Give My Love to Rose (33 page)

“
No Marston!” Rose denied
vehemently.

Marston growled. “Just stop. I don’t want to
hear you anymore.”

He turned and stormed toward the woods.
“Where are you going?” Rose demanded. “Shouldn’t we talk?”

“
I think you’ve said all
you needed to,” Marston shot back without looking at her. “And I’m
going wherever my good for nothing feet decide to carry me. Don’t
worry about it though. I’ll be back when the mood strikes
me.”

Rose watched him disappear with her hands
clenched at her sides. She swallowed hard and willed herself not to
cry.

How had everything gone so wrong?

***

Darkness had fallen when Marston finally
made his way back to the cabin. Rose had left the lamp lit on the
porch and Marston had to remind himself not to be touched by the
gesture.

He killed the light and slipped inside
silently. He saw Kaitlyn’s sleeping form on the sofa and cursed
under his breath. He was going to have to join Rose in the bed or
sleep on the floor—and his back protested strongly to the
latter.

A candle burned beside the bed in their room
when Marston entered and his eyes drifted over Rose who was snoring
gently against her pillow with one of Langley’s storybooks lying on
her chest.

Marston’s body ached to hold her close, but
he couldn’t let himself forget what she’d done to him so easily. He
had done everything for her. He had changed his whole life around
just for that woman and still she doubted his loyalty to their
family.

The pain that came with that knowledge was
like a knife blade straight through his heart… No wonder Marston
had never bothered with loving or caring before—it hurt like hell
and gave another person far too much power over you.

Marston slipped out of his boots and removed
his clothes. He slid onto his side of the bed and was careful not
to touch Rose as he adjusted the blanket and laid on his side,
giving her his back.

Marston’s body tensed when Rose moaned and
her breathing changed. She was awake. He felt the mattress shift as
she moved onto her side and slid her arm around his waist, pressing
her soft, bare body against him. Marston was unable to stop the
tremors of pleasure that washed over him as their skin touched and
that only served to irritate him more.

He tried hard to pretend he was already
asleep but knew that Rose wouldn’t believe that. It took him a long
time to fall asleep at night and she knew him too well.

“
I love you,” she
whispered, her breath warm as it teased his ear.

Marston fought desperately to fight back the
rush of heat in his blood. “You have a funny way of showing it,” he
mumbled.

Rose licked her lip nervously and the tip of
her tongue ran over Marston’s ear causing a bolt of lightning to
burst through him and nearly burn him alive. “I’m sorry,” she
conceded. “It’s just that I hinted at how you would feel about a
baby and you didn’t seem open to the idea. What was I supposed to
think?”

“
You sure as hell
shouldn’t have thought I would take off and leave,” Marston
snapped, his temper slamming back full force. “Dammit, Rose! I love
you and I love that boy and I’ll be damned if I’m not growing to
love that skinny girl in there too. I love the family that we’re
building and the life I never thought I’d have. I would
never—never—walk out on you and, by God, you should know that by
now. If you don’t then I can’t see that we have anything left to
say to one another.”

“
I’m sorry!” Rose
practically screamed. It startled Marston to hear her use such a
loud tone and it also reminded him that everyone in the house had
probably heard his outburst and would now hear hers as well. “What
else do you want me to say? I’m sorry. I love you. I panicked and
I’m not proud of my own worries and fears, but dammit, a person
can’t control what they’re afraid of. And I’m terrified. I’m
terrified that one day I’m going to wake up and realize you were
only a dream and I’ll be alone again… I’m terrified that I’ll once
again be going without food to see that my son eats, that my
clothes will be falling apart so he can have shoes for the winter.
I’m scared that bankers will once again be breathing down my neck
and threatening to take my home and make my son homeless. Can’t you
understand that, Marston? Do you know what’s like to be
terrified?”

Marston tried hard to fight the sympathy he
could feel welling up inside him. He tried to fight back the
understanding. He wanted to be angry with her. She deserved his
anger. But then she sniffed and laid her tear soaked face against
his bare back and Marston felt every last bit of his defenses
crumble.

