Chapter 27

The second mornin' after Jake left was one I'd remember for the rest of my days.

I'd gone to fetch water, when I heard Izzy let out a scream that just 'bout curled my hair. I dropped the bucket and ran back to camp as fast as I could, my gun drawn and ready. My heart sank as soon as my eyes found her, and I knowed that my worst fears was comin' true.

Two fellers who I'd never seen afore had a hold of her, and a third one was sittin' on the ground, cussin' and tendin' what looked to be a dog bite on his leg. Izzy was strugglin' while one of the two, a right nasty lookin' character, held a gun against her side.

Jack was tied up, but barkin' viciously.

"Well, if it isn't Mister Cullen," the one holdin' the gun on Izzy said, but there was no tone of respect in his words. The feller standin' on the other side of Izzy aimed his revolver at me.

"Mister, you'd best get your hands off my wife unless ya want me to kill ya where ya stand." I shouted.

He had the damn gall to laugh. "I don't think ya will, 'cause afore I drop I'll make sure to put a bullet in my intended."

Izzy gave him a witherin' look, "Now I know for sure that you're as stupid as ya are ugly," she was seethin'.

That girl has no fear…

"Didn't ya hear what Ed just said, James? I cain't be your intended, 'cause me and Ed are already married."

James…

He gave her a leerin' smile and I felt my finger tighten 'round the trigger of my gun.

"Here's the thing 'bout that," he smiled bigger, showin' a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Ya both say you're married, and mayhap ya telled other folks that as well, but I don't believe it."

"Izzy, girl," the scoundrel sittin' on the ground piped up then. "Are ya for true married to this feller?"

"Not that I owe ya nothin' Uncle Luke, but yes. We got married in Jackson."

"Well, now, that's easy enough to prove." Luke continued. "Where's your paper?"

I thought up a lie, quick. "Uh, we was in a hurry and telled the minister that we'd send for it once we was settled in Texas."

James cocked his pistol, "Ya was in a hurry to take liberties with my property." He barked.

"Ya dirty no good, low down, son of a snake! I ain't and never will be your property!" Izzy yelled in his face.

James grabbed a handful of her hair and forced her head back a little. I could barely breathe, I wanted so bad to kill him.

"James, cain't we settle this peaceably?" Izzy's uncle asked in a panic afore turnin' to Izzy. "See what ya done child by runnin' away? I cain't believe ya did somethin' so hateful, and then on top of things, ya sic your dog on me."

"Your friend kicked my dog! I wish Jack had a bit your whole damn leg off!"

Any other time and place, I'd a been shocked by Izzy's choice of language, but right at that moment, all's I could think about was that gun shoved into her ribs.

"You're lucky I didn't kill that mutt," James spat the words in Izzy's face while still pullin' her hair.

Jack was growlin' and pullin' at the rope, and for the first time, I noticed that he was favorin' one of his legs.

"I don't understand Uncle how ya could try and make me marry a man I hate and despise."

James laughed again. "Ya don't understand much, Missy. Fact is, your Uncle owes me a large sum of money. A lot more than he's ever gonna be able to repay. Soon as I laid eyes on ya, I was willin' to forgive the debt, so long as I got ya in trade." He tightened the grip on her hair and I watched as she blinked her eyes and looked away from him, seekin' me out. The pain I saw in those beautiful eyes liked to have broke my heart. "It was your Uncle's idea that we marry. Don't matter to me either way."

I choked a little at his words. He was the lowest of the low…

James turned his attention to me then, "Look Cullen, I'll make things real simple for ya. Put down that sidearm, and Isabella don't get hurt. I may even decide to let you live as well."

I looked at James and then at the other feller holdin' on to Izzy. One had a gun on me; the other had a gun on her. I didn't have a choice. I lowered my gun, never takin' my eyes off of Izzy's, tellin' her I was sorry without sayin' the words.

I could see the tears wellin' up in her eyes.

"Cyrus, get the gun," James telled the feller on the other side of Izzy.

After Cyrus took my gun, Izzy's Uncle spoke again, "James, there ain't no call to keep that gun on Izzy. The young feller's given ya his weapon."

James nodded and practically pushed Izzy at that feller Cyrus. "Watch her," he telled him afore saunterin' over to where I was standin'. He got right close to me, but we couldn't see eye to eye, 'cause he was a head shorter than I was. He then held the barrel of his pistol to my chin and cocked it. He spoke low, so's I was the only one to hear, "So tell me Cullen, was she a good fuck? Nice and tight? 'Cause if she is, I mayhap keep her around longer than I'd planned."

The whole world around me slowed to almost a halt. My heart started to pound loudly, so's it was all I could hear in my ears as I clenched and unclenched my fists. As soon as those foul words passed his lips, as soon as he dared speak of Izzy in such a base, coarse manner, I couldn't hold myself back any longer. Gun or no gun, I lunged at him and started into throwin' punches at both his face and his body.

Suddenly, I felt hands on me, followed by a sharp pain to the top of my head just afore my eyesight started to blur. The last thing I heared afore the blackness took me was Izzy screamin' my name.