The Payment (2 page)

After unlocking the door and opening it,
warily Jarrod stepped into the room. One look at his sister’s rigid
stance he knew it would be useless to try to talk to her. Perhaps
if he took out her wedding dress, she might mellow some. After all,
no woman could resist a beautiful gown.

He moved over to the wardrobe, pulled the
door open and frowned when he found it empty. He turned his head
and his gaze moved swiftly around the room. His eyes stopped when
he spotted a piece of frothy lace in the fireplace.

Quickly, he crossed the room, knelt down and
picked it up. He stared down at it for a few moments in disbelief.
“God damn it India. What in the hell did you go and burn the gown
for? Now what will you wear?” Angered he stood up and strode over
to his sister, grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her
around.

India ignored her brother’s questions.
When he roughly turned her to face him, she shrugged out of his
hold and gave him a smug smile. “Well
dear
brother I have no intentions of wearing
that damn gown or for going along meekly with your mad scheme. You
are insane if you think I will.”

She gave a light shrug of her shoulders.
“Tell me Jarrod, just how do you propose to make me say my vows?”
Convinced she now held the weapon to defeat his crazy plan she
smirked and her eyes glittered with triumph. Folding her arms
across her chest and leaning against the wall, she wore a wide smug
smile.

Jarrod grasped his sister’s arm and pulled
her away from the wall, glaring down at her upturned face, he drew
in an angry breath. “Damn you, would you see everyone here with
nowhere to go, nowhere to live and nowhere to work? Would you have
it on your conscious that old Mickey, Fanny, and Taylor would have
no home?"

He dropped her arm, straightened up and
dragged his fingers through his hair. “They’re too old and no one
will hire them. This is their home, and if it were lost what would
happen to them?”

Damn her brother to hell, India placed her
hands on her hips and lifted her chin. “Damn you Jarrod. Don’t you
turn this around so it’s my fault. You’re the one who gambled and
lost everything, and I won’t let you lay the blame at my feet.”

She drew in a breath and sneered. “You’re
detestable and selfish; making me the one to pay for your
stupidity.” She dropped her arms from her waist and turned away,
not wanting to let her brother see he finally won.

There would be no way she could let everyone
else suffer for something her brothers stupidity caused. She loved
them too much to see any harm come to them.

“
Don’t you know that I have said the
same things to myself ever since it happened? I am truly sorry
India, but there isn’t any other choice.” Jarrod took one more
guilty and sad look at his sister and remorsefully turned away and
left the room.

India spoke up before her brother closed the
door. “You might think you have won Jarrod, but let me tell you,
both you and this man will regret this. I swear both of you will
rue this day for eternity.”

Riddled with guilt, Jarrod took on a final
look at his sister and closed the door. Sadly, he admitted she was
right, he already regretted everything.

India heard the key in the lock turn, leaned
her brow against the windowpane, and squeezed her eyes tightly
shut. She felt like a prisoner about to hang and there would be no
reprieve. She knew now she did not have a choice but to go through
with this farce. If she didn’t, too many innocent people would
suffer.

Damn you Jarrod, one day I will make you pay
for this, damned if I won’t. As for the man that is taking me for
payment, he would live to regret this more than he would have ever
thought possible.

She would make his life a living hell.

THREE

India stood like a frozen statue as Fanny
fussed with her gown; shortly she would find herself in a living
nightmare and could find no way out of it.

“
I’m sorry India but this is the best
I can do love. It’s a pity and such a shame all your pretty gowns
are packed in the wagons ready for your trip to your new home.”
Fanny kept fussing at the gown. “Maybe if we add a flower to the
bodice it will pretty it up some.”

“
It’s all right Fanny. It’s just a
simple ceremony, and I am sure I look just fine.” Having trouble
hiding her anger from Fanny, India just wanted the whole horrendous
ordeal over with.

“
Now love, don’t go getting nervous. I
know it’s a big step you're taking but from what I can see you have
picked yourself a fine man. The only thing that puzzles me is how
the two of you met and why you kept it so secret.” Fanny finished
pinning the rose to the gown and stepped back to see if it
brightened up the gown.

“
There. That makes it a little better.
Now there’s no more we can do, and it’s time we went down stairs.
Oh, I’m so happy for you India. It’s a new life you’re starting,
and I just know you're going to be happy.” She dabbed at her eyes
and gave India a hug. “I’m sure going to miss you though
honey.”

India hugged Fanny back and blinked back the
tears that burned her own eyes. “I’m going to miss you too Fanny,
along with everyone else. Come on let’s go down stairs and get this
over with.” She ignored the puzzled look in Fanny’s gaze, turned
away, and left the room.

Inside she dreaded the next few minutes and
knew there would be no way she could hide how she truly felt, well
she didn’t care. As soon as the ceremony is over, the man who
wanted her for payment would quickly realize that instead he
received hell and not a wife.

Tense and worried, Jarrod waited at the
bottom of the stairs for his sister. He breathed a sigh of relief
when he saw her come down. “Fanny why don’t you join the others in
the parlor, I’d like a few words with India.”

When Fanny moved away, he gazed down at the
angry face of his sister. “This is not exactly the kind of dress a
young woman would wear to her wedding.” He tried to ease some of
the hostility between them but he knew he only failed by the
loathing lighting her eyes.

India’s eyes glowed with bitterness. “Ah I
find the damn dress quite suited to the occasion. Remember this is
no ordinary wedding. Are you forgetting the bride is payment for
your gambling debt?”

Dane left the parlor to see what might be
keeping his bride; he stood just inside the doorway and listened to
the conversation between brother and sister.

“
Don’t worry brother I’ll marry the
swine only to make sure everyone here doesn’t suffer for what you
have done. Nevertheless, hear me clearly
brother,
one thing I do promise and that is you
and the spineless bastard who won me will pay dearly for the
destruction you both have done to my life.”

