Read Online The Loner by Genell Dellin - Free Book Online

months.”
    â€œ Really? ” she blurted, genuinely surprised.
    She thought about that while he set the lantern onto the chair again and blew out its light.
    â€œWell, then,” she said, “you must be afraid they’ll come here and say you should turn me loose.”
    Black Fox didn’t answer. He came back to the bed, sat down on the side of it, and looked out through the window.
    â€œThat wouldn’t matter,” he said absently, “I do my duty no matter what anyone says.”
    Her blood was still pumping from the fright she’d had and all the fierce feelings. Her mind raced to understanding in a moment. It would matter if people came there. They might help her escape, if not here, then on the road to Fort Smith. Her heart opened to embrace the hope.
    Black Fox turned to look at her as if he’d read her thoughts.
    â€œDon’t worry,” she said quickly. “Willie and Swimmer will be so busy telling everyone they saw a woman in your bed they won’t think about my horse again.”
    He groaned.
    â€œThat’s all I need,” he said. “Maybe they’ll be too drunk to remember.”
    â€œYou should’ve told them I’m a prisoner and wounded, and then you wouldn’t have to worry about your reputation.”
    â€œI’m not worried about it.”
    He was bothered a little bit, though, she could tell. Black Fox Vann was a loner, she’d heard that plenty of times. A woman in his bed would be news.
    Her spirits lifted. Maybe someone would come to see his woman, even if they didn’t know she was The Cat. And it would provide her an opportunity to escape.
    Black Fox leaned back against the headboard of the bed, stretched his legs out beside hers. He was so close she could feel his warm breath.
    She made her own breathing even, willing herself to be calm. Nothing had ever made her feel more frantic than being tied to him, except for Tassel Glass’s wandering hands.
    â€œDon’t think you’re going to tie me to you again,” she said, holding her voice completely steady by the sheer force of her will, “because you’re not.”
    â€œI’ll do whatever I have to do,” he said sharply, but absently, too, as if his thoughts were far away.
    â€œHow could I run off? I can barely even lift my head I’ve lost so much blood. You knew I couldn’tget out of this bed by myself, much less out of the house. Why did you tie me to you?”
    â€œI’ve seen you rally before,” he snapped. “I was taking no chances. Your fever had finally gone down and I had to get some sleep.”
    â€œYou won’t have me in custody very many nights,” she said, forgetting her new resolve to stop challenging him. “You can sleep when I’m gone.”
    He gave a surprised little bark of a laugh.
    â€œTall talk when you’re flat on your back,” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve got sand, Cat. I’ll hand you that.”
    Her shoulder was hurting and her head was heavy and her patience was spent. He still hadn’t said he’d not tie her again.
    â€œIt was either get sand in my craw or lay down and die,” she said.
    She stared straight ahead, seeing her home in flames and her mother dead.
    â€œHow long have you been living in the woods?” he said.
    â€œSince late last spring.”
    â€œWhen your home burned?”
    â€œFirst I took my little brothers to Fort Smith,” she said, “to my mother’s cousin. I knew from the minute Mama drew her last breath that I’d never rest until I brought down Tassel Glass.”
    â€œYou knew then he was a bootlegger?”
    â€œEverybody knows that,” she said scornfully. “Roger, my stepfather, was one of his best whiskey-drinking customers.”
    Black Fox nodded.
    â€œAnd besides helping people get stinking drunk,” she said, the old anger rising in her in a wave, “Glass