Journey of the Bride (9 page)

That hadn
’
t been meant to be though. From the moment they
’
d finished, Brandon had closed himself off and made it clear he didn
’
t wish her anywhere near him. She
’
d become a plague, a reminder of the woman who he had loved and lost.

Curse that woman, whoever she was!
She growled into the air and aimed a swift kick at the chair holding the wedding gown.

“
Dammit!
”
she snarled, bending over and clutching her foot where she
’
d hit it. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She didn
’
t know who she felt more anger toward: Talbert for putting her family in this position, Brandon for not being able to work through his past issues, herself for not realizing a lost cause when she saw it, or her father for being so gullible that he fell for Talbert
’
s sleazy ways.

“
Now, my dear Courtney, that
’
s no way for a lady to talk. Where in the world did you pick up such manners?
”

Courtney turned, still snarling about the pain in her foot, to face Talbert.
“
We
’
re not married yet, Talbert, and until such, you will call me
‘
Miss le Brush
’
, not
‘
Courtney
’
.
”
Her words came out as a hiss between her teeth, and she narrowed her eyes as she spoke, no longer even carrying to hide her dislike for him.

He stepped closer to her, tipping her chin up and glaring at her.
“
I will call you what I want, Courtney. You
’
re mind now.
”

Her heart sank in her chest as he turned away, laughing as he left her alone.

“
What do you mean, she
’
s getting married?
”
Brandon snarled. He moved toward Paul, his hands snaking out of their own accord and snagging the collar of his brother
’
s shirt. He yanked him close, his spittle spraying his face as he snapped,
“
Who is she getting married to?
”

Paul reached up and jerked Brandon
’
s hands away from his clothing, straightening up and dusting himself off. He cleared his throat before he started to speak. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it once more and then put his hand to his chin as he thought about how he was going to word everything.

After several silent moments, he looked up at his brother. He looked tired, haggard, older than he really was. He heaved a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging as he released it.
“
Will your men be fine on their own? This is going to take some explaining.
”

Brandon wanted to know what was going on. He felt like he was left out of the loop and some information that was vital to his well-being had not been explained to him. He glanced among the men grooming horses and readying for the day
’
s ride. They had cattle to move. In another week or so, they
’
d be looking at driving the cattle three towns away for a local auction, but for now they were still grazing upon the grass shoots coming up in the far fields.

“
Luke, you
’
re in charge until I get back.
”
A dark-skinned man with a grizzle face spat at the ground and gave Brandon a curt nod. It wasn
’
t the first time Brandon had left him in charge of the men. He
’
d proven himself the most trustworthy of the men, he knew cattle like he knew the back of his hand, and he listened to Brandon. The others listened to him. It was a good choice.

His command heard and accepted, Brandon pulled off his hat and wiped his brow.
“
Now, tell me what in all of Heaven
’
s creation is going on, Paul.
”

“
Let
’
s go inside. I think a good cup of coffee is needed in such a situation.
”
Brandon didn
’
t say anything. He just followed Paul inside the house, letting the door slam shut behind him. He wasn
’
t in the mood for any games, and he couldn
’
t shake the feeling he
’
d been played from the start, and by his brother no less. The feeling didn
’
t sit well in his stomach and he thought his last meal might rebel against him in retaliation for the thoughts running through his mind.

As his brother bustled around the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, Brandon
’
s eyes never left him. It was an intimidation thing, he knew. He was trying to scare Paul into talking, but he also knew it wouldn
’
t work. It hadn
’
t worked on Paul growing up. It wouldn
’
t work on him now.

“
Where do I begin?
”
Paul asked as he sat down at the kitchen table with two steaming tin cups of coffee in hand. He sat one before Brandon who didn
’
t touch it. He continued to watch Paul and wait.

“
How about at the beginning?
”
Brandon snarled, impatient to know what was going on.

Paul held up his hands in surrender.
“
Alright. It
’
s just that it
’
s difficult to know who
’
s story to start with
—
mine or Courtney
’
s.
”

When Brandon growled, Paul only responded with a purse of his lips. He continued to sit in silence, whether drawing the conversation out or attempting to annoy his younger brother more didn
’
t matter.

