Defiant (18 page)

“I understand, but remember, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ ”

Clint didn’t respond. There was nothing he could say.

Martin spoke up to break the silent tension of the moment. “I think I already know what I’m going to preach about at the prayer service tomorrow night.”

“What’s that?”

“I think I’ll try to reach our ladies who like to gossip so much. I think ‘Judge not lest ye be judged’ is appropriate. The only trouble is, those who need to hear it probably won’t listen.”

“You’re right about that.”

“What are you going to do about the outlaws if they don’t show up in Dry Springs soon?”

“If they’re not here within the next week, I’ll have to ride out and start looking for them all over again.” The prospect didn’t sit well with Clint, and he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. “That’s why I need to know that Rachel is with you, because it could take a while to find them.”

“Godspeed to you, Clint,” Martin said, wanting him to find the peace he needed so desperately. He could only imagine the pain Clint had suffered in the loss of his family.

Anne, Rachel, and Michelle came into the kitchen then, and Martin looked up.

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride—except for my own, of course,” Martin said.

Rachel sat beside Clint at the table, while Michelle took a seat next to Martin. Anne served them cake before joining them.

Clint listened to the easy conversation going on around him and realized again just how much he missed his family. He remembered the dinners his mother used to make when he was growing up and the closeness he and his brother had shared. It had been a wonderful time, and it was lost to him forever.

Rachel was watching him and sensed the darkening of his mood. She reached out to touch his arm. When he looked down at her, though, she saw only warmth in his gaze.

“You are one beautiful bride,” he told her.

“And you’re one handsome groom.”

They had eyes only for each other.

Michelle was watching them together. She was saddened that their marriage had had to take place under circumstances like these. She knew the weeks ahead weren’t going to be easy for them, but she was glad Rachel and Clint had found each other and professed their love. She just hoped the mission Clint was on would be over quickly so they could live happily ever after together.

Finishing her cake, Michelle rose from the table. “I’d better be going home. It’s getting a little late.”

“Thank you for being our witness,” Rachel said as she got up to walk her out.

“I was honored,” Michelle said, smiling. “I’ll see you later.”

Rachel accompanied her to the front door and saw her off. When she returned to the kitchen, her mother and father were also getting up from the table.

“We thought you newlyweds might like a little time alone,” they said. “We’ll be upstairs.”

Martin went to Clint and shook his hand again. “Welcome to the family, son.”

“Thank you.”

Anne came up to him, but she didn’t bother with small talk. She simply gave him a hug before leaving them alone.

“Do you want to go in the parlor?” Rachel offered.

Clint had other ideas. He took her arm and
drew her to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent to her and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

Rachel gave a soft murmur of surprise that turned to a purr of delight as she nestled against him. Being in his embrace was ecstasy for her; she hadn’t realized until that moment how much she’d missed being in his arms. When the kiss finally ended, Rachel was staring up at him in breathless wonder.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Clint stared down at her and knew how blessed he was that she had come into his life. Rachel had proven to him that there was still beauty and innocence in the world.

“I love you, too.”

He kissed her one more time. This time it was a cherishing kiss that spoke of tenderness and devotion, and then they moved into the parlor to sit on the sofa together.

“What’s going to happen to us now?” Rachel wondered.

Clint had known they were going to have to talk about the future. There could be no avoiding it, and no matter how he tried to look at things, these next weeks weren’t going to be easy.

“For right now,” he began, “to the outside world, there is no ‘us.’ To everyone except your parents and Michelle, I’m still Kane McCullough and you’re still Rachel Hammond.”

“I understand, but it doesn’t make it easy for me.”

“There’s nothing easy about this. The Tucker Gang is as cold-blooded as they come. The farther you stay away from me, the better—for now.”

A flicker of wicked delight shone in Rachel’s eyes as she leaned toward him for a kiss. “Do you really want me to stay away from you—‘now’?”

“Well, not right now,” he murmured, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.

They embraced, clinging together as they shared kiss after passionate kiss.

Clint wanted to caress her. To strip away the barrier of their clothing and claim her for his own for all time, but it couldn’t be. There was too much at stake. With the last thread of sanity that remained, he forced himself to put Rachel from him.

“Clint?” She breathed his name, wanting to go back into his arms, wanting to be near him, to hold him and never let him go.

“Rachel, we have to stop, because”—he paused and gave her a wry smile—“If I don’t stop now, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to stop.”

“Good,” she said seductively.

The husky sound of her voice sent a jolt of sensuality through Clint. He wanted Rachel more than he’d ever wanted another woman, but he couldn’t allow himself to give in to his passion. He held himself rigid, struggling against his need to love her.

Rachel’s sanity slowly returned. She wanted to go back into his embrace and stay there forever, but she knew this was not the time.

“This wasn’t quite the wedding night I’d always
envisioned—being at home with my parents.” She tried to make light of the situation.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Clint said, drawing her back to him for one last soft kiss. “I promise.”

Rachel looked up at him as he rose to leave. “I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it,” he told her, and then he forced himself to walk away—to walk out of the room and out of her life, for now.

Chapter Eighteen

Clint left the Hammonds’ house and started back toward the hotel. He intended to spend the night alone in his room, but after having held Rachel in his arms, he knew he wouldn’t fall asleep anytime soon. He decided to stop at the Last Chance for a drink before calling it a night.

Clint wasn’t quite sure what kind of greeting he was going to get when he went into the saloon. After the way he’d left there earlier that evening, he wasn’t sure Trey would be too glad to see him again. Clint walked through the swinging doors and stood there for a minute, waiting to see what was going to happen.

Trey spotted him right away and called out, even as he set a glass on the counter and began pouring him a shot of whiskey, “Am I going to have to call the law out on you again tonight, McCullough?”

