Love Her Softly

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The ride up the mountain was a tense and silent one. Neither man said a word—no words were needed. Both knew they were going to take the lives of at least two men—and they may very well get killed by a posse of mountain men in the process.

There was a good chance they never would return to town, but, Liam was going to make sure that Silas died first.

Dawn had arrived and the sky was lightening when they arrived at Silas' cabin. It was clear by the blood trail they'd been following that Silas and the man who'd been with him, one of his brothers, had come back here and hadn't left.

"What was the man thinking?" Kyle asked quietly as they slipped from their horse's backs. "He shoots up your cabin, your wife and your father and then just goes on home?"

"Silas never was big on brains," Liam replied with a shrug. He took a moment to really breathe in the surroundings. There was no one around outside which meant the men had taken cover inside—they could very well be watching them right now.

"Silas Hawke?" Liam called loudly. "I've come for you."

Silence reigned for several long moments. "Liam, I don't want no trouble with ya."

"We're way past trouble, Silas. I intend to kill you," Liam assured him.

Kyle chuckled. "Nothing like laying it all out there."

Liam nodded toward the cabin. "Go around back. Don't let the bastard escape that way."

Liam watched Kyle disappear and then then headed toward the front door of the dilapidated shack. "Stop right there, Liam! Hell, I'm wounded and my brother is lying here dead. What kind of man comes at helpless folks?"

Liam chose not to respond. He'd learned the hard way that words were wasted on Silas Hawke. The man was evil, pure and simple, and he had to die. That was the only way Liam would keep his family safe.

He didn't flinch when a bullet struck the dirt next to his feet. Didn't pause as another whistled past his head. Liam stepped on the porch and kicked out, sending the door crashing open.

Silas had been being honest. His brother was dead with a hole in his gut and Silas himself, had clearly had his good arm broken by Emma's bullet. He'd been shooting at Liam with his left—which he clearly was no good at.

Silas was sitting on the floor beside the window. His clothes were bloody, his face was pale and his eyes were wide and shining.

Quickly, he tossed his gun away. "You're a fair man, Liam. Surely you won't shoot an unarmed man...."

Liam pulled his gun and cocked it back. "I made it clear what would happen if you harmed my family."

Silas opened his mouth, but Liam silenced him with a squeeze of the trigger. The bullet slammed into Silas' forehead but Liam didn't stop. He continued to put bullets into Silas' face until his gun was spent and Silas was an unrecognizable mess on the floor at his feet.

Liam reloaded his revolver, holstered it and swiped at his cheek before stepping back outside.

Kyle met him at the door. His face took on a nice green shade when he glanced over Liam's shoulder and saw Silas. "Damn..... what was I here for?"

"I don't know." Liam shrugged. "I told you not to come."

"Haha..." They mounted their horses. "That was a lot of shots, Liam. We might have drawn attention."

"I guarantee we did," Liam agreed.

Kyle tipped his head. "No matter what. I'm with you 'til the end."

The two men hadn't gone far down the mountain before Liam felt eyes on his back. Figures began materializing from the mist and trees around them.

He swallowed hard and remained still and silent on Misty's back. It would seem the end might have found them—in the form of dozens of armed mountain men surrounding them on all sides.

****

Emma's exhaustion was forgotten. Everyone kept urging her to sit down and rest but how was she supposed to do that? Her husband was on that mountain and, whether anyone here would admit it or not, his life was in danger.

"Emma, if you keep pacin' like that you're gonna wear a hole in the floor clear to the orient," Cassandra warned.

"Let her pace," Chase grumbled from where he sat at the window, sharpening a knife until it would slice through bone like warm butter.

"Her pacing is making me nervous," Cassandra admitted.

"Don't scold me, Cassandra! My husband is up on that mountain with plenty of men who wouldn't mind seeing him dead! How would you feel if Ben had gone up there and you were left here to twiddle your thumbs?"

Cassandra blinked several times and dropped her gaze while Ben patted her hand comfortingly. "I think we're all a bit on edge. Emma, why don't you come sit down here and rest?"

Emma threw her hands in the air and let out an angry growl. "I don't need to rest!"

She stormed to the door, threw it open and strode outside but not before she heard Lauren chastise Ben for being nice.

Emma walked out onto the street to resume her pacing. Daylight had arrived hours ago. Where was her husband? Emma was worried sick and damn near ready to hop on Colt and head up on that mountain herself to see what was taking him so long.

She heard footsteps behind her and recognized Chase's hand when it fell on her shoulder gently. "They mean well, Emma."

"They don't understand..." she whispered.

"Sure they do. Liam has a lot of people that love him. A lot of people that are worried about him.. and Kyle is up there too..." Chase added, his voice tightening.

Emma's heart hurt in her chest. She turned quickly and threw her good arm around Chase's neck, burying her face in his chest.

She wasn't certain if he was comforting her or if she was comforting him as they stood there with passerby's eyeing them with confusion.

A throat cleared behind them. "Get your hands off my wife, Chase. I ain't dead yet."