Read Online Samuel (Samuel's Pride Series) by Kathi S. Barton - Free Book Online Page A

to see what he could do. It was well into night when he
stepped out onto the porch and went out to the barn. The horses that belonged
to Kennedy were still there, and someone had fed them. He pulled out his cell
phone and made nine calls before he was able to find buyers for them all. He
had no papers that said they belonged to him to sell, but the man was willing
to wait until his sister returned. Shamus told him that she’d been hurt and he
needed to go to her. By morning he was buying a ticket to the state of Ohio,
and he was going to find Kennedy if it was the last thing he did.
    ~~~
    Kennedy went to her car, and thankfully,
it started right up. She was driving down the long drive from the house
thinking about nothing but the road in front of her and the music that blared
on the radio. She refused to think about the fact that Mr. Payne thought he was
going to marry her.
    When she got back to her home, she sat
down on the bench and stared at nothing for a long time, trying her best to
wrap her mind around everything. Finally getting up, she went to her computer
to see if her grandmother was online. She needed her now more than ever. She
wasn’t there, but there were nine emails from her. Starting at the first one
that had come in she started reading. By the time she got to the last one,
Kennedy wasn’t sure whether she was terrified or excited. Her seanmháthair should be in there in the morning.
    Glancing at the email that gave her all
the details of her flight, she realized her grandmother had indicated multiple
people. She wondered who might be coming with her, but only then realized that
she didn’t care. Her seanmháthair would know what to do.
    “I’ll be marrying you as soon as it can
be arranged. I think you should pack your belongings and move in here as soon
as possible. If you’ve a deposit on your place, I’ll be more than glad to
reimburse you for it.” Mr. Payne had gone over the things he thought she should
do as if she’d had no choice. “I’ve marked you, Kennedy, as my mate, and the
sooner we get the bonding part taken care of the better for both of us. I’ve no
need for a mate, but now that I’ve stupidly taken one I will do everything in
my power to make you comfortable.”
    When he’d asked her if she had any
questions she’d only shook her head. Then he’d told her to go home and he’d see
her in the morning. Kennedy heard his mother yelling at him before Kennedy had
gotten out of the house.
    Like hell he would.
    Marrying a man like Mr. Payne would be
like marrying a man like her brother. Shamus and Samuel were cut from the same
cloth. Both men were thinking they could rule her, and she wasn’t going to let
them. Before she knew it, she’d gotten out her stash of money and was counting
it. When her seanmháthair got here, Kennedy was going to beg her to take
her away and never to return. She was sick of America.
    It took her less time than she’d thought
it would to pack up, but then in a fit of independence, she put it all away
again. Kennedy wouldn’t run this time. She’d face the man and tell him to fuck
off. Putting her cash back, she went to the phone outside the offices of the
campground and called the airport to see if the plane her seanmháthair was coming in on was on time. Then when she found out when it was, she got into
her car and drove the forty minutes to the airport to be there when she came
in.
    Kennedy was sitting in the lobby
settling down to wait the three hours when something touched her mind. When Mr.
Payne spoke to her, she stood up looking around for him when he laughed. Christ
love a duck, the man was speaking to her.
    I’m wondering what has you so upset. She didn’t
answer him, not sure how . Just think like you’re speaking to me, and I’ll
hear you.
    I’ve no reason to speak to you, Mr.
Payne. I think you’ve said enough to me as well. Leave me be. There was
laughter, and Kennedy wondered how she knew he was making fun of her and