The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (37 page)

“It’s late and I’m tired,”
she said as she walked to the front door and opened it. “I think it’s best if you leave now.”

“Kate, don’t do this to me.”

“I didn’t do this. You did,” she reminded him again.

“You’re punishing me,” he said as his heart broke into a million pieces.

“You’re right, I am,” she said coldly. “It’s the only way you’ll learn.”

Jack fell silent and walked out the door
. He turned to give her once last look hoping she would change her mind. Instead, Kate did what she usually did when they were at this point. She slammed the door closed locking him out of her life.

Jack walked back to the main house
. He felt numb and his chest was so heavy that it hurt. He entered the foyer and smelled the aroma of dinner. He went into the kitchen and removed the roast from the oven. He placed it on the stove then retrieved a bottle of whisky along with a glass and headed into his office.

He took a seat behind his desk, placing the glass and bottle on its wooden surface
. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her ring. He played with it, circling it between his fingers, staring at the simple band.

He made a promise to never hurt her and he had broken it by a stupid and selfish act
. Broken it to the point he might never be able to mend. Kate said he needed to be punished in order to learn. The lesson was obvious. He was alone and without Kate. It was the lowest he ever felt, and he knew low.

Jack placed the ring on the desk and lifted the bottle of whisky, pouring it into
his glass. He set the bottle down and picked up the glass, swirling the dark liquid around. It had been his father’s downfall and Jack made a point never to find solace in it.

He may not have inherited his drinking, but the way he thought about and treated women were one and the same
. Jack had no idea how to love a woman, but God he wanted to learn. Learn for Kate, to be a better man, to grow, to achieve more than what the sweat of his brow could accomplish.

Jack made a promise to change, and he would be damned if he would ever break a promise to her again
. Determination seared through his veins instead of the whisky, as he set the glass down, and picked up the ring. He knew what he had to do, and when he made up his mind to do something there wasn’t anything or anyone that could make him change it.

At that moment, Jack was bound to get the ring back on her finger, but not because she belonged to him, but because his heart belonged to her.

Twenty-Six

Through the Eyes of a Child

K
ate stepped from the mouth of the canyon, feeling the wind striking her cheeks and blowing her blond strands like a circling dervish across her face. There was purpose in her steps, climbing through the foothills with its rocky terrain, and coming to the place of open space and air. She was searching for answers to the turmoil plaguing at her soul.

She
had moved here hoping to find her own voice again. She thought she found it with Jack but now she wasn’t so sure. She never realized how complicated betrayal could be.

She experienced it once before being betrayed by the flesh, but betrayal of the soul was worse
. It was deeper and the wound made her weary to the bone. How could she go on living without Jack, but on the other hand, how could she go on living with Jack if she couldn’t trust him with everything she held dear.

His deceit was subtle
, not tangible like before. Infidelity was a clear breakable line drawn between black and white, right and wrong, where Jack’s was grey. He’d crossed that line, but where that line started she didn’t know. She only knew till it was too late and her heart was sprawled out devastatingly across its broken floor. Her thoughts were interrupted with the buzzing hum of another presence and at once she realized she was no longer alone.

She knew he would come
. The hum turned to thunder crashing its energy through the wind and Kate looked up and saw the great black stallion coming towards her.

With dignity and grace he moved through
the wind, hooves barreling against the Nevada terrain kicking up dust beneath his feet and catching her scent. He slowed as he drew near, trotting as if he were royalty until he stood inches before her.

Kate reached out her hand and he nudged it lifting it over his
nose so she could caress his course fur between his eyes. He whinnied shaking his head up and down, a single hoof scratched playfully on the ground making her smile.

“How do you instinctively know when I need you?” she whispered to Black Thunder laying her head against his long nose and stroking the side of his cheek
. “Oh, I am most certainly experiencing the darkest night of my soul.” She started to weep. “Help me, please.”

She looked up and saw a single tear fall from the animal’s eye and she wept harder
. The steed drew back and bowed before her, lowering front hooves and nose to the ground. Kate trailed her fingers along his neck and back moving toward the animal’s side. She lifted herself over his large frame, resting her body against his back.

She closed her eyes and connected to the stallion’s beating heart
, listening to the rhythm settling against her chest. A peace washed over her and her spirit quieted. The hurt and pain seemed to vanish one heart beat at a time, and was replaced with understanding. Images began to flash through her mind. Whether they were real or not she didn’t know, but the truth captured in its essence was enlightening to her soul.

Come on Dad, get up
. Let me take you home
, a child’s small voice whispered and she could see a sandy haired boy lifting a drunk father off the bar room floor while he batted his son away.

  The image faded and another appeared
; the same boy now alone in the dark, huddled on a worn sofa with a coat around him instead of a nice warm blanket to shelter him from the cold. He was crying and scared, eyes darting around the darkened room afraid of every noise that whistled endlessly through the night air. No protection, no safety, throwing his coat over his eyes hiding from the sinister dark shadows and evil stares.

