The Payment (18 page)

“
Who do you think old man? They can’t
keep their hands off each other, and they don’t give a damn who’s
around and we’re getting right sick of it.” Traye spat
out.

Tuff heard enough of what Traye was
complaining about, racing across the room, and coming to a dead
stop when he saw Dane and his wife embracing at the top of the
stairs. “Damn and blast it boy you leave the poor girl alone and
stop pestering her. You’ve been at her so damn much that yah don’t
even see how tired she is lookin. Now you get yah self out of here
and you Missy, you go and get yah self somethin to eat and then yah
will sit in the parlor and do nothing for the rest of the day.” He
stood there with his arms folded over his chest and glared up at
them.

Both Dane and India tore their mouths apart
and both blushed and looked sheepish.

Out of the corner of her eye, India tried
not to smile when she saw the heat in her husbands’ face.

Dane felt like a naughty little school boy
and grew embarrassed. He shook the feeling away and raised a golden
brow. “Tell me old man, what the heck do you know about pestering?”
He threw back his head and laughed when he saw Tuff’s face turn
red, and he started sputtering. He turned to his wife and saw her
eyes dancing with laughter; he winked at her before he flew down
the stairs and out of the house still chuckling.

THIRTY-THREE

When Tuff stormed outside, India burst in to
laughter, went down stairs, and stepped inside the parlor. She
arched a brow when she saw the smug faces of Dane’s brothers. She
wasn’t ashamed at being caught kissing her husband. She gave them a
pleasant smile as she swished her skirts and moved across the room
to the dining room.

Watching his sister-in-law and her superior
smile, Traye shook his head. “Damn woman, I reckon she knows
exactly how we feel.”

Reese grunted in reply, stood up, and jammed
his hat on his head. “Yep you’re probably right. Come on, let’s get
to work.”

Jesse watched his sister-in-law from lowered
lids and thought just how lucky his big brother was. He started to
admire India and thought that Dane acted smart in taking her for
payment for the gambling debt. He followed his brothers out and
wondered if there were other women around that were like India.

Stunned he shook his head, he growled softly
and wondered where in the hell did that horrifying thought come
from. He didn’t want a damn wife. The only thing he wanted is to
have this business sorted out with their mother and then maybe go
away and see something of the country, perhaps one day have a ranch
of his own.

India lost count of how many times she went
to the window to see if her husband returned. The knot in her
stomach intensified, and she knew by the somber worry on everyone’s
face that they were all just as anxious. Dane should have been home
hours ago, the tension in the room grew steadily as time ticked by
and once again, her eyes searched the long drive. At last, she
spotted his horse and gave a cry of relief, picking up her skirt;
she raced out of the room and out of the house. Standing on the
veranda, she stood waiting for him.

Everyone heard India’s cry, watched her rush
from the room, they all sighed in relief, and slowly followed her
out.

As her husband came closer India frowned,
she felt dread fill her heart as she noticed that he sat slumped
over his saddle. The closer he came she sensed something terribly
wrong. With a strangled cry, she picked up her skirts and ran down
the steps and down the drive to meet him.

Just as everyone stepped outside, they heard
India's cry and saw her run down the drive with her skirt up around
her knees. Worriedly they turned their eyes to their brother
slumped in the saddle and with curses filling the air they rushed
to their brother; fear filling their hearts.

Frantically reaching for the reins when she
reached the horse India pulled it to a stop and with tears
trickling down her cheeks as she stared up at her husband. When the
others reached her, they gently moved her aside, lifted Dane of his
horse, and carefully carried him inside the house. With care, they
laid him down on the kitchen table.

When the kitchen door opened, Chin Li was
about to yell for them to leave but his words died in his throat as
he noticed the boys carrying in an unconscious Dane. He didn’t
waste any time. He started cutting away his shirt with a kitchen
knife to see how badly he was injured the moment they laid him down
on the table.

