Blood Blade Sisters Series (12 page)

“Can you blame me? The first time I met you, you bashed me over the head with the butt of your gun, and you’ve made it more than clear that you’ll do anything to protect your sisters and your secret.”

“No, I wouldn’t do
anything
. There are some things even someone as apparently depraved as I wouldn’t do.”

“Cilla—”

“I knew what Jake had come for the second he showed up at the ranch. But despite what you believe, killing innocent men isn’t a big pastime of mine. We hired him to keep an eye on what he was doing. Then he went snooping around just like you did and found out what we were really up to. He came clean, even though we already knew what he was. Said he wanted to stay and help.”

Cilla calmed a bit, sorrow filling her weary soul. “Things were better for a while. Brynne was so happy. And it was nice to have the help. He and Brynne wanted to marry but Frank was causing a big ruckus about it, saying Brynne was underage and so couldn’t get married without his permission. Even though Carmen and Miguel are our guardians.

“He made a big-enough fuss that they just upped and eloped. Left one night and came back a week later looking as pleased as the cat when he gets in the cream. We didn’t find out until a few weeks after they were back that it wasn’t a legal marriage. They planned on having Reverend Mitchum do another ceremony, though. But then one day, Jake rode off and never came back. Brynne was heartbroken. She still cries when she thinks no one can hear. Do you really believe I’d do that to my own sister?”

Leo’s arms tightened around her. “Cilla.”

“No,” she said, determined not to let his strong arms and handsome face break through her defenses again. This is what happened when you let your guard down. Some big jerk came and tried to destroy you. Every time. He could go jump in a frozen lake and get iced over for all she cared. She wasn’t going to let him get to her again.

“Cilla, stop!” he demanded when she writhed in his arms again. “Stop,” he whispered, bringing one hand up to tangle in her hair as he brought her face up to his and rested his forehead against her. “Stop.”

She did. She didn’t mean to. But she was so tired. Tired of fighting against everything—the whole world, it seemed sometimes. And especially her feelings for the man whose arms were wrapped around her.

This time when his lips descended, Cilla didn’t turn away. She rose up to meet him, molding herself to him with a passion that surprised them both. She wanted just one moment. One moment when she didn’t have to think, didn’t have to fight. She just wanted to forget everything and
feel
.

Feel Leo’s lips against her own. Feel his heart pounding in time with hers. Feel his hands as they encircled her, pressing her closer. Cilla wanted nothing more than to get lost in him. Nothing else mattered. Not at this moment.

Leo picked Cilla up and carried her to his bedroll, stretching down beside her next to the warmth of the fire. He leaned on his arm, gazing down at her as the flames danced across their features. He traced his finger over her scar again, only this time she didn’t turn away. His lips followed a second later, moving across the ridge of her scar, down her cheek, and back to her yearning mouth.

Cilla pressed herself to him, wrapping her leg around his hip as he rolled, pulling her half across him. Leo’s lips moved to her neck and Cilla gasped, her head swimming as she drowned in a sea of sensation she hadn’t known existed.

What had Leo done to her? He’d come into her life and turned everything upside down. He was dangerous, this man who was awakening a riot of emotions within her as his hands and lips moved expertly over her body. She felt out of control around him.

His hands slipped beneath the fabric of her shirt and trailed up her back, and Cilla’s last coherent thought was that she was glad she hadn’t put on her long johns that morning. Now there was nothing to get in the way of Leo’s fingers as they moved across her skin, igniting a trail of fire everywhere he touched.

Cilla sucked in a ragged breath, shifting so he could reach the buttons of her shirt easier. The cold air that hit her skin was chased away by the heat of Leo’s lips as he kissed down the column of her neck. Cilla wished she could freeze time, stay in this moment forever. Leave the world behind and disappear with him. Forget about everything else.

Spend the rest of her life wrapped up in the sensations and emotions this man was awakening in her.

A man she had no right to.

The stray thought that floated into her consciousness was like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped on her head.

Whether Leo and Brynne accepted it or not, until Jake was brought back safe and sound, Leo was spoken for. He had no business holding Cilla. No business running his hands down her back as he whispered soothing nonsense in her ear. No business trailing his lips across the body that ached for him.

Cilla pushed away from him. “No,” she whispered. “I can’t. We can’t. I—I’m sorry.”

She jumped up and ran to her horse. She mounted and spurred Maynard into a gallop. But she’d never be able to ride hard or fast enough to get away from the man who had wormed his way into a heart that, for better or worse, now belonged to him.

