Covington, Cara - Love Under Two Lawmen [The Lost Collection] (Siren Menage Everlasting) (22 page)

“If the gold is still there? Why wouldn’t it still be there?” Amanda asked.

The expression on her face told him she’d never really considered the possibility of failure. Her positive attitude could be seen as both good and bad, depending on how things turned out in the end.

“Sweetheart,” he kept his voice gentle, “there’s always the chance that someone stumbled upon the gold sometime in the last couple of decades. It would have been pure chance, and they’d have thought their prayers had been answered, but that eventuality
is
a possibility.”

“Well, damn.” Amanda scowled. “You’re right, of course. I’m just going to hope that hasn’t happened.”

“I’ll second that,” Warren said.

They stopped for a brief rest and to eat some cheese and fruit Mrs. Smith had given them for their journey. The day stretched out, sunny and warm, the sky taking on that slightly paler blue of autumn. Throughout the afternoon, Adam split his attention between the banter of his lovers and the growing sense that they were indeed being followed. He trusted his instincts completely and decided that later, while Warren and Amanda, and likely whoever followed them, slept, he’d backtrack and have a look.

They made camp for the night by a small pond, the broad leaf trees offering shade and fire wood by the water’s edge. They went about their usual chores, and Adam had to focus on appearing relaxed. He wasn’t certain how well he did with that, as Warren kept shooting curious looks his way. They made a fire, and Adam managed to snare a rabbit to roast for their dinner.

He smiled as he prepared the small creature for the fire. Amanda had already proven she didn’t really care to witness what she referred to as the “murder of the dinner,” though she was quite happy to eat the roasted meat.

“It’s going to be a colder night,” Warren said much later as he finished stowing the cooking gear. “We should gather a lot more wood.”

Dinner was eaten, the horses fed, watered, and tethered closer than had become their custom—a legacy of the Cherokee attack. Adam surveyed the stars overhead and knew Warren was right.

“Mandy? Let me have Pocahontas, will you?” Adam said.

She withdrew the knife from her boot and handed it over, then went back to helping Warren put things away. While the coffee brewed, Adam wondered if whoever followed them salivated over the aroma, since the light breeze that had kicked up at sundown seemed to be carrying in that direction.

He didn’t take long to hack a few more branches from amidst the stand of trees that grew along the banks of the pond. One tree had fallen over, likely the year before, and was barren of fresh growth. He chopped that first, then took a few smaller green branches.

Mixing the green judiciously wouldn’t put the fire out.

Before long, a large pile of brush stood beside and upwind of the fire. When he’d hauled the last of it, Warren handed him a cup of coffee.

They’d ridden a good distance that day, and that, plus the full night of fun yesterday, combined to tire them all out.

“Let’s just get some sleep tonight,” Adam said.

He’d spread out the blankets, including a nice blanket Ellen Smith had given them. Their bed wasn’t as comfortable as the night before, but they lay down together, and that was all that really mattered to Adam’s mind.

“I
am
exhausted,” Amanda said. “I wonder when I’m going to get used to the riding so I’m not so tired every day?”

“You’re doing great, sweetheart,” Warren said.

“Damn right.” Adam lay on his side, spooning Amanda whom Warren had gathered close. “We came a lot further today than I thought we would.”

“Is the livery owner back in Denison going to be very mad when we give him these horses instead of the ones we rented?” Amanda asked

“Mad to receive fresher, better trained, and younger horses than he had? Not likely,” Adam said.

He fell silent, wide awake, and waited. It didn’t take his lovers long to fall into sleep.

Still, he waited until he felt certain their sleep had become solid and deep. Easing away from Amanda, he tucked the blanket in close to her back, then got to his feet. He stood, looking down at them for a long few minutes, just in case they awoke. Satisfied they slept on, Adam picked up his boots and walked toward the horses.

The animals showed their training by standing still and quiet. Not bothering to saddle the animal, Adam by-passed his gun belt, pulled his boots on, and took up his rifle. Then he swung onto the horse. He turned, taking one last look at his sleeping loved ones, then softly urged his mount forward.

His eyes adjusted to the dark of night, his horse easily picking its way back along the trail they’d followed so recently. No moon yet shone over head—it likely would rise in another hour, two at the most. Adam ignored the chilly air and focused instead on the trail. When he’d ridden for a half hour, he slowed his horse, looked around for a place to tether the animal.

He was close, he could feel it.

Best to go the rest of the way on foot
.

The horse seemed content to rest alone in a stand of trees, its stillness almost unearthly. Adam looped the reins over a low branch then checked his Colt, ensured the chamber was full. Holstering the revolver, he slid his rifle from his shoulder, where he’d carried it. With his rifle cocked and ready, he set out, his steps quiet as he made his way forward. He’d keep to the tree line, keep out of sight, until he knew exactly what he was dealing with.

His progress was slow and silent. He figured he’d walked maybe a quarter mile when objects on the ground just ahead snagged his attention.

He squatted, focusing his gaze on those objects. Bedrolls. Four lumps of bedding, huddled around a couple of rocks. No fire, of course, because that would have alerted their quarry. Adam frowned. Something seemed odd about one of the piles, the one closest to him. Too late he realized what it was.

The press of cold metal to the base of his skull froze Adam in place, even as he cursed his own carelessness.

“Well, now, Bodine’s gonna be
real
happy I had to go take a piss in the middle of the night.”

* * * *

Amanda wiggled her bottom, her body seeking out Adam’s heat to complement the furnace that was Warren snuggled against her chest. She blinked slowly when she realized Adam wasn’t there. She drifted for a few moments, certain he’d gotten up to answer nature’s call. Finally, she opened her eyes, the realization slow that he’d been gone from her too long just to pee.

