A Bride for Logan by Barbara Goss (free children's online books TXT) 📗

her out and the rough ride. Since there was nothing she could do, she closed her eyes and endured the ride.

When Dallas slowed and stopped again, she looked up to see a dilapidated red barn. Dallas slid from the saddle and pulled her down to the ground. “Welcome home,” he said.

“Home?” Emma was still lethargic from whatever he’d used to knock her out. She swayed on the ground, and Dallas had to hold her up.

“It will be for now. In you go.” He pushed her through the barn door. Someone had left bales of straw inside the dark and musty barn, and Dallas invited her to sit on one before he tied her hands behind her, bound her feet, and wrapped the rope around her and the bale.

“Why are you doing this?” Emma asked. She hadn’t the energy to fight him. Even if she did, she knew he’d win in the end anyway, and she decided to save her energy.

“Did you really think I'd settle for a thousand dollars? It'll surprise your husband to see that I helped myself to his horse sale money. I expected to have to search the house for it, but it was in a box in his study. You would think he’d have put it in a safe. I also helped myself to a few horses.”

“You have your payment, then. Let me go.”

“I thought about leaving you at the house, but I still have a vendetta to settle with you.”

“You touched me inappropriately, so I kicked you to protect myself. It wasn’t personal.”

Dallas laughed. “And now I’ll enjoy my war trophy.”

“No, you won’t!” a voice from the doorway said.

Dallas groaned. “What are you doing here?”

Trixie stood in front of Dallas and poked him in the chest as she spoke. “You asked me to go to Topeka with you after you finished your personal business, and I agreed. That makes us a couple, and you will not touch that woman.”

“And I told you to stay in town and I’d come for you.”

“I had a feeling there was a reason you'd left me behind.” Trixie looked at Emma. “She isn’t your type, Dallas.”

 “She’ll do just fine.”

“Is she the reason you asked me if I knew of an abandoned building in the area? So you could compromise this woman behind my back?”

Dallas sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I wish I hadn’t told you about the Anderson's barn.” Trixie pointed to Emma. “You have a choice to make, Dallas Claybaugh.” Trixie pointed to Emma. “Me or her?”

Dallas surprised Emma when he put his arm around Trixie and kissed the top of her head. “You know how I feel about you, but this woman kicked me in the groin, and I aim to pay her back. I don’t plan on making love to her like I do you. I want to do it rough and nasty to teach her a lesson.”

Trixie shook her head. “No! I quit my job and have my things packed. Let’s go to Topeka now.”

“You brought all your things?” Dallas asked.

“Yep, all strapped to my horse.”

Dallas paced back and forth and finally asked, “What should I do with her then?”

“Leave her here. Did you get their money?”

“It’s in my saddlebag.”

“Let’s go, then. We can get a good start in Topeka—”

“We can’t go there now. She’ll tell the authorities. We’ll have to find another place to get our start.”

Trixie reached up and fondled Dallas’s cheek. “We can do that anywhere.”

Dallas threw up his arms. “All right, but I still want to teach her a lesson. I don’t hit women, so what can I do to her?”

“I could slap her around for you,” Trixie said rubbing her hands together. “Wait outside for me. I’ll work her over good.”

“I saw a stream behind the barn. I’ll water the horses, and then we can leave.” Dallas left the barn.

Emma had watched the exchange between Dallas and Trixie, and she waited with apprehension. What might Trixie do to her? The way she was tied up, she was helpless and at her mercy.

Trixie took a step closer to her. “Don’t worry. I don’t intend to harm you. I think leaving you tied up here is punishment enough. No one ever comes out to the Anderson's farm anymore since their house burned down. This place has been abandoned for five years, and you’ll die a slow death here.”

“Could you untie me, at least?”

“I want you to know that I bear you no hard feelings; I just don’t want Dallas to have you. I love him and have no wish to share him. That’s why I came here, to stop him from ravishing you. I figured he would.”

“Thank you. Will you please untie me?”

“I can’t do that.” Trixie clapped her hands a few times. “I want it to sound like I’m hitting you. If Dallas comes back in, pretend you’re knocked out.” Trixie picked up a riding crop and whipped a support pole several times. “That should do it.”

“Trixie, please, untie me. I have to relieve myself.”

“I’ll loosen your ropes if you pretend I've knocked you out.”

Emma let her head fall to her shoulders, closed her eyes, and she felt Trixie adjusting the rope behind her.

“Listen: don’t panic,” Trixie whispered. “Stay put, and I’m sure someone will rescue you. Just don’t leave the barn.”

“Are you coming?” Dallas called from the doorway. “Oh, she’s out cold. Good job.”

“Goodbye,” Trixie whispered, and she left with Dallas.

Emma listened to the horses until she could no longer hear them before she wriggled her hands free and untied her feet. She gazed around her. Now what?

~~~**~~~

“We lost them,” Logan said as he slowed his horse.

Billings stopped his horse beside Logan’s. “I’ll send out a posse, to search the whole area first thing