Sweet Texas Revenge

Chapter 17

Samantha sat on the rocking chair in Amanda's room trying to put her to sleep. Thinking back on the past month put a smile on Samantha's face. She felt a bottomless peace and satisfaction with her relationship with Cade. The day after the storm, they came back and started their new life. She opened up more and told him the whole story about Roddy Laws and her life at finishing school. Cade would tell her more about his life with Robert and some of his travels while being a Texas Ranger. He even mentioned the confrontation he had with the MacDonald gang. She tried not to smile when he mentioned how the boy got a jump on him. He left out most of the details but she knew the truth. Samantha felt guilty not confessing at that point but she couldn't take the chance of her arrest or her family.
During the day, they would ride around the ranch together and in the evenings they would talk and spend time with Amanda as a family.
    Freddie Mac left again, taking Luke with him, to search for Mark and get them both back East and out of harm's way. Lucy was angry again but let him go. Freddie Mac promised he would come back and make an honest woman out of her.
    A knock on the front door brought her back to the present. Finally, Amanda was asleep as she laid her down in her cradle and walked downstairs to greet their visitor.
    "Dios Mio!" yelled Carmen.
    Samantha ran down the rest of the way and gasped at the sight of her brother Mark standing there. "What the hell are you doing here?"
    "Nice to see you too, Sam." Mark responded.
    After the initial shock of seeing him there, she gave him a quick hug and then grabbed him by the arm dragging him inside.
    "You can't be here. You're a wanted man still. Where's Freddie Mac and the rest of the gang?" The words were tumbling out of her mouth so quickly it took a while for Mark to understand her. "Carmen, find out where Cade is and keep him busy while I get this scoundrel out of sight."
    Carmen took off running while Samantha walked through the house and into the kitchen to go out the back way to the stables. Taking a quick look to make sure they had a clear path, they both ran to the stables.
Mark turned to Samantha. "What do you mean where's Pa? He should be here with you."
"No, he left with Luke to find you and take you both East." Samantha explained.
Mark started to explain how he had escaped in New Mexico and how he and Luke split up. Mark had decided to lay low in Helena when he saw Roddy Laws.
    "No you're wrong. He's dead. Cade killed him."
    "Sam, he was pretty banged up but he's very much alive. I heard how he crawled out of the ravine and met up with his brother." Samantha was just shaking her head. Mark grabbed her upper arms and gave her a shake to get her attention. "Sam, he knows you're alive and he wants his revenge on you."
    More surprised than frightened, she looked at him. After all these years of trying to hunt him down, now he knows she alive and he's hunting her. She had to find him fast before he hurt her or worse, Amanda. Samantha shook her head. Now was not the time for emotions and panic. "Roddy doesn't have a brother."
    "Mickey Jones is his half-brother."
    She gasped, realizing a shiver of panic ran through her body. "Mickey's been here. He knows about Amanda and that Cade is here. We need to find him."
    "Sam, he's after Cade also. He wants revenge on him because he was close to death. He hates you both," Mark stated.
    Samantha started rubbing her temples. This was too much.
    "You need to warn McKay about this," Mark suggested.
    "Go to my husband, the Ranger, and tell him how my outlaw brother informed me that Roddy Laws is alive and after us. Oh and by the way, I'm part of the MacDonald gang. That will go over real well." Samantha rolled her eyes.
    Mark didn't miss her voice dripping with sarcasm. "He needs to know so Roddy won't get a jump on him. I need to go find Pa so we can track Laws and bring him down. We'll need McKay's help."
    Samantha shook her head. "I can't take the risk, Mark. He'll arrest us all."
    "Or you'll both be dead. He has the right to know. He's the law and he has more pull than we do," Mark suggested.
     "I'm going with you," Samantha offered.
    "Hell no, Sam. You're staying put and protecting Amanda. Let us take care of this. Tell your husband." Mark jumped back on his horse and rode away.
    Samantha ran back to the house. Carmen told her Cade was at the south side of the ranch with Timmy so he wouldn't see Mark ride away. Samantha nervously chewed her bottom lip. She would have to confess to Cade and risk him arresting her or wait for Roddy Laws to come find her. Wringing her hands, she paced the kitchen.
    "What are you going to do?" Carmen asked nervously.
    "I have to tell Cade the truth and trust him. " Samantha ran to the stable and mounted Beauty. She headed towards the south side of the ranch to face her future.
