Authors: Teresa Greene
Rage showed on Adam’s face. “I think you did more than talk last night. From the look of you two I would say you did a lot more. Did you sleep with my sister?”
His voice calm, Nick ignored Adam’s question and anger. “We would love to have your blessings, but will be married even if you refuse to accept the fact I love your sister and she loves me. There is no reason for all this animosity. She is old enough to make her own decision.”
Abby visibly trembled at the realization that
Cord believed Nick was beneath Meredith. Suddenly the room began to sway and she thought she would be sick to her stomach. If he thought badly of Nick, how could he really love her? Maybe he married her because of Daniel. Needing some fresh air, she turned and raced from the room.
When Cord bounded for the door intending to go after her, Nick stepped forward barricading his way. “Give her time to cool off. She will see how ridiculous she acted if you give her time to think about her actions. My sister is usually more sensible.”
“Nick is right, Cord. When Abby comes back we’ll sit down and discuss this like adults. You know she’ll be back soon because she’ll have to feed Daniel.”
****
Not stopping until she was out of sight of the house, Abby sat down by the pond and began to throw rocks causing little ripples in the water. Across the pond a big orange sun looked as if it touched the tops of the trees as it slowly climbed into the sky. It was so beautiful here and Cord called it her home. How could she have been so wrong about him? Just when she had been so happy last night, now that happiness seemed like it was lost forever. They had talked for hours and then made love again before falling asleep entwined in each other’s arms. Last night she felt he loved her.
How could Cord not respect Nick? She thought he admired her brother, considered him his friend. She pondered their conversation of only moments ago. Maybe she had been a little harsh. Most of the negative words were said about Meredith. She had to admit she didn’t know Cord’s sister very well. Both Adam and Cord said she was spoiled.
Maybe her own inadequacies caused her to become so upset. It baffled her how Cord could fall in love with a simple farm girl. She felt so unworthy of Cord’s love. Nevertheless, he did pursue her even before he knew Daniel existed. She sure made of muck of everything. Of course she would have to apologize to Cord for doubting him.
Slowly, she turned and headed back to the house when she heard a horse approaching. Facing the rider, Abby watched as he came into view and halted mere inches from where she stood. She tilted her head back and peered into the stranger’s face. Fright almost doubled her over when he stared back at her, each eye a different color. His wicked smile caused the hair to stand up on her arm. Abby raised her skirts and ran toward home as fast as her legs would carry her. She could feel the thundering hooves of the horse coming nearer, could feel it breathing down her neck. Too afraid to look back, she screamed when she felt a strong arm lift her off the ground. She found herself draped over the man’s lap like a sack of potatoes. Boisterous laughter vibrated in her ears as he turned his horse and galloped away, taking her from Cord and Daniel. Powerful hooves pounded away at the ground causing her head to throb. Would she ever see Cord and Daniel again?
The house was in an uproar as everyone looked for Abby. For the hundredth time, Cord stepped out on the porch and searched the horizon for his wife. If only he could see her in the distance, russet hair shining in the bright sun shine.
Daniel was hungry and nothing seemed to satisfy him because he wanted his mother. “Something is wrong, Cord. Abby would never leave Daniel this long. She knows his schedule.” Nick reached his hands out for Daniel, taking him from Cord.
“She was very angry. Maybe she has not cooled off yet.” Cord began to pace the floor.
“I know my sister. Nothing would keep her from Daniel.”
Nick was right. Never would she put anything before her son. But she was extremely angry. How could she believe he didn’t love her? Last night he shared his most painful memories with her, opened his heart to her. How could she still doubt him?
Adam raced into the kitchen. He almost had to shout to be heard over Daniel’s hungry cries. “I found this down by the pond.” Cord took the lace handkerchief. He saw Abby slip it into her pocket that very morning.
“There were fresh horse tracks leading away from the pond. I think someone kidnapped Abby.”
The color drained from Cord’s face as he sat down in a nearby chair. The only person he could think of that would take Abby was Bart Langley. He had probably been watching the house just waiting for an opportunity to cause them more pain. Seconds passed as he sat imagining all the despicable things Bart was probably doing to Abby at that very moment. His mother and father had not been his first victims. The man was known for raping and then killing women. Now Bart would rape then kill his beloved wife.