Daylight appeared and she could see the dark circles
under the boy’s eyes from lack of sleep. They’d been there for years and she wondered if the child ever slept at all. Then she saw the boy’s head resting on a school desk sleeping peacefully, taking comfort in the fact that he was not alone as the soothing sounds of adult teachers voices kept him in a lulled sense of restful sleep. There were other images too, ones that any boy shouldn’t see, women coming and going, soft moans and touching hands.

“Oh, Jack,”
she whispered against the soft horse’s mane.

The images changed to the man and she saw him
sitting at his desk, whisky bottle by his side. He was twirling a ring,
her ring
, between his fingers staring at it through blood shot eyes.

Don’t leave me Kate
, she heard his words echoing through her mind but what disturbed her more was his eyes and she suddenly realized they were red from grief stricken tears not whisky.

The image
zoomed larger on his haunting green eyes as if it wanted her to see a closer view. They were the same as the small boy’s. Every light burned bright in the room as if to ward off the sinister demons from years gone by. But they were still there and he was still trapped by them.

It all suddenly became clear
that this overbearing and seemingly arrogant man was nothing more than a shell with the little boy still locked inside. His intensity, his need to control, it was all connected to this single senseless emotion,
fear
.

Light turned to black and the images faded from her mind
. Quiet peace surrounded her, washing over her as if she were being cleansed. The weariness lifted and her strength returned, as did her hope.

Black Thunder grew restless beneath her and she knew their time was coming to an end
. She slid from the animal, planting her feet back on to the desert soil and watched as the great steed rose to all fours.

“Thank you,” she whispered brushing a kiss along his long neck.

He snorted spraying a bit of his mist over her as if he were covering her with some mystical blessing or baptizing her into something new. His head darted in the air and he caught scent of another and with a quick flick of his tail he took off, galloping back into the hills and disappeared in a vapor of dirt filled smoke.

Twenty-Seven

Second Chances

K
ate received a call from the Virginia City school board offering her the teaching position and she happily accepted. It had been over a week since she last saw Jack. She hated that she was missing him and had trouble sleeping without him lying by her side. In spite of her longings she didn’t want to see him just yet. Even after her encounter with Black Thunder, she still needed time to think. Besides, she wanted him to suffer a little bit longer in order to learn boundaries.

She
spent the rest of the morning sorting through her school materials and building her curriculum for third grade. She went through her poster boards deciding which ones to use to fill her classroom. She pulled out her welcome board and redesigned it for her new class.

By afternoon, her
s stomach began to growl and she realized she hadn’t eaten since yesterday. She went to the refrigerator and opened the door but it was empty. She thought about going to the grocery store, but she didn’t feel like traveling back and forth to Carson City.

She could always go to Virginia City and grab a bite to eat there
. It might do her some good to get out and explore rather than being cooped up inside hiding from Jack and her life.
Mingle with the community for a change
, Clara told her. She’d already taken her first step by calling Kyle. She was to meet him at the poetry class this evening, so why not go exploring Virginia City too.

Decision made, Kate grabbed her purse along with her keys and headed out the door to her car
. She climbed in and drove along the dirt road passing the main house. Jack’s truck wasn’t parked outside and she wondered where he went. It wasn’t like him not to be working. Kate pushed her curiosity to the back of her mind. What Jack did was his business.

She pulled out onto the main road and rounded the hillside as Virginia City came into view
. She traveled along the main street and parked. She watched the tourists walking up and down the wooden planks visiting the two long blocks of shops and saloons.

Kate left her car and blended in with the crowd
. Rather than visiting The Bucket of Blood Saloon or the Washoe Hotel, she went exploring the shops. She stopped and bought a hot dog from one of the small stores, then made her way up the steep hill to the candy store where she bought a piece of chocolate fudge. She lingered at one of the saloons and played a slot machine losing five dollars in less than ten minutes.

Kate moved on a
nd stopped out front of a boot shop. She entered the establishment housed with cowboy apparel from leather trimmed jackets down to long drover coats. She moved to the boot section and saw every kind of shape and size imaginable. She tried on a pair then looked at the price. She cringed and put the boots back on the shelf.

She left the shop and continued on her journey up the inclined row of shops until she reached the end
then she crossed the street and descended the other side lined with stores and wooden planks. She stopped at a country store where the sales clerk talked her into buying a homemade chili packet, a vegetable dip, and herb seasoned crackers. She left the shop proceeding down the main street hill as a horse drawn coach passed her on the street. Kate waved at the people in the coach and they waved back.

She heard a gunshot and saw a group of tourists crowding around one of the buildings
. A gunslinger dressed in old west garb appeared holding a revolver in his hand while several other outlaws acted out a gunfight. She paused and watched until the show was over and continued down the boardwalk as her sandals flopped against the wooden boards. She reached the last remaining shop and saw a man dressed like an old prospector showing children how to pan for gold in his makeshift stream.

Kate returned to her car
. As she traveled up the main street’s hill, she saw the old schoolhouse and recognized the side road that led to Jack’s childhood home. She turned onto the road knowing it was why she came here in the first place. She needed answers, and though she was not sure why, she needed to see it again as she drove toward the shack.