“
You know why I put the ad in the newspaper. I told you my opinion. I thought you needed a good woman at home with you. One who could cook and clean and share your bed at night. I still think you need a good woman for such.
”

“
Get to the point, Paul,
”
Brandon snarled. He wouldn
’
t admit it aloud, but he wanted to know what all this had to do with Courtney getting married. The thought of his wiry woman getting married to another man lit a fire in his soul. Anger burned through his entire body, making him clench and unclench his fists. If Paul didn
’
t start speaking soon, he just might thrash him again.

“
Courtney was the first one to answer the ad
—
the only one really because once I heard her story about why she was answering the ad in the first place, I didn
’
t wait for anymore replies.
”

“
Talk faster, Paul. Explain.
”
There was no denying the growl of frustration in his voice.

A sigh filled the air around them and then Paul continued his explanation.
“
Courtney
’
s family isn
’
t as well off as everyone suspects
—
at least, not at the moment. She suspects they
’
re being blackmailed.
”

“
Blackmailed?
”
Brandon asked. He sat back in his chair and stared ahead of him.

Paul went on to explain what Courtney had told him of her father
’
s admittance that they were broke, how she suspected it was the work of their accountant, Simon Talbert, who seemed to show more interest in her than necessary or proper, how her father didn
’
t suspect foul play, and how Courtney had agreed to the marriage to help her father out.

“
So she really was only after money,
”
Brandon scoffed.

For the first time, Paul
’
s eyes narrowed in anger, and he slammed his fist down on the table before Brandon.
“
Maybe at first, yes,
”
he snapped,
“
but I saw the way she looked at you. She would have done anything for you. She did do everything for you. You sent her away, and she went, because that
’
s what you wanted. She was going back to the same situation she
’
d been trying to escape all along
—
all because you were too proud to keep her around and try to make it work.
”

He sat back once more, but the anger didn
’
t dissipate from his face.
“
And I believe her theory was correct because yesterday she told me that her father
’
s given his permission to Talbert to wed her.
”

“
Talbert?
”
Brandon snarled.
“
The accountant?
”

Paul nodded.
“
The accountant,
”
he confirmed. A smirk crossed his face.
“
And guess what. The money that was missing from the account has shown back up.
”

A growl erupted from Brandon
’
s throat and his chair scrapped against the floor as it slid back when he found his feet.
“
That bastard!
”

Brandon had never met Simon Talbert, but he knew that if he ever did, he
’
d probably rip his silver-snake tongue out of his throat. Fury burned through him at the thought of the accountant, that sneaky backstabbing accountant, with his hands on her body. Brandon thought of him kissing her mouth, that warm delicious mouth that threatened to send Brandon to his knees; about him touching her skin, that soft skin no one had explored before Brandon had held her in his arms; about his
—

His whole body trembled as he shook his head in an attempt to clear it. There was no way he wanted to think about the accountant
’
s sex life. It didn
’
t matter who the woman was he was sticking his dick in. Knowing that in a couple of days it would be Courtney though bothered him. It made his skin itch, made his blood boil. He growled and clenched his fingers tight into a fist, ready to throw a punch at something or someone. Even better if that someone
’
s name was Simon Talbert, the yellow-bellied snake who was about to take Courtney away from him.

Courtney. His Courtney. His wife.

Ex-wife,
he told himself in an effort to calm down. It didn
’
t matter. The thought remained. Courtney was his, dammit! No man, especially not one like Talbert, was going to lay his hands on her.

“
Calm down, Brandon. I haven
’
t gotten to the best part.
”
There was a twinkle in Paul
’
s eyes. Brandon knew that look well. He may have been a lawyer, but Brandon had grown up with him, and he knew the inner workings of his older brother
’
s mind better than anyone else suspected. He was up to something.

“
What
’
s the best part?
”
He was cautious. He knew he would have to be. He gripped the back of the chair in a vice grip, ignoring the splinters that sank deep into his palm as he slowly lowered himself back into his chair. It groaned under his weight. It sounded as if Paul had a plan of sorts, which was good. He couldn
’
t go through with this without a plan of sorts.
“
Talk fast, Paul. What
’
s the best part?
”

From his vantage point across the kitchen table, his brother
’
s face broke into a knowing grin, which sent a tremor of fear through Brandon.

The next words that exited Paul
’
s mouth sent a tremor of fear through Brandon, and he was glad that Paul seemed to be on his side. His words held the hint of a chill that spooked him.
“
I
’
ll tell you the best part.
”