Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
ANNA
“Who the hell are you?” the man asks in an intimidating voice. His eyes look wide and angry as he towers over me like a menacing giant. He’s huge, probably at least six and a half feet tall compared to my barely five feet. His black wavy hair sticks out under his cowboy hat, his jaw is sharp, nose crooked as if previously broken, possibly from a fight. He appears to be approximately thirty-five years old, maybe slightly older.
My body trembles as his angry voice pierces through the air, causing me to flinch. Being caught in the church would get me caned, with my bottom exposed in front of everyone. As I brace myself for a slap, I squeeze my eyes shut and think about how handsome he is. He might be the best-looking man I’ve ever seen. Men in the church don’t cut their beards, so you rarely see their faces like you can with this man.
“I asked you a question.”
“Anna,” I whimper. “My name is Anna.”
“Well, Anna, how old are you?”
“I’m nineteen. Look, I’ll leave. Please don’t hurt me. All I need is a ride out of town. I won’t bother you again if you just let me go.”
“Sweetheart, you aren’t going anywhere. Now, tell me where you are from?”
What have I gotten myself into?
“Please don’t take me back. I will do anything.” Wrapping my arms around myself, I try to become as small as possible, but when the man makes a move that is too quick, I flinch again.
“First, stop flinching. I won’t hurt you unless you want me to. My name is Cash Young, and I own this ranch.”
“Why would anyone want you to hurt them?” I mutter.
“I asked you a question, woman. Don’t make me ask twice.”
“I’m not telling you where I’m from. I can’t go back there. Please. They’re going to make me marry the Prophet. He’s over sixty years old, gross, and has other wives. You can hurt me all you want, but I’m not going back.”
Realizing how much I’ve just admitted, I place my hand over my mouth.
Shut up, Anna. God. Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut.
A wide smile spreads across the man’s face. It makes him even better looking than before.
“What’s so funny?” I snip, feeling a headache coming on as I bite into my bottom lip.
“You don’t have a boyfriend?” As the man asks this, I notice his hands clench into fists. Then, his mouth thins, and he narrows his eyes, muttering something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like “She better not.” I shake my head, that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he care if I had a boyfriend? Obviously, I misheard what he said.
“No, we don’t have boyfriends.” That’s when I realize I’m giving way too many clues away to where I came from. I can’t let this man know I’m hiding from the church, or he’ll take me back and they’ll kill me. Just thinking about going back causes my stomach to knot and my heart to pound.
“I already know where you came from, so don’t try lyin’ to me.”
Furiously shaking my head, I back away, getting ready to run.
“The way you’re dressed gives you away. Once or twice, I’ve done business with the men from your compound. They buy and sell livestock, like me. I often drop off the animals and supplies that they buy from me and have seen a few of the women walking around the compound. They were dressed like you.”
My eyes briefly flicker down to my outfit before looking back at him. He’s dressed casually in jeans, a T-shirt, and an unbuttoned flannel shirt. He completes the look with a cowboy hat and boots.
“Don’t be pissed, but you’re not likely to blend in looking like that.” He dips his head toward me. “Your hair looks like it hasn’t been cut in a while, and that dress doesn’t suit you. Your whole appearance screams cult, Anna. Now, from what you’ve told me, I’ve got a good understanding of the situation you’re trying to flee from. But you need to know, some of your lot have already been asking questions in town about a missing woman. It’s unlikely you’ll get far if you decide to leave now.”
“So, what do I need to do to stay?” I plead out of desperation, keeping my gaze lowered, hoping it will score me some points with this man. Maybe if he sees me being obedient, he won’t send me back.
“Can you look me in the eye, please?” He gently places his finger under my chin and lifts my face until our eyes meet.
Out of reflex, I flinch again.
“What the hell?” he clips.
“I’m not allowed to make eye contact with a man. Men are superior and deserve our respect. I know my place is to serve you.”
“Look at me, Anna. Look at me right now.”
Trying to hold eye contact with him is a challenge after being taught not to do so for so many years.
“What do I have to do?”
“Well, you are going to have to marry an old man after all.” The man smiles wryly, as if what he said is funny, taunting me for saying I didn’t want to marry the Prophet because he’s old and gross.
Trembling with fear, any protestations I feel compelled to voice stick in my throat.
Taking my silence for acceptance, Cash pulls me closer, his powerful arms wrapping around my back. “You’re going to marry me,” he says firmly, his gaze flickering between my eyes and my mouth.
Taken aback, I try to move away from him when I feel something long and hard push against my stomach from beneath his pants. My eyes widen with shock as realization dawns.
“You? But why?” I ask rapidly, blinking.
“I need a wife and a mother for my two children, and you need someone who can protect you. Plus, if you are already married, you can’t be forced to marry that Prophet guy.”
He makes a good point, and even though this man is a stranger, I don’t think he’s going to hurt me.
Cash pulls me out of my thoughts with a gentle shake.
“Do you know anything about children? What other skills do you have? Do you cook or clean?” The way he fires his questions at me makes my head spin.
“Yes, we as the women of the household are made to raise the children, bake the bread, cook all the meals, and keep the house. So I do know how to do those things. From the moment we are born, we are raised to know how to serve our husbands.”
“Great. I think you’ll work just fine then.”
“Wait, what about you? How many wives do you have?”
He chuckles and with a wide grin he says, “You will be my only wife. I was married once before but she left, and our divorce was final a year ago.”
My eyebrows raise at the same time as I try to take a step back and a gasp escapes my mouth. “Divorce. No, get back,” I scream.
He grabs me by the arms and holds me close. “Look, I don’t know what divorce means to you, but for me it means my wife didn’t want to be a wife and mother. She chose to leave and move to a big city.”
A sigh of relief hits me. “You didn’t kill her?”
“Hell no,” he replies, confused. “Anna, when someone gets divorced in your community, what happens to them?”
“The woman is killed and buried on the land. If your husband doesn’t want you anymore, you are no use to anyone.”
“My wife left me. I wasn’t done with her. She wasn’t the best mother, but we had children together. Our kids loved their mother even though she was a selfish woman. There’s no way I would have hurt my children’s mother. In fact, I gave her exactly what she wanted, and the only regret I have is that her leaving hurt my children.”
Regret has me dipping my gaze again. “I’m sorry for you and your children.”
Cash uses his hand to bring my eyes up to look at him again.
“I’ll protect you, even cherish you, but there is one rule. You never hurt my kids. Treat them as if they’re your own and be patient with them. Especially Brooks. He took it hard when his mother left.”