Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Leah and Chase were carefree. For the first time since they met neither of them were worried about anything. They were not worried about death or escaping dangerous circumstances. They were not worried about angry families or hatred from loved ones.

The only thing they had to occupy their thoughts were dreams of the future and the pleasure of the here and the now. They laughed and talked. They rode in comfortable silences. They loved each other well into the night every night and neither could remember a single time when they had ever been happier.

"We will soon be there." Chase said as he looked off into the distance. Leah sighed.

"Good. As fun as this is my backside is beginning to get a little sore." she replied.

"You can ride right here." Chase stated with a raise of his brow as he patted his lap. Leah felt a little tremor pass down her spine but she laughed and waved her hand.

"I'm sure Blaze would appreciate it if I just stayed on my own horse."

"I will tell him to close his eyes." Chase replied and Leah laughed loudly.

"That's not what I meant." she countered and Chase simply frowned but said nothing.

"Are you pouting?" she asked with amusement.

"I never pout."

"You're pouting right now." she exclaimed, shaking with suppressed laughter.

"You're being ridiculous." he stated though she was sure she saw his lip twitch and his eyes sparkle before he pulled his hat down lower.

"It will take a while before I can get our cabin built. Lumber is scarce here and I had to order most of it while in town. They said it will be two months before it arrives." Chase stated, guiding the subject away from his pouting.

"That's okay." Leah replied with a shrug. "I enjoy sleeping under the stars with you and on nights when it rains we have a tent."

Chase smiled over at her and wondered just what he had done to deserve to be blessed with such a woman. A woman so perfectly suited for him. As they were climbing the last hill before their future home a sudden wave of unease washed down his spine. Quickly he pulled his gun and Leah frowned as she looked at him, her green eyes suddenly alarmed.

"What is it?" she whispered. Chase frowned and just shook his head. He wasn't sure what it was but it was something. Using his sharpened senses he scanned their surrounds and as they reached the top of the hill he saw him.

Yancy.

The man was sitting beside the pool of water, leaning against the same oak tree that Leah and Chase and laid under during their time here together.

"Is that Yancy?" Leah gasped, squinting in the sunlight and trying to make out the man who was still a good hundred yards away. Chase merely nodded in response as his jaw tightened.

"Stay here." he growled.

"But..." Leah started and he sent her a look that had her pulling up on her horses reins and doing as she was told.

Chase rode away from her and down the hill, keeping his revolver in his hand. That familiar rage once again began bubbling up and his hands flexed as he imagined wrapping his hands around Yancy's neck and blocking off the flow of oxygen to his lungs just the same as Yancy had Leah.

Chase thought of Leah's neck which was now turning a green color as the bruises aged and it took every ounce of self control he had not to shoot Yancy right then and end the mans life.