Spirit Warrior (17 page)

Allie gave Jacob a rueful smile when he turned her to him. She did understand. It wouldn’t be easy to compromise, but it also wouldn’t be for very long.

The smile faded and her eyes clouded with sadness as she thought about the fact that she had already been here for over a week. She had given herself two weeks. Time was fast running out.

“Mr. Tucker, welcome, come in,” Mr. Blackburn said, stepping aside. “I can’t tell you how happy my wife and I are for you and your brother.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jacob replied politely. “Thank you for doing this so late at night.”

“My pleasure,” Mr. Blackburn said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Come into the back. My wife is waiting. She has made a most delicious cake and has coffee and tea prepared.”

“Thank you, again,” Jacob said, sliding his hand to Allie’s lower back. “Allie, this is Mr. Blackburn and his wife.”

“Hello,” Allie said with a wary smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello, dear,” Mrs. Blackburn replied with a surprised glance to Jacob. “I didn’t realize she was a…”

“Allie’s father is a Lakota medicine man and respected rancher,” Jacob interjected.

“Oh,” Mrs. Blackburn replied, faintly. “Yes, well, welcome. That is such a lovely dress.”

Allie glanced down at the dress and shrugged. “Yes, I guess it is,” she responded blandly.

“Are you ready?” Mr. Blackburn asked, picking up a book off the table.

“Yes,” Jacob replied, tightening his arm around Allie’s waist.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here…”

*.*.*

Allie’s thoughts shattered, bursting outward in a million different directions as what was happening sunk in. Jacob, the low-down, lying son-of-a-bitch, had tricked her. He had snuck in under her defenses, sweet-talked her with his apology and his ‘understanding’, and set her up.

His fingers tightened on her waist and he pressed her closer to his body when she stiffened at the first words. Fury cast a red haze over her as she stared in numb disbelief as Jacob replied that he took her as his wife. His fingers bit into her side when Mr. Blackburn turned to her and asked her if she took Jacob as her husband.

“Oh, hell…” She started to reply, ignoring Mrs. Blackburn’s gasp of shock.

Her voice died when Jacob suddenly turned her in his arms and pressed his lips over hers. She heard Mr. Blackburn clearing his throat and mutter under his breath that he hadn’t gotten to that part yet. Allie started to struggle against the fierce hold that Jacob had her in when he pulled away just as suddenly as he grabbed her.

“Do you want to go home?” He asked her under his breath.

“Yes, I do!” Allie hissed out, furious.

“I pronounce you man and wife,” Mr. Blackburn stated. “Now, Mr. Tucker, you may kiss the bride.”

“You sorry as….” Allie’s curse was cut off again as Jacob captured her lips again in a kiss that was a mixture of hope, desperation, and determination.

He finally released her lips after she bit his lower lip. Jacob touched his tongue to the mark, tasting blood. His little hellcat was pissed.

“I told you, Allie,” Jacob warned in a low tone. “You’re mine. You’re my wife now. That means forever to me.”

Allie pulled away, pale. She trembled at the savage look in Jacob’s eyes. Turning away, she shook her head when Mrs. Blackburn asked her if she would like a piece of cake.

“Mrs. Tucker, can you please sign your name here?” Mr. Blackburn asked.

“No, no, I can’t,” Allie replied.

“I’ll sign for her,” Jacob said, taking the quill out of Mr. Blackburn’s outstretched hand.

“I don’t…,” Mr. Blackburn started to say before the words died on his lips at Jacob’s fierce expression. “Yes, that will be fine. Both Mrs. Blackburn and I can attest that she agreed to the marriage.”

Allie didn’t say anything. It would be pointless. It wouldn’t matter anyway. She knew her way back to Spirit Pass. Once she got the mare under her tomorrow morning, she would be heading straight back to it.

Fury tore through Allie as she strained to break the bonds holding her. After their ‘marriage’ last night, Allie had walked back to the hotel in furious silence. She didn’t have anything to say to Jacob. No, she was thinking more a good sharp blade in his miserable, deceitful heart.