Wiping sleep from her eyes, she sat up, her gaze automatically going to the horses. She doubted her eyes at first. Then a shaft of dread stabbed her heart.

She laid a hand on Warren’s shoulder and gave him a small shake.

He came awake instantly. “What’s wrong?”

“Adam’s gone.”

“Gone?” Warren shot up to a sitting position, his head turning left and right as he confirmed the truth of her words.

“Damn it. God damn it all to hell!” In seconds he was on his feet. “I knew something was bothering him. I fucking
knew
it. Damn him and his Goddamned need to always protect and take care—”

Warren stopped because Amanda grabbed him and gave him a good shake. “At least you knew there was something bothering him. I didn’t even know that much. What the hell is going on?”

“Remember Adam sensed we were being followed? Sometimes, it’s like he knows things he couldn’t possibly. So I can only assume…”

“He went to check on who was following us. I wonder how long he’s been gone?”

“Long enough. I’m going after him.”

Again Amanda reached out, but this time Warren tried to shake her off.

“Why are men so strong and so stupid? What if he’s in trouble? Serious trouble?”

Warren ran a hand through his hair, his impatience practically vibrating off him. “That’s why I’m going after him. Damn it, Amanda, I love him!”

And I don’t?

She didn’t speak the words. She understood Warren had known Adam longer than she had. She loved them both, but she doubted she was really more than a temporary passion for them. They’d never shared a woman. They’d already admitted that much. Likely sharing her was just one more way for these two incredible men to be closer to each other. And she accepted that. Hadn’t she been thinking lately that they were getting a little too sentimental, a little too attached? Hadn’t she been reminding herself, over and over, that she had a home to go to?

She belonged in Richmond, Virginia, not Waco, Texas.

So if you know that, why does thinking about it hurt
?

Amanda pushed away the unwanted thoughts and focused on Warren.

“We’ll both go after him.”

Warren looked like he was about to protest, but when she just raised one eyebrow and waited, he nodded. “You’re right. He might need both of us.”

Amanda nodded. She skimmed off the chemise she’d slept in, pulled on her boy-clothes. She took a moment to pull on fresh stockings before she donned her boots. Pocahontas sat sheathed just inside the leather, waiting.

“I don’t have a good feeling,” Warren confided as he finished dressing. He checked his hand gun, slid it into his holster.

“Neither do I,” Amanda said. “So I guess that means we just have to go and rescue him.”

She didn’t feel very confident, but she did feel determined. She thought that maybe she and Warren had that in common.

It took only moments to saddle their horses. They both noted Adam’s saddle resting where he’d set it earlier that evening.

“He left it behind rather than use it because he didn’t want to wake us,” Warren said.

Amanda swallowed hard. Then they were on their way, following the path, instinctively staying close to the trees as they backtracked ground they’d covered that day. Worry ate at Amanda the farther they rode. He had been gone a while, as she could see no signs anyone had been in the area.

Finally, Warren held up his hand and Amanda stopped. She saw what had alerted him. Up ahead, Adam’s mount stood quietly, its reins caught on a tree branch.

There was no sign of Adam anywhere. Listening, she could hear no stray sounds. Nothing. It was as if the horse had just come to be there of its own accord.

They inched forward until they were close to Adam’s horse. Amanda searched the ground frantically, but saw no sign of blood.

Warren brought his horse close so he could lean in and whisper to her.

“I’m going to go ahead on foot, see what I can see. Hold my horse and stay here.”

She would have protested, but he’d already slipped from the animal’s back and begun to run, low and silent, past Adam’s horse, and likely, Amanda thought, straight toward trouble.

How long would she give him? What the hell would she do if he didn’t return?

Just as she was trying to decide if she should follow, she caught sight of Warren running back toward her. The look on his face as he drew close to her damn near stopped her heart.

“They’re beating the hell out of him. We have to move
now
.” He mounted his horse, spun in the direction he’d just been.

“Wait! Give me some idea where he is, and what we’re up against. Warren, you have to think! We have to come up with some kind of plan.”

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“Yes, of course, you’re right. They have him tied to a tree, and there’re four of them.” Then he held out his left hand and used his right index finger as if using a pencil on paper to show here the lay of the land.

“They’re here. Adam looks in rough shape. Three of the men are close, the other sitting by the fire, as if he’s not involved. Their horses are here.”

Amanda felt her heart sink. She was a crack shot, but only against painted targets. Then she sat straight, nodded once.

She’d do what she had to in order to rescue Adam.

“All right. Let’s go.”

This time it was Warren who stopped her. “Wait. Remember how those Cherokee attacked us?”

“They stole our horses.”

“Yeah, which made us have to walk and slowed us down. Give me Pocahontas. I’ll get Adam. You scatter their horses.”

Amanda gave him the knife, knowing that if Adam was hurt, she didn’t have the strength to lift him. She dismounted, tying her horse near Adam’s. Then she cocked her rifle.

“How far?”

“About a hundred yards over the next rise. Maybe a quarter mile, all told.”

“Okay. Just give me a couple of minutes to sneak in and around and untie their horses. Then you come in like the wrath of God. I’ll start shooting as I get on one of their animals and ride it back here.”

“Good. That sounds good. All right, let’s do it.”

She took a deep breath and set her resolve. She didn’t know what the next few minutes would bring. She only hoped all those lessons she’d taken would pay off now.

Chapter 20

Adam fought the urge to bend over and puke.