Promises Prevail (The Promise Series) (64 page)

“I heard you kicked his balls up into his teeth.”

“I had to. Mara wouldn’t stop challenging him.”

He pushed her hair out of her face. “Jenna baby, I’m not complaining.”

No. He wouldn’t.

“Mara said you stopped fighting.”

Was that disappointment in his voice?

“I had to.”

“Why?”

She couldn’t tell him. Couldn’t. It was too dirty.

“I already know he’s a perverted son of a bitch, but you will tell me exactly what he put you through.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s not leaving you with anymore nightmares.”

Oh God, he knew. He knew. She shivered.

He shifted and swore. “I want to hold you so badly, Sunshine, but there’s just not that much of you in holding condition.”

She turned her mouth to his throat and kissed him.

“This is good.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Then tell me what I need to know.”

“He said if I didn’t scream for as long as it took him to come, he’d let her go.”

“While he cut you with that quirt?”

The calmness of his tone was scarier than his anger.

“Yes. I knew it wasn’t likely. He’s crazy, but there was a chance…”

Clint’s fingers moved up to the side of her breast, to the old scars.

“He’s done that to you before?”

She couldn’t get her “Yes” past her throat, so she nodded instead.

“And your husband let him?”

“They made a deal.”

“He sold you?”

“He had debts. It was his right.”

“Like hell!”

Jenna stroked Clint’s chest, petting the tight muscle, trying to calm him. To no avail.

“They had different beliefs.” And she’d gone along with them because she hadn’t known any better.

“I should have taken you from him when I first saw you.”

“I was his wife.”

“You were mine.”

Ignoring the pain in her back she arched so that she could kiss the underside of his chin.

“I know.”

He pressed her back down. “Stay put or I won’t cuddle you.”

It was a toothless threat, considering that his big hands were coasting over her body, touching her everywhere he could as if reassuring himself that she was really there. As if he couldn’t get enough of her.

Still, because he worried, she settled her cheek back against his chest.

His hands went to the muscles knotting in her back, gently massaging away the tension.

“So what happened when you said no?”

“What makes you think I said no?” The question was more of a groan than a statement. He had wonderful hands. Her scalp tickled as Clint brushed his lips across her hair.

“I know you, Sunshine.”

It was the softest of whispers, carrying the utmost of confidence. As Jenna listened to his heartbeat and felt the determination carefully couched in his gentleness, she realized he really did. He knew everything about her, and it didn’t matter. He wanted her anyway.

She started to cry again. Big fat tears of relief.

“Tears are not going to sway me, Jenna. I want to know everything.”

She sniffed. “I know.”

The second and third tear came hard on the first.

“You don’t hate me,” she whispered.

“Ah hell, is that what has you crying?” He squeezed her carefully. “Sunshine, I could never hate you.”

“You don’t think I’m weak.”

“You’re the strongest person I know.”

“You don’t want me tougher.”

“Baby, I want you happy and safe, in my home, loving me, our kids.”

He kept answering her statements like they were questions.

“You really do care about me.”

“Yes.”

“And it really doesn’t matter.”

“No.”

She worked her arms around his neck. Moaning and crying at the same time as pain and joy lanced through her.”

“I love you.”

He held her while she cried, steadying her so she didn’t have to until, finally, he understood.

“These are happy tears, aren’t they?”

She nodded and wiped at the pool collecting in the hollow of his throat.

“Very happy.”

His sigh blew her hair off her face.

“Sunshine, I’m never going to understand you.”

“But that’s okay.”

“Yes.” He took a corner of the blanket and wiped her face. “But I still want to know.”

She took a breath and gave him the last of her trust.

“They locked me in a grain bin full of rats until I agreed to do what they wanted.” She shuddered. “The rats were everywhere. On my face, my legs, under my skirts. I thought I’d go crazy.

“Instead you did what you needed to survive,” Clint provided in that deep baritone that soothed.

She ducked her head. “Mark raped me then.”

“And he’ll die for it.”

It was a calm statement of fact that brought her face up.

“You can’t kill him!”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I can do whatever I want.”

“But that would be murder and we… I need you.”

“A man doesn’t let an animal like that loose in the world.”

“Let the law take care of it.”

“He touched you.” He cradled her cheek in his palm. His fingers touching the bruise on her forehead while his thumbs stroked her lip. “Hurt you. There’s no way in hell he’s seeing another sunrise.”

His eyes were the cold, deadly eyes of a stranger. She didn’t have any doubt that Mark would not make it to trial if left to Clint.

“Does Cougar feel the same way you do?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve talked to him?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know?”

“The man laid hands on his wife. I don’t need to know anymore than that.”

“Oh God, you’re going to get yourself killed.”

His kiss was cool, not the least comforting, his mind clearly on revenge.

“I’m just going to put a rabid animal out of its misery.”

“You are going to have to hunt him first,” Red interrupted from the door.

Jenna squealed, knowing she was bare to Red’s gaze. Clint pulled the covers over her body, carefully settling them over her injuries as he slid out from under her.

“You have reason to come barging in, son?”

“I thought you would be caring for her, not doing…other things.”

“I
was
caring for her.”

Jenna peeked out from under her lashes. Red was staring at her, a brooding expression on his face.

“Mark escaped the jail.”

“How?” Clint asked, reaching for his gun belt.

“Someone let him out.”

“When?”

“A couple hours ago.”

“Who brought the news?”

“Jackson.”

“Does Cougar know?”

“He told Jackson he’d meet up with you at the river.”

“Is Jackson still downstairs?”

“Yes. He said to tell you that the reverend is staying with Mara and he’ll stay with Jenna.”

“Good.”

Jenna caught the pocket of Clint’s pants.

“Don’t do this.”

He buckled his gun belt low in his hips. His hand was gentle on her wrist as he removed her hand. He smoothed the hair off her face, his expression solemn.

“You can ask just about anything of me, Sunshine, except for me to let Mark live.”

She bit her lip against the protest that leapt forward. This was her husband. She knew him the way he knew her. It would be impossible for him to leave Mark free to hurt another woman. She swallowed her selfishness and fear. Nodding her agreement was the hardest thing she’d ever done.

The slightest of smiles lit the cold depths of Clint’s black eyes.

Red broke the silence from the door.

“I am riding with you.”

“No.” Clint’s hair swung forward as he grabbed his black hat off the chair.

Red met Jenna’s gaze and she wanted to cry for the too old eyes in such a young face.

“He used to beat my mother like that. Many times. Many marks.”

Clint settled his Stetson on his head. “He’ll never beat another woman.”

Red nodded with the purpose of a much older person. “This is true.”

“Clint will handle it, Red.” Jenna whispered, scared by the cold-blooded determination in the boy’s face.

“It is my debt.”

Oh God, Clint had to do something. She pushed herself onto her side.

“I need you here.”

Red’s eyes softened with pity.

“I have not been a child for many years. You must stop thinking of me as one.”

He was her son. Brianna’s brother. Despite what he said, he was still just a child.

“Clint.”

“Easy, Jenna,” Clint said, “I’ve got this.”

In two strides he was at the boy’s side.

“You’re my son now, Red. That makes your debts mine and I promise you, before the son of a bitch dies, he’ll know exactly who’s killing him and why.”

“Yes.”

Jenna didn’t for one second think he was agreeing to letting Clint handle his revenge.

“Tell him he can’t go, Clint.”

Clint stared at the boy. In that moment they looked so alike, both of their faces drawn tight with fury, their eyes hard with the call for revenge as they took each other’s measure. And she knew. She knew before a word came out of either of their mouths that the decision had been made.