that’s right.” She allowed. walking beside her.

              The spread was offered in the barn, a huge affair with cornbread, roasted chickens, and steaming baked potatoes alongside rows of pies. Thomas tried to abandon the wheelchair and go for food right away, but Louisa admonished him.

              “You see to it Gertie gets a proper place at the table before you try any such foolishness young man.”

              “Sorry, ma. Didn’t mean anything by it.” He apologized.

              Gertie smiled up at the woman. “I swear, he’s looking a bit more like his father every day.”

              White-haired Jeb Bradford came up behind her then, stroking his short-trimmed beard. “I don’t know about that. I see a bit of Louisa in all the children.”

              “I’ll allow that’s true enough.” Gertie agreed.

              The family took their places around the table, as practically all the town sat as well.

              “Father,” young Rebecca asked Jeb, “Is it good that Uncle Jim lived to see the new century?”

              “I should say so.” He agreed. “He had said often enough that he hoped he’d have the opportunity to know what the world looked like in 1900. It’s a different world, to be certain. It is certainly no longer the West we knew when we first settled these lands.”

              Louisa nodded her agreement. The Lucky Star had been torn down long ago, as had most of the original buildings along Main Street. The Daisy’s building still stood, but the restaurant had become a bank. The church was among one of the few original buildings left during the wave of great change that had taken place with the increased settlement of Colorado.

              She looked down the table at the line of family members and acquaintances, looking for friendly faces. Ann had come from Denver, where she had married and had children of her own. It was wonderful to see her, she thought. Surprising everyone, Bob Tate had come to town as well, though he was only a little younger than Uncle Jim and was having trouble getting around.