Page 71 of A Whiskey River Princess

“Listen,” a male voice whispered in her ear. “If you go with us quietly, we won’t kill your new beau.” She continued to struggle, but then the man repeated, “Settle down! I mean what I say. I will kill him—the man that owns this place—if you don’t come with us peacefully.”

Gabriella stopped struggling.

“That’s it,” the voice approved, and then his face appeared before her eyes in the moonlight… it was Blake Dougherty. “That’s better.” She could hear his pleasure. They had found her. Her worst fears had come to life.

She brought her knee up hard into his groin as he let out a huff. As quickly as she could, she climbed across the bed to the other side… but Clayton was blocking her way. He grabbed her, and she cringed as he pulled her up by the arms and looked directly into her eyes.

As Buster’s barking grew louder, she just hoped that Dirk wouldn’t come in and get hurt.

“Don’t try that again,” Clayton growled in a low voice through gritted teeth, as Blake mumbled profanities under his breath. There were footsteps coming from Dirk’s room to hers.

Please, don’t let him get hurt,Gabriella thought to herself.

Clayton pulled her over to the door by one arm as she struggled. Then he pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “Shut up. If that man finds us, we’ll kill him and ask questions later.”

There was a knock on the door. “Gabriella?” Dirk asked from the other side. “Are you all right?”

“Get rid of him or I’ll kill him,” Blake whispered into her ear.

She nodded once.

He and Clayton stepped away from the door, out of sight.

The last thing Gabriella wanted was for Dirk to get killed over her. She cracked the door open, careful not to open it too far. “Dirk, I’m fine. Go back to bed.”

He nodded as he held Buster back. “Sorry to wake you. Buster thought he heard something.”

She forced a smile. “I’m fine. Good night.”

Dirk nodded and walked back to his room, taking Buster with him.

Gabriella’s heart sank as she closed the door, knowing her chance at rescue had gone, but she was reassured that he was safe.

Clayton held her as Blake threw men’s jeans and a flannel shirt at her, and then set some men’s work boots on the floor beside her.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Gabriella demanded.

Clayton shook her hard. “I said, shut up,” he whispered.

She just hoped they could leave without Dirk or Buster getting hurt.

“Hurry up,” Harley whispered from outside the open window, as snowflakes fell onto his red hair and beard.

“Shut the hell up,” Blake mumbled under his breath. “Woman, hurry up and change your clothes.”

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Change your clothes,” Blake replied, and then raised an eyebrow. “That is, unless you’d like to go in the snow in your nightgown.”

“I will do no such thing!” Her voice was low.

“Don’t try me,” Blake warned as he picked up the clothes and shoved them at her. “Now, make it quick.”

“Hmph!” She lifted her chin. “At least be a gentleman and turn around.”

Blake laughed. “What? And have you knock me over the head while I’m not looking? No thank you. And I ain’t no gentleman.”

She turned around and as quickly as she could manage, she slipped off her sleeping gown, leaving on her corset andunderwear, and then slipped on the work clothes that Blake had thrown at her. Then she slid on the black work boots that he had thrown at her. Hard telling who he had taken the clothes from. Then she grabbed an old hat and coat, and readjusted the low ponytail that she had slept in, tied off with a leather strap.

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