A Woman Worth Marrying Chapter 10

Jedidiah stared at the man sitting across from him at the table and inside he wanted to reach across and snap his neck in two. Ty was cool, too cool, and he wanted to wipe that grin off his face. His mind was racing with thoughts of his wife, his poor, fragile wife. What did he do to her? Is she safe? And did anyone touch her? He gritted his teeth just from the thought and leaned back in his chair.

            “Why don’t you go ahead and talk terms,” Jedidiah said.

            Ty pulled out a long knife with a jagged edge and laid it on the table. Then his eyes locked with Jedidiah’s. “Terms. Those words have such a good ring to it, don’t you think? Here’s what I think. Why don’t we just settle with me having her and you can go back to your old life? As far as I know, you’re not even in love with her. You’re a man who runs a ranch. You don’t have time for an emotional woman who could make me a lot of money.”

            Jedidiah shut his eyes for a split second and then he opened it. He glared at Ty and he leaned across the table. “You listen here, you little piece of worthless trash. Annabelle is my wife, you got me? Mine. If you want to be able to walk out of here with those two legs, you better damn well tell me where she is or your pack of dogs out there can come and pick you up piece by piece.”

            Ty’s face paled and he swallowed hard. He stood up and grabbed the knife. “I can see this is getting nowhere. I’m not letting her go, Jedidiah. You want a war, you got it.”

            Jedidiah stood up and slammed his fist into Ty’s jaw. It was hard enough to snap the other man’s face to the other side and had him stumbling backwards. Ty grabbed the knife on the table and swung it toward Jedidiah’s belly, but he ducked, and kicked Ty in the shin. The other man went down, howling like a baby, as he dropped the knife. Jedidiah picked it up and laid it on his neck, the sharp point pricking his skin enough to bleed.

            “Now…tell me where she is,” Jedidiah warned.      

            Ty laughed. “You’ll never get away. I’ve got men out there.”

            “Yeah, and so do I. Your men are already down and dead.”

            Ty’s laughter cut short as he coughed and raised his hands. “Ok, let me up, let me up.”

            Jedidiah let him up and they walked out to the porch where Bruce, Sam, and Hunter had Ty’s men tied up. Ty swallowed and the knife pricked deeper. Jedidiah tossed him to the ground as Hunter pulled out a rope to tie him up.

            “Now, you will tell me where my wife is,” Jedidiah warned.

            Ty laughed as Hunter tightened the rope behind him. “Do you love her? Would you die for her?”

            Jedidiah grabbed him by his collar and stood him up. “Where is she?”

            “I’m never telling you. Right now, she’s tied up spread eagle in a soft bed. Two hours from now, my biggest buyer will be spending the night with her. Whether I live or die, it doesn’t matter because she will never be with you again. I’ve fulfilled my part of the bargain. You want her? You have two hours to find her.”

            Grabbing the gun from Jedidiah’s hip, he put the gun against his temple and pulled. Ty’s body crumbled to the ground and a cloud of dust rose after him. Jedidiah cursed and grabbed his body, shaking him up, willing him to live.

            “Where is she?!” he screamed.

            He walked to Boone and threw a punch that caused the man to fall over, spitting up blood. Jedidiah crouched down and grabbed his collars, bringing him to a standing position.

            “Where is she? Tell me or by God, I’ll hang you in the public with your belly open,” he warned.

            Boone swallowed hard and shook his head. “I don’t know. He blindfolded us to prevent us from telling you. All I know is that she’s in house somewhere.”

            “Christ!”

            The light outside was fading as Annabelle pulled on the ropes that had her constricted to the bed. She sighed out loud and felt her energy draining. She felt the rope begin to cut into her skin and she felt the tears come back again. Where was Jedidiah? Wasn’t he supposed to come for her? She bit back the bile that rose from her throat. Then she heard it; footsteps coming outside the room and inside her heart was pounding. She didn’t recognize the footsteps and it made her begin to shiver. Whoever it was, stopped outside her door. Then the door unlocked and it opened, allowing light into the room. Annabelle squinted and watched as a man with broad shoulders walked in with a black beard across his face. He wore a white suit with a watch hanging from his pocket. His eyes were a clear blue and he was smiling, a wicked smile. Fear rode deep in her as he slammed the door shut and walked in. He lit a few candles and placed it around her as his eyes never left hers.

            “Oh, my, you are as beautiful as Ty promised you’d be,” he said in a deep voice.

            From closer look, the man looked older than she’d thought. He had wrinkles across his forehead and he was heavier than any man she’d seen. His hands were large and he wore thick heavy black boots. How would she fight this man? She swallowed hard and watched as he pulled a chair across the room to place beside her. He sat down and then he looked at her, examining her.

            “What do you want with me?” she asked in a quivering voice.

            He tilted his head to one side. “Isn’t it obvious, love? I’ve paid for you and tonight, you’ll be mine.”