Roughly, Adam shook Cord and hissed, “Snap out of it, Cord. Come on we have to go get her. The longer she is with that animal, the less likely she is to survive.”
Still in shock, he rose to his feet, but seemed unsure of how to proceed.
“Who has taken Abby?”
Adam looked at Nick as he struggled with Daniel. “Bart Langley. He is the man that killed our parents. He was spotted in town the other night.”
Glaring at Cord, Adam snapped, “She is still alive. Bart will not kill her until he no longer needs her. He will use her to get to you.”
Something in Adam’s tone finally brought Cord out of his shock. He had to save Abby. “I’ll go saddle the horses. You pack our gear.” Fifteen minutes later, the three men were hot on the trail of Bart Langley and Abby.
****
Abby’s body ached from all the bruises inflicted while jostled over the neck of Langley’s horse. Every time she struggled to sit, he gave her a hard smack on her bottom embarrassing her terribly. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying as the uncomfortable ride seemed to go on forever. After they arrived at their destination, he humiliated her further when he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of feed. Her long hair almost touched the ground as she dangled over his shoulder. Not wanting to see the faces of the men who laughed loudly at his despicable treatment of her, she shut her eyes. She squirmed and beat his back with her fists. “Let me go!”
The laughter of the men grew louder when Langley smacked her on the bottom and shouted, “Shut up!” It was degrading the way the man was treating her.
Even though Abby feared him, she still fought against the strong arms that held her in place. “Please let me go. Bart Langley, let me go.”
As he carried her inside a small cabin, his boots scraped across the boards. Suddenly, she found herself roughly dumped on a small bed. The moment he released his hold on her, she pushed back the hair that fell all around her. She pressed against the headboard and glared at him.
“So you know who I am.” A big man with coal black hair touching his shoulders, Bart stared at Abby. Eyes, each a different color, gave him a menacing look.
Her voice cracked, “Cord told me about your unusual eyes.” Thoughts of what he planned to do with her caused her to shudder. “I have a son. Please let me go home.”
Bart reached out, wrapped his hand into her hair, and pulled her close. A sharp pain tore through her scalp. He smelled of liquor and dust. Her stomach rolled and she took several deep breaths fearing she would be sick. The pain and fright in her eyes seemed to excite him.
“If you do what I ask, you can go home when I’m finished with you.” For some reason Abby did not believe him. When she looked into his strange eyes, she knew he would kill her without even blinking. The man had no soul. After all, he was the man who killed Cord’s parents.
Bart released his hold on Abby and she wiggled as far away from him as the small bed would allow. “Cord will come for me.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for. If he wants his lovely wife, he will have to go through ten men. Even the mighty Cord Sutton ain’t gonna survive ten guns pointed at him.”
All those men outside planned to kill Cord. Surely he wouldn’t come alone. He would have to get the authorities involved. He had tangled with Bart Langley before and knew there would be a trap waiting for him.
“Cord is no longer a threat to you. He wants a normal life. If you release me, he will no longer search for you.”
Bart’s cold smile made Abby shiver. “Cord will never stop until I am dead. He will never be content as long as he knows I am alive. He would walk into hell after me. That is why I must kill him before he kills me. He is like a damn cat with nine lives. I will not fail this time.”
The thought Bart might really kill Cord this time sent a chill up Abby’s spine. What if he didn’t notify the authorities and decided to come alone? Bart or his men would be waiting for him. Frantically, she thought of a way to save Cord. The only thing that came to mind was money. “My father is Ian McDonald. He will pay you if you let me go.”
For several seconds he fell silent as if trying to decide if she was telling the truth. She hoped he had heard of her father. “If you are McDonald’s daughter, then I’ll ransom you to your father after I no longer need you.”
“No, if you kill Cord, you are as good as dead. I will tell my father to hunt you down. I am trying to make a deal with you. Ransom me to my father and forget about Cord. You can take the money and start a new life in another country.”
Langley tilted his head back and laughed. “You are in no position to be making deals. I will kill Cord, and then ransom you to your father. At least this way you get to live and go back to your son.” Abby thought about Daniel. What would happen to him if she and Cord both were killed by Langley?
Even though fighting was futile, she still kicked and screamed when Langley tried to tie her to the headboard. No match for his strength, he easily bound her with arms stretched out wide. Abby cringed when Langley touched her cheek.