Dane's body stiffened as he continued to
listen, he should not have been surprised over her remarks or
threats. His gaze slid over her and his hands clenched tightly at
his sides when he saw she wasn’t wearing the lovely wedding gown he
purchased for her.

Damn her, she could fight the marriage all
she wanted, but it will not change a damn thing. Even now, dressed
in that ugly black dress, she still looked amazingly beautiful, and
he wanted her just as badly as he did before. No nothing would stop
them from getting married.

Determination filling him, he turned around
and headed back into the parlor. It might take some effort on his
part, but he felt positive that after a short time, he could change
the woman’s attitude and hopefully he might be able to finally
smother the driving lust that burned inside him.

With her head held high, moving past her
brother India walked away. Her eyes clouded with anger as she moved
through the parlor to stand in front of the preacher. She did not
even bother to spare a glance at the man at her side. She felt too
disgusted and furious to even make the effort.

She only wanted the whole horrible ordeal
over with as quickly as possible.

With his shoulders drooping, Jarrod followed
his sister through to the parlor. Guilt ate away at him. He knew
his sister meant every word she said, and he wondered if he might
have just made the second gravest mistake of his life.

All he could do is pray that one day India
would come to realize he didn’t have any other choice and may find
forgiveness in her heart for what he forced her to do.

Out the corner of his eye, Dane eyed the
woman beside him; he could not miss the disgust and anger written
on her beautiful face. One day soon, he hoped it might be possible
to change her feelings. Lord, he hoped so. He let himself relax
when she spoke her vows. At least she is agreeing to marry me he
thought in wryly amusement.

He repeated his own vows in a loud clear
voice, placed the ring on her finger. When the minister said kiss
the bride, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and turned
her to face him.

The look of shock and seeing her lovely eyes
grow wide with fear, he suddenly realized she recognized who he
was. His mouth lifted up in a mocking smile before he swooped his
head down. His mouth covered hers in a quick gentle kiss; he
straightened up and let her go.

When she felt the hands on her and was
forced to turn, India stood facing the bastard she married. One
look at his face she thought she might faint. Dear God, now she
knew why this despicable pig married her. Revenge. When he kissed
her, she stood frozen her lips clamped tightly together.

Now as he stood gazing down at her with such
a smug smile on his face, she wanted to slap it of his handsome
face. Instead, she spun on her heels and marched hurriedly out of
the parlor; caring little what anyone thought of her strange
behavior.

All she knew was she needed to get away from
the man as quickly as possible, before she did something she might
regret.

FOUR

Dane stood alone as he accepted the
congratulations. He could see that people were confused as to why
the bride left the room, and he didn’t blame them. After several
minutes he managed to escape himself, he hurried after his wife. He
stood in the doorway of her bedroom, leaned against the doorframe,
and folded his arms over his chest.

His gaze slowly moved around the room, and
he shook his head over the destruction of her room. She must have
had quite a fit to do so much damage. His gaze returned to his
wife. Lord, if she stood any straighter or stiffer she would
probably snap in two.

After a few more moments passed, he grew
sick of being ignored. Dropping his arms to his sides, he
straightened up and crossed the room to stand directly behind her.
“I gather you’re still a little upset?”

When she heard her bedroom door open,
India’s body went rigid, but she refused to turn around. She knew
who entered her room. She heard his light tread coming towards her,
and she trembled when it stopped behind her. His softly spoken
words infuriated her, and she spun around to face him.

She needed to tilt her head back so she
could glare up at his face. “Let me warn you, I’m more than a
little upset.”

By God, she looked magnificent in her anger.
Those eyes were like bright gems, glittering with fire. Dane could
not help the effect they were having on his body but somehow he
managed to take control himself. “Well I suggest you get over it in
a hurry, I won’t put up with any of your temper tantrums.”

Temper tantrum? Temper tantrum, by God she
would give this man a temper tantrum he will never forget. “Your
threat doesn’t bother me, and if you think I’m going to be some
docile little wife well you’re even more of an imbecile than I
thought. I’m not so stupid that I don’t realize why you married
me.”

She sneered and gave him a cold look of
disgust. “You’re going to regret this and every minute of every day
I’m going to make sure you do.” She gave a squeal when the top of
her arms was suddenly squeezed in a painful hold.

Dane’s own anger surfaced and having enough
of listening to her threats and insults, he grabbed hold of her
tightly and leaned down so they were nearly nose-to-nose. “Say what
you like, threaten all you like but little girl I promise you that
I will not put up with any nonsense from you.”

Frightened at seeing the promise of
retribution in his golden eyes, India felt herself shaking, but she
refused to let him see how worried or frightened she felt. “If
we’re leaving, get out so I can change
my
wedding gown.”
She whispered harshly.

Dane dropped her arms, took a step back, and
let his eyes run over her before he turned his gaze back to her
face. “Before I go, would you like to explain to me why you’re not
wearing the gown I bought for you?” As soon as he saw her chin rise
in the air, he knew he would not be getting an answer. Well, it
didn’t really matter. With a shrug of his shoulders, he turned away
and left the room.

He stopped at the doorway and looked over
his shoulder, giving her a devilish grin. “Don’t be too long in
changing, or I’ll have to come back up here and help you.”

When he heard her outraged gasped, he
chuckled softly and left the room.

Still shaking with a mixture of fear and
rage, India moved over to the bed and sunk down on to the mattress.
She could hardly believe what was happening to her. The man only
forced her to marry him for revenge, his ego bruised he wanted to
exact his pound of flesh.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around
herself as she thought of all the ways that this man would take out
his revenge on her. Now she knew her life will truly be a nightmare
and her mind grew so muddled she could not think of any way out of
it.