Cilla would have liked to have ridden to the border and kept on going, but she couldn’t abandon her sisters, no matter what foolish mess she’d allowed herself to get into with Leo. And she couldn’t leave him to try and get the cattle back to the ranch alone.

She rode just far enough away that she could no longer see the fire. Then she leaned forward and wrapped her arms about Maynard’s neck, sucking in lungful after lungful of air until the lump that had formed in her throat dissipated, taking with it its weakening display of tears. The horse waited patiently while she pulled herself together, blowing soft puffs of air through his nose every now and then.

Shame slithered through her, that she had let herself get so swept up in the moment that she had forgotten everything else. But she couldn’t quite regret it. She’d known it couldn’t last, but at least she’d had a brief moment with him. One that she had not allowed to get too far. One that could never happen again. One that would probably haunt her dreams for the rest of her life. But one that she’d treasure in the secret corner of her heart that no one else knew about.

She waited until Maynard started pawing impatiently at the ground and her hands had cramped from gripping the reins in her fists. Then she turned him around and went back to the camp.

Leo was pacing back and forth by the fire, the tension in his face fading to relief when she rode in. He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out but made no move to come closer to her. Cilla took her bedroll and wordlessly stretched out on the opposite side of the fire. Leo watched her, his jaw clenched. Still, he did not speak to her and for that Cilla was grateful.

Cilla lay down and turned her back to him, cursing the silent tears that slid down her cheeks. After a few moments, she heard Leo settle down on his own bedroll. And then all was silent.

The moment Cilla walked through the door, all activity in the kitchen stopped. Lucy looked up from her breakfast, her spoon suspended halfway to her mouth. Brynne paused in the middle of moving a hot pan from the oven to the counter. Cilla eyed her sisters, waiting for one of them to make a smart comment. The three remained frozen, staring at each other, until Brynne gasped and hurriedly transferred the pan that had burned its way through her apron onto the countertop.

“So,” she said, giving Cilla a smile.

Cilla returned her sister’s smile with a glare. She wasn’t in the mood. She’d gotten the cattle home as quickly and efficiently as she could while doing her best to ignore Leo. Who’d apparently known better than to try to speak to her. That had disappointed her in so many ways she couldn’t stand herself, but she couldn’t escape from the thoughts running rampant in her head.

Cilla knew damned well what was going through Brynne’s head as well, but she had no intention of justifying it with any sort of a response. “Did you two have any problems last night while we were gone? How did things go?”

“Not as good as they seem to have gone with you,” Lucy piped in.

Cilla rounded on her with an infuriated gasp, spinning around to face Brynne again when she laughed.

“Come now,” Brynne said. “What do you expect us to think? You spent all night out with a handsome man, surely you can see how we might—”

“I see no such thing! He might be…some might think he’s…” Cilla couldn’t seem to get the next words out of her mouth, which just set off Brynne’s laughter again. “Nothing happened! He’s a married man! Married to
you
, Brynne, in case you’d forgotten.”

That drained Brynne of all amusement and Cilla was instantly sorry.

“We aren’t really married.”

“You are, Brynne. And if Jake doesn’t come back…”

“He
will
come back.”

“If he doesn’t,” Cilla insisted, “then Leo really will be your husband.” Brynne started to protest again, but Cilla cut her off. “And you’ll need him. You both will.” She gestured to Brynne’s burgeoning belly.

Brynne stared at her for a moment, her chest heaving with pent-up emotion. But rather than give Cilla the tongue-lashing she deserved, Brynne spun on her heels and marched out of the room.

“Cilla, that wasn’t necessary,” Lucy said.

“Yes, it was.” Cilla didn’t point out she had been reminding herself as much as Brynne that Leo was technically spoken for. It was something they both needed to keep in mind. If Jake did return…well, they could cross that bridge when they came to it.

She refused to give in to the hope that had started to grow in her heart. She refused to think for even one second that she might get to keep him. Because it would just hurt too damned much if…

“It’s not fair, is it?” Lucy asked, her voice devoid of its usual merriment.

“Fair?” Cilla frowned. “What’s not fair?”

“To fall in love with someone, only to lose him.”

Cilla started to argue, insist that she didn’t love Leo. But Lucy’s lower lip quivered, her eyes filling with tears, and Cilla realized that Lucy wasn’t really talking about Cilla and Leo…or at least, she wasn’t
only
talking about them.

