The Payment (30 page)

With his jaw clenched, he grabbed hold of
the bedpost and forced himself to his feet, swaying he held on to
it until the room stopped spinning. Letting go of the bedpost, he
reached for his six-shooter sitting on the table next to the bed.
The cries of terror from Mason and Tye galvanized him into
action.

The knowledge that his family might be in
grave danger gave him the strength he needed to cross the room.
Once in the hallway he needed to lean against the wall to steady
himself. He grew frustrated over his weakness and with the slow
pace, he was making. Eventually he made it to the stairs. Leaning
heavily against the railing, he took one-step at a time.

Sweat soaked every part of his body; he just
reached the last step when he heard his mother’s voice. It gave him
the added strength he so desperately needed, and he managed to make
it to the parlor doorway where he stood bare assed naked with his
gun raised and aimed at his mother.

“
I would drop that weapon if I were
you.” He warned her in a cold deadly voice.

India turned to look over and gasped, her
face burning with embarrassment over Traye’s nakedness.

Irene let out a screech of frustration and
rage. “You’re supposed to be dead or too badly injured. You bastard
I’ll kill you all.” She screeched and pointed the gun at India.

Traye took deadly aim and fired, no matter
how much he wanted the woman dead he couldn’t kill her. She was his
mother after all. When he saw the blood flow from her right
shoulder, the gun dropped from his hand and fell to the floor. The
next instant so did he. All his strength used up, and he could no
longer keep himself on his feet.

Chaos broke loose; Tuff shoved the boys on
to the sofa and ran to Traye.

Chin Li helped Missy down to sit next to the
boys and hurried after Tuff.

India gathered the boys close and held the
sobbing little bodies.

Irene lay on the floor screeching and
cursing, slowly sliding into madness.

Tuff knelt beside Traye and lifted his head.
“Traye, Traye can you hear me?” he breathed in relief when Traye
opened his eyes.

“
I’m fine just run out of strength.
Help me up into a chair.” Traye’s words were barely a
whisper.

Chin Li rushed to get a blanket from the
back of the sofa then hurried back to Traye and helped Tuff lift
him to his feet then wrapped the blanket around his waist. “Next
time you put on pants before you come down stairs.”

Traye gave a weak laugh and gratefully sunk
deep in the chair. “Is everyone all right?”

“
Yeah, we’re fine thanks to you. You
did fine boy, real fine.” Tuff said with tears blurring his eyes
and he patted Traye on the shoulder.

Tuff’s words bought strength flowing through
his blood. “How is she?”

Chin Li went to check the woman screaming
and lying on the floor. He pulled out a rag from his apron pocket
and stuffed it into her mouth. “Will not listen to such noise. I no
take out bullet, but fetch bandage to stop bleeding.”

Traye chuckled. He couldn’t blame Chin Li
for stuffing the rag in his mother's mouth. His gaze went to India
and the boys. “Are you and the boys all right, India?”

India nodded. “Yes we’re fine.”

“
Like hell yah are, we got to get you
upstairs. Ain’t no way you’re having them babies down here.” Tuff
suddenly remembered India was about to give birth.

“
Oh jeez, she’s having them now?”
Traye started to panic.

“
Yep and as soon as Chin Li bandages
up the bitch, we’ll take her up stairs to bed.” Once again, Tuff
patted Traye’s good shoulder. He shook with relief that they all
managed to come out of the situation unhurt.

FIFTY-SIX

King, his daughter, and everyone else who
were involved were on their way on their way to jail. The only one
missing was their mother. “I don’t like it. I think we better head
home as fast as we can.” Dane felt dread ripping at his gut and
wanted to get home as quick as he could.

“
Hell Dane you’ve used up just about
all your strength, and I doubt you’ll be able to sit your horse.”
Jeff tried to reason with him.

“
Hell don’t you think I know it? I’ll
just have to ride with one of you. We have to get home.” He
bellowed in frustration and fear.

“
Come on help him up. He can ride in
front of me. I feel the same as Dane. We need to get home.” Jesse
volunteered and as soon as Dane settled in front of him on his
horse, rode out as quickly as he could.

