Emma's Blaze (Fires of Cricket Bend Book 2) by Piper Marie

Author:Piper, Marie [Piper, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Limitless Publishing LLC
Published: 2016-03-15T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Never had Bill seen such a sour expression on Andrew’s face. As his brother slowly got up from where he’d lain on the ground, he frowned deeply and held his head where Emma had knocked him.

Andrew couldn’t even look at Bill. “Didn’t I tell you she was no good?”

“Yes, you did.” In the end, his little brother hadn’t been wrong. Yes, he’d been vicious. And yes, he’d been stupid. But he hadn’t been entirely wrong. Emma had covered up the truth, and Andrew had seen it first. Bill felt disgust at the thought that both of them were liars.

Then, strangely, Andrew smiled. He pointed to Emma as she walked up slowly behind Bill. “She came out here to meet me, you know. A woman alone.”

At the insinuation, Bill pulled back and slugged Andrew. He hit hard, suddenly feeling the need to hit something and his brother was the best possible target. As Andrew fell backward and grunted profanities, Bill growled, “If you want to beat the devil to hell, I won’t stop you. But you’re fired.”

“Does Pa know that?”

“No, but he’ll back me. Chasing you is tiresome. As is putting up with you. We’re all bone tired of it. Throw yourself to the scavengers, make your own mistakes, but get out of here and don’t bother us ever again.”

Andrew got up and made a run for Bill, successfully landing a good punch in the gut. Bill groaned, but didn’t stagger.

“Stop,” Emma yelled. “Stop it right now!”

“Choose,” Andrew snarled. “One of us leaves tonight.”

“Go,” Bill said to his little brother. “Get out of here and don’t you dare come back to this drive.”

Andrew’s eyes flared, and Emma worried he might have a pistol on him. He stared at Bill for a long time, hatred growing in his face. Then his features changed to a smile. “If that’s how you want it, that’s how it’ll be, big brother.”

Andrew walked off into the darkness, until Bill couldn’t see him anymore.

Emma started to say something, but stopped herself. Perhaps she didn’t know what to say.

“Just cause I sent him away doesn’t mean I chose you instead,” Bill said quietly.

“I didn’t think so,” Emma replied. “I won’t lie. I’m glad he’s gone.”

“Me too. It’s better for everyone this way.”

When Bill and Emma returned to camp, Appie clearly noticed the distance between them and their somber and troubled expressions. As if he hated to mention it, he gestured to the distance. “Your pa is all sorts of jumpy. I was hoping he’d reconsider going through the pass, but his mind won’t be changed.”

Bill’s day couldn’t get much worse. “You should know I fired Andrew. Tell the men.”

“I surely will. Your pa is that way.” Appie pointed off to the west. “Better you tell him than me. I’ve been chewed out today already.”

Bill didn’t look at Emma. “Stay with the wagon.”

“Of course,” she accepted the order.

Bill grabbed Orion and rode off toward his father, mind rolling from everything that had happened in the past hour. When he’d slipped off to sleep next to Emma, his world had been near perfect.

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