Chapter Thirty
Suzanna’s hooves hit the dirt rhythmically, powerfully. June had tied her among the trees down the road from Seth’s ranch. She couldn’t ride her up to the ranch without risking Seth taking her back.
She couldn’t believe she had stood her ground in front of Seth. She also couldn’t believe he had let her leave when he certainly knew that she had his horse.
She bit her lip, trying to stifle back the tears during the long ride back to the place she’d been stowed away: Mr. Parker’s dress shop. In the back room. She knew Trey had to have threatened Mr. Parker somehow for them to be able to use his shop.
So where is Parker—and his family?
The sky above her was heavy with darkness. She’d never ridden at night before, but any worry she might have had was swallowed easily by her own despondency.
Seth had seemed devastated when she’d left.
She did love him.
The more she said she didn’t, she’d been trying to convince herself, trying to harden herself like she always had—but truthfully, Seth Whitman had been the only man able to capture her heart. He was the only man she had ever truly trusted.
Even at the bitter end, he cared.
Even though it clearly caused him pain.
Even when everything was telling him not to.
June felt like she was suffocating as her breath caught with every deep and panicked gasp. She slapped her reins heatedly, angry, and Suzanna galloped faster.
She’d done the right thing.
Hadn’t she? She had to protect them. All of them.
Etta, Ada, and especially Seth—they had to be safe. And she… she would bear the pain of it. She would have to.
Pain. She was already feeling it. And Seth—she had heard the heartbreak in his voice.
Seth.
He really did love her, too.
Finally, the tears started to break through. The look on his face had almost broken her, but she was as stubborn as ever. She couldn’t show her weakness. It would have ruined everything. She hated lying, betraying him. Again.
Yet, she had.
She couldn’t believe she had held it together when she told him it was all just a ploy, that she was using him. The words had come out easily and coldly, and she’d held it all together.
What’s that say about me?
“I don’t love him,” she told herself aloud as she slapped the reins to go faster on Suzanna. The sun was completely gone from the horizon now. The words felt like jagged glass stabbing her now.
What have I done?
Suzanna’s steady gait did nothing to calm her nerves or the ache in her chest.
He must hate her now. How could he ever forgive that?
He’s not supposed to! She had pushed him away for a reason. She had to give him a future, and not just him, but Etta and Ada. No one could have a future if Trey Bishop was after them.
I had to do this. I had no choice.
No matter what her feelings were, she couldn’t let them get in the way. She’d promised herself that she would do whatever it took to make sure everyone she cared for was safe, and the truth was that those three people meant more to her than anyone ever had.
Besides, they’d all be better off without her causing trouble for them.
It was so obvious now as she neared Parker’s shop. The life she had led with them—the love, the laughter, all of it—was never meant to last. They could move on now.
Yet did nothing to make the guilt go away. It didn’t make the tears stop falling or the tightness in her throat lessen.
It doesn’t matter. She had to keep moving.
She pulled to a stop in front of Parker’s dress shop, her hands trembling, and there he was—Trey. Waiting for her, standing just outside the front door, standing tall with that smug look on his face, as though everything had gone according to plan.
It had, she supposed. For him.
“You’re late,” he said, his tone dripping with self-satisfaction. “Women shouldn’t ride alone at night.”
June didn’t respond. She didn’t have anything to say to the terrible waste of air that was Trey Bishop. Words felt like poison when she spoke to him. Slowly, she dismounted from her horse, suddenly feeling like her legs couldn’t carry the weight of her body.
He was already walking toward her. “You do everything I ask?” he asked, pulling out his gun.
June held her breath, the barrel pointed right at her face. The cool metal touched her skin as he gently trailed the muzzle down her cheek. “You wouldn’t risk your life to disobey me again, would you?” he asked, clicking his tongue.
“We made a deal,” she whispered softly, not daring to move.
Trey smirked. “That’s right.” He holstered his gun and began pacing.
“We can finally leave this town behind,” he said excitedly, as if all the pieces were falling into place for him.
