The Bride Train Series Collection by E.E. Burke

Author:E.E. Burke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Bride Train, Best of the West, Valentines Rose, Patricks Charm, Tempting Prudence, Seducing Susannah, Sweet romance, western historical romance, Mail-Order Brides, American Brides
Publisher: E.E. Burke
Published: 2017-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 2

WHAT THE SAM HILL HAD his worthless brothers done now?

Arch made the distance between the house and the sagging woman in Obadiah’s arms in less than six long strides. “Are you crazy? What the devil...”

Before he could formulate words to express his outrage, his eldest brother shoved the bedraggled female at him. He had to move fast in order to catch her before she folded up like a loose-jointed puppet. He got his arms around her ribcage and hauled up her up against him in an awkward embrace.

The boneless doll jerked up straight as a soldier. With a terrified screech, she went at him with her fingers curled into talons. He dodged a sweeping assault, barely missed getting his eyes gouged out, and had to snatch her wrists to stop the attack.

“Sheath your claws, gal! I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

His brothers jerked out of their startled trance and lunged at them.

“Keep away!” Arch’s bellow halted them in their tracks. By God, he’d kill the misbegotten curs for frightening this poor woman. They’d scared her so bad she’d lost her mind.

He held her by her wrists at arm’s length and danced side-to-side to evade her kicks. Growing desperate, he dragged the little wildcat up against his chest again, pinning her arms to her sides, tight enough that she couldn’t get her hands free, but not so tight he’d injure or suffocate her.

“Whoa now, don’t fight me! You’re safe. Nobody’s hurt y— Ow!”

She’d nailed his shin with the toe of her shoe. He winced and sidestepped. “Calm down.” He used a firm, but kind tone, and continued shushing her, crooning into her hair, assuring her he’d keep her safe.

Almost as fast as she’d changed into a feral cat, she went back to being a limp doll. “Please,” she begged in a pitiful, hoarse voice. “Don’t a-abuse me...” Her voice wavered and she sagged in his arms. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed silently.

Her distress fanned the flames of his anger until it was hotter than a blacksmith’s furnace.

He raised his eyes, pinning a hard look on each of his brothers. Obe stroked his long beard and didn’t flinch. Vernon Lee and T.J. looked away, acting oblivious.

“Get out of here. Now.” Arch snarled the command.

Amusement glinted in his eldest brother’s eyes. “Don’t be gettin’ your dander up, bub. We done you a favor by bringing you this woman. They’d all be gone by the time you got around to courtin’ one, and then where would you be? Without a wife, you cain’t secure your land. The way I see it, you ought to be thankin’ us.”

Obe’s decisions were frequently rash, but this crazy act made the other stunts he’d pulled look like child’s play. This time, he’d find himself at the end of a rope—and the rest of them alongside him.

Arch spoke through clenched teeth. “I’ll thank you with a load of buckshot in your backside.”

The humor in Obe’s gaze vanished and his expression flattened. “You need a lesson in respect little brother.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.