    Cade was tired. Learning about ranching made him realize he enjoyed this more than being a Ranger. He had a home, a beautiful wife and child to come home to. He recently thought about retiring and now he had a reason to. He wiped his brow with his forearm and noticed a rider approaching.
Samantha approached Cade and reigned in Beauty near him. She quickly dismounted and tied her to a tree. Cade wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Before losing herself to his kiss, she pushed him away. "I need to tell you something before I lose my nerve."
Cade noticed the distressed look on her face. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"Roddy Laws is alive."
Cade's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Impossible. I shot him months ago."
"No, he survived and he's coming after you and me."
"Hold on. How do you know all of this? If this were true, Liam would have contacted me." Cade started to walk away from her.
"Please Cade, just listen to me. We're both in danger and so is Amanda."
Cade stopped in his tracks and turned to her. She was serious. "Who told you this?"
Samantha took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Mark MacDonald told me."
Cade gave her a look of disbelief. "Mark MacDonald told you. A wanted outlaw came to our ranch to warn you about a dead man with a vendetta."
Samantha took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Cade, I'm Sam MacDonald. I rode with the MacDonald gang for 8 years. They were the family that took me in after my parents were murdered." Samantha felt like such a weight was lifted off of her shoulders after confessing. She waited for Cade's reaction.
Cade blinked a few times to digest what Samantha just said and threw his head back and roared with laughter.
She was so confused by his reaction she couldn't speak. He was actually laughing at her confession. "Cade, I'm telling you the truth."
Cade wiped the tears that had formed in his eyes. "You want me to believe you rode with the MacDonald gang for 8 years and no one recognized you as a girl."
"I was disguised as a young boy. No one knew my secret unless I told them."
Cade sent her a side glance of disbelief. He shook his head and continued to head towards his horse.
"I broke Freddie Mac and Travis Waters out of jail in Lajitas." Cade sobered up and she now had his full attention. "You tried to surround us but I got a jump on you."
"Samantha, I told you that story."
"But you didn't tell me how I punched you in the jaw and you fell and hit your head on a rock. I stayed with you until you woke up."
Cade approached her angrily and grabbed her arm. "How do you know that?"
"I'm the MacDonald that saved your sorry ass," Samantha purposely lowered her voice like she did that day.
Cade quickly released her and took a few steps away from her.
"Now do you believe me?"
Cade shook his head in disbelief. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because Mark came here to warn me, warn us. We need to be on guard."
Cade turned and strode to his horse. In one fluid motion, he mounted his horse.
"Where are you going?"
    " To hunt down Roddy Laws and kill him once and for all."
    "I'm going with you." Samantha mounted Beauty and tried to follow him.
    "No. I want you to stay here. Go home," he ordered.
    "Cade, I can help."
    He shook his head. "I don't want to be near you right now." His voice was quiet, yet held an undertone of cold contempt. Samantha felt her body grow cold. He was furious with her. "I don't know whether to arrest you or take you over my knee for lying to me."
    "I tried to tell you at the cabin but you said my past didn't matter," her voice broke with unshed tears.
    "I can't do this right now Samantha. Go home," he ordered.
    "Cade," she pleaded.
    "I said go home," he yelled as he turned his horse towards the main road.
    Samantha watched his retreating form and the dust following him. She cried the whole way home.
    Carmen met her at the door. "What happened?"
    "I told him. He laughed, got angry and then left."
    "To where?" Carmen asked.
    "I don't know." Samantha passed her and went towards the sofa. Travis walked in. Samantha explained the situation. "Go find Mark and the others. Let them know what's going on."
    Travis shook his head. "I'm not leaving you and Amanda unprotected."
    "Travis, you know I can take care of myself. Please, I need you to go get help."
    At that moment, Amanda started to cry. Carmen got up and started up the stairs. The rest happened simultaneously. Samantha got up at the same time as Travis started for the door. The front door was kicked in and Mikey was standing there, gun drawn and shot Travis. He spun and fell into Samantha's arms.
    "No!" Samantha screamed as Carmen also screamed. Mikey looked up at Carmen.
    "Corre, y vete con la nena. Escondate!" Samantha ordered to Carmen to run and hide with Amanda.
    Carmen bolted up the stairs and Samantha released Travis and ran towards the kitchen where she had a rifle hidden. Samantha heard shots fire and dove under a table.
    "I'm not here to kill you but I'm supposed to take you to someone who does," Mikey sneared.