Click on image to enlarge.

	Regular				Club
You Pay:	$4.50				$3.83

eBook Category: Erotica/Romance
eBook Description: Vi Olson is on the run. After leaving her abusive husband bleeding to death in their home, Vi takes her sister's place and travels all the way into Wyoming to marry another man she's never met. However, when she finds out that man has been killed, she has to rethink her plans. Her only hope is that his brother, Matt Bullock, will be the answer to her prayers and her heart. Matt knows Vi is trouble the moment he lays eyes on her. She's too pretty, too bold, and has a mouth that could drive him insane with irritation and lust. But when she confides her past to him, he is surprised to find that all her flaws and irritations make her a perfect match for him. When they find out that her husband is still alive, does he keep her with him or send her away?

eBook Publisher: Atlantic Bridge/Liquid Silver Books, Published: 2005
Fictionwise Release Date: October 2005

17 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [519 KB], eReader (PDB) [83 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [62 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [56 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [128 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [121 KB], hiebook (KML) [230 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [147 KB], iSilo (PDB) [51 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [64 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [132 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [84 KB]
Words: 20191
Reading time: 57-80 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: ISBN 1-59578-159-5

Sheriff John Cahill stared down at Charles Olson's bloodied bandage. The bastard was just too mean to die. John glanced back at Margaret, who stood at the door in silence. He exhaled loudly and turned, walking back to the thin woman.

"Where is she, Maggie?" he asked quietly as the physician pulled the bandage tighter, causing Charlie to shout with pain.

"I don't know."

She was lying. Maggie Campbell couldn't lie worth a damn. The truth was written all over her pretty face. John shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded.

"She wouldn't just leave town and not tell anybody where she was going," John pressed. Maggie's pink bottom lip poked out a bit.

"She might if she thought she'd killed a man." Maggie's gaze remained on Charlie. There was unmistakable hatred reflected in those blue depths. John didn't like it. Maggie was a sweet natured woman. She didn't wear hatred well.

"Maggie, look at me," John commanded and finally her lashes lifted. "She didn't kill him. She can't be hung, but I need her here to testify what drove her to assault him."

"Assault? John Cahill, you know very well who did the assaulting in this situation. It wouldn't be the first time he struck her!" Maggie snapped. "She's gone. He can't hurt her anymore, and if you were any kind of man, you would make sure that wound reached his heart tonight when he slept. I would do it myself if I were a man." Her hands shook with anger.

John glanced over his shoulder, noticing that the doctor had turned his head to listen to them. He reached forward, grasped Maggie's arm and guided her from the bedroom. Maggie didn't resist; she trotted along beside him until they were downstairs and outside St. Louis motel where Charles' lived.

"You listen here. When that man wakes up, he will want to find his wife. I know Charles Olson, and I know whatever he did before will not compare to what he does when he finds her. If I get to her first, I can promise he won't lay a finger on her. But I can't protect her if you keep filling me with lies." He released her arm. "I know you want to protect your sister. I don't blame you, but how are you going protect her when he finds her?"

Maggie bit her lip, her gaze darting down to the road. "You promise me, John. She did nothing wrong, and I won't stand for her spending even one night in jail."

John softened. He always did when it came to Maggie. Ever since they were children, he'd had a soft spot for her. She was so gentle and kind, nothing like her sister. Vi would buck up, fight with him, and dig her heels in until he wanted to box her ears himself, but not Maggie.

"I give you my word," he said softly.

Maggie sighed heavily. "There is a man in Wyoming. I've been writing to him for several months. We were ... going to be married. He sent money for me to..."

"A man?" John took a step back as thick jealousy forked into his veins. "What man?"

"A very kind man. He and his brother are starting a horse ranch there. He sent me money to go join him, so we could be married." Maggie didn't look at him. "But then Vi came to me soaked with Charlie's blood. She said she killed him."

"You were going to marry this man in Wyoming?" John interrupted.

"He seemed a good man, John." Her blue eyes lifted to his face. "Fine and decent. I thought Vi would be safe there. So I sent her in my stead."

John turned his back to her, fisting his fingers in front of him. Some man had been writing to Maggie ... his Maggie. His blood pounded. It served him right. He'd never even asked to call on the woman. How could she know the house he was building was to be hers? He'd chased away every man that had tried to court her. She was probably lonely.

"John?" At Maggie's voice, he forced himself to relax and face her again.

"You don't have to go to Wyoming to find a decent man," John told her.

"Humph! What do you know of it, John? You haven't noticed, but I've not had a man knock on my door for some time. I'll be an old maid if I don't start looking for someone." She tossed her hair.

John stepped forward. "I know that I would kill any man that did knock on your door. You know I would."

"You are too protective, John. You always have been. I'm not a child anymore. I don't need you to beat up the boys in the schoolyard for me. I'm a woman grown, and I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life. I want a husband and a family."

"You don't even know this man in Wyoming. Why would you go there? What if he'd lied in his letters? What if he were no better than that one lying half dead in there?" John took two steps forward so that he stood right in front of her. "I'd kill..."

"Then why don't you kill that one? He doesn't deserve to live after the way he's treated my sister," Maggie interrupted. "If you love us so, and are set upon protecting us, why do you let that ... that ... bastard ... live?" Her blue eyes filled with tears.

"I don't like hearing you talk like this, of death and killing. It's not your nature." John pushed his hat back on his head and swiped his brow. "She's your sister, Maggie, but you are two very different women."

"Not so different that we wouldn't both wish that man dead," she argued. "What's right is right, John, and he's not right. Look where he has her living!" She turned and motioned towards the hotel they'd just stepped from. "He gambles away his money and leaves her to scrub floors and do laundry just to keep them out of the cold. He spends most nights at Gable's Inn with those prostitutes. And when he is home, he misuses her."

John's jaw tightened. "I know."

"Then why do you hesitate?" Maggie reached forward, grasping his arm. "Why do you allow it to continue?"

"I've beaten that man within an inch of his life more times than I can count." He touched her cheek, noting the surprise that crossed her face. "I tried to do what I could, but I can't just kill a man for being a bastard."

"I ... I didn't know."

"Neither did she." He let his finger linger against her skin. "I would hang before I would do nothing to help her. She needn't flee to Wyoming and neither need you."

"Our reasons for wanting to go are different." When Maggie's hands fell from his arm, he removed his hand and shoved them in his pockets.

"Who's the man?"

"Ben Bullock." Maggie covered her face. "I'm so ashamed. I sent her in my place. He will be devastated, and I'm certain he won't want to marry me once he finds out he's married to the wrong woman."

John didn't tell her that was the only blessing that would come out of this mess. "It's alright, Maggie. I'll go there and bring her back, kicking and screaming if I have too."

"I'm going with you." Maggie dropped her hands from her face. "I'll explain to Ben what happened. He may not marry me but he might forgive me for the deception."

"Its best if you stay here."

"I will not. If I do, I may take a knife to Charlie Olson myself. And Vi will be less apt to fight you if I am there." Maggie held up her hand. "She and I may different women but we have much in common too. I can dig my heels in too. I'm going."

John stared at her, then slowly nodded. How could he deny her anything she wanted? He never had, and he wasn't going to start now.