“You are very beautiful.” Jerking her head away, Abby released the tears and they flowed down her face. Her breasts hurt because they were filled with milk. In her mind she could hear Daniel’s pitiful cries wanting his mother to feed him.
Abby let out a gasp when Langley raised her skirt and fondled her thigh. Clenching her legs together, Abby hissed, “Get your filthy hands off me.” Lust in his eyes caused her stomach to knot with fear.
“Calm down, honey. I don’t intend to have you until your husband gets here. I want him to watch.” His evil smile caused her heart to ache.
Fear escalated as Langley’s touches became rough, almost painful as he dug his hand into her thigh and squeezed. “Please stop.”
Abby
didn’t know if it was her pleas or he tired of the game he played with her, but suddenly Langley pulled her skirt down and stood. With a gentleness that surprised her, he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her stomach lurched and she thought she would retch. At least she knew why he had not already raped her, he was waiting for Cord.
Chapter Nineteen
The front porch boards creaked under someone’s weight so Abby stopped struggling to get out of her restraints. If only they would have waited several seconds before entering the cabin, she felt she could have loosened the ropes enough to pull her wrists free. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears from her efforts. With her eyes downcast, she tried to look relaxed so the man standing in the doorway would not know she almost gained her freedom.
“What do we have here? Maybe I need to tighten those ropes because it looks as if you have almost wiggled free.”
Abby wanted to scream out her frustration when the man sat down on the bed beside her. Unable to keep her eyes downcast any longer, Abby met the eyes of the man tightening her bonds. The look he gave her with his dark intense stare caused her to shudder. “Please let me go. I have a baby boy and I need to get home to him. My husband will pay you if you release me.”
The man chuckled as he removed his hat, laying it on the end of the bed at Abby’s feet.
His brown hair matted flat with sweat, smelled pungent and caused her stomach to churn.
“Bart would skin me alive if I let his prisoner go.” He leaned in so close Abby could feel his breath on her cheek. “You sure are pretty. How about a little kiss?”
She flinched and struggled to get her hands loose. “Get away from me!”
“I’m not going to hurt you, honey. I just want a little kiss.” He brought his lips forcefully down on hers. To keep him from thrusting his tongue in her mouth, she clinched her lips together tightly. One hand slipped behind her head, and he pulled her closer. Not getting the response he wanted from her, he pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Come on honey. A woman that looks as good as you do knows how to kiss a man properly.”
“You try to kiss me again and I’ll bite your tongue off.” Near panic, Abby swallowed the bile rising into her throat. The man’s hand touched the hem of her skirt and she stiffened.
“If you won’t give me a kiss, I’ll get my pleasure another way.”
She began to kick at his hand as he tugged on her skirt trying to get it above her knees.
“Charlie, why are you in here?” Instantly, the man stood and faced Bart standing in the doorway. “My orders were for no one to come into the cabin.”
“Sorry, boss. She’s just so damn pretty. I just wanted a kiss. I swear I wasn’t going to do anymore than kiss her.”
A fist landed in his gut and Charlie bent over gasping for breath. The next blow, an uppercut, connected with his cheek and knocked the man on his backside. Bart picked up Charlie’s hat at Abby’s feet and put it back on his head. “Now get back to your post and remember the girl is off limits. Tell the other men no one is to touch her.”
Charlie scurried from the tiny cabin obviously worried Bart might punch him again. Bart sat on the bed beside Abby. “Did he hurt you?”
Surprised at his concern Abby snorte
d, “Why do you care? Didn’t you say you were going to rape me when Cord gets here? What’s the difference in him or you? I can’t stand the thoughts of either of you touching me.”
Worried about Daniel, Abby wanted to go home. Becoming hysterical, Abby screamed, “I want to go home!” Tears flowed down her cheek.
“Calm down, Abby. I am going to let you go.” Bart cupped her tear soaked cheek. At least I am going to let you live. That is more than I did for Cord’s mother.” Gut wrenching sobs didn’t bother him in the least. He stood and walked out the door leaving her to wonder what horrible fate awaited her.
****
It was obvious Bart was setting a trap. Anyone could follow the trail he left behind. The trail narrowed as Cord, Adam, and Nick neared a dense forest. Instinct told Cord if they rode into the woods together they would be killed. The sun was setting and there would be little light in the thick trees. They would be picked off like ducks on a pond by men waiting on the dark trail to ambush them. Halting Pepper, he turned in the saddle and faced Adam and Nick. “If my hunch is right, they’ll be waiting to kill us when we enter the forest.”