“Start over. You and me. No more distractions. No more weaknesses. Maybe even go to another town and get out of Galveston for a while.”
He was talking as if they were some couple. June felt the bile rise in her throat. She was about to vomit. She bit down on her lip to keep from gagging. No more weaknesses.
All she wanted to do was tell him that would never happen.
“And now,” he said, pulling out his gun again and toying with it. “You can actually work for me without having the other two dragging you down and screwing everything up.”
He halted in front of her and reached out a hand, smoothing it across her cheek. She stiffened, the bile coming up all over again right along with anger.
He was talking as though Etta and Ada were nothing but shackles for her. They were the only part of her that had made her strong for all those years. They meant everything. Trey’s comments struck a raw nerve. He had always treated everyone as disposable.
But June couldn’t stand to lose them. That was why she was doing all this.
But why did he want it to be her? Why couldn’t he throw her away, too?
She had to be the one who was strong. She had to be the one who played along with his twisted version of loyalty. Why couldn’t he let her go?
“I wouldn’t be anything without them,” June reminded him. She knew she should have been quiet, but she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“They’re weak, June,” he laughed, leaning even closer to her face. Her skin crawled. “You’re strong.” His breath danced across her skin. “That’s why I need you. You and I can leave this all behind. The other two would just drag you down. You’re better than them.”
June’s stomach churned and she took a step back. Trey would never be able to see how wrong he was. She was only strong because of them, and the love she had for them.
“I’m not like them,” Trey said, stepping closer every time she took a step back. His finger was skating down her arm now, like he was trying to claim her. “I know just how valuable you are. They took advantage of it and used you to keep them up. I can do so much to show you how strong you are.”
June wanted to scream, to run back to Seth—or even the boardinghouse just around the corner. Anywhere except here with him.
But she didn’t. She couldn’t. It was too late. She had made her choice.
“I just need to get Asher from the saloon,” he said calmly.
June looked down, averting his gaze, trying to avoid his probing eyes. She couldn’t believe how indifferent he was about the entire situation, when she was furious—furious and grieving—inside.
She didn’t want to see the smug satisfaction on his face, the way he thought he had won, and she didn’t want him to see the emotion swirling inside of her—the sadness. All she could think about was how she had hurt Seth. How she had betrayed everyone.
She hated Trey’s nasty, disgusting breath on her face, the sound of his voice. The girl she’d been all those years ago would never have understood how someone she’d thought so polished and handsome would be so vile.
But now? It was all she could do not to retch, with him this close.
“We should turn in now,” June said, buying herself a little time. “We can find Asher tomorrow at first light, and then leave.”
She wouldn’t be able to escape Trey again… but at the very least, she could see the town she’d come to love—and maybe even some of the people there—one last time before she left.
Trey eyed her apprehensively. “If you do anything, I’ll—”
“I already told you,” June said sternly. “We made a deal.”
He nodded. “Very well.” Then he turned and went inside the dress shop, and June followed, her steps feeling as heavy as lead.
There was only one small bedroom upstairs, but June knew Trey would be there. She was already walking toward the storage room where he’d held her, but she stopped short when he spoke, his tone sickly sweet and nauseating.
“We could always share the bed upstairs.”
June wheeled on him, bristling. “I work for you. Nothing more,” she said, defiance rising up more than she knew she should—but she hated him. She hated Trey Bishop.
“Suit yourself,” he growled, pointing to the room with nothing in it. “Sleep on the floor.”
June shut the door behind her gladly.
He might have the upper hand, but she wasn’t about to give into everything.
***
The next morning, June was woken by a swift kick to her legs. “Wake up!” Trey snapped. “We need to get Suzanna and gather some supplies before we find Asher. So let’s get a move on.”
June shot to her feet, rubbing her hands over her face. It was chapped from so many tears—and so many smacks to the cheek. She ached all over.
They’d stowed Suzanna outside of town at some man’s house. Trey had paid him a pretty penny to hold onto their supplies for them. That way, no one would know where he was by identifying June’s horse. He said he’d wanted to be seen only when he was ready for somebody to see him.