He flipped over and pulled Rose into his
arms, letting himself feel every inch of her skin and breathe in
the scent of her. “I don’t want to fight with you. You and those
children are my whole world. I have nothing other than you. Can’t
you see that?”

Rose stared at his chest. “I love you.. I’m
sorry.”

Marston grumbled and put his finger under
her chin to tilt her head up and bring her gaze to his. “Stop
apologizing. Like you said, we all have fears and we can’t control
what they are. I’ll just have to spend the rest of my life proving
your fear is unfounded.”

Marston covered her mouth with his own and
slid his tongue along her bottom lip, urging her lips apart so he
could taste her. As his blood heated and her hands clutched at his
back, Marston had a sudden thought and pulled away.

“
If I make love to you,
will it hurt the baby?”

Rose laughed lightly, her blue eyes dancing.
“No, you won’t hurt the baby.”

Marston winked. “Good,” he replied before
spending the rest of the night showing her exactly how devoted he
was to her happiness.

Chapter Thirty

Sheriff Andrew Tate removed his hat as he
walked into the doctor’s home. The doctor’s plump wife led him into
a back room and he tipped his hat to the woman as she bustled back
out.

Sheriff Tate’s eyes went to the back corner
of the room to a man lying asleep upon the bed. He was bare from
the waist up and his chest was wrapped in white bandages.

Sheriff Tate cleared his throat to wake the
man and his eye flew open only to narrow instantly. “Who are you?”
His voice was hoarse and fatigued.

The lawman flashed his badge. “I’m Sheriff
Andrew Tate and I hear you wanted to speak to the lawman in
town.”

The man nodded, his expression becoming
predatory. He slowly pushed himself up against the wall. “Yes, I
did. My name is Vincent and I was senselessly attacked. I figured a
lawman would take an interest in that.”

The sheriff nodded. “Can I ask who did this
to you?”

A name left Vincent’s lips like a curse.
“Marston Jacobs.”

Andrew Tate didn’t recognize the name, but
he was a relatively new lawman and hadn’t lived in these parts
long. He was desperate to build up his reputation so maybe this was
the chance he needed. “And what exactly prompted this attack,
Vincent?”

Vincent feebly reached for the glass of
water on the bedside table and Nathan quickly moved forward and
took it in his hand, holding it to the injured man’s mouth.

“
Thank you,” Vincent said
once he’d drank his fill. “I was visiting with my friend and his
daughter when Marston barged in and attacked us. He shot me and
left me for dead before killing Gilliam and kidnapping the
girl.”

Sheriff Tate nodded. “And why would he do
that?”

Vincent scoffed. “Because he’s unstable! He
is a murdering lunatic and he wanted that girl for his own. Sick
bastard.”

Sheriff Tate fumbled with the folder under
his arm and thumbed through the papers inside. “So would you say
he’s been in trouble before?”

“
I know for a fact he
has,” Vincent agreed.

“
I have numerous wanted
posters here that are nameless. Do you think you could help me see
if Marston Jacob’s is among them?”

“
If he’s in that stack,
you won’t know it. The giant of a man is always bragging about how
his poster doesn’t look a thing like him.”

“
Maybe you could help us
with that?” Sheriff Tate inquired as he shoved the folder back
under his arm.

That predatory gleam in Vincent’s eyes grew
brighter. “I’d be more than happy too.”

Sheriff Tate rushed to get someone to sketch
the poster and when they were done he stared down at Marston
Jacob’s face. Sharp angles, cold eyes and a circular scar on his
cheek.

“
Any other distinguishing
characteristics we should know about?” Sheriff Tate
asked.

Vincent tapped his chin. “His eyes. They
aren’t a color you see often. They’re gold. And he’s damn near
seven foot tall and real strong. Brown hair and dark skin.”

Sheriff Tate nodded gratefully and shook the
man’s hand. “I thank you for your assistance, sir. We’ll do our
best to bring the man who did this to justice.”

Vincent laid back flat upon the bed.
“Lawman, can I ask a favor?”

Sheriff Tate paused in the doorway. “What is
it you need?”

