“What business is that, Stone? Theft? Murder?” Adam’s voice dripped contempt.
“More than that. Oh, so much more.” Stone’s eyes gleamed. “When Numa takes over Xipil’s province and declares war, he’ll need arms. Guns, and lots of them, and naturally, so will the soldiers who fight against him. I can supply our troops through my legitimate businesses, and Numa through...other means.”
Adam stared at him. “You disgust me,” he said. He stood on the balls of his feet, balanced and ready.
Stone’s laugh was cold. “You’re a fool. There’s nothing like a war to make the right men rich. And I’m the right man.”
“Not this time, Stone.” Adam spoke through gritted teeth.
“I haven’t found where Charlie hid that statue and neither have you,” Stone said. “Numa can still depose Xipil as long as the statue remains missing. So making sure it stays lost is just as good to me. I have men here that are loyal to me. I’ll kill every last one of your friends at Silver S if I have to.”
Cold fury washed over Adam. Stone’s legs were mechanical, but the rest of him was flesh and blood. Feinting left, Adam darted right, and landed two hard, fast blows to Stone’s midriff before dancing back out of reach.
“You’ll regret that.” Stone gasped for breath and fixed Adam with a murderous glare.
“I’ve heard it all before, Stone, and I’m still here.” Adam deliberately taunted his opponent as he danced left and right. He dashed forward again, and this blow landed on Stone’s cheek, forcing him to take a step backwards.
With a bellow, Stone stomped forward, kicking furniture and sending chunks of wood flying in his wake. Adam backed up and then dove forward, beneath one of Stone’s wildly swinging arms. His opponent gasped and wheezed. Stone wasn’t used to a high level of physical activity.
On his way past Stone, Adam drove his elbow hard into the small of the other man’s back. He smiled with satisfaction at Stone’s grunt of pain.
Stone started to turn around when a gunshot from outside distracted him and his head turned toward the sound. Adam took advantage of his opponent’s diverted attention. He backed up a couple of steps and then ran forward to land a perfect drop-kick on Stone’s right shoulder.
Stone tried to step back to regain his balance, but the remnants of the table he’d destroyed got in his way. He crashed backwards.
Adam didn’t wait around. As more shots rang out, he snatched up his gun, dashed into Stone’s bedroom, grabbed a sheet from the bed, and dove out through the window in a crash of splintering wood and flying glass. He rolled to his feet and left the sheet where it laid.
Madison and three men rode toward him. Adam ran to Cinnamon and leapt into the saddle as the riders thundered past. He fired at the men who ran out of the corral. Then he dug his heels into Cinnamon’s flanks and raced after Madison.
He smiled as the Aztec gate keepers stood aside to let the riders through. Although they fired their rifles as he galloped through the gates, no bullets came anywhere near him.
I’m going to find that statue, Stone, and I’m going to see that you either hang or rot in jail.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Adam held Elijah as Ellen sobbed in Mecatl’s arms. They’d left half their men back at the Silver S and ridden back with the twins to the Lazy E. The servant and the kitchen staff were missing, but that wasn’t all. In what must have been a fit of pure, unbridled fury, furniture, ornaments, and books had been smashed, crushed, or torn apart.
Elijah had been shocked, but it had proven too much for Ellen who’d started to cry. Adam held Elijah tight, relieved that only
things
had been broken. They could be replaced, but if Elijah or Ellen had been anywhere near Stone, he dreaded to think what vengeance Stone might have taken.
“Leave it to me,” Mecatl murmured. “I will leave a couple of my Jaguar Warriors here with your gate keepers. They will clean up this mess and find your servants, and then you and your brother can come back. Perhaps it may even be better to stay at the hotel...”
“No,” Ellen said, her tone was firm despite her tears. “I won’t run away. The help cleaning the place would be much appreciated. I don’t think either Elijah or I realized how many of our men had been replaced by Mo...Stone.”
“Then stay at the Silver S,” Adam said. “It’s too dangerous to be here with Stone somewhere around. It’s better if we only have one place to defend.”
“He’s right, Sis,” Elijah said. “Let Mecatl’s men do as he offered. I’d feel better staying with friends than out here at the moment.”
“You’re right,” Ellen said. She drew a deep breath and stood back from Mecatl with a determined look on her face. “Let me get a few things. I swear, if Stone comes anywhere near me, I’m putting a bullet between his eyes.”
Adam exchanged a glance with Madison. Ellen and Elijah already thought their father had been murdered. Now Ellen was sure of it, and her target was Stone. The last thing they needed was either of the twins attempting to avenge their father.