Terrified, India slowly followed behind
everyone. She didn’t think she could face being told her husband
might be dead. She just stepped into the parlor when both Mason and
Tye came rushing towards her. She wrapped her arms around them and
held them close, trying not to cry and be strong for the little
ones. However, each second that ticked by she didn’t think she
could stop herself from falling apart.

After removing the shirt, Chin Li gave an
enormous sigh of relief. “Not so bad, he will be fine. Now Reese,
Traye, go and sit with Missy and keep her out of here. Also, the
little ones will need you. Tuff, Jesse, you stay and help.”

Reese and Traye wanted to argue, but they
knew better. Reluctantly they left the kitchen. When they entered
the parlor and saw the anguish on India’s face, they hurried over
to her. Reese took the boys from her while Traye led her over to
the sofa. Reese followed with the boys. Once everyone settled on
the sofa, both Reese and Traye tried to comfort them as best they
could.

After taking a seat India turned to Traye,
she couldn’t stop her voice from trembling. “Is, is he going to be
all right?” With a shaking hand, she wiped at the tears running
down her face as she waited in fear for his answer.

Traye took India’s hand, squeezing it
lightly as he smiled at her. “Don’t worry; Dane’s going to be fine.
He’s too ornery and bossy to let a little thing like a bullet do
him in.”

Her body sagging in relief, India felt some
of her fear ease. If Traye could joke about Dane’s injury, he would
be all right.

It seemed like hours passed before the
kitchen door opened and Jesse came into the parlor with a smile on
his face. “He’s going to be fine. Reese, Traye give us a hand
taking him upstairs.”

Her eyes huge in her face India gripped her
hands tightly together when she saw Jesse. She felt the tension
ease out of her when she saw the smile on his face. Suddenly, she
crumbled and raising her hands covered her face and wept.

The twins jumped to their feet and hurried
from the room to help Dane and to escape a woman’s tears.

Both Mason and Tye frightened when India
started crying threw their arms around her, hugging her close.

Jesse hopped from one foot to the other
feeling uncomfortable; he didn’t know how to deal with a weeping
woman. Reluctantly he moved closer and awkwardly patted her on the
shoulder.

After a few minutes India managed to gather
her control and sniffing, she raised her head, brushed the tears
from her cheeks. She gave Jesse a weak smile and wrapped her arms
around the younger boys. “Thank you Jesse. Are you sure he’s going
to be all right?”

Jesse cleared his throat and moved away.
“Yeah he’s going to be fine.”

India rose to her feet, bringing the boys
with her when she saw Dane being carried through the room, pale
faced. She watched and with the boys still clinging to her, she
followed them up to her room.

Around suppertime, Dane woke up and groaned
from the throbbing pain in his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw
the pale worried face of his wife. He tried to give her a
reassuring smile but failed.

Her eyes glued to her husband, India sat a
little straighter in her chair when she noticed his lashes
fluttering. When he moaned, she jumped up of her seat and sitting
down on the edge of the bed, she lifted her hand and stroked the
side of his face. “Oh Dane I was so frightened.”

With his good arm, Dane reached for his
wife’s hand and squeezed it gently, and lifting it, he wiped the
tears from her cheeks. “Don’t cry sweetheart, I’ll be fine.”

Still distressed, India laid her head on his
uninjured shoulder and wept softly, letting all the anguish and
fear out.

His hand caressing his wife’s back, Dane let
her weep, knowing how scared and distressed she must have been. He
closed his eyes and tried to soothe her the best he could. His
heart filled with joy knowing that his wife must care deeply for
him.

It took her some time but India finally
gained some control over her emotions. Lifting her head, she placed
a loving kiss on her husband’s lips. “I could knock you over the
head for scaring me to death like this.” She grumbled but
smiled.

Chuckling, Dane lifted his hand and caressed
the back of her head, before he pulled her back down and gave her
another kiss. “I suppose you're going to blame me for getting
shot.”

Her head resting on her husband’s good
shoulder, India smiled genuinely for the first time in hours. “Damn
right I am. I specifically remembered telling you to take care of
yourself.”

