Chapter Two
Patience , I tell myself as a gust of wind kicks up the dirt from the road. They ’ ll be here.
In reality, I ’ m taking my own life into my hands by inviting them into the town, but I ’ m desperate to get her back. If she ’ s even still alive .
I tip off the brim of my hat, then sigh as I pull it off my head and toss it to the side. Being the sheriff used to mean something to people in Crescent Oak and surrounding towns. Now, it just feels like a facade that I hide behind to make sure that they know I ’ m still in charge one way or another.
I close my eyes and listen as best as I can.
I ’ m waiting for the sound of hooves, the bantering back and forth that usually accompanies the Sun Down Mob, but so far, I hear nothing except the quiet howling of the wind and my own thoughts.
Opening them again, I shake my head.
I ’ ve never invited them within the city limits, and the one time I do, they seem to be standing me up.
Maybe they know already that she ’ s gone, or maybe they don ’ t care. From everything I ’ ve known about the Sun Down Mob, they only show up when they feel it ’ s important enough—no matter how much begging one can do.
A loud bang! greets my ears as the double wooden doors of Mollie ’ s Moonlight Saloon slam open. I glance down the road, surprised that I was able to hear it so clearly this far away. I shake my head in disgust when I see the local pastor stumble out of the place. He ’ s clearly drunk, with one of Mollie ’ s best “ helping” him, more than likely, back to his place. Nothing quite like a midnight fuck and dash with everything a man owns. It ’ s a little mantra I ’ ve heard her girls say more than once after what they would consider a successful night.
Why he was in there may be a mystery to them, but I know better. He must have caught wind that I asked for the mob to show up in Crescent Oak tonight and showed up to compel them to stay away.
Not that religious relics work on them.
Not that anyone in this godforsaken town takes them seriously, either.
But I guess when a man is strong in his beliefs, he ’ ll make damn sure that everyone else is, too—even if it ’ s just for the span of a Sunday sermon on a hot, dusty afternoon.
“ How ya been, Sheriff Mason?”
I grind my teeth together as I glance over my shoulder and find myself staring into the soulless, black eyes of Silas Whittaker. He ’ s got a smirk on his equally soulless face, and the way he gives me the once-over from what he probably thinks is a comfortable distance makes me realize that he doesn’t trust me any more than I trust him.
“ Boone,” I remind him curtly. He tips the brim of his hat to me, then cocks out an impatient hip. I get it; he thinks I ’ m wasting his time with formalities, and he wants to know what exactly it is that I want him and his outlaw band of brothers and sisters to do.
“ Great,” he replies with an eye roll. “ You sent me a letter. Why?”
The inside of my mouth suddenly feels like it ’ s become full of cotton as I use the back of my hand to swat at my chapped lips. I hate that he makes me feel so nervous, but I guess it ’ s just an instinct at this point.
“ I want them gone,” I begin, jerking my head back toward town. “ I want all of them gone, and I want her back. How you get rid of them is none of my concern, but I need Elyse back.”
He scoffs, turning his eyes away from mine for a moment. I can tell by the way he stares into the darkness beyond the city limits that he ’ s more than likely trying to decide if I ’ m serious or if it ’ s even possible.
I know that the latter is.
It ’ s just a matter of payment, and I ’ ll give him whatever he wants if he gets her back for me.
Silas sucks his teeth before glancing back at me and arching an eyebrow.
“ What makes you think that the Nightingale is still alive?”
I hate it when he calls her that, but it ’ s because of how she sings. The sweetest tenor from the tenderest soul I ’ ve ever come across—it ’ s no wonder she was stolen from Crescent Oak. She performs better than any of Mollie ’ s whores, not that she ever dabbled in that profession.
No, Elyse has class and has always used her voice to get her by, thank you very much.
“ Because I can still feel her heart beating in my own chest,” I reply softly.
I must look as pathetic as I feel because Silas shakes his head before he nods.
“ Is that what you think that is?” he asks with a chuckle. When my eyes harden, he shakes his head again. “I ’ ll talk to everyone. We ’ ll figure out what we want in exchange, and if you can muster it, we ’ ll get Elyse and raze this town.”
I blow out a relieved breath that almost chokes me immediately as I feel tears sting my eyes. Silas steps forward and holds a hand out to me. I take it firmly in mine and shake it, making this a promise between men.
I know that I ’ ve just made a pact with the Devil, but where love is concerned, no price is too high to pay.
Not my life.
Or my soul.