To Love a Stranger (29 page)

“It was stolen?”

“Exactly. The house was left unguarded. Willoughby
must have acted as soon as he learned I’d left the ranch. Before you and the hands returned from the fort.”

“All the more reason you shouldn’t marry a man like Willoughby. He tried to buy the land long before your pa was killed. He even tried to convince your pa to let him marry you. But your pa was a smart man. He knew what Willoughby was after and sent him packing.”

“I told you, Cully, I have no intention of marrying Willoughby. I have a month to come up with a plan.”

“God help us all if you don’t,” Cully said, throwing up his hands in dismay.

“Yes, God help us,” Zoey concurred as Cully walked away.

Proof that Zoey carried Pierce’s child came early the following morning when she got out of bed and promptly lost the contents of her stomach. She was still pale and shaken when she went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

Cully took one look at Zoey and shook his head. “You didn’t sleep last night, did you? You look purely awful.”

“I’ll be fine, Cully, don’t worry.”

“You need help with the housework. After we lost the money from the sale of the cattle, the Consuelos brothers didn’t make that detour to fetch their sister. She would have been a big help with the household chores.”

“It’s just as well. I wouldn’t have been able to pay her.” Zoey sighed despondently and grasped Cully’s hands. “I don’t know what I would do
without you, Cully. I’ve never felt so alone.”

“I ain’t never leaving, honey. We’ll get by, just you wait and see.”

Cully had a notion to go to Pierce. He knew Zoey wouldn’t like it, but he could see no other solution. Zoey thought she could handle Willoughby, but she was a mere babe in his wicked hands. Having Zoey angry with him was better than letting her ruin her life. He decided to wait and see how things developed, and if he didn’t like how they were going, he was definitely going to do something about it.

Smiling smugly, Samson Willoughby approached the Circle F.
Soon
, he thought, as he looked around, enjoying the grand panorama of lush land and snow-topped mountains that would soon be his. The month he’d allowed Zoey was half-over. In two short weeks he’d own every acre of land he’d coveted all these years. And he’d have Zoey, too. This time there was no Pierce Delaney to stop him. His dream had been to own the largest spread in Montana. He’d had his eye on the Circle F long before he’d opened the bank. It was prime acreage, the best in the area. By the time he rode through the front gate, he was picturing cattle, sporting his brand, growing fat on his land.

Zoey had remained close to the house all day, catching up on household chores. She was hanging clothes on the line when Willoughby rode up.

“You won’t have to do that after we’re married. There will be servants to do the work. And enough hands to make this fertile land profitable,” he told Zoey as he dismounted.

“We’re not married yet,” Zoey muttered. “What brings you out here, Mr. … er … Samson?”

“You, of course. Shall we go inside? The wind is brisk today. You’ll catch pneumonia out here handling wet clothing.”

Zoey shrugged. “Someone has to do it.”

“I’ll send my laundress out to pick up your clothes each week.”

“There’s no need …”

“Of course there is. You’re going to be my wife,” he said pompously. He took her arm, dragging her away from the clothesline. “Come along inside. The ride out here made my throat dry. I’ll bet your pa left some whiskey around somewhere.”

Zoey pulled out of his grasp and walked ahead of him. They entered the house, and she showed him into the parlor.

“I’ll see about that whiskey.”

Willoughby watched her leave, admiring the sway of her shapely hips beneath her denims.
She won’t wear pants after we’re married
, he thought. No, sir, he was going to be the only one privy to his future wife’s charms. It made him angry to think that Delaney had sampled her first, but he’d told the truth when he said he didn’t enjoy virgins. Zoey was a woman now, and he intended to savor every nuance of her awakened sexuality.

“I hope you like this brand,” Zoey said, returning to the parlor with a bottle and glass. “It’s all I have. Pa wasn’t a drinking man.”

“It will do just fine. Sit down and share it with me.”

“I … I don’t drink.” She poured his drink and
set both the glass and bottle on the table beside him.

“Just as well.” Suddenly Willoughby reached out and pulled her into his lap. Zoey tried to break free, but he was too strong and too determined. “Here’s where you belong.”

“Please release me.”

He laughed. “A man should be allowed some privileges with his fiancée. Why are you so skittish, my dear? I’m not too hard to look at, and I’ve already said I won’t hold your disastrous marriage against you. Accept the inevitable. Once we’re married, I’m going to do a lot more than this. In fact,” he said, his eyes glowing hungrily, “I don’t think I can wait until we’re married.”