She
turned onto the small dirt road lined with tiny wooden shacks and rustic relics from days gone by. A blur of different shades of brown blended into the hillside, all except for the dark green truck that was parked outside by the shack.

Kate stopped her car and stared at Jack’s truck parked not more than a hundred feet away from her
. She wondered what he was doing here. His truck was empty and she knew she would find him inside. She pulled her car closer to the truck and stepped out and gently closed the car door. She walked in silence up to the tiny wooden structure and peered in through the window.

Jack was sitting on an old worn sofa with torn arms and matting popping from its seams
. She focused her attention on the man. He was just staring blindly at the opposite wall, not moving a muscle. He looked so lost and afraid that her heart began to soften.

Kate walked over to the door and saw it was partway open
. She entered the tiny dwelling and stepped into what looked like the kitchen. She saw a metal sink with no cupboards along one wall and an old refrigerator on the other. There was no table or stove. She took several steps through the cramped room and stood in the doorway to the living area. Two small sofas filled the room on either side along with a rickety table made of wood scraps situated in the corner.

Jack felt her presence and looked up from the sofa.

“Hi,” said Kate sadly, as she leaned against the doorway.

“Hi,” he answered back, with a sadness that matched her own
. “What are you doing here?”

“I went for a drive and saw your truck parked outside,”
she said. “What are you doing here?”

“Thinking,” said Jack with a somber expression.

“What are you thinking?” She asked in a soft and gentle tone.

“You
, me, this-” said Jack as he waved his hands to show her his place. “Pretty crazy, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” she whispered.

“I can show you around if you like.” He didn’t get up. “This is the couch I use to sleep on and the other was my old man’s. You saw the kitchen and over there is the bathroom.”

He pointed in the direction of something that looked more like a broom closet
. Kate saw a toilet but no sink or shower. Her heart broke for him, seeing the pain in his eyes. She moved into the room and went to sit beside him.

“Oh, please don’t, Kate,” said Jack as tears filled his eyes and he
held out his hand for her to stop. “I can’t bear you being here in this place, much less sitting down. You’re too good for this.”

Jack stood from the couch and he wiped the tears from his eyes
. He placed his hand on her back and motioned for them to leave. Kate nodded. Together, they walked through the kitchen and left the wooden shack. Jack led her to his truck. He leaned against it and ran his hand through his hair.

“You know I was five when I first saw my old man get it on with a woman,”
he said as a haunted look crossed his face. He couldn’t bear to look at Kate as he continued to speak. “By the time I was thirteen, he was sharing his throwbacks with me.”

“Oh Jack, I am so sorry,” she said as tears filled her own eyes.

“I don’t mean to be the way I am, Kate,” he finally looked at her and she saw a stream of tears cascading down his cheeks. “It’s a miracle I came out the way I did.”

“Oh, Jack
-”

He stopped her before he lost it altogether
. “On the outside, I’m the owner of a successful ranch, but on the inside,” he put his hand on his heart. “I’m still this.” He pointed to the shack. Kate stepped forward and brushed her hand against his hair. “I screwed up, Kate,” he said beside himself. “I screwed us up bad, and I wish I could take back what I did.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her tenderly as tears streamed down his face. “Please forgive me.”

“I forgive you,” said Kate as she matched his tears.

Jack broke down. He took her in his arms and held her as if he were clinging to her for life itself. Kate folded into him, her heart breaking, listening to his sobs. “I love you, Kate,” Jack cried from deep within his soul. “I love you so much it hurts.”

“Oh Jack, I love you, too.” Kate wept with him.

“Don’t leave me,” he begged her. “Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she replied trying to sooth his soul.

“You promise?” he asked like a lost child.

“I promise
.” She looked up and gave him a sweet smile. Jack chuckled a nervous laugh feeling embarrassed by his emotions and feelings for her. “The school called and offered me the job.”

“Good, I’m glad they did,” said Jack as he wiped his eyes dry with back of his hand
. “Did you take it?”

“I did.”

He nodded. “So where do we go from here?” he asked her.

“Home,”
she smiled. “Let’s go home, Jack.”

“Oh, thank you, Kate,” he said as his eyes
welled up with tears again. He embraced her, brushing his hand over her hair and laying kisses to her sunshine strands. “Oh God, thank you.” His eyes moved upward as if he were beckoning his gratitude to the heavens.

They stayed that way until Jack could pull himself together
. Once more he wiped the wetness from his cheeks against his shirt sleeve. Kate stepped back and started walking to her car. A thought crossed her mind. She turned and looked at him.

“You still have my ring?” she said as her mouth twisted into a grin.

“Its right here,” he said, pulling it out of the pocket of his jeans.

“Can I have it back?”

Jack rushed to her side. She held out her hand and he slipped it back on her finger.

“Don’t ever give me a reason to take it off again,” s
he warned.

“I promise, I won’t,” said Jack as he felt his spirits lift and his heart melt.

“Well, see that you don’t,” said Kate as she twirled on her heels and headed for her car.