Page 94 of The Outlaw and the Heir

It was a nice thought. But it was also strange that my father wouldn't make an appearance, even if he trusted my decision-making. Then again, it had been years since we'd had a fire like this, and maybe there was something to Walter's idea. The very idea felt odd, though, but I pushed it aside.

It seemed like Samuel and the men had as much success as we'd did. It had spread along the outer barriers, taking out the fences further along than in the North, but that was damage we could live with for a while. The damage to the houses and the livestock was the biggest concern. Lumber was expensive out here but not nearly as pricey as the lives of the animals, and especially the men.

In fact, it looked like they’d already gotten started on spreading the work and splitting off now the fire was mostly contained. Like I’d told Walter, some of the men were keeping watch over the fire while others were clearing debris to create more gaps to hold it off, and I saw a couple of men carefully moving bodies onto a cart drawn by a mule.

"Hey," I said, grabbing a passerby’s arm. "Where's Samuel?"

"No idea," he said with a shrug. "He was out here just a bit ago, but then...he's not anymore, I guess. Woulda thought he'd be with you."

"No," I said, turning around and calling out. "Samuel?"

For a moment, a dark thought blossomed in my head, an old fear and worry that took root in all the pain and stress inside me. Maybe Samuel had taken advantage of the chaos and found a way to get out without anyone seeing him, biding his time,waiting for enough people to take their eyes off him to run for the hills. He could show up in Rapture under the guise of delivering news about the fire and usethatbeldam to disappear with whatever supplies he found. That everything we’d shared had been nothing, and my feelings had been nothing but a tool for him to use and?—

"He went to the house," a soft voice explained, and I turned around to find the quiet man who stayed with...with Grumpy. The man rarely spoke, so he was never able to complain like his friend or get on my nerves like Samuel. It seemed that he, like his friend, had stayed to help from the mess smeared over his clothes and face. "Said he wanted to make sure everyone was okay."

"Why wouldn't they be?" I wondered. "The fire didn't get that far."

"I don't know, that's just what he said. Went off a bit ago and haven't seen him since."

"Right," I grunted, something unsettling, uncurling and tightening in my stomach. "Guess I should do the same. Y'all good here?"

He gave a light shrug. “For now."

"Good...and thank you."

"For what?"

"This ain't your home, but you still helped to fight for it like it was."

"Who says it isn't my home?"

Which was when he decided to turn away and leave me standing there, staring after him in confusion and wonder. I suppose I’d been so focused on Samuel for months that I hadn't thought to pay attention to the other two. It was as if Samuel had been speaking for them as much as himself when he’d spoken of what this place had done for him and what it offered him for thefuture. Maybe all these men really needed was a safe place to get themselves back together and do better things with their lives.

Leaving them to their work, I made my way toward the main house and frowned as I approached. At the very least, I would’ve expected some of them to be standing outside to keep an eye on progress. Hell, even having a light on in the house because there was no way anyone was sleeping through all the noise.

Frowning, I mounted the steps and walked up to the door, twisting it open and feeling my stomach drop at the darkness that filled the main room. The silence I noticed as I stepped into the deep shadows filled me with a sense of unease that wouldn't be shaken even as I came to a stop. I could swear I heard breathing somewhere in the darkness and took a breath to call out forsomeoneto answer.

A scuff to my right made me tense, and something slammed into my head, sending pain exploding through my skull, and darkness thicker and heavier than in the house took my vision. It took everything except the knowledge that I had collapsed to the ground, and someone was walking near me as I fell into that darkness.

SAMUEL

Looking around the dining room, I took in the people to my right and left. It was, of course, the house staff and Ambrose's family. The gang that had invaded the house before I'd arrived had bound everyone and dragged them to sit against the wall. Sadly, they’d been smart enough to keep everyone apart so no one was close. Which meant there was no one around to get to the knife I’d stowed near my shoulder like I had done that day out with Elizabeth.

God, I’d known something was wrong when I hadn't seen a glimpse of Ambrose's father or Elizabeth. I hadn’t expected Joseph to come rolling out to help, but I could have easily pictured him showing up to pretend he was in charge so long as his father wasn't around to prove otherwise. Then again, from the changes I’d seen in Ambrose lately, maybe he too, would be willing to put his brother in his place if need be.

I had listened to my instincts enough to return to the house to check things out once I was sure things were under control without me giving orders, but I hadn't been smart. For the first time in a long time, I had ignored my instincts, and the goddamn Le Garou had got the jump on me, knocking me out and tying me up to wake up against the wall.

Now, I was stuck there with too many people keeping an eye on me, and all of them more than happy to shoot me. Probably the only reason they hadn't shot me was they didn't want to alert the entire ranch to their presence, which answered one of my questions. How did a fire that size appear without anyone noticing? Again, if I’d been listening to my instincts, I would have known that only deliberate sabotage and arson could have created it.

Now that I was helpless I was determined to listen to instincts I’d honed over the years because those were the only things that would give me a chance of making it through alive. Of course, it was complicated further by the fact that I wasn't alone. Pretty much everyone was under lock and key, and not everyone was in the room with me. For whatever reason, they’d locked Elizabeth in the dining hall with me and the staff, including Hipolita, who managed to look quite dignified as she sat against the wall, watching the armed men with an impassive expression.

The rest, though...I didn't know. All I knew was that the children had been rounded up and put somewhere else, clearly to keep everyone in the dining hall in line for fear of being outnumbered or making too much noise. It was a good, if ruthless, plan, though I didn't think it was necessary. The cooks and maids didn’t look like they were willing to put up much of a fight, and without a gun, Elizabeth wasn't going to be much good in a brawl, which left me against six men, which wasn't odds I would take unless I wanted to exit life quickly.

As for Joseph and his father...again, I didn't know. I had heard some yelling from somewhere in the house, but it had been too muffled to figure out who it was, let alone what was being said. Still, with what information I had, I'd have to guess it was Joseph. He was the only one left who could yell, but I wasn't sure why they’d taken him and his father when they’d left Elizabeth here with me.

She was watching me from across the room, and bless her heart, I could see her eyes darting around, not in fear but calculation. Well, there was also fear since it wasn't often someone broke into your home, held you at gunpoint, and threatened your children. But there was plenty of anger, which meant she had her fear under control and was trying to figure out a way to deal with the problem before it was even more out of our hands.

Our attention snapped up when we heard heavy sounds coming toward the dining hall. The doors swung open, and I sat up straighter, ignoring the protest from the wound in my back, when I saw they were dragging Ambrose into the room. His body was slack, arms tied behind his back, and two men dragged him over to me, dropping him in the empty spot to my right and propping him up while making a few crass jokes.

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