Read Online Promises Keep (The Promise Series) by Sarah McCarty - Free Book Online

but no one manhandled his woman. No one.
    Cougar had about ten more steps to go before he came into the cowboy’s view. He hoped that Mara would restrain herself long enough for him to come to her rescue. It was a pretty slim hope. When push came to shove, she had a habit of striking first and being cautious later.
    He watched Mara’s chin come up almost fatalistically. He started to run, but it was too late two steps into the decision, because along with her chin came the parcel in her hand. There was the sound of breaking glass as it smashed into the cowboy’s face and then all hell broke loose.
    The cowboy’s retaliation was quick and sure. While still reeling from the impact, he struck Mara in the side with his fist. She smashed back against the storefront, her head cracking the glass pane in the window. For a moment, she held still, her expression frozen before she drifted slowly, like a discarded feather, to the ground.
    With a roar, Cougar leapt on the wrangler, seeing nothing but red as the image of that huge fist connecting with that tiny body repeated itself in his head. With every repetition, he pummeled his victim harder, searching for all the vulnerable places where he knew the effect of his two hundred pound frame would be felt the most.
    It took four men to pull him off the useless skunk. When he looked down, there was a spot on the man’s cheek that was clean. The sight of it insulted him.
    “Take it easy, McKinnely,” one of the men growled when Cougar’s elbow connected with his stomach. “For all her airs, she’s just a whore.”
    With great satisfaction, Cougar felt his knuckles split as they connected with the man’s teeth.
    “Anyone else got an opinion?” he asked as he turned, silently challenging any of the rest to open their mouths and say something equally as stupid. As one, they threw up their hands and backed off. That suited him just fine.
    He stepped over to where Mara lolled against the building. Her eyes were closed, and he got a sick feeling in his gut. Spirit aside, she was a tiny thing. A mere nothing against a man’s fist. Lightly tapping her cheeks, he was gratified to note her breathing was regular, if a little wispy. Holding her cheeks between his big palms, he eased his face close to hers. Each word was precisely enunciated.
    “Miss Kincaid? Can you hear me? I’ve got to get you to Doc.”
    Her eyes fluttered open. “No.”
    The response was weak, but her chin shot up and defiance entered her gaze. Cougar didn’t know whether she was denying going with him or hearing him. In the end, he figured it didn’t matter. From the wetness on his fingertips, he figured the back of her head had been cut by the glass.
    He gentled his voice, trying to suppress the anger edging his drawl while his thumbs smoothed across the skin drawn too tightly over her high cheekbones. “I’m sorry I didn’t get across the street fast enough to prevent this.”
    Was it his imagination or was that a “bullshit” he saw her lips shape? His mouth quirked up at the thought. “You’re going to have to trust me, Miss. At least until we get out of here.”
    There was no marked change in her face, so close to his. Cougar shook his head. The woman was sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, the rags she wore tossed well above her ankles. She was barely able to breathe, yet she still clung to her dignity like a child clutching a blanket.
    “I’m going to have to carry you,” he explained in the face of another violent shake of her head that had her moaning. “There’s no way you can get there yourself.”
    He settled back on his heels as he slid his hands around her body. “Though I suppose I could bring Doc to you, but he’d have to unbutton your dress to check your ribs, and that would draw a crowd. On a hot day like today, the last place I want to be is corralled on the street with a bunch of sweaty, leering wranglers.”
    This time there was no mistaking the words her lips were twisting