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“The river’s frozen today.” A sickening snicker followed that comment as Brianna jerked her head around. Joseph Corners grinned at her like a hyena. His tongue appeared and swiped over his lower lip. Dread washed down her spine as she instantly heard Sloan’s parting words.

  Keep the rifle at hand…

  “You won’t be swimming away this time.”

  Her father’s gun was still leaning against the doorframe in the main cabin.

  Joseph’s amusement cut through her self-directed anger.

  “Joseph Corners, you have some nerve!”

  Joseph didn’t take her chastisement very well. A look of panic invaded his

  eyes, but a snort of amusement from the man behind him turned his face beet red. His hand sailed out and struck her across the face. Her entire head snapped to the side with the force of the blow. Her vision became a shower of bright sparks as her ears rang. She caught her body against one round wall as she tried to make her eyes work.

  “Now you listen up, Brianna. I ain’t the sort of husband that’ll be taking sass from your mouth. No woman’s that pretty. You’ll be respecting me sure enough. Else you’ll feel the back of my hand until you mind your mouth with me.”

  Her eyes rounded with horror at the word husband. Joseph’s intention to wed her was even more repulsive than it had been back on the dock. She shuddered with distaste as her mind considered having this man in bed with her, touching her, pressing his foul-smelling hands against her bare skin. It horrified her especially now that she had her encounters with Sloan to compare it to.

  “Over my dead body,” she snarled at him, willing the vermin out of her sight. “Get off my father’s land.”

  “This here is going to be my mill.” Greed glittered in Joseph’s eyes and it truly frightened her. Men could kill over greed. More than one miner had lost his life when he struck gold and someone else wanted it bad enough to commit murder.

  Joseph clamped a dirty hand around her arm as he shouldered his way past her blows. His body might have been plump, but it was strong and her fist hurt as she swung at his head while yanking on her arm. None of her struggles did any good. A rough blanket wrapped around her as a scream of pure outrage left her lips. Struggling against the dense fabric, she gasped as a rope began to wind around her trapped arms.

  It was just too damn easy for them to capture her. Helplessness flooded her as she kicked and turned, trying to thrash against her bindings, but Joseph and his friends only tightened the ropes. Her lungs didn’t have enough space to keep up with her racing heart. Blackness clouded her vision and she stilled out of desperation to remain awake.

  “Now that’s better.” Her feet left the floor as Joseph clicked his tongue in approval. “You’ll settle down just fine, once you understand who’s wearing the britches between us.”

  His bride-to-be screamed something but it got muffled in the horse blanket. Joseph felt his cock thicken with anticipation. She sent her foot towards him, but missed and he licked his lip as his lust heated up. Nothing better than a woman that wiggled while you fucked her. Dead weight beneath a man could turn his cock soft. He was a lucky man for noticing how good a bride Brianna Spencer would make. All the other bastards in town were going to envy him when he paraded down the street with her on his arm, obedient and devoted to him.

  Sammy held the wagon cover open and he and Will pushed Brianna’s squirming body into the center of the bed. He stopped long enough to tie another length of rope around her legs to keep her from kicking the side of the buckboard. They didn’t need nobody hearing any racket. With another shove he pushed her body into the center and moved a few crates in front of her. A smile split his face as he heard her muffled voice, but no one would hear anything once the wagon was in motion.

  “Get that cover tied down. Dark is coming early with this snow.”

  Brianna swallowed her fear. Panic was only going to increase her odds of ending up in a bad situation. Her eyes couldn’t even make out the blanket anymore now that there was no light, but she smelt it sure enough. The old wool stank of rot and horses. She was grateful for having a strong stomach or the stench would have nauseated her. Well, it was a fine fit for its owner. Joseph turned her stomach, too. Leaving the rifle behind had been sure stupidity and that mistake kept her company as the wagon began to rock along the road. She strained against her bindings, but they held true as Joseph continued to haul her away like a prize he’d found.

  The only problem being, she really was caught in his trap.

  No light shone from Brianna’s house. Sloan pulled his horse up as he stared at the dark cabin. Even with the window boarded up, light should peek out from beneath the door. If Brianna had rolled a blanket up and pushed it against the door to keep the snow chill off the floor, there would be light winking at him from the top of the doorframe. His gut twisted as he forced himself to remain in the dark shadows while he scanned the area. It was silent, most of the wildlife deep in their burrows to wait out the snow. New snow reflected the moonlight, casting everything in a silver light.

  Pulling his rifle out of his saddle, he swung one leg over his horse’s head and slid down to his feet. Gathering the reins in one hand, he kept his rifle steady. He kept close to his horse, using the animal as a shield as he eased forward. Not a bad gamble, since horses were worth more than most men’s lives out west. Thieves would think mighty hard before taking a shot that might hit a healthy mount they could sell once they killed the owner.