“No, Deputy Evans calmed things down,” Clint replied, going to stand at the bar.

Trey handed him the drink and took the money he offered. “I don’t think Ed will be giving you any more trouble about the preacher’s daughter. The deputy came back in and had a long talk with him.”

“Good.”

Clint turned around and leaned back against the bar as he took a drink. He surveyed the room, checking to see who was there. He hadn’t expected to find anything different tonight, and he wasn’t surprised. The usual crowd was drinking and gambling, and, as he’d suspected, there was no sign of Glen Tucker or Ax Hansen.

“Things have been real quiet since you left.”

“Just the way you like it, right, Trey?”

“That’s right.”

Clint drained his glass and put it back on the bar.

“You want another?”

“No. It’s time to call it a night. Don’t let things get too wild around here.”

“I won’t.”

Clint left the saloon and made his way to the hotel. He went up to his room and let himself in. The room was dark, just like his mood.

Clint saw no reason to light the lamp. He didn’t even bother to undress. He just put his gun belt within reach on the nightstand and then stretched out on his bed. He lay staring up at the ceiling, going over in his mind all that had happened that day, beginning with the fight in the saloon and his talk with Nick. He remembered his surprise at finding himself standing across the
street from the Hammonds’ house just as Rachel and Michelle came out of the garden.

He and Rachel were married now.

She was his wife.

Clint smiled into the darkness at the thought.

This was their wedding night.

And he was alone.

Clint realized he should have stayed at the saloon a little while longer and had a few more drinks; it was going to be a long, lonely night.

After Clint left, Rachel went upstairs. She sought out her parents to tell them good night, then went on to her own room to get ready for bed. She’d thought she was strong enough to handle everything that had happened that day, but as she sat alone in her bedroom, her tears started.

Rachel was crying for herself—and for Clint.

Their marriage was supposed to be the beautiful beginning of a new life together, but it was not the start she would have chosen.

This was their wedding night, but because of the vicious men who’d killed his family, they were forced to be apart.

Her heart ached for Clint and the suffering he’d endured. She could only imagine the horror he’d lived through, and she wanted to make his future one of joy. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to hold him and to love him, on this, their wedding night.

But it couldn’t be.

Not yet.

Not until he’d brought the killers to justice.

Rachel tried to console herself with the knowledge that Clint had professed his love for her. She told herself he was staying away from her to protect her, but those reminders did little to ease the pain and loneliness that overwhelmed her.

“Rachel?” Anne whispered her daughter’s name as she opened the door to her room. She had thought she’d heard Rachel crying. “Are you all right?”

Rachel looked up as her mother came in and closed the door behind her. “No,” she managed.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Anne went to sit beside her on the bed, just as she’d done since she was a little girl.

“It’s my wedding night,” Rachel said in a tear-choked voice. “I should be with Clint. We should be together.”

Anne embraced her.

“I know, love. I know.” As Anne tried to soothe her, she remembered her own wedding night. It had been a night filled with great joy and love, with tenderness and passion. It had been a night she would never forget, and she knew that Rachel and Clint deserved no less.

“I love him,” Rachel said miserably, “but I don’t know when we’ll ever get to be together again.”

“You love him?” her mother repeated, drawing her attention.

“Yes.” Rachel looked at her, a bit puzzled by her question.

“Then what are you doing here?” she challenged her daughter and gave her daughter a conspiratorial smile.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean—your husband is waiting for you,” Anne said. She realized then how strange it was to speak of Rachel having a husband. “You should go to him.”

Rachel brightened at her mother’s daring suggestion. “Do you really think I should?”

“As long as you’re very careful and make sure to get back here before sunup.”

Rachel threw her arms around her mother and kissed her cheek. “Thank you!”

“Get Michelle to help you. She can sneak you into the hotel without anyone seeing you, can’t she?”

“Oh, yes,” Rachel breathed in pure excitement.

“Go on,” Anne urged, knowing that the beautiful, loving memories Clint and Rachel created this night would last them a lifetime. “Your husband’s waiting for you.”

Michelle was still awake in her bedroom, sitting in bed reading an exciting dime novel when she heard someone tapping at her window. She put her book aside, went to the window, and was startled to find Rachel staring in at her. Michelle was afraid something was terribly wrong. Why else would her friend sneak over to her house? They hadn’t acted like this since they were children. She immediately opened the window.

“What are you doing here?” Michelle whispered, looking nervously past Rachel to make sure she was alone.

“I need your help,” Rachel said urgently.

“What do you need?”

“I need you to sneak me into Clint’s room at the hotel.”

Michelle’s expression went from fearful concern to delight in an instant.

“What a wonderful idea! But we’re going to have to be very quiet and very careful—for your sake,” Michelle told her.

“I know.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Michelle asked, thinking how terrible it would be if anyone spotted Rachel sneaking into Clint’s room.

“Oh, yes. I’m sure.”

“Well, give me a minute to get dressed, and I’ll be right out.”

Michelle was as good as her word. Within minutes, they were on their way to the hotel.

“How are we going to do this?” Rachel asked. She realized if they knocked on Clint’s door, some people staying at the hotel might hear her.

“I’ve got the master key. I’ll just let you into Clint’s room,” Michelle explained.

“I hope I don’t scare him.”

“He’ll be surprised, but I don’t think you’re going to scare him. I’ll bet you’re going to be the best surprise Clint’s ever had.”

They moved quietly down the back alleyway. Fortunately, it was deserted. Michelle unlocked
the back door of the hotel, and they slipped inside without anyone seeing them. There was no one stirring in the hotel either. Silently they crept up the rear staircase to the second floor, stopping outside Clint’s room.

Clint had been lying in bed wide awake when he heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway. At first he thought nothing of it, but then he realized that whoever was out in the hall had stopped right at his door.