Rafe's Redemption Read Online Free Page B

promise to take you to Fort Union as soon as possible.
    What you do—where you go—from there is entirely up to you. Until then I’m afraid you’ll have to trust me.” She stared at his mouth, hearing the words, but unable to believe what he said. Her nails bit into her palms as she fisted her hands. Trust me, he’d said. Well, she didn’t! Men did as they pleased and made no apologies for whom they hurt in the process. She’d spent her life controlled by men. Now this one would take her off to God knew where, and she’d be at his mercy.
    Not if she could think of another way.
    “I’ll go change,” Maggie said. “It’s snowing much harder now, and I’m sure we need to be on our way.” She stood, her gaze fading from outside as she pressed her necklace into Tom’s hand. “I’ll appreciate whatever you can give me for the necklace.”
    Maggie ducked beneath the blanket-door and eyed the tiny window, unsure if she would fit, but positive of the horrors that waited on the other side. No, that wasn’t the way to freedom. That was the way to unspeakable depravity. Mr. McBride might be rough and bossy, but he didn’t scare her like the men on the street.
    She slumped onto the bed. Even if she did climb out, chances were she’d freeze to death. A nd until Tom paid her for the necklace, she was penniless. She couldn’t get to St. Louis.
    So there was no other way.
    “Reckon she knows how to cook?” Tom’s teasing voice floated through the blanket.
    “I doubt she knows how to do anything.”
    “That’s not fair to say, Rafe.”
    “Maybe not, but I’ve known women like her. They pour tea, buy dresses, pout and look pretty. The sooner I’m rid of her, the better.”
    Relief flooded through her despite his unkind words.
    H e really didn’t want her. But why should that surprise her? Father always said she was too stupid to attract a man. In this instance, she was glad.
    She quickly unbuttoned his large coat and stripped off her clothes, then fingered the red welts Michael had left on her chest. Her face flushed with embarrassment thinking how he’d exposed her breasts to those men.
    Including the one who waited for her.
    Trust me. The words again rumbled through her mind. He didn’t know what he asked. Every man she’d ever known broke promises to her. She doubted Mr.
    McBride was any different.
    She spread her mud-spattered skirt on the floor, then rolled her petticoats and other clothes into a bundle.
    Inside the wooden box she found long underwear, soft from washing. A patched shirt was next, then she sat to try the trousers. Tugging the britches over her hips, she looked longingly at her skirt. She felt naked dressed in trousers, the fit indecent. She pulled the shirt from the waistband of the pants, relieved it hung to her thighs. A t least she looked more proper.
    There was another set of Jimmy’s clothes in the box so she took them, adding them to her bundle. She reached for woolen socks and yanked them over her stockings, then pulled on her boots.
    Tom looked up from the counter when she entered the room. “Them clothes look right nice on you, Miss Maggie.”
    Heated fingers of awareness traced up her back, a lazy wave of desire that only one man had made her feel.
    She spun, catching Rafe’s gaze as he watched from the boardwalk. A shiver prickled her skin. She reached for her new coat and slipped it on, letting the length cover her body.
    “Thank you. Did you get a chance to look at the necklace?”
    Tom grunted as he plopped down the sewing supplies and bent to get the gold scale. He pulled the chain from the locket, then weighed them both.
    “Will one of them cover Mr. McBride’s loss and his supplies?” She wouldn’t remain in his debt, but there had to be something left for her.
    “The locket is more ‘n enough.” Tom opened his cash register and dropped several coins into her hand. “This is for the chain.”
    “A re you sure?” She hadn’t hoped for this much.
    “Yep. Now