            She knew that if she didn’t try, he would never let her go. She kicked her fear hard and gathered up her courage. “I’m pregnant.”

            His face paled and he stood up so fast, the chair knocked over. “What?! Ty assured me you were pure.”

            She shook her head. “I’m not.” At least that part wasn’t a lie.

            He glared at her. “You’re not lying to get out of this, are you?”
            “I wouldn’t dare, sir. I’m pregnant and if you don’t let me go, my husband will come looking for you. Do you have any idea who I’m married to?”

            “Who?”

            “Jedidiah Caine.”

            He laughed, loudly and then snorted. “Now there I know you’re lying. The Devil’s Own! Jedidiah Caine would never take on a wife! I know him. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch.”

            “Exactly and if he finds out you’re bedding the mother of his child, think of what he’ll do to you.”

            He bent down to her and twirled a strand of her hair around his chubby finger. “I’ll take my chances, darling. You’re not getting away. But first, we have to get you cleaned.”

            He pulled a knife from his pocket and she gasped. He smiled as he bent closer to her and she could smell tobacco and spice on him. He slit the ropes from her wrists and she felt instant release come to her arms. When he released the other side, she massaged her wrists and saw that red welts were forming where the ropes had rubbed her raw. When he undid her ankles, he grabbed her hands before she could make a move and twisted them behind her back.        

            “So you don’t run off on me, darling,” he whispered.

            He used the rope on the bed and tied it around her wrists. Then he grabbed her from her thighs and hoisted her up on his back. She screamed loudly as he marched outside the house. Once outside, she realized the house was secluded on a land where nothing else was on site. It was getting dark out, but there was enough light where she could see the roads. She couldn’t recognize where she was and the man tossed her into the carriage. The wind from her was knocked out as she hit the floor. She felt dizzy as the carriage started moving. She forced herself to sit up and fell over again, hitting her head against a box. Pain escalated through her temple and down her cheek. Tears stung her eyes and she swore. She swallowed hard and slowly pushed herself up using her shoulders and was able to sit on the cushion. She leaned against the wall and let out the breath she’d been holding. All thoughts ran to Jedidiah and she felt the tears flow down her cheeks. If he never did make it out here, he’d never know where she was taken. What had she done to anger the Gods? Why did she have to pay such heavy deeds? What did she do wrong? She knew exactly what Ty had accepted the money for and it scared her. What would she do once she was there? How would she escape? She lowered herself to the ground and sobbed until her throat was dry.

            When Annabelle woke, it was completely dark outside. She was sore from the position she’d found herself sleeping in. The carriage doors opened and the man stood before her, smiling. He grabbed her by her ankles and dragged her across to him. A loose board on the carriage pricked her thigh and she let out a yelp as it drew blood. He thought it was from him pulling her and pulled even harder. She felt something enter her skin and she shut her eyes from the pain. He laughed and threw her over his shoulder. She felt sick as he walked over hard rock ground. She saw that they were headed toward a mansion where lights were on and a huge gate protected the front entrance. He pushed the gates open and walked through. The pain from her thigh was increasing and she was feeling faint from lack of food. She heard him unlock a door and then he walked through. She could smell something woody and spice enter her nostrils. Before she could predict it, he dropped her on the ground and she groaned as whatever had entered her skin dug deeper.

            “Welcome home, sweetheart. While I go fix us some dinner, why don’t you go upstairs and clean yourself up,” he said.

            She showed her hands to him and he laughed as he bent down. He removed his knife and cut the ropes. She rubbed her wrists and gasped as he caught her chin, planting a kiss on her lips. She pushed him away and smacked him across the face. He laughed and touched his cheek.       

            “You’re a wild cat,” he said. 

            “Touch me again and I’ll take away the one thing that makes you a man,” she warned.

            He laughed and bent down low. “Really? I’d love to see you try.”

            She curled up her hand into a fist and smacked the side of his head. The surprise hit knocked him off of his feet and she got to her feet. She ran for the door but his arms grabbed her around the waist and smashed her into the wall. She felt her cheek go numb as he turned her around and slapped her across her cheek. The blow sent her numb and she coughed as he wrapped his hands around her neck, choking the life out of her.

            “You little bitch! You think you can just hit me and get away with it? Do you know what I do to dirty little women like you? When I’m done with you, you’ll be lucky if you can walk,” he warned.

            She coughed and brought up her knee with enough force than she’d ever thought possible. She heard him groan like a baby and his eyes roll in the back of his head as his hands left her neck. He fell to the ground and curled up his legs. She turned around and grabbed the vase on the table. She held it above his head and dropped it on him. The vase broke into pieces over him and he stilled. She reached down and grabbed the knife from his pocket. Walking to the door, she pulled it open and hurried outside. Once she got onto the carriage and whipped the horses moving, she took a breath of relief.