Cilla looked at her little sister, really looked at her, for the first time in days and was shocked. Lucy’s normally rosy face was drawn and pale. She’d barely touched the food on the plate in front of her and the dark circles under her eyes betrayed the fact she hadn’t been sleeping. Probably hadn’t gotten one good night’s sleep since…since Bobby had been found.

Cilla sat down and pulled her sister into her arms, guilt flowing through her. She’d been so wrapped up in the ranch and the cattle and…and Leo that she hadn’t noticed how hard Lucy was taking Bobby’s death.

Cilla held her sister while Lucy cried, her sobs wracking a body that felt far too thin. With every tear that fell from Lucy’s eyes, Cilla’s anger toward Frank grew. Someday she would make him pay for every ounce of pain he’d caused their family. Cilla didn’t know how or when, but if there was any justice in the world, Frank would get what was coming to him.

A shadow crossed the door and Cilla looked up and met Leo’s gaze. He stared at her for a moment, a world of emotion in his eyes. Then he bowed his head and left.

“No,” Cilla said, “it’s not fair.”

She stroked Lucy’s hair like she used to when Lucy was little, and let her sister cry for them both.

Chapter Twelve

Cilla planted her hands on her hips and glared at Brynne. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

Leo stood with Lucy, trying to keep out of the line of fire. Lucy leaned over and hissed in his ear, “This is all your fault, you know.”

“Shh.” He gave her a glare, trying his best to ignore the twinge of guilt running through his gullet.

The fight
was
his fault, though he hadn’t meant to start it. He had a plan to get their cattle back, but it would take all of them. He knew Cilla wouldn’t want Brynne to be involved. To be honest, he hated the idea as well. But her part in the raid would be relatively safe, and they couldn’t do it without her. Plus, it would help keep Lucy from the most dangerous part of it all.

He’d prepared for Cilla’s disapproval. Still, he hadn’t expected his suggestion would cause such a ruckus. It was like watching two dogs fight over the last bone. You knew it wasn’t going to end well, but you couldn’t help watching.

Brynne pressed one hand on the scorched table they’d managed to salvage from the undamaged part of the house, leaning closer to Cilla while keeping the piece of furniture between them.

Smart
, Leo thought.

“You may have been taking care of things more since Jake’s been gone, but I’m still the oldest. No one, especially my younger sister, is going to tell me what I can and can’t do!”

“That’s rich. I’m out riding raids, taking care of things around here, minding Lucy, getting
shot
for cryin’ out loud, and doing a million other things, and you think you can still pull the ‘I’m older’ bit? I’m not a baby!”

“That’s what you’re acting like! A baby who doesn’t know what’s good for her. You think you can steal back a herd of cattle back all by yourself? I’d like to see you try!”

“Sit back and watch me, then.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“It’s what you said.”

“Dammit, Cilla, you can’t do everything by yourself. Leo’s right. You can’t just go bursting in there and take the cattle back. The safest way to get it done is if we create a distraction to draw Frank’s watchdogs away from the herd. Then you two can go in with Carmen and Miguel and get them out. By the time the idiots realize what’s going on you’ll have the cattle well on the way home. Lucy and I won’t be in any danger. They won’t even see us.”

Cilla turned her furious gaze to Leo. He held up his hands and stepped back. Cilla, her face redder than a cherry pie, aimed her attention back at Brynne, and Leo released a pent-up breath.

“No. I don’t want you and Lucy going anywhere! Carmen and Miguel can draw the men away while I lead the herd. I won’t have Lucy in danger, and look at you! No offense, sister dear, but you are the size of a house. Your plan is too risky.”

“Offense taken! I still have two months before this baby comes, and I seriously doubt it’s going to take that long to distract a few idiots. And my plan is much better than you trying to swoop in
alone
to steal an entire herd of cattle out from under their noses. You can’t do it by yourself!”

“What you seem to be forgetting is that I’ve already been taking care of everything myself. I’ve been the one out there risking my neck. I’ve been making the plans and dealing with Frank and making sure everything around here runs as smoothly as possible because you’ve been too busy moping around to help me!”

Cilla snapped her mouth shut but the words were already out. Brynne stood straight, her beautiful face pale as the calico dress she wore. One hand hovered near her belly.

“Brynne, I didn’t mean—”

“You did,” Brynne said, her voice quiet and cold. The silence spread through the room, so thick Leo could hardly breathe. The sisters just stood and stared at one another, their faces mirrors of pain and exhaustion.

Finally, Brynne sighed. She slumped into a chair and propped her head on her hand. “You’re right. I have been moping. I’ve let you handle more than you should.”

