Fleeing the clutches of her disreputable relatives, Sera Livingston has made her escape to Australia's Outback. Disguised as a boy, sharp-tongued Sera searches for her sister but is attacked by bushrangers. Thievery becomes her only chance at surviv...
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At first, it didn't hurt at all, as if a pebble had been thrown at him, but Roman knew better...
He had been shot.
Falling to his knees, he clutched the spot above his right hip bone. The pain hadn't come yet, just a burning sensation that traversed upward, possibly where the bullet had lodged itself. Roman took deep even breaths as the burning began to aggravate and spread, taking over his focus.
His vision blurred a little as the burning tore through his core. Roman had been shot enough times to know that the lack of pain meant the bullet was the kind to stay intact and not explode into tiny, little shrapnel pieces. It was also likely that there was no exit wound, which was probably in his favor since he would bleed out quicker if there was one.
As he panted with a cold sweat breaking at his hairline, Roman growled out. "Beau."
The name tasted sour on his dry lips as he stared up at the face of the man who had taken so much from him, and now he had his gun drawn on his nephew once again.
August had his cocked back and aimed at Beau and everyone in the room was at a standstill. "Get that pistol away from my son."
Sera rushed to Roman, ripping off her blouse, dropping her knife next to her as she pressed her shirt against his side. Her hands shook as she sobbed out, "Don't you die on me."
"I've suffered far worse gun wounds," Roman muttered, but it did nothing to ease the fear in his wife's eyes. Roman shakily drew his gun, settling it on Beau as harsh breaths came out of his mouth. "Drop it."
"I don't think so," he stated smugly. "I drop it and you'll kill me."
"I won't let you take her to him," Roman growled.
"Roman," Sera said as hot tears escaped, falling down in panicked succession and gliding over the curves her cheeks, but her gaze was steady on the man before them, an intense fear lingering in her eyes. "Beau is Theodore James."
"What?" August shouted, shocked by the statement. "How is that possible?"
"After slaughtering most of my family," Beau answered. "I was found by a group of bushrangers. I joined them, became their leader. Their god. One day I ventured out into the great desert and stumbled upon an American man, Theodore James. I shot him, stole his identity, and built my empire back in America."
He laughed. "This whole time, you've been chasing after a man who was oceans away." He clicked his tongue mockingly, making Roman's blood boil. "So foolish, little brother."
Omeo moaned, waking up and Beau grabbed him up off the ground. "Give her to me!" he shouted, his gun waving in the air. "And empty your weapons then drop them, and I will let my little nephew live."
"Done," Sera said with not a shred of hesitation.
Roman's jaw clench, teeth whining from the force of his bite. His arm was restless because of the burning, and he knew his aim would be off because of it. He could hit Omeo. August was too terrified to pull the trigger. Roman knew that if August did, Beau would not have enough time to react, but the rationality didn't matter. It couldn't combat with the explosive fear that was probably pumping through his brother-in-law's veins. August emptied his chamber and dropped his weapon.