“If Stone was responsible for your father’s death, we’ll take care of it,” Adam whispered, his lips brushing Elijah’s cheek.
Elijah nodded. “I need to get away from here,” he said. “Can we ride out to the river? Just the two of us?”
“Sure. So long as we don’t go too far from the ranch,” Adam said. His lover was hurting, and Adam needed to do something to help. He eased from Elijah’s side and went to Madison. “Elijah and I need some time alone.”
Madison shook his head. “Too dangerous.”
“Two of my guards can go with you,” Mecatl said. “They’re discreet. The elite of King Xipil’s Jaguars.”
“We won’t be out there long. Just a couple of hours. I promise. Then we need to turn the ranch upside down. That statue’s there. I know it is. So does Stone. Charlie hid it on the ranch.”
“All right. A couple of hours though, Adam,” Madison said. “But be careful, even with Mecatl’s men there. We know Stone had a good number of men at the ranch.”
“We’ll be careful. I promise,” Adam said.
Adam nodded at Elijah. Mecatl followed them outside and spoke to two of his men. Elijah glanced back as they headed for their horses. “Just a little protection for us,” Adam murmured. “We can’t stay away too long, and we can’t be out alone.”
Elijah nodded. “I understand,” he said. “I know I nice little place near the Silver S we can go.”
“Fine,” Adam said. “You lead on.”
Adam’s horse trotted alongside Elijah’s, with Mecatl’s men a discreet distance behind as they headed to the river.
When Elijah dismounted he paced back and forth for a few minutes. His slender body was stiff and taut, and his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. Adam watched helplessly. He understood the anger and frustration that Elijah was experiencing.
“All this time.” Elijah shook his head. “All this time I believed he was Mortimer. Guess it explains why he spent so much time in his room. To think me and Ellen worried about him, thinking he was ailing. Goddamn it, I feel such a fool.”
He finally went to sit on some rocks. Adam checked where Mecatl’s men were. A copse of trees hid them from direct view, but they could be there in seconds if needed. He waved at them, and they dismounted, taking the opportunity to roll cigarettes and smoke while they remained watchful.
Adam walked over to where Elijah sat. “You weren’t a fool. You’d just lost your father. You and Ellen were vulnerable. Just exactly the way Stone wanted you to be.”
Elijah’s eyes were filled with sadness as he looked up at Adam. “This man Stone. He killed my Pa didn’t he?”
Adam knelt next to him and nodded. “It’s likely,” he said.
“And Uncle Mortimer? Do you think he’s dead, too?”
Adam grimaced. “I don’t know,” he said. “If your uncle isn’t one for visiting and news of your Pa’s death didn’t get to him, then there’s no reason why Stone would have him killed.”
Except that he’s a cold-hearted, murderous bastard.
Adam wasn’t going to admit that he thought Mortimer was likely to have been the first victim, ensuring he couldn’t interfere with Stone’s plans. Better to let Elijah deal with what had already happened.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe we shared a house with our father’s murderer these last weeks.” Elijah’s body shook, and Adam drew him into his arms, holding him tight. Elijah didn’t cry, but his body continued to shake for a minute or two. Slowly, as he regained command of his emotions, Elijah leaned back and gazed into Adam’s eyes.
“If I meet him face to face, I’ll kill him,” Elijah said, his voice flat.
Adam shook his head. “No. You leave him to me. I know what you’re feeling, but he’s a seasoned killer. I don’t want to lose you as well. Promise me, Lij.”
Hate, anger, frustration, and finally resignation chased across Elijah’s expressive face. His shoulders sagged. “I should avenge my Pa.”
“The law will do that.
I
will do that. Leave him to me.” Adam gently shook Elijah, and relief washed over him as Elijah nodded slowly.
“I don’t want to lose you either,” he whispered.
“You won’t. I promise.” Adam knew he shouldn’t make the vow. But at that moment, his heart overrode his mind.
“Make me forget. Just for a few minutes. Please?”
The pleading tone made Adam’s heart ache. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Elijah’s. Elijah responded aggressively, grinding his mouth so hard against Adam’s that he tasted blood. He pushed Elijah back a little.
“I’m not going to replace one pain with another,” he said. He pressed a finger against Elijah’s lips as his lover tried to speak. He shook his head. “I’ll make you forget for a few minutes. Lie back.”