“Brynne, you have every right to—”

“No, I don’t. You’re my little sister. You do too much. For crying out loud, Cilla, listen to you. You chastise me like Mama used to. You’re too young to be acting so old.”

Cilla gave her a sad smile. “So are you.”

Brynne shook her head. “It stops now. Jake’s gone. He’s been gone so long now, I—” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “I know you don’t think I can do this. I know you’re worried for me. But I’ll be fine. I can ride a horse and that’s about all this job entails. I’m not saying it’ll be comfortable,” she said, smiling a little, “but I can do it.”

“Brynne…” Cilla started to protest again, but Leo stepped forward.

Cilla looked at him, her hazel eyes boring into his. He wanted to reach out and trace the scar running down her forehead, smooth the frown from her face. Instead, he clenched his hands into fists. “She can do this, Cilla. And once they get Jackson, Jed, and the rest of Frank’s goons out of the way, they can hightail it back home and barricade the doors.”

Cilla looked as though she wanted to argue some more, but Lucy stepped forward. “I can do most of the work, Cilla. Brynne won’t have to do much. We can do this.”

Brynne stood. “I’m not asking you, Cilla. I’m telling you. So I suggest you get used to the idea. We leave in three hours.” She turned and left the room, Lucy following.

Cilla slumped in a chair and let her head fall onto the table with a quiet thump. Leo stood behind her. She was like a skittish horse. He was afraid if he made any sudden movements he’d spook her and she’d be off. Or worse, she’d kick out and injure some vital part of his anatomy. Finally, he pulled up a chair and sat beside her.

“I can’t lose them.” She twisted her head to look at him but didn’t raise it from the table. “I can’t lose them,” she said again.

“You won’t.”

“A bunch of cattle aren’t worth their lives. We should just let it go.”

Leo frowned. “Since when do you not want to fight?” he asked, his voice gentle.

“Maybe I’m tired of fighting, Leo. I’m just…tired. Of everything. And if I lose them, then what was the point?”

He leaned forward, brushed a lock of hair back from her face. “You won’t lose them. I will do everything in my power to keep all of you safe.”

Cilla’s brow furrowed. “Why? Why are you helping us? It can’t just be because we promised to look for Jake, because we were doing that anyway. Why are you still here?”

Leo didn’t answer right away. He wasn’t sure he wanted to examine his feelings too closely. Not yet, anyway. He asked his own questions instead.

“Why do
you
do it? Fight against Frank? Risk your lives for the townsfolk? Why not just pack up and leave?”

Cilla shook her head and sat up. “What would happen to the people we help? We can’t leave them to Frank’s mercy.”

“They aren’t your responsibility.”

“If we don’t help them, who will?”

Leo smiled. “Exactly.”

Cilla frowned again and Leo reached out and trailed his thumb across her furrowed forehead, traced the scar. “If I don’t help you, who will?”

Cilla took his hand from her face, held it in her own.

“Do we need the cattle?” he asked. He knew they did. The animals brought in revenue, both for the sisters and the townspeople they helped. But Cilla needed reminding of that, a reminder of what was at stake. And even in the short time he’d known her, he knew she’d be more amenable to the situation if she came to her own conclusions.

She sighed. “Yes. We do.”

“Then let’s go steal us some cattle.”

Cilla gave him a faint smile, but didn’t release his hand. “Brynne and Lucy…”

“They will be fine, Cilla,” he said, squeezing her hand. “We’ll be the ones in danger. They just have to distract a few dumb men into away.”

Cilla snorted. “We’ll be dealing with a few dumb beasts of our own.”

Leo laughed and stood, pulling Cilla with him. “Let’s get to it.” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

Brynne came back into the room. Her eyes flicked to Cilla and Leo’s still joined hands, and Cilla quickly let go. A smile tugged at Brynne’s lips, but she didn’t say anything.

“Everything settled?” she asked.

Cilla and Leo nodded.

“All right.” Brynne tossed Cilla her hat. “Let’s go get our cattle.”

…

Cilla, Leo, and Miguel sat in the dark, just inside a copse of trees nearest the pen where the Richardson cattle were corralled. Carmen had been delegated to stay behind and keep an eye on the ranch. Cilla wanted someone at the house in case Brynne or Lucy needed help when they returned. Or God forbid, needed medical attention. She sent up a quick prayer that all would go according to plan.

Maynard pranced nervously. She tried to calm him, but the horse was echoing her own tension. Only four men were guarding the cattle. Cilla wasn’t sure if she should be offended by that or not. On the one hand, Frank felt sufficiently threatened that he put guards on cattle. On the other hand, he only had four men keeping watch, and they didn’t look like the sharpest tools in the shed.

