Read Online To Love a Stranger by Connie Mason - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Connie Mason
Ads: Link
disbelief. “You’re lying. I don’t believe you and Zoey are married.”
“I don’t lie,” Pierce said softly. Had Willoughbyknown Pierce better, he would have realized that the softness was a prelude to violence. “Neither does Zoey.”
“Zoey said many things, most of which I chose to ignore.”
“You should have listened to her. Zoey and I are indeed married. Reverend Tolly came to the house over a week ago and married us. Ask him if you don’t believe me.”
“I believe I
will
speak with the reverend. Unfortunately he’s out of town right now. Tell Zoey I was here, and that I’ll be back.”
“I’ll tell my
wife
that you were here, but if I were you, I’d think twice about returning any time soon.”
“Are you threatening me, Delaney?”
“Call it what you like, Willoughby. If Zoey says you’re lying about the mortgage, I believe her.”
“Look here, Delaney,” Willoughby sputtered. “I’m a respected businessman. Maybe you can talk to respectable citizens like that where you come from, but not here. By the way,” he asked curiously, “where
are
you from?”
“Wyoming,” Pierce lied. “How much will it take to pay off the mortgage?”
Willoughby gave Pierce a disparaging look, unimpressed by the ill-fitting, patched clothing he wore. “More than you can afford.”
Pierce snorted with disgust. He had no intention of paying off a mortgage that could be fraudulent. “I suggest you ride out while you still can, Willoughby.”
Willoughby’s expression turned sly. “Did you know your wife and I have been … close? Youdidn’t think a hot little piece like Zoey would wait around for you to claim her, did you?”
Pierce fought to keep his clenched fists at his sides. “Whatever you’re implying doesn’t wash with me, Willoughby. If you utter one more word against my wife’s character, I’ll see you in hell. Understand?” His quiet words belied his raging temper.
Pierce didn’t need to raise his voice. His deceptive calm and threatening tone gave hint to his fury. So much so that Willoughby took a cautious step backward. “The only thing I understand is power and money,” Willoughby spouted. “Obviously you lack both of those commodities. I’ll leave, but if I find out you’re lying about your marriage to Zoey, you’d better be prepared to pay the consequences. I laid claim to Zoey long before her pa died, but the old man was stubborn. He didn’t think I was good enough for his daughter, but I showed him.” His smile turned nasty. “It’s dangerous to thwart Samson Willoughby.”
“Dangerous?” Pierce’s eyes narrowed. “How so?”
Willoughby smiled grimly. “Thwart me and find out,” he hissed as he mounted up and prepared to ride off. The arrival of Zoey and Cully delayed Willoughby’s departure. They were driving about thirty head of cows and steers ahead of them. It appeared as if their day had been successful.
Leaving the livestock to Cully, Zoey dismounted and walked briskly to join Pierce. Suddenly Pierce wished he had listened to her and spent the day resting.
He’d reached the end of his endurance, havingoverestimated his strength on his first full day out of bed. His wound ached something fierce and his legs felt rubbery, but he wasn’t about to display weakness to a conniving bastard like Willoughby.
“What’s going on here?” Zoey asked, looking from Pierce to Willoughby.
“Banker Willoughby came calling, darling,” Pierce said, casually placing his arm around Zoey and pulling her against him. When he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, Zoey went along with him.
She returned his kiss, and turned to Willoughby.
“Mr. Willoughby doesn’t believe we’re husband and wife,” Pierce explained.
Zoey smiled sweetly at Willoughby. “I told you I was engaged, but you chose not to believe me.”
“Your father never said a word about an engagement in the weeks before he died. I approached him several times about a match between us. Never
“I don’t lie,” Pierce said softly. Had Willoughbyknown Pierce better, he would have realized that the softness was a prelude to violence. “Neither does Zoey.”
“Zoey said many things, most of which I chose to ignore.”
“You should have listened to her. Zoey and I are indeed married. Reverend Tolly came to the house over a week ago and married us. Ask him if you don’t believe me.”
“I believe I
will
speak with the reverend. Unfortunately he’s out of town right now. Tell Zoey I was here, and that I’ll be back.”
“I’ll tell my
wife
that you were here, but if I were you, I’d think twice about returning any time soon.”
“Are you threatening me, Delaney?”
“Call it what you like, Willoughby. If Zoey says you’re lying about the mortgage, I believe her.”
“Look here, Delaney,” Willoughby sputtered. “I’m a respected businessman. Maybe you can talk to respectable citizens like that where you come from, but not here. By the way,” he asked curiously, “where
are
you from?”
“Wyoming,” Pierce lied. “How much will it take to pay off the mortgage?”
Willoughby gave Pierce a disparaging look, unimpressed by the ill-fitting, patched clothing he wore. “More than you can afford.”
Pierce snorted with disgust. He had no intention of paying off a mortgage that could be fraudulent. “I suggest you ride out while you still can, Willoughby.”
Willoughby’s expression turned sly. “Did you know your wife and I have been … close? Youdidn’t think a hot little piece like Zoey would wait around for you to claim her, did you?”
Pierce fought to keep his clenched fists at his sides. “Whatever you’re implying doesn’t wash with me, Willoughby. If you utter one more word against my wife’s character, I’ll see you in hell. Understand?” His quiet words belied his raging temper.
Pierce didn’t need to raise his voice. His deceptive calm and threatening tone gave hint to his fury. So much so that Willoughby took a cautious step backward. “The only thing I understand is power and money,” Willoughby spouted. “Obviously you lack both of those commodities. I’ll leave, but if I find out you’re lying about your marriage to Zoey, you’d better be prepared to pay the consequences. I laid claim to Zoey long before her pa died, but the old man was stubborn. He didn’t think I was good enough for his daughter, but I showed him.” His smile turned nasty. “It’s dangerous to thwart Samson Willoughby.”
“Dangerous?” Pierce’s eyes narrowed. “How so?”
Willoughby smiled grimly. “Thwart me and find out,” he hissed as he mounted up and prepared to ride off. The arrival of Zoey and Cully delayed Willoughby’s departure. They were driving about thirty head of cows and steers ahead of them. It appeared as if their day had been successful.
Leaving the livestock to Cully, Zoey dismounted and walked briskly to join Pierce. Suddenly Pierce wished he had listened to her and spent the day resting.
He’d reached the end of his endurance, havingoverestimated his strength on his first full day out of bed. His wound ached something fierce and his legs felt rubbery, but he wasn’t about to display weakness to a conniving bastard like Willoughby.
“What’s going on here?” Zoey asked, looking from Pierce to Willoughby.
“Banker Willoughby came calling, darling,” Pierce said, casually placing his arm around Zoey and pulling her against him. When he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, Zoey went along with him.
She returned his kiss, and turned to Willoughby.
“Mr. Willoughby doesn’t believe we’re husband and wife,” Pierce explained.
Zoey smiled sweetly at Willoughby. “I told you I was engaged, but you chose not to believe me.”
“Your father never said a word about an engagement in the weeks before he died. I approached him several times about a match between us. Never
Similar Books
