Sweet Texas Revenge

Chapter 7

The two day ride to Lajitas was without incident and now she and Luke hid behind a few boulders on the top of a hill looking over the town. A few years had changed it.  Once a thriving little town now resembled a ghost town. A few buildings  scattered the area. A saloon, a jail, a small general store and a hotel if it could be called that. Other buildings were surrounding those four buildings but it looked like a fire had just ravished them. They were black and gutted. In fact the smell of burnt wood still lingered in the air.

                "Must of just happened a few days ago," Luke whispered.

                Sam turned to look into Luke's green eyes. "You know how to state the obvious," she snapped. Ever since she woke up alone in her bed she'd been feeling nothing but guilt and anger. Anger at herself for giving Cade her virginity and anger at him for running away. Leaving her as if she were a saloon girl, a night's diversion. She felt her temper rise but forced it down. Now was not the time for anger. She needed a calm head to think of a plan to break out Freddie Mac and Travis and then find the others. Freddie Mac would know where the others were and then she could hunt down Roddy Laws and kill him like the dog he was.

                Luke stared at Sam as she surveyed the town again. She had changed somehow and this change was recent. Sam was usually cheerful and happy but now she was hard as she was when his pa found her eight years ago. Seems Robert's death affected her as much as her parent's death. Luke placed a consoling hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Sam."

                Sam looked at his hand and then at Luke with confusion.

                "About Robert," he explained. "I know you loved him."

                Sam turned away from Luke. She cared for Robert but she wasn't sure if it was love. Especially after what she shared with Cade. Again the guilt assailed her. Never again would she let any man touch her like that. Robert must be watching down from Heaven, so disappointed in her. His own brother. What kind of woman was she?

                "I'm going to the jail to break them out. You sit here with the horses. Be on the look out and shoot anyone following me. Got it." Sam waited until Luke nodded his head and got up from her hiding place, leaving her horse behind. They would have to run up the hill to get their horses but if all went well, they could take their time and mosey along like they were taking a stroll.

                Sam felt the adrenaline pump through her body, making her feel alive again. She had missed this. The times when she was a lookout for the gang, the sweaty palms, the racing heart, the flutters in her stomach. This was living.

                As she walked down the dusty broken boardwalk, she noticed two very tall men walking out of the hotel and towards her. The one wearing a black cowboy hat looked familiar. His powerful well-muscled body moved with easy grace. When he turned to look in her direction, she gasped. It was Cade.  And the man next to him was his partner Liam. Trying not to panic, she casually pulled her hat over her eyes and kept walking towards them. As he passed without giving her a second look, she released her breath and casually walked towards the jail. Daring a glance behind her she noticed the men kept walking towards the saloon.           

                Before entering the jail, Sam went around back, leaning against the wall, catching her breath. Her hands were trembling and her heart beating faster than usual. Yes she was excited about breaking out the gang but seeing Cade unnerved her. She needed a clear head and stop thinking about Cade and how magnificent he looked wearing his brown button down shirt and tight pants. She closed her eyes and remembered the night she saw him wearing nothing when he came to her bed.