“To rob a lawman,” Cypress repeats slowly, his eyes flicking to Aiden. “Now that’s interesting. I don’t recall robbing any lawmen. At least not recently.”
“Not the way I hear it,” the man replies, spitting a wad of tobacco from his cheek onto the ground. “The way I hear it, you robbed a deputy in Preston along with four of his men. Same four men you attacked and killed in cold blood before leaving town.”
“They attacked me,” I try to explain, failing to heed another one of Aiden’s warnings. “Elliot and Jake—”
“So you do know them?” the man asks with a smile, and I bite the inside of my cheek, immediately recognizing my error.
“From what I hear,” he goes on, “you seemed to know a lot of the men in that town pretty well…” He gives me a look thatmakes my hands tighten into fists. “Seduced those boys to their graves, didn’t you? One of them a new father. Another one a reputable business owner who gave you shelter. People of that town took you in, and that is how you repay them?”
“Thatnew fatherthrew my head against the wall so hard that I was unconscious for days. They attacked me,” I say again, and I can feel Aiden tense like lightning waiting to strike at my side. “They deserved what they got.”
The older man shakes his head and looks to Cypress as if they’re on the same side. “A real viper, this one. Probably planning to off you boys next.”
“I should think not, since we don’t plan on trying to harm her. Women can be so particular about such things,” Cypress says with a warm smile that hardly conceals his malice. “Now, youboyson the other hand…”
“Cypress,” Aiden murmurs in a low warning, then addresses the younger man first. “There doesn’t need to be any trouble here. We can all pretend like we didn’t see each other.”
“Now how would that benefit me?” the older asks. “Can’t collect a reward for someone I haven’t seen.”
“No, but you can keep your life,” Aiden replies, appealing to the other again as he says, “You don’t need to die for some money.”
The youthful arrogance temporarily flickers, and he looks to his partner. “They do look a bit dang—”
The older man reaches over and cuffs him on the back of the head before snarling, “Let me handle this.” He turns back to Cypress. “Tell you what…Cypress, is it? You look like a man who knows how to strike a deal. Hand her over, and we will look the other way when it comes to you and your partner here.”
A cold wave of fear washes over me, even if I don’t believe that Aiden or Cypress would do it. The suggestion is still enough, and I think it must be the same for Cypress because he cocks his head, staring the man down before he says, “Now why would Ido that?”
“Word is that the deputy is real anxious to see her again. Wants her to explain herself, since it doesn’t look too great the way she abused his generosity,” the man continues. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she gets to him. As soon as I’m through with her.” His eyes rake me up and down slowly. “I’ll even split the reward money with you. What do you say?”
His answer comes in the form of a resoundingbangof a gun, Aiden drawing and aiming his weapon so fast that I hadn’t even seen it happen until the man was already falling. The last noise he makes is the smack of his body hitting the dirt, his horse spinning and taking off at a gallop in his wake. By the time his riding companion has time to blink, Cypress and Aiden both have their guns on him.
“Toss your weapon and get down,” Aiden tells him in a voice that doesn’t invite argument, but the young man still seems to consider it. His hands shake as he holds his rifle aloft, and Aiden cocks his gun again. “Get. Down.”
He does, wisely throwing his rifle into the brush before he dismounts.
“All the way, kid,” Aiden orders again and the young man hits his knees before lowering himself to the dirt and putting his hands behind his head.
Aiden jumps down from the wagon, his weapon still aimed and his boots crunching in the loose dirt as he strides over to collect the discarded weapon. After a quick once-over, he keeps it, as well as the one off the dead man, before stalking forward to stand over the man on the ground. Aiden places his boot in the center of the young man’s back, and aims his pistol at his head.
“Don’t kill me,” he begs. “I never saw you. I’ll swear it.”
Aiden doesn’t respond at first, just lets the silence hang over them like a second gun until he says, in a flat voice, “I’m assuming you either know your way to Preston or can figure itout?”
The young man fervently nods.
“Speak up,” Aiden tells him, pressing his boot down harder.
“Yes, sir,” the young man winces out.
“Good, because I want you to tell the deputy there that you saw me. You tell him I want the posters gone, and that if he comes after one of mine again, he’ll find his way to an early grave. Very,veryslowly.” Aiden leans in even harder, and I suddenly feel like I’m the one who can’t breathe. “That clear?”
“Yes, sir,” he says again.
I can’t move. I’m so transfixed by Aiden, by this version of him in front of me, that I almost don’t notice Cypress has dismounted as well, moving to Aiden’s side and placing a hand on his arm. Much like Aiden had for me when I’d stood over David.
Aiden turns his head to Cypress, the internal struggle clear on his face before he lets his weapon fall and once again speaks to the young man. “You don’t do as I say and I’ll find you.” He eases off his boot. “Now go.”
The youth scrambles to his feet, taking off on his horse within seconds.