Vincent let out a long, pained sigh. “If you
find Marston could you bring his little girl to me? She doesn’t
have any kin other than him, but I was like an uncle to that girl.
She’s got to be scared out of her wits with that outlaw.”

Sheriff Andrew Tate nodded, hate for Marston
Jacobs burning in his gut. He couldn’t stand the thought of any man
hurting a child. “I will make sure that’s included in his
file.”

That night, Sheriff Tate held multiple
copies of Marston Jacob’s poster in his hand. Dead or Alive was
written at the top and the man had a five thousand dollar bounty on
his head given the severity of his most recent crime and his long
history of lawlessness.

These posters would be sent to every lawman
for hundreds of miles. Marston Jacob’s days as a free man would
soon be coming to an end.

***

“
Marston, don’t you think
it might be a little early to buy things for the baby?” Rose asked
as the family rode together on the cart toward town.

Marston shook his head. “Nope.” He took her
hand in his and slipped his fingers between hers. “It took a few
days to warm up to the idea of having a baby around but it’s grown
on me now and I want to make sure everything is ready.”

“
I still can’t believe I’m
gonna be a big brother!” Langley spoke excitedly from the back.
“This is great! I’m gonna make sure me and my brother or sister
don’t go around shooting each other though.”

Kaitlyn smiled as she folded her hands in
her lap, but she said nothing. The girl hardly ever had a word to
say, but Marston figured that was a good thing. Langley spoke
enough for everyone.

Rose’s mind was clearly still on the list
he’d made. “Yes, but we don’t need all this yet. Why don’t we just
get….”

“
Stop,” Marston growled,
giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “We’re gonna order the lumber to
expand the cabin and we’re going to order yellow, white, light
green, pink, light blue and light purple fabrics. That way we’ll
know we have good colors if it’s a boy or girl.” Marston shrugged.
“And whatever we don’t need we’ll just save for the next
one.”

Rose’s blue eyes widened and her cheeks
flamed red. “The next one?” she gasped.

Marston flashed a wicked grin. “Yep. I told
you I was warming up to the idea.”

Out of the corner of his eyes, Marston saw
Kaitlyn raise her hand tentatively in the back of the wagon. He
sighed. The girl always raised her hand when she wanted to speak.
It was a habit she’d picked up in that orphanage and it wore on
Marston’s nerves. “Kaitlyn, you don’t have to raise your hand when
you want to speak,” Marston assured her for at least the hundredth
time. “If you’ve got something you want to say then speak up and
say it—but say it loud or Langley might end up talking right over
you.”

Her hand dropped. “Okay pa.” Marston
couldn’t help but grin with pride at hearing the word pa. Kaitlyn
smoothed her skirt. “I was hoping I could purchase a few things
today. I know I don’t have any money, but I’d be willing to take a
few jobs on to earn it…”

“
I don’t think you will,”
Rose snapped, clearly offended that the girl would even think such
a thing. “You are part of this family, Kaitlyn, and we’ll make sure
you’re taken care of. You can get whatever you want today. A young
girl should have plenty of clothes, toys, pretty bonnets—anything
you want. You have a rich pa,” Rose winked. “He can afford
it.”

Marston grumbled and flicked the reins. “I
guess we better stop after the nugget is born because if you keep
carrying on like that I’ll have to open two gun shops.”

***

“
Well, what do we have
here?” Hester sneered as Marston, Rose, and the children stepped
into the H&H Mercantile. “It’s the great Marston Jacob’s and
his little family.” Hester sniffed through her hooked nose. “Tell
me. Are you still living in sin?”

Marston instantly felt his temper spark, but
he planted that false grin on his face and stepped up to the
counter. “I think that our sins are the last thing you need to be
worrying about, Hester. Especially seeing as how you commit quite a
few of your own.”

Hester puffed out her scrawny chest. “I’ll
have you know that I am the head of the church committee here in
town.”

“
And that’d be exactly why
I don’t attend the local church,” Marston noted. “I don’t want to
be within striking range when the Almighty sends that lightning
bolt down to strike you dead.”

“
How dare you!” Hester
exclaimed. She swung out her hand and Marston dodged just in time
to avoid being slapped in the face.