Nick’s voice cracked. “You don’t intend to leave her with Bart.”
“Of course not. We will have to go the rest of the way on foot. The forest is too thick for the horses so they will be expecting us to stay on the trail. The only way we are going to get Abby back is if we have the element of surprise on our side.” The three men tied their horses, checked their guns to make sure they were loaded, and stealthily moved through the shadows of the trees.
By the time they saw the tiny cabin nestled in the forest, the sun was almost gone. A lone lantern lit the inside spilling enough light out onto the porch for Cord to see at least five men brandishing rifles. The shadows of several other men revealed their hiding places lurking behind dark trees
along the edge of the small clearing. Unable to see Langley, Cord feared he was inside with Abby. A chill crawled up his spine as he remembered what they did to his mother. He tried to get the image out of his mind that Langley may have already raped Abby. The man was perverted when it came to women. Still, he felt she was alive. He didn’t think Langley would kill Abby until he was sure he no longer needed her.
Before it got too dark for them to see the enemy, they had to act quickly. Adam and Nick leaned in close so they could hear Cord’s low whisper. “You two wait here. I’ll make my way around back and see if I can get inside without being seen. Hopefully, I can get Abby out before they know we are here. If you hear me shoot, then start picking off as many as you can.”
Worried about Nick, Cord asked, “Do you think you will be able to shoot these men, Nick?”
“Don’t’ worry about me. You know how I feel about Abby. I have your back.”
Cord smiled and pulled out his knife. He knew Nick would do whatever it took to save Abby.
****
Bart walked into the tiny cabin and peered down at Abby. “What in the hell are you doing?”
She ignored his rough tone and continued with her prayer. Her eyes shut tightly and the words flowing from her mouth, she poured her heart into the prayer. Not even when she felt Bart’s strong hands on her shoulders, shaking her did she relent. Suddenly, he slammed her against the headboard causing a sharp pain to shoot up her back.
Abby shouted, “Amen,” and opened her eyes. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m praying. Have you never prayed?”
In a cold, unfeeling voice, Langley said, “I don’t believe in God.”
Abby softly whispered, “Why not? Look at the trees, the beauty around you. Don’t you see God’s hands made everything?” She peered into his unusual eyes and realized her words meant nothing to him. Hard and uncaring, he had too much evil in him. In that moment she wondered what happened in his life to make him hate.
A sense of disquiet settled over her as Bart stared deeply into her eyes. “You are a hard one to figure out, Abby. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
Then she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe he wasn’t as evil as he perceived himself to be. “Please let me go. My son is crying to be fed at this very moment.” Her breasts throbbed, needing to be relieved of milk. In her mind she could see Daniel wailing for her. “Let me go back to my husband and son. It is not too late for you to change. You can make amends.”
“Stop wasting your breath, sweetheart. You have no idea of the evil things I have done. I have stolen, raped, murdered. The things I have done will never be forgiven. Did Cord not tell you how many times I raped his mother? I watched while my men raped her.”
Abby struggled against her bonds wanting to cover her ears with her hands. “Stop talking! Get away from me!” She began to kick at him to get him off the bed as she cried hysterically.
Eyes sparkling wickedly, Langley squeezed Abby’s cheeks between his strong fingers. She shut her eyes tightly so she would not have to look at him just inches from her face.
“What do you think I am going to do to you when Cord arrives? Do you think it has been easy watching you lie in this bed and not have you? You are quite a temptation, sweetheart. I wanted to take you the moment I saw you.” He shoved her face causing the back of her head to hit against the headboard. She winced from the pain.
Feeling his weight leave the bed, Abby opened her eyes and watched as he angrily marched out the door. Never in her life had she hated anyone, until now.
****
Two guards hid in the shadows behind the cabin. Without making a sound, Cord slipped up on both and slit their throats. Stealthily, he made his way to the back porch of the cabin keeping to the trees in case someone watched from inside. By the time he stood at the door and glanced around the tiny room, he could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Relief washed over him when he saw Abby lying on the bed. She was crying because he could hear her soft sobs. But at least she was alive. Eyes closed, he could see she was praying.
