Pioneer Love: Damaged Hearts Head West: Mail Order Bride 5 Bundle by Indiana Wake Page A
Authors: Indiana Wake
Tags: Romance, Historical, Western, Spirituality, Religious, Christian, Anthology, Inspirational, Collections, Bachelor, Marriage of Convenience, bundle, Faith, clean, Sacrifice, Mail Order Brides, responsibility, Forever Love, Single Woman, Pioneer, Love Inspired, Matrimony, Frontier, Five Books, Head West
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not. But it was so hard that the words just came from him. “A month before their wedding and he beat her and then used her. He'll be lucky if I let him leave here alive!"
Anna's face had gone white as ash and she dropped to the floor clinging to Ian's arm, a look of sheer despair on her face. Ian himself looked sick to his stomach.
Ryan needed to go find Jo but he had to do one thing first. Slowly he walked over to where Jonathan lay on the floor. As he got closer the man raised his arms as if afraid. Ryan wanted to beat him, to kick him and even to fetch the rifle from above the fire and put a bullet between his eyes. But that would be wrong and he prayed that what he was about to do was right. Not for him or Jonathan but for Jolene. "When I get back, you'd best be gone,” he snarled. Raising a fist he watched the man cower. He punched out but stopped just before his knuckles kissed the already broken nose. “If I find you still here, you'll have a lot more broken than your nose." And with that he ran out of the door and after Jolene.
Chapter 11
Ryan searched all the rooms and asked the maids and servants. Finally, when he couldn't find her anywhere, he went to the main door. It was hanging open and rain was pouring in the lodge. With a sinking feeling, Ryan ran out the door, calling out for her as loud as he could. Was history repeating itself? Would she have run away just like Anna once did?
Rain was pouring down in rivulets and Ryan couldn't see very far. The lantern would be no use to him in this weather. Trusting his instincts, he set out calling for her, praying and hoping she hadn't gone far.
He looked all around but couldn't find her. Finally, soaked to the skin he thought that maybe she had sought solace with the horses. He moved toward the stables, calling out for her. Finally, he walked in, soaking wet from head to toe. He peered into the darkness and at the end he could make out a figure huddled on the ground. Slowly, he approached her and when he was sufficiently close, he called out softly, "Jo, Jolene, is that you?"
The sniffling stopped and she stood up, backing away from him. There was another exit near her and Ryan was afraid she might run out. Taking small steps, he approached her, hands in front of him as one would try to get near a spooked horse.
"Jo, Jolene, I won't hurt you, you are safe here,” he whispered softly. “Trust me, I would never hurt you. I won't touch you if you don't want me to. I just need you to listen to me that is all. Can you do that, please?"
Jolene nodded her head and Ryan took another small step towards her, "Jonathan is gone. He can't hurt you anymore. You don't have to hide or run, he's gone."
Jolene looked at him with desperation in her eyes. “For how long, Ryan?” she sobbed. “Eventually I will have to go back and he will be there. I can't escape him forever."
Ryan now stood right in front of her. Hesitantly, asking permission with his gaze, he lifted his hands and gently placed them on her shoulder. He looked at her with his green eyes filled with concern. "You don't ever have to go if you don't want to,” he said. “You can live here, at the lodge. No one would mind and Anna would be very happy to have you."
Jolene looked up at him, as he watched she seemed to calm. It was as if she saw the truth in his face. He willed that she did and willed that she could see so much more than his words could say.
Jolene blushed at the unspoken things his eyes were communicating. "Why would you do that for me?” she asked. “It would be inappropriate for me to stay. Why would you want to do that to your reputation?"
Ryan felt heat creep up his neck and flood his cheeks with color. "I would do anything for you," he said.
"But, why?"
"Because I love you, Jo. I am in love with you and I would do anything for you, even give my own life if needed. I don't expect anything in return and I am perfectly all right being your friend if that is what you want. I
Anna's face had gone white as ash and she dropped to the floor clinging to Ian's arm, a look of sheer despair on her face. Ian himself looked sick to his stomach.
Ryan needed to go find Jo but he had to do one thing first. Slowly he walked over to where Jonathan lay on the floor. As he got closer the man raised his arms as if afraid. Ryan wanted to beat him, to kick him and even to fetch the rifle from above the fire and put a bullet between his eyes. But that would be wrong and he prayed that what he was about to do was right. Not for him or Jonathan but for Jolene. "When I get back, you'd best be gone,” he snarled. Raising a fist he watched the man cower. He punched out but stopped just before his knuckles kissed the already broken nose. “If I find you still here, you'll have a lot more broken than your nose." And with that he ran out of the door and after Jolene.
Chapter 11
Ryan searched all the rooms and asked the maids and servants. Finally, when he couldn't find her anywhere, he went to the main door. It was hanging open and rain was pouring in the lodge. With a sinking feeling, Ryan ran out the door, calling out for her as loud as he could. Was history repeating itself? Would she have run away just like Anna once did?
Rain was pouring down in rivulets and Ryan couldn't see very far. The lantern would be no use to him in this weather. Trusting his instincts, he set out calling for her, praying and hoping she hadn't gone far.
He looked all around but couldn't find her. Finally, soaked to the skin he thought that maybe she had sought solace with the horses. He moved toward the stables, calling out for her. Finally, he walked in, soaking wet from head to toe. He peered into the darkness and at the end he could make out a figure huddled on the ground. Slowly, he approached her and when he was sufficiently close, he called out softly, "Jo, Jolene, is that you?"
The sniffling stopped and she stood up, backing away from him. There was another exit near her and Ryan was afraid she might run out. Taking small steps, he approached her, hands in front of him as one would try to get near a spooked horse.
"Jo, Jolene, I won't hurt you, you are safe here,” he whispered softly. “Trust me, I would never hurt you. I won't touch you if you don't want me to. I just need you to listen to me that is all. Can you do that, please?"
Jolene nodded her head and Ryan took another small step towards her, "Jonathan is gone. He can't hurt you anymore. You don't have to hide or run, he's gone."
Jolene looked at him with desperation in her eyes. “For how long, Ryan?” she sobbed. “Eventually I will have to go back and he will be there. I can't escape him forever."
Ryan now stood right in front of her. Hesitantly, asking permission with his gaze, he lifted his hands and gently placed them on her shoulder. He looked at her with his green eyes filled with concern. "You don't ever have to go if you don't want to,” he said. “You can live here, at the lodge. No one would mind and Anna would be very happy to have you."
Jolene looked up at him, as he watched she seemed to calm. It was as if she saw the truth in his face. He willed that she did and willed that she could see so much more than his words could say.
Jolene blushed at the unspoken things his eyes were communicating. "Why would you do that for me?” she asked. “It would be inappropriate for me to stay. Why would you want to do that to your reputation?"
Ryan felt heat creep up his neck and flood his cheeks with color. "I would do anything for you," he said.
"But, why?"
"Because I love you, Jo. I am in love with you and I would do anything for you, even give my own life if needed. I don't expect anything in return and I am perfectly all right being your friend if that is what you want. I
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