His hands skimmed her shoulders and arms, settling on her rib cage, dangerously close to her breasts. “You have a beautiful body, Zoey. I never realized your breasts were so full and rounded. They don’t belong hidden beneath baggy shirts.” His hands rose up to cup her breasts, as if weighing them in his palms.

“Stop it!” Zoey was frantic. What would she do if he tried to bed her? Was she strong enough to stop him? Where was Cully when she needed him?

Willoughby’s expression hardened into a mask of ugliness. “Don’t deny me, my dear. I’ve waited a long time to possess you.”

“So wait a little longer, until we’re married,” Zoey cajoled. “I’ll come to you willingly in less than two weeks. If you took me now, it would be by force.”

“Just this once, as a show of good faith. Then I’ll contain my passion until after we’re wed.”

“No! I—”

His mouth slammed down on hers, hard, angry, hungry. Zoey whimpered, but her protests served only to spur his ardor. She was going to be sick, she knew it! She felt gorge rising in her throat, and in another minute she’d—

“Miz Zoey, where are you?”

Willoughby released her mouth but kept his hands possessively on her waist. “Who is that?”

“It’s Cully.” She leaped off Willoughby’s lap, and he let her go. “I’m in the parlor, Cully!”

“Damn you! Why did you call him?”

“He has the run of the house. He’d find me anyway.”

“That old bastard’s got to go. You don’t need a keeper. I want him out of here before our wedding. Is that clear?”

“There you are, Miz Zoey,” Cully said, walking into the parlor. His eyes narrowed when he saw Zoey’s flushed face and Willoughby’s stiff demeanor. He glared at the banker, his eyes bright with hatred.

“Are you all right, Miz Zoey? The banker ain’t bothering you, is he?”

“Mind your own business, old man,” Willoughby retorted. “Go on with your chores. You’re not needed here.”

“Do you want me to go, Miz Zoey?”

“Wait for me outside. I’ll be out directly. Mr. Willoughby was just leaving.”

Cully left the parlor.

“I wasn’t going anywhere, and you know it,” Willoughby said, glaring at her. “Except up to your bed, maybe.”

“Not until we’re married,” Zoey insisted.

“I’ll not be put off, Zoey. After we’re married you’ll bed me or else. I’m willing to treat you right, but there are limits to my patience. You don’t want to see the vindictive side of me.”

“I’ve already seen it,” Zoey muttered, feeling as if time were slipping through her fingers.

Willoughby merely smiled. “The arrangements are all made. The preacher will marry us in church two weeks from last Saturday, at two o’clock in the afternoon. See that you’re there on time. I’ll stop by again in a day or two. Perhaps you’ll be more amenable next time I come calling. And get rid of that saddle tramp before I do it for you.”

Willoughby strode out the door, feeling more than a little frustrated. If that old codger hadn’t interfered, he would have taken Zoey to bed whether she liked it or not. He was still scowling when he ran into Cully outside.

“Get out of my way, old man. Have you been waiting for me?”

“I ain’t going nowhere until I’ve said my piece, Willoughby. I ain’t afeared of you.”

“You should be,” Willoughby said as he prepared to mount. “Have your say, not that it will make any difference.”

“I want you to leave Miz Zoey alone. You’ve caused her enough grief as it is.”

“I’m going to marry Zoey. You’re not her pa, you have no say in the matter. I’ve waited a long time for this.”

“It ain’t gonna happen. I won’t let it.”

Willoughby gave a shout of laughter. “You and
who else is going to stop me? I could crush you with my bare fists.”

“I wouldn’t try it,” Cully threatened.

“Move, old man,” Willoughby said, giving Cully a vicious shove. “I want you off this land before the wedding.”

“I don’t scare easily,” Cully said as Willoughby put his spurs to his mount.

Willoughby fumed all the way back to town. He wasn’t going to let an old man with one foot in the grave dictate to him. Cully was too damn protective of Zoey, and Zoey cared about him too much to suit Willoughby. He had to do something about it before Cully went and spoiled everything. He had both Zoey and her land within reach, and nothing was going to ruin his plans now.