As he tiptoed to the bed, a board creaked loudly causing her to open her eyes. When he saw the fright in her eyes, he knew she had been through a terrible ordeal. The moment she saw it was him, her expression went from terror to hope. He dropped down on the bed beside her, and cut the ropes around her wrists. Fingers curled into his shirt, she pulled him close as if her very life depended on him.
“I’m sorry, Cord. I should never have left the house. All this is my fault.” She burrowed her face into his chest.
“Shhh, Abby, it’s not your fault. Let’s get out of here.” Pushing her at arm’s length, he placed his fingers against her lips.
“I have been waiting for you.”
Both Cord and Abby turned toward the voice. There in the doorway stood Langley with a gun leveled at Cord’s chest. Cord’s eyes darted toward the gun he laid on the bed when he cut Abby’s bonds away. Should he go for it?
“Don’t even think about it. I would hate for it to be over that quickly.” Never taking the gun from Cord’s chest, Langley grabbed the gun, and threw it in the corner of the room.
Moving back a few steps, he shouted to his men, “Spread out and find the others! He didn’t come by himself!”
Cord and Abby both heard the shuffle of men outside as they darted in all directions to find Adam and Nick. It was difficult for Cord to keep his eyes on Langley when Abby wrapped her arm around his for comfort. He wanted to look into her eyes and tell her everything would be okay, but he knew never to take his eyes off a snake fixing to strike.
Langley gestured toward the chair in the corner with his pistol. “Move to the chair.”
Cord never budged. “Let Abby go. I am the one you want. We have a son and he needs her.”
“I have become quite fond of her. She is so sweet and much more beautiful than I anticipated.” He took a step moving further into the tiny room. “My plan was to rape her while you watched, then kill her. Now that I have gotten to know her, I plan on keeping her for myself. She will go to Mexico with me where she will have no chance of escape. She will bend to my will or die. The choice will be hers.”
Cord felt Abby tense. “Her father is Ian McDonald. Even if you kill me, he will find you. He will not rest until she is safe and you are dead.”
“She is worth the chance. Did you know she even tried to save my soul? I am baffled how you found such a charming wife when you have been chasing me all over Mexico.” Seconds passed as his eyes roamed over Abby.
“You are responsible. She is the one who dug out the bullet and nursed me back to health after you ambushed me near Tarboro.”
“Oh how sweet.” Langley’s sarcastic tone made Cord cringe. “It’s like an angel saving the devil.”
Eyes narrowing, Langley motioned toward the chair again. “I’m tired of waiting. Now get in the chair so I can tie you. I want you to watch while I enjoy your stunning wife.”
Still not budging, Cord asked, “Where does all this hate stem from, Langley? You killed my parents, and yet you call me the devil. If I didn’t know better, I would believe you were raised by a pack of wolves.”
Irritated Langley stepped closer. “One of the men you killed was my brother. Is that not reason enough to hate you?”
Cord remembered the man he killed in Diablo, Texas, just before he followed Langley into Mexico. Now that he thought about it, he did resemble Langley. “Do you expect me to feel bad for killing your brother? He was just as evil as you.” All the ramifications began to run through his mind of what could happen if he did as Langley ordered and sat in the chair. He kept stalling, hoping to come up with a plan. Only thing was, a gun pointed at his chest made it difficult to think.
“You started this when you killed my parents. Did you thin
k I would forget it and let you live?” Cord tried to calm down for Abby’s sake. “Let’s call it even. Let my wife go and we will end this here and now, just you and me. The victor will walk away.”
Abby screamed when Langley smashed his gun into Cord’s jaw. “Get in the chair now!”
Rubbing his jaw, he stood. He pushed Abby away as she clung to him. “It’s okay.” Her pitiful cries tore at his heart as he moved toward the chair. Without a doubt, he would not be able to save Abby from being raped by Langley if he restrained him. The thought of Langley touching her was more than he could endure. He had no other choice but to make an attempt to stop the man.
Just before Cord sat down in the chair, he fell backwards with all his weight pushing against Langley. The sound of the gun discharging was deafening in the tiny cabin. As he struggled with Langley for the pistol, he felt the pain in his side and knew he was wounded. Weakened from loss of blood, he desperately fought for control of the pistol. Blood trickled from his side where the bullet tore into his body. It was Langley who came off the floor holding the gun.