  A light-colored piece of fabric flapped in the wind. The sound of cloth whipping was the only thing he heard as he drew close enough to make out what it was. His gut twisted further as he recognized the bed sheet. His brain instantly fired up at the sight of it. Only one reason Brianna would have washed it with half the daylight gone. He reached for the front door, striding forward to lean his shoulder into it. The cabin was dark and still, the coals in the stove covered in a good inch of ash. His frown deepened as he considered the rifle leaning against the doorframe exactly where he’d left it.

  He was going to blister her bottom when he got her back home.

  Sloan didn’t bother to question the idea of spanking Brianna. It was an impulse, one that rose from his deepest soul. You didn’t argue with that kind of response. Maybe he didn’t understand what he felt for her and it sure didn’t make much sense to be so attached to a woman he’d met four days ago. But women didn’t make sense, one reason he stayed away from their church socials and picnics. A man made it through life real good up until he encountered a female who stirred his interest. That was when he started acting dumb. Shaking his head Sloan walked past the sheet and cussed. His temper boiled until all that remained was thick rage. Brianna was his woman and the son of a bitch who’d taken her would find out just how big a mistake it was to mess with anything Sloan considered his.

  Chapter Seven

  “You done all right, my boy. All right indeed.”

  The horse blanket finally left her face and Brianna snarled. She didn’t much care if it was by far one of the most unladylike sounds she had ever made. Her temper was in full steam and she wouldn’t be surprised if Joseph saw the white vapor rising from her ears.

  “Yup, Pa. I done thought about what you said about the light and the way I figured it, maybe sneaking up there in the daytime was the perfect solution. What with the storm and all, nobody was around to even notice. That snow is going to drift deep tonight, so no one will bother looking in on her until it melts next spring.”

  “Well now, son, you’re a bright one all right.” Joseph’s father smirked at her. His teeth were yellow, like his son’s, and it was abundantly clear why Joseph had fallen into being a slob. His father’s stench wrinkled her nose. That unwashed scent that built up after months of a man not even washing his hands before supper.

  But the cabin she stood in looked just perfect for its inhabitants. The table was piled high with probably every dish the family owned. Stale food decorated the dirty bowls and plates while crumbs sat in piles on the
portion of the tabletop that wasn’t being taken up by dishes. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted several of her own jars discarded among the mess, spoons still sticking up out of them. The pure gluttony of the way the preserves had been eaten enraged her. They’d gorged on the preserves like animals falling on food with no thought to spreading out the wealth. They’d just converged and ate like a pack of scavengers.

  “You thieving mongrels!”

  While she was still looking at her demolished winter stocks Joseph’s father’s hand collided with her jaw. The man kept his fist closed and pain shot into her head and traveled down her backbone as her head whipped around.

  “Now, Pa, I told you I like her pretty face,” Joseph whined at his sire, but didn’t take any action that might place him in the line of his pa’s fists.

  His pa turned and grunted. “Better teach her to mind that mouth, my boy. I ain’t never taken no sass from a woman yet. Ain’t planning on starting.”

  Her hand shook as she rubbed her jaw. Feeling returned with an ache that promised her a bruise later. Joseph’s father’s eyes glowed with his enjoyment of seeing her hurt under his treatment. “It ain’t thieving, girl. You are going to marry up with my boy, so it’s just a case of you providing for your family.” He flashed his yellow teeth at her once again and raised his fist towards her in a clear threat. “But you better get one thing straight. I don’t much care if you’re black and blue, just so long as you respect me. This here is my house and that mill is going to be a mighty fine addition to the family. You’ll honor me as a father or feel my hand.”

  “I am not going to marry your son.” Her voice was low, but not because of any fear. Her jaw was stiff and pain radiated from every little move she made.

  “Well now, I’ll just leave that little matter between the two of you.” Another flash of yellow teeth and Joseph’s father lowered his eyes to look at her breasts. He swiped his tongue over his lower lip and looked like a starving mongrel. “Too bad I’ve got to give you to the boy. Been a long time since I got a taste of honey, but I don’t figure the parson would believe you got a soft heart for an old man like me. Got to have the churchman believing so we gets that mill. I can buy me a whole lot of pussy with money from that mill. That leaves your ass for my boy here. He’s going to have you and I just might sit right here and watch him plant a baby in you. Bet a wedding will sound a whole lot better once that’s done happened. You can’t hold back nature.”

  Her skin crawled. As long as she lived, Brianna was going to be grateful for the impulse that had seen her laying down with Sloan. What did losing her virginity to a man who wasn’t her husband matter when she might well be facing the rough handling of Joseph Corners? Her body shuddered as she clutched her secret close and held onto it to keep her desperation at bay. She would find a way out of the filthy cabin. Somehow, she’d manage to escape or kill one of them in the trying.

  “Have fun, boy. I’ll see to the team while you welcome your bride home.”

  Joseph’s father smacked his lips before he left the cabin. The two younger sons followed, leaving her to face Joseph. The man didn’t frighten her. No, the sight of his stained shirt only fueled her temper as her jaw ached.

  “Kiss me.” Joseph tried to sound demanding, but he reminded her of a brat screaming for a sugar candy.

  “You are insane