The moment they had returned to their room, she had stripped out of the horrible yellow dress. Not caring if the world saw her, she marched over to the window, opened it, and threw it out before slamming the window closed again. Jacob had stood by the door, as if knowing he would have to block it, to keep her from leaving.

He watched her with wary eyes as she pulled on her clothes. She glared at him as she pushed her feet into her boots. Her mouth was a straight line and her eyes flashed with fury.

“I suggest you get out of my way, cowboy,” she snapped. “Time’s up. It’s time I took my ass back to where I belong.”

“You belong here, Allie,” Jacob replied quietly. “By my side, as my partner, as my wife.”

“You don’t know what a partner is! You don’t need a wife. You need a whore to scratch your itch! Better yet, go find one of your merry widows. It sounds like they don’t have a problem scratching it,” she retorted, pushing her hair impatiently behind her ears.

“Don’t… you ever say that again,” Jacob warned, stepping toward her. “I chose you as my wife. I took you as my wife.”

“You tricked me into being your wife! I didn’t say ‘I do’ to being your wife! I said ‘I do’ to going home!” Allie choked out as tears filled her eyes. She blinked them back, turning her back to him. “I’m going home, Jacob. We are from two very different worlds. It would never work.”

“Just like it didn’t with Chris?” Jacob asked suddenly.

“What do you know about that?” Allie whispered.

“I know that you and Chris may have been from the same time period, but you were still from two different worlds. He couldn’t accept that! He couldn’t accept that you were wealthier than he was. I accept you, Allie. I don’t care that you come from a wealthy family. I have a ranch. I accept that you are strong and passionate and proud. I accept you, cowgirl,” Jacob gritted in a low voice.

“I’m a half-breed in your world,” Allie threw out, turning to glare at him. “These people will never accept that or understand why you would marry me!”

“Then fuck them!” Jacob shouted. “I don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks.”

“You tricked me,” she muttered. “You tricked me!”

“And I’d do it again, if it meant keeping you,” Jacob replied as he stepped closer to her. “I’d do every lowdown, underhanded trick in the world if it meant keeping you.”

Allie shook her head and turned her face away from him when he reached out to touch her. She wound her arms around her waist as she pushed away the urge to believe him. Hurt and rage at being manipulated fought with fear.

She had sworn that she would never open her heart to another man the way she had with Chris. She knew that she hadn’t been successful. Jacob had snuck under the walls she had built and attacked them from the inside out. Yet, her fear was even greater because this time period was even more dangerous than hers. The cemeteries throughout the west were filled with the stories of lives cut impossibly short.

“No,” she whispered, turning away from him again. “No.”

Silence met her soft words. It was several minutes before she heard Jacob walk over to the door. He paused for a moment before he released a tired sigh.

“I’ll take you home tomorrow,” he replied in a quiet voice. “It is too dangerous to travel at night. You can sleep here.”

“Where are you going?” She asked.

“I’ll be close if you need me,” Jacob replied. “Get some sleep. It’s a long journey.”

Allie released her breath as the door shut behind her. She hadn’t turned around because she didn’t want Jacob to see the tears on her cheeks. Wiping impatiently at them, she walked over to the bed and lay down. Exhaustion finally pulled her into an uneasy sleep.

*.*.*

Jacob watched as Allie tugged on the rope he had tied around her wrists this morning after their first stop. He hadn’t lied when he said he was taking her home. He was, but not to the one in the future.

“You can’t keep me tied forever, Jacob,” Allie growled.

“I don’t know,” he smirked. “I think having you tied to my bed might be fun.”

“Ha-ha! A regular comedian,” Allie snapped. “Really? Don’t you think this is a little low, even for you?”

Jacob glanced back at Allie’s mutinous face and shook his head. “Nope,” he replied.

“Oh lord,” she muttered in exasperation. “Jacob, be real, is this really the way you think a marriage should be?”

Jacob pulled his horse up. Pulling on the lead rope, he drew Allie’s horse even with his. He stared intently into her eyes as she glared back at him.

“Are you saying you recognize that we are legally married?” He asked bluntly.

“I don’t know about the legal part,” she said skeptically. “Married, maybe on a slightly, possible legal level that could probably be argued in a court of law.”

“Allie,” Jacob growled in exasperation.