Upon reaching town, Willoughby put out the word that he wanted to see Pete Crowley. Pete arrived in Willoughby’s office a short time later.

“You wanted to see me, boss?”

“I’ve got a job for you, Pete. I want you to keep an old man in a safe place for a week or two.”

“I can handle that. Who is the old man and where do you want me to keep him?”

“The man is Cully, from the Circle F. There’s an old deserted mine east of town with a run-down shack on it. No one ever goes there. Stock the shack with enough supplies to keep him from starving before you lock him in.”

“Why not just kill him? He’s a worthless old codger. No one will miss him.”

“No one except my future wife. He has to stay alive until after the wedding. Zoey won’t marry me
if she thinks I’ve harmed him. After the wedding you can dispatch him to Hades. I’m not going to let Zoey back out of this wedding. If forcing her to comply is the only way to do it, then so be it. She’s fond of that old man, she’d do anything to keep him safe, even marry me.”

“Smart move, boss.” Pete grinned. “Real smart. How soon do you want Cully to drop out of sight?”

“Do whatever it takes to make that old shack escape-proof before you take him out there. You’ll be amply paid for keeping the old man out of sight until after the wedding. You can kill him any time after a week from Saturday.”

“You can count on me, boss.”

A few days later Cully disappeared into thin air. Zoey couldn’t find him anywhere. She was worried half out of her mind. It wasn’t like Cully to up and leave without checking with her first. He didn’t scare easily, so she didn’t think he’d taken Willoughby’s threat seriously. She couldn’t help but think, fearfully, that Willoughby might have had something to do with Cully’s disappearance.

To add to Zoey’s distress, Samson Willoughby showed up shortly after Cully went missing. Refusing to allow him into the house, Zoey spoke with him on the doorstep.

“That old cowpoke must have taken my advice and lit out of here,” Willoughby said. “I didn’t see him around when I rode in.”

Zoey gave him a baleful look. “You didn’t scare Cully. He’s around here somewhere.”

“I doubt that, my dear. I’m willing to bet he lit out for healthier territory.”

Zoey inhaled sharply. “What have you done to Cully?”

“You’re fond of that old codger, aren’t you? I predict he’ll be fine as long as you show up at the church on time.”

“You
have
done something to Cully!” Zoey cried. Rage slammed through her. “How dare you! If you’ve hurt him, I’ll …”

“You’ll what? You’re in no position to do anything but what I want.”

Never had Zoey felt such hatred for another human being. The urge to pull her gun and shoot Willoughby between the eyes was overwhelming.

“Let Cully go,” Zoey demanded.

Willoughby laughed. “In my own good time. Perhaps after the wedding.”

“You low-down dirty skunk,” Zoey snarled from between clenched teeth.

“I’m just being cautious, my dear. I don’t trust you. You already have your bank loan, but I had no assurances that you’ll show up for our wedding. Now I do. Clever of me, wasn’t it?”

Zoey tried to quell the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She began to realize just how hopeless her situation was. She was trapped, with no one to turn to and nowhere to go. Unless she married Willoughby on the appointed day, he’d harm Cully, and she couldn’t let that happen.

“You win, damn you! You can rest assured I’ll be at the church on time.”

He grasped her arm and turned her toward the house. “I knew you’d see it my way. Shall we go
up to your bedroom and find out how compatible we are in bed? I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time.”

Zoey refused to budge, bracing her arms and legs against the doorway as Willoughby tried to steer her into the house. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a while longer. It … it’s not the right time.”

Willoughby’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you saying? It’s the right time if I say it is.”

“You … you don’t understand,” Zoey stammered. “I … It’s a woman’s thing.”

“Do you take me for a fool? You’ve put me off one time too many.” He pulled her against him, claiming her mouth with fierce possession. His kiss was harsh, his tongue demanding as he tried to pry her mouth open.

Summoning all her strength, Zoey pulled from his grasp, shaking in impotent rage as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I told you the truth! It’s not the right time. If you want me to come to you willingly, you have to wait until we’re married.”

“Little bitch!” Willoughby cursed, shoving her violently away. “Have it your way … for now. But once we’re wed you’ll spread your legs for me whenever I want you, and I’ll expect you to comply with my wishes. You’ll be the kind of wife an important man like myself demands. You’ll wear dresses and act the proper lady. You’ll give tea parties to entertain my friends and bear my children willingly.