Dane grunted and gave her waist a little
squeeze. “How are Tye and Mason?”

India sighed and lifted her head to look at
him. “I'd better go and bring them up, there terrified and
traumatized.” Reluctantly she moved out of his embrace. She gave
him another quick kiss. Standing up she left the room and hurried
down stairs to bring the children up to see Dane.

As she stood in the parlor doorway, her
heart felt heavy at seeing all the worried and tormented faces.
“Danes awake and he’s going to be just fine. Tye and Mason would
you like to go up and see him?” The words no sooner left her mouth
when the boys scrambled up and rushed from the room. The others
moved a little slower and she quickly stepped out of the way to let
them pass before they ran her down.

A smile of relief crossed her face as she
slowly followed behind them; she stood in the doorway of their
bedroom and watched her husband and his family. Tears pricked her
eyes when she saw the abiding love they had for each other, and she
prayed nothing would happen to any of them. Because she knew that
if something did, it would destroy each and every one of them.

It suddenly made her miss her own brother,
perhaps when all this trouble is finally over she would write to
him, tell him she forgave him and ask him to come for a visit.

THIRTY-FOUR

The throbbing in his shoulder woke him; Dane
gritted his teeth against the burning pain. His eyes swung to the
door when he heard it open and tears burned his eyes as he watched
both Mason and Tye sneak into his room. When they reached his bed,
they slip beneath the covers. Pretending to be asleep, he lay
unmoving as Mason slid in next to him and Tye next to India.

A smile played over his lips, even through
the pain, he watched as somehow Tye managed to move over India
without waking her and wiggles himself in between them. Poor little
souls, they were scared witless and must think their lives were a
nightmare. Damn their bloody mother, how could she do this to two
innocent children?

His lips turned up in contempt. She didn’t
give a damn about any of them. Look what she already did to him and
his other brothers and especially Traye. Poor Traye he would be the
one suffering the most having their mother back in their lives.
Well, by God, he would not let her destroy Tye or Mason’s innocence
nor would he let her ruin the happiness that he and his brother’s
were finally able to obtain.

He would strangle her with his bare hands if
it came down to it, he would not let that woman destroy them again.
He would do whatever it took, but she would not get her hands on
the boys or their home. Somehow, he would find away to defeat her
for good and make sure she would never ever come back into their
lives again.

At the incessant chatter she could hear,
grumbling India squeezed her eyes tightly shut and snuggled further
down in the pillow trying to drown out the voices. When she felt an
elbow strike her in the chest she groaned. Irritated, she opened
her eyes, lifted her head and let her gaze sweep the room. She
growled at seeing her room full of Dane’s family, when she felt a
kick in her shin, she yelped and gazed down at the bed.

She shook her head when she noticed both
Mason and Tye still sleeping soundly. Her nose wrinkled as she
shifted her gaze and saw her husband grinning at her. Making sure
the sheet covered her; she sat up and glared at his brother’s,
Tuff, and Chin Li. No one paid her the least bit of attention; they
were just too happy to see Dane looking so well.

Jesse moved to take a seat next to the bed
and sat down. “Since you seem to be looking remarkable well how
bout you tell us what happened?”

Slightly shaking his head Dane’s lips
twitched and peeked out the corner of his eye at his wife to see
her glaring at everyone. “How bout you let India, and I have a few
moments of privacy and at least a cup of coffee first.”

Traye grumbled, looked from Dane to his wife
and smirked. “Well I suppose we could wait a few minutes, come on
let’s leave them alone. It’s not as if they can do anything with
Tye and Mason sleeping in their bed.”

All eyes turned to India when she gasped
aloud with indignation. Laughing, they all headed out of the
room.

India turned to her husband her face
burning; she gave him a glare of irritation when she saw the wide
grin on his face. “Damn their ornery hide’s. Just Traye wait, I’ll
get him back for that remark.”

Unable to help himself Dane laughed. “And I
think I’ll enjoy you doing it sweetheart. Now lean over here and
give me a good morning kiss.”