The others swiftly mounted and followed,
they raced towards home fast grim faced and full of worry.

When they pulled up in front of the house,
Reese and Devon helped Dane from the horse and into the house,
Jesse and Jeff followed. As soon as they stepped inside the parlor,
dread filled their hearts. They never expected to see Traye sitting
in the room; they saw Mason and Tye weeping against him.

“
What’s happened?” Dane asked as his
brothers helped him into the room.

Traye tossed his head to the side where
their mother lay on the floor tied up and gagged.

“
Holly shit.” Reese blurted
out.

“
India. Where’s India?” Dane asked
frantically.

Traye threw his brother a grin. “You best
get him upstairs, he’s about to become a Papa.”

Jeff and Devon helped Dane upstairs while
Reese and Jesse comforted Mason and Tye, letting Traye rest.

“
Are you okay and what happened?”
Jesse asked as he sat down with his arm around Mason.

“
I heard screaming and knew something
was wrong, it took an effort, but I made it down stairs and guess
who I found threatening everyone with a gun. I did warn her but she
aimed her weapon at India. I didn’t have a choice but to fire.”
Traye explained and wearily closed his eyes.

“
He didn’t have any clothes on.” Tye
informed them.

Reese and Jesse broke in to laughter, within
a few seconds both Mason and Tye joined in.

“
When India’s has her babies will be
soon enough to take the bitch to jail.” Traye told them. “She’s in
no danger; Chin Li bandaged her wound and stopped the
bleeding.”

Even though he didn’t have an ounce of
strength left in him, as soon as he sat down in the chair by the
bed Dane reached for his wife’s hand. “India, I’m here darlin.”

Her head whipping around India glared
angrily at her husband. “And it’s about time to. You had no right
to ride of and leave me to have your babies on my own.”

Dane cringed as his wife shouted at him.

“
Ah I think we best get out of here.”
Devon quickly backed up away from the bed.

India narrowed in on Jeff and Devon. “Stay I
insist.” She snapped at them.

Horrified at the thought, both Jeff and
Devon spun around and raced from the room.

“
Now gal no need to be cranky, Dane’s
here.” Tuff wanted to leave as well but Chin Li needed his help and
Dane didn’t seem to be in any condition to lend a hand.

“
Time Missy. Next contraction you
push, push hard.” Chin Li instructed her and moved between her
spread thighs.

“
I don’t want to.” India suddenly grew
terrified.

Dane found the strength within him and
getting up from the chair sat down on the edge of the bed, bent
over and kissed his wife’s brow and stroked the side of her face.
“You can do it sweetheart. You’re stronger than any of us.” He
leaned closer. “I love you sweetheart.” He brushed her lips with
his own and lifted away, relieved to see the fear leave her
eyes.

Down stairs everyone waited in anxious
impatience, time seemed to crawl by. Every now and then sporadic
words were spoken only to be replaced with lengths of silence. When
dusk started to settle, Jeff lit the lamps and poured everyone a
much-needed drink. No one paid any heed to Irene, who
intermittently thrashed on the floor.

A grin from ear to ear, Tuff entered the
parlor. “Well boyo’s we’ve got ourselves a baby boy and a baby
girl.”

Sighs of relief filled the room followed by
the sound of laughter. They clapped each other on the back.

“
How’s India?” Jesse asked.

“
The gal is doing just fine; you can
all go up and see for yah selves.” Tuff no sooner finished when
Traye was helped to his feet and the room cleared. He chuckled to
himself then slowly walked over to where Irene lay on the floor.
“Yah went too far this time bitch, and now I’m gonna make sure you
never see the light of day again.” With one more look of loathing,
he turned away and followed the boy's upstairs.

Everyone piled into Dane and India’s room to
look at the babies and make sure she really was all right.

Dane rested on his side next to his wife, he
grinned when his brothers rushed in to the room.

Traye sat in the chair next to the bed and
everyone gathered around the crib to admire the babies.