Allie released a breath, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips as she thought of all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Hell, she would have to be nuts not to admit that she was impressed, and not just a touched flattered, by the extreme methods Jacob had gone to. She didn’t know of a man alive in her time that would have done half the things Jacob had.

"I admit it," she finally said. "But, I'm not sure I like it. It is a pretty big commitment, Jacob. What if... What if something happens to you." She was quiet for a moment and she turned her face away from him to look out over the landscape. "I don't know if I could live through that again."

Jacob reached over and turned her chin back toward him. "I don't plan on going anywhere, Allie. There are no guarantees, but I don't have any plans of dying anytime soon. I have too much to live for now," he assured her with a smile.

"Can you untie me?" She mumbled, holding her hands out.

"I don't know," Jacob teased. "I kind of like seeing you tied up."

"You hung out with Taylor too much," Allie retorted with a raised eyebrow.

Jacob chuckled and nodded his head. "Your brother is something else. Hell, I felt like a virgin around him!"

Allie's laughter carried on the wind warming Jacob's heart. He knew he had been taking a big risk last night. He had hated hurting her, but he hated the idea of losing her more. He hadn't been lying when he said he'd do anything to keep her. He also knew that neither of them died young. In fact, they lived to be in their nineties, something that is rarely done. He knew that because of the Internet search he had done while Taylor and Jonathan were talking. He had typed in his and Allie's name and it had come up.

Jacob pulled his knife free and slipped the blade between the rope. His eyes caught and held Allie's for a moment. He saw the worry and fear still lurking in their blue pools.

"We live a long and happy life, Allie," Jacob promised. "I won't leave you alone."

"You'd better not," she whispered in a shaky voice. "You better not, Jacob Tucker, or I'll bust you something good, even if I have to follow you all the way to hell for lying to me to do it."

Jacob chuckled as he sliced through the rope. "Let's go back to the cabin. I'm not ready to share you with anyone else yet."

Allie nodded as he unhooked the lead rope from the bit on the mare. Tapping her heels to the mare's side, she followed Jacob. She really hoped he was right.

*.*.*

It was mid-afternoon by the time they reached the cabin. They would have reached it earlier, but their simple lunch turned into lunch followed by dessert. Allie rolled her eyes when Jacob jumped down off his horse and hurried back to help her down.

“I’ve been riding horses since before I could walk,” Allie said as he slid his hands around her waist.

“I know,” Jacob replied with a grin as she slid down his body. “But, it gives me an excuse to hold you again.”

Allie shook her head at him as her feet touched the ground. “You are going to have to do a lot more ass kissing than helping me off a horse to make up for last night,” she teased.

“I can do that,” Jacob promised, his eyes growing dark with need.

“You, Jacob Tucker, are a horny old cowpoke,” Allie whispered.

“Not so old,” Jacob argued as Allie pulled away.

“By my calculations you are!” She laughed.

“Not by mine,” Jacob retorted softly as Allie opened the door to the cabin. “I’ll take care of the horses.”

“Okay,” Allie called from inside. “I’ll put up the supplies and get a fire going. It is starting to get cold out.”

*.*.*

Wyatt Butte wiped his mouth as he stared at the man and woman. Turning his head, he spit out a wad of tobacco. He glanced up when Clancy scooted up next to him.

“How’s Ellis?” Wyatt asked.

“Still bleeding,” Clancy replied. “Not as bad, though.”

“We should have left his ass,” Wyatt commented, turning back to watch as the woman came out of the cabin again. He liked the way the trousers she was wearing hugged her figure. “Looks like it’s still just the two of them.”

“I didn’t see anyone else,” Clancy muttered. “When do you want to kill him?”

“In the morning,” Wyatt replied, moving backwards. “By then, we’ll know if Ellis is going to live or die.”

“I want the woman,” Clancy stated as he joined his older brother.

“You can have her first,” Wyatt said with a shrug. “Doesn’t make me no never mind which order I fuck her. Just make sure you don’t kill her. It’s been too fucking long since I had a woman.”

Clancy glanced back when he heard the sound of feminine laughter. Reaching down, he scratched his crotch. Hell, it had been a while for him, as well.