He had also paid the man to harbor a few of his thugs until some future rendezvous. In the meantime, he was going to try to find Asher and gather as much supplies—and horses—as he could.
“So where do you plan on finding all these horses today?” June asked.
Trey shrugged. “Well, Turner’s mare is as good as mine. Asher’s been taking care of her since Turner went to jail, and that was my money paying for that hay,” he replied.
June narrowed her eyes at him.
“What?” he asked, indifferent. “She’s not much use to him while he’s in jail!
As far as I’m concerned, she’s mine. Fair and square.
The mayor’s greedy little hands took her just yesterday, according to Billy Fredricks, and I’m not too fond of politicians dipping their hands where they don’t belong. ”
“Oh, so your hands are the only ones that are supposed to be where they don’t belong?” June asked sarcastically.
“Watch it,” he hissed, grabbing her wrist and jerking her out of the back of the store.
As much as she hated him, she couldn’t deny that he was clever enough to get away with a scheme like this. They left out of the dress shop so early that the sun still hadn’t come up.
“He may be at the boardinghouse,” June suggested calmly. Really she just wanted to see Louise one last time.
Trey grumbled. “He isn’t that much of an idiot, is he?”
“He’s been making nice with a woman in town, like a distinguished gentleman. No one would think anything of it,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
As soon as they crossed the street and walked up to the porch, Louise appeared in the doorway. When her eyes fell on June, a brief look of fear crossed her face.
June flashed her a half-smile, but she knew just by looking at Louise that she knew…
“June?” Louise called softly, concern flashing across her features. “Are you… okay?”
June’s throat tightened. She wanted to tell Louise the truth. She wanted to say, I’m not okay. I’ve lost everything. I’ve ruined everything.
But she didn’t. She couldn’t.
“I’m fine,” she managed, forcing the words past the lump in her throat. She gave a smile and a slight wave.
But Louise didn’t seem convinced. She stepped off the porch, ignoring Trey completely as she walked up to June and squeezed her hand gently.
“Ma’am,” Trey addressed her gruffly. “I’m looking for someone by the name of Asher Burns. Is he here?”
He was trying to remain calm, June could tell, but the moment Louise took June by the shoulder and ushered her up the steps, that changed.
June watched as his features darkened.
“I thought I ruined everything with the letters,” Louise murmured in June’s ear, her voice trembling. “But… I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like that’s the problem.”
She looked over her shoulder at Trey, and June followed suit. His eyes flashed with irritation.
June felt a shudder run through her as he stepped behind them. Louise quickly ushered June up the stairs and into the boarding house.
She could feel the anger in Trey. It radiated in his every move. “Have you seen Asher Burns?” he repeated, his voice betraying the anger.
“I haven’t seen him here,” Louise snapped, turning to face him as she put her hands on her hips.
It was as if Louise already knew that Trey Bishop was a bad man—the bad man that they were escaping from.
“Mind your business,” Trey growled, and then he shoved Louise roughly aside, pushing her into the wall to separate her from June.
Louise gave a cry of indignation, but before June could even make a move, he turned back to her. “I don’t care about Asher anymore,” he snapped, his voice harsher than she’d ever heard it. “We’re leaving. Now.”
Louise’s eyes were wide with shock and June flinched as he balled his fists. Suddenly, she felt even sicker to her stomach. She wanted to run to Louise and apologize. She wanted to tell her she didn’t mean for that to happen—for any of it to happen.
But she couldn’t. She had to keep up appearances. She had to show that she wanted Trey.
“Sorry for disturbing you, Louise,” she said abruptly. “We’ll be on our way if you haven’t seen Asher!”
Trey gripped her bicep in a strong hand. Louise was breathing, raggedly, still leaning against the wall. She was shaken up. And so was June—but she had to pretend that it was just a small, meaningless mishap.
“Have a nice day!” she called over her shoulder as she and Trey went outside.
I’m sorry, Louise. I’m so sorry.