Seeing no movement or any agreement with the offer made to him, Cole stepped forward again. Elias was within an easy shot and it would be deadly accurate at this range if he made any move towards Beth. Cole could not look at his wife on the ground, it was too great a distraction and Barney was too dangerous. He wanted to race over to Beth and check her over carefully but dared not move.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” he asked with a calmness that belied the fear in his stomach. A shot from the revolver from Elias Barney at this range could be deadly to Beth and he could not get her to a doctor fast enough.
Time seemed to tick on forever and Cole did not realize he was holding his breath until he saw Elias pull back the hammer and put his hands up in surrender. Cole watched the man raise his hands and saw blood on the shirt as his jacket coat gaped.
Good, she shot him.
Smart girl was trying to protect herself,
he thought,
but I cannot allow him to come back and try again.
“Thank you. Normally, I would have you drop your gun on the ground but I’m thinking that shooting an unarmed man is considered cruel,” Cole mocked. “Now, you will never return here again and that is because you know you will have gotten away this time with trespassing. Next time, you will die here,” he said coldly and pulled the trigger.
The roar and smoke that flew from the long rifle alarmed Beth more than the discharge of her own gun had. There was a power to it that was unnerving and made her yelp. However, it made Elias Barney squeal like the despicable pig he was. Beth fought a grin as she scrambled to her feet and ran towards Cole standing on the porch, now holding his revolver pointed directly at the wailing man.
Beth was amazed at the ferocity of her husband as well as the kindness he displayed. She knew she had chosen wisely and had fallen into the arms of the man that was right for her! Cole could have ended Elias’ life and the look on her husband’s face was telling. He could have killed him with absolutely no regrets but, instead, was washing his hands clean of him and ensuring that he would not return. Or at least, she hoped Elias Barney would not return!
It was a kindness that Cole did not kill him and Beth believed it was for her sake alone. She had not been sure she could kill someone during their practice shootings and Cole had told her repeatedly that if she had to fire her gun, she had to be sure because death was swift and final. Beth did not want to kill anyone, but simply to be left alone and to be able to protect herself, if needed.
It was a mercy to Elias Barney that he was shot in the leg when he could have been shot in the face, or anywhere else with the buckshot that splattered from the gun. It would have disfigured his face and made him vengeful if he survived. This way, being shot in the leg, he would have a horrific limp as a remembrance of his time in Texas and the doctor could choose to spin his tale any which way he wanted. So long as it did not end with him coming back to their home.
Standing his ground, Cole stood stoically waiting for the yelping to subside. “If I were you, I would get up and hobble to your horse quickly. You will be needing a doctor for that, I believe. I doubt you should work on yourself,” he said with conviction.
“You think about that leg next time you try to accost my wife or step foot here. Next time you will die,” he promised. “You will never, ever return here. Do we understand each other completely?” Cole wanted to ensure the other man’s understand that the only reason he lived was to spare Beth’s dignity and them having to explain.
“I should make you apologize to Beth, but the best thing you could do would be to leave us in peace,” he finished and waved his gun, gesturing that Elias Barney needed to head away quickly.
Beth stood behind her husband and marveled at the depth of his character. He was a strong protector and would always take care of her. Cole had so many facets of his persona yet to discover and she hoped she could take her time finding them all over the years. She laid her hand on his strong shoulder and grinned to see his skin jump at her touch, knowing that it gave him the same heated pleasure she felt when he touched her bare skin. Beth loved knowing she could touch him and get this reaction, even with the floundering man on the ground in front of them.
Issuing several choice words towards them, Elias finally stood and hobbled towards the horse. She wanted to laugh at the undignified gait he presented and the fact that (it just dawned on her) they gave him a reason to use that silly cane, but she resisted.
It wasn’t funny that they had to shoot him to get him to leave them alone. She would have preferred that he left and never returned. Seeing him finally get on the horse and leave was enough to make her grin until she saw Cole whirl around and grab her in his arms once Elias Barney was out of sight.
“My God, Beth. I thought I’d lost you when I heard the shot and saw you on the ground. You scared the bejesus out of me, wife,” he said earnestly, kissing her brow and noting her bruised face. “He hit you? I should have killed his ass and just made it up to you later,” he whispered and kissed the tender spot.
“I’m glad you are okay. He told me you were dead and I have never felt such despair. I thought I had lost you!” Beth exclaimed in horror as the scene unfolded, once again, in her mind’s eye. “He told me that he had already been in the house and that you were gone. I kept picturing every way you could have died and thinking of everything I would miss,” she said, tears rushing forward.
“I don’t want to ever feel that way again,” she confessed breathlessly as she saw him lean down to kiss her gently on the lips this time.
He smiled in relief. “Does this mean you might just miss me if I was gone?” Cole teased, as he held his woman against him. He thanked the heavens above that she was all right and hoped that they would never have to endure something like this ever again.
“I think you might like me just a little bit, my Beth,” he said with a grin and swept her up into his arms.
Beth laughed delightedly and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I think I might love you, husband of mine,” she retorted with a grin.
“You are simply the best adventure I could have ever dreamt of and can’t imagine choosing a different path than the one we will walk together,” she admitted with a light in her eyes.
Whooping with delight, he carried her over the threshold of their house. “I love you, my bride, and I plan on taking you to bed and creating another adventure for us to share. No more running, sweetheart. This is home,” he said with a smile that held such promise and such adoration.
Beth agreed wholeheartedly.
Ginny Sterling is a Texas transplant living in Kentucky. She spends her free time (Ha!) Writing, quilting, spending time with her husband and two children. Ginny can be reached on Facebook or via email at [email protected].
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Thoroughbred Men Series
Beloved Texas Bride, Copyright © 2016 by Ginny Sterling
These books are works of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
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