The plan was simple enough. As soon as Brynne and Lucy created a distraction, Leo and Cilla would release the cattle from their pen and herd them up into the northern pasture, which was a nice spot tucked up the mountain, close enough to keep an eye on but far enough away that it would be a nuisance for Frank to come after them again.

Not that he’d have the opportunity. Cilla doubted the theft of the cattle had been the reason behind the fire at the ranch. Rather, Frank had seen another way to make their lives miserable and had decided to jump on it. She couldn’t imagine even he’d be dumb enough to purposely go after their livestock. No one would stand for such brazen rustling, no matter how powerful he was.

Still, Cilla would be glad when this was over. She didn’t like Brynne and Lucy being out there. If they were caught…Cilla shuddered, refusing to think of it.

“There,” Leo whispered. He gestured.

Cilla looked to where he pointed at a spark of fire arcing in the sky, quickly followed by another.

“Get ready,” Cilla whispered back.

The flaming arrows landed in one of the corn cribs and ignited. Two more arrows flew through the air, striking the hay shed on the other side of the slaughterhouse. Within minutes, twin fires were blazing and men were scattering, splitting to battle the flames.

The men guarding the cattle ran back and forth, not sure if they should help with the blazing infernos or if they should stay with the cattle they were charged with guarding. Finally, two of them ran off, leaving two behind. Cilla glanced at Leo and nodded at the thug on the right. Leo kicked his horse into action. Cilla rode out in the opposite direction while Miguel headed straight for the pen’s gates.

The men didn’t know what hit them. By the time they’d registered that horses were barreling toward them in the dark, they were on the ground, lumps forming on their heads.

Cilla began swatting at the rumps of the cattle in the back while Leo and Miguel led those already free of their pen. Within moments, the herd was on the move. Unfortunately, their cattle had been mixed in with some of Frank’s herd, though by the size of the crowd, it didn’t seem to be many. They had a contingency plan in place for that, though. They wouldn’t give Frank the satisfaction of branding them as cattle thieves. All it would take would be one animal with his brand to be found in their pastures and he’d have them. So they’d make sure only their own animals made it home.

But they’d have to get the animals away from the ranch before they could separate them. It was too risky to do it on site.

A shout rang out across the yard and sent a bolt of fear straight into Cilla’s heart. Two men peeled off from the darkness and headed straight toward Miguel and Leo.

Cilla tried to make her way to them without getting trampled by the spooked cattle that swarmed around her. Her warning cry was cut short as a third man she hadn’t seen came out of nowhere. A big, meaty fist slammed into her jaw and nearly knocked her from her mount. She managed to hang on, but just barely.

She touched the gun at her waist, but didn’t pull it. The last thing she wanted to do was fire a weapon in the midst of the already startled cattle. If it didn’t cause a stampede, it would certainly alert the men battling the fire that something was going on.

Instead, she grasped her riding crop and when the man came at her again, she swung that stick like a mama bear swatting at a beehive. Cilla wasn’t sure where it struck, but it hit hard enough to make her arm numb clear to the shoulder. The man howled and toppled from his horse.

Cilla could vaguely make out the outlines of the other men on their horses across the herd. She needed to get the animals under control before they hurt themselves, or the riders being swept along with them. It took a few minutes, but she managed to start herding the cattle in the right direction. She kept an eye out for more of Frank’s men and when a shadowed rider barreled up to her, she swung her riding crop again, figuring it was better to strike first than be sorry later.

“Whoa, there!” Leo said, catching her arm before she could bring the crop down on his head.

“Sorry!”

“You okay?”

“Yes. Miguel?”

“He’s fine. Let’s get these animals moved out before the rest of them find out what we are up to.”

Cilla couldn’t agree more. They split up and drove the herd away from Frank’s burning outbuildings as fast as they could get the lumbering beasts to move.

An hour later, they had reached their rendezvous point. Miguel lit the torch that they had in wait while Leo and Cilla began to drive the cattle one at a time through the narrow gap they’d made in the fence. They checked the brand on each animal, singling out the ones with Frank’s mark. As she suspected, he’d mixed a few of his own animals in with their herd. A dozen, when all was said and done. They left Frank’s cattle to wander. They’d either find their way back to their barn or Frank’s men would round them up. Either way, Cilla couldn’t be accused of stealing them.

Cilla nudged Maynard through the gap in the fence, Miguel close behind.