India watched with sleepy amusement, she hid
her surprise as one by one they came to her and kissed her cheek
before they left the room.

“
I told you sweetheart, they would
love you, just as I do.” Dane whispered next to her ear.

India turned to face her husband and cupped
his cheek. “It’s finally all over isn’t it Dane? She won't be able
to hurt us anymore.”

Dane wrapped his arms around his wife and
hugged her close; his lips placed soft kisses along her brow.
“She’s gone for good sweetheart. She’ll never be able to hurt us
again, I promise. Thank you sweetheart. Thank you for giving me two
fine and beautiful babies and thank you for loving me again and
thank you for loving my brothers.”

Tired and happy, India snuggled against her
husband. “I love you too, all of you.” She whispered before she
succumbed to sleep.

Even though exhausted himself, he was too
overwhelmed with his emotions Dane couldn’t sleep. His family was
now once again safe. His wife survived giving birth, and now he was
the proud father of two wonderful babies. Taking his wife in
payment proved to be the best and most sensible thing he ever did.
Now they could finally put the past behind them and look towards a
glowing and loving future. His whole family finally would have a
chance to heal and his brothers would now grow in to fine young men
without their mother’s ugliness and poison filling their lives.

He brushed his wife’s hair with his lips.
“Thank you my love, thank you.” He whispered softly just before the
weakness took over, and he drifted off into a healing sleep.

EPILOGUE

Mid afternoon Dane lay watching his wife and
children sleeping, his heart nearly exploding from the overwhelming
happiness filling him. He reached out and gently brushed the hair
from his wife’s brow. Everyone he loved was safe and virtually
unharmed. He knew now they would never have to fear their mother
coming back in to their lives ever again.

None of them felt an ounce of remorse or
anything else but relief, their mother finally succumbed to the
poison riddled inside her and descended in to complete an utter
madness. Her sanity completely lost, instead of putting her in jail
they restrained her and escorted her to the nearest asylum.

Everyone else who had been involved with her
was all in jail and would most likely be there for a very long
time. Traye and Reese were acquitted of the charge of murder after
Sheriff Butt’s confession. He could now breathe easy and let the
fear finally leave him. The only thing that still filled his heart
with guilt was Jesse, who still insisted on leaving.

Nothing he said or anyone else said would
change his mind and he knew that he would have to let his brother
go. Hopefully one day soon Jesse will return home and all would be
forgiven. Hell he made so many stupid mistakes but the one mistake
he positively didn’t make was taking this beautiful loving woman as
payment for her brother’s dept

Now he owed her a debt, a very big debt. It
would take the rest of his life to pay her back, he would gladly
pay it with love and with devotion, and he would more than
willingly pay it. Love so overwhelming rushed through him, he
placed a kiss on her brow and swore to protect her and their
children forever and love them for a lifetime and if it was
possible from beyond. He cuddled her closer and closed his eyes
knowing he held something so very precious in his arms.

PREVIEW

THE MATHEWS MEN

BOOK TWO

JESSE

THE FOOLISH DECISION

PROLOGUE

Damn it to hell, what in
the bloody hell have I done?
Jesse’s mind screamed the
words loudly inside his head as he slowly opened his eyes and
finally his sanity came rushing back to him. With guilt and disgust
lashing through him, he rolled off the woman beneath him; fell on
to his back covering his eyes with his arm. Taking in great gulping
breathes as he tried to work out how he could have let such a thing
happen and try to work out what he should do about it
now.

When his mind eventually began to
clear, his anger at himself grew within him with each harsh breath
he took.
What the hell am I going to do
now?
His mind screamed as he once again felt guilt
rush through him.

He just made love to a virgin, an innocent,
a woman he had didn’t have any right to touch and a woman that
deserved better and much more than he was willing to give. To his
shame, he not only made love to her but he also left his seed deep
inside of her, which would complicate things even further. Dropping
his arm away, he turned his head slightly and looked worriedly at
the woman laying in the hay beside him and seeing the ecstasy still
on her beautiful face sucked in his breath.