Read Online Early Dawn by Catherine Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Anderson
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the saddle horn, she decided to take his advice and be still. Fighting him now, when he had her at such a disadvantage, was a waste of energy. She’d bide her time. Sooner or later, they would have to stop and rest the horses. When they did, she’d run the first chance she got. Squealing and crying? He had another think coming. She was no sniveler—never had been and never would be. No matter what they did to her, she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
Thoughts of what they might do to her made Eden’s blood run cold. Though she’d been sheltered all her life, she was well aware of the danger she was in. Even unmarried ladies shared stories, whispering behind cupped hands of the atrocities that had been committed against other women. If even half of those stories were true, Eden was in big trouble. She might hold her own against one man, but she would be powerless against five.
Only a few minutes later, the men stopped along a stream to water and rest the horses. Eden was tossed from the saddle with no more regard than if she’d been a sack of onions. She hit the damp earth with a bone-jarring thud that knocked the breath out of her. Before she could recover, two of the men grappled her onto her back while a third jerked up her skirts, spread her legs, and knelt between her thighs. As he reached to unfasten his pants, Eden knifed up a knee, planted her traveling boot in the middle of his chest, and sent him tumbling backward with a hard shove.
“Hoo-ee!” a man holding one of her arms cried. “We got ourselves a scrapper!”
Eden spit in his face. “Touch me, and my brothers will kill you!”
They only laughed at the threat. Though Eden struggled with all her strength, she couldn’t escape them, and soon the man she’d kicked was in position again, his trousers hanging open. At the sight of his engorged member—the likes of which she’d never seen or even imagined—Eden nearly fainted with fright.
“My oldest brother is Ace Keegan,” she pushed out tremulously. “He’s a famous gunslinger, and my younger brothers are just as fast! They’ll hunt you down and make you curse the day you were born.”
“Have to catch us first.” The man in position groped for the slit in her bloomers. She felt his filthy fingers touch her private places. “And we got us a fine talent for not gettin’ caught. Ain’t you never heard of the Sebastian Gang, girlie?”
Eden bucked and shrieked, but he moved forward to impale her anyway. She clenched her teeth, squeezed her eyes closed, and held her breath, knowing it would hurt. But instead, he suddenly fell sideways across her leg. She lifted her lashes to see a fourth man standing over her, feet set wide apart, fists clenched. It was the fellow she’d tangled with right after leaving the train, the one who’d hit her and knocked her out.
“We didn’t steal the damned girl so you could ruin her!” he yelled. “We’re takin’ her across the border to Estacado, I said. That old Mexican loves gringo females. He’ll pay a small fortune for a redhead.”
“Ah, come on, Wallace,” Eden’s almost-rapist whined as he rolled onto his knees. “What can it hurt if we have a little fun with her first?”
Wallace was taller and stockier than the other four men. He spit a stream of tobacco juice and wiped his mouth with the crusty sleeve of his jacket. “You can have all the fun you want, little brother, but don’t go poppin’ her cherry. Estacado likes his women unused, and before he hands over any money, he always checks first to make sure they’re virgins.”
“What fun can we have if we can’t give her a poke?”
“You can play with her all you like, I said. Use your imagination, for God’s sake! Just don’t let me catch you dippin’ for honey. When you get to that point, finish yourself off with your hand.” Wallace spit again. His cold gray eyes moved over Eden’s body. “And hold off on messin’ with her until tonight.
Thoughts of what they might do to her made Eden’s blood run cold. Though she’d been sheltered all her life, she was well aware of the danger she was in. Even unmarried ladies shared stories, whispering behind cupped hands of the atrocities that had been committed against other women. If even half of those stories were true, Eden was in big trouble. She might hold her own against one man, but she would be powerless against five.
Only a few minutes later, the men stopped along a stream to water and rest the horses. Eden was tossed from the saddle with no more regard than if she’d been a sack of onions. She hit the damp earth with a bone-jarring thud that knocked the breath out of her. Before she could recover, two of the men grappled her onto her back while a third jerked up her skirts, spread her legs, and knelt between her thighs. As he reached to unfasten his pants, Eden knifed up a knee, planted her traveling boot in the middle of his chest, and sent him tumbling backward with a hard shove.
“Hoo-ee!” a man holding one of her arms cried. “We got ourselves a scrapper!”
Eden spit in his face. “Touch me, and my brothers will kill you!”
They only laughed at the threat. Though Eden struggled with all her strength, she couldn’t escape them, and soon the man she’d kicked was in position again, his trousers hanging open. At the sight of his engorged member—the likes of which she’d never seen or even imagined—Eden nearly fainted with fright.
“My oldest brother is Ace Keegan,” she pushed out tremulously. “He’s a famous gunslinger, and my younger brothers are just as fast! They’ll hunt you down and make you curse the day you were born.”
“Have to catch us first.” The man in position groped for the slit in her bloomers. She felt his filthy fingers touch her private places. “And we got us a fine talent for not gettin’ caught. Ain’t you never heard of the Sebastian Gang, girlie?”
Eden bucked and shrieked, but he moved forward to impale her anyway. She clenched her teeth, squeezed her eyes closed, and held her breath, knowing it would hurt. But instead, he suddenly fell sideways across her leg. She lifted her lashes to see a fourth man standing over her, feet set wide apart, fists clenched. It was the fellow she’d tangled with right after leaving the train, the one who’d hit her and knocked her out.
“We didn’t steal the damned girl so you could ruin her!” he yelled. “We’re takin’ her across the border to Estacado, I said. That old Mexican loves gringo females. He’ll pay a small fortune for a redhead.”
“Ah, come on, Wallace,” Eden’s almost-rapist whined as he rolled onto his knees. “What can it hurt if we have a little fun with her first?”
Wallace was taller and stockier than the other four men. He spit a stream of tobacco juice and wiped his mouth with the crusty sleeve of his jacket. “You can have all the fun you want, little brother, but don’t go poppin’ her cherry. Estacado likes his women unused, and before he hands over any money, he always checks first to make sure they’re virgins.”
“What fun can we have if we can’t give her a poke?”
“You can play with her all you like, I said. Use your imagination, for God’s sake! Just don’t let me catch you dippin’ for honey. When you get to that point, finish yourself off with your hand.” Wallace spit again. His cold gray eyes moved over Eden’s body. “And hold off on messin’ with her until tonight.
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