Elijah obeyed, and Adam unfastened his pants. He pushed them aside just enough to free Elijah’s cock and took it into his mouth. Elijah whined, a noise that was part pleasure, part grief. Adam blocked out all thoughts except pleasuring his beloved.
He stroked the base of Elijah’s cock as he licked over the head. He drew his teeth carefully over the slick surface and caught the foreskin in his teeth and tugged. Elijah muted his cry, and his fingers tangled in Adam’s hair.
Adam eased Elijah’s cock back into his mouth and slid his lips down its length. He sucked hard as he eased upwards, teasing the slit with his tongue before sliding down again. He cupped Elijah’s sac, rolling his balls before stroking the base of his shaft again.
Elijah whimpered through clenched teeth, and he thrust upwards, burying his prick in Adam’s willing mouth. Adam felt the tremors and the tightening of Elijah’s body as his lover’s thrusts became more erratic.
With a stifled moan, Elijah spilled into Adam’s mouth. Sucking hard, Adam swallowed everything Elijah gave him. As Elijah slumped back, Adam yanked hard at his own pants, fumbling at the buttons as he pulled his dick free.
He straddled Elijah who opened his mouth immediately. Adam thrust into the warm wetness, with measured movements, not wanting to choke him. As his climax hit, he tried to pull back, but Elijah had recovered enough to hold on and swallowed some of Adam’s release. The rest spurted over Elijah’s flushed face.
Adam took a moment to recover his wits and then slithered down Elijah’s body. He licked away the remnants of his seed and kissed Elijah. He moaned as his lover’s tongue thrust eagerly into his mouth and slid against his own.
He eased back from the kiss but not from the tight hold that Elijah now had around his body.
“I love you,” Elijah whispered. “Maybe I’ll never hear those words from you, but I want you to hear them from me.”
Adam nuzzled his throat. He wanted to say the words. He really did. He looked into Elijah’s eyes. “Those words mean so much to me. I can’t even begin to tell you...”
“Adam? Elijah? Hello? The Aztecs said you were over here somewhere.”
A deep groan escaped Adam, and he rolled to the side. Both men refastened their pants quickly as Abe’s voice came closer.
“Yeah, we’re here, Abe.” Adam called out as he stood and held out a hand to help Elijah to his feet. “What are you doing here?”
“Ah, I stupidly thought you’d come here fishing. I just heard Mecatl say you were at the river.” Abe peered around the copse of trees, his cheeks pink from embarrassment. “When I realized they were keeping a discreet distance, I was already halfway here. Sorry.”
“No need to worry. Elijah just needed some quiet time after what happened up at the Lazy E. What are you doing here without a guard of your own? What was Madison thinking?” Adam asked, looking to where the warriors stood. There was no one with them. Abe had to have come alone.
Abe cocked his head, a puzzled expression on his face. “Why would I need a guard? Anyway, Madison isn’t at the ranch. A boy from the Longhorn saloon was waiting for him with a letter from his mom who works at Saucy Rose’s. She needed to see him urgently. He rode off with one of Mecatl’s men and the boy.”
“I don’t like the sound of this,” Adam muttered. “Abe, I don’t want anyone leaving the ranch on their own. I’ll explain everything on the way back. We were getting ready to come back to the Silver S anyway.” Adam lied.
Elijah nodded emphatically and went to join his friend, casting a regretful look back at Adam.
Adam ground his teeth, taking perverse pleasure from the ache in his jaw. Elijah deserved so much more, so much better. But there was no way Adam was giving him up just yet.
Just a little while longer. For all the lonely nights I’ll have when I return to reality.
The men mounted their horses and cantered back to the ranch. Halfway there, Adam saw Madison and another rider galloping at high speed toward them from the direction of town. He reined in Cinnamon and the others stopped too.
Madison was still accompanied by Mecatl’s man. As they pulled up, Madison shouted over to Adam. “I got a message from one of the bordello girls to come and meet her. She overheard Carter planning another attack on the Silver S.”
“What?” Adam said. “After what happened last time?” He couldn’t believe Carter would be so foolish.
“Seems he’s desperate. He may be a rich man, but he’s spent so much on bribes and gunmen that he’s got a huge debt to the bank. They’re getting a little uneasy because he isn’t paying it off. He’s bluffing them for the moment, but it won’t last and his rich bubble will burst. He needed the money he’d get from the double cross to finance himself. Seems the only reason he backed off last time was because Mecatl’s men turned up, and he didn’t have enough gun power. He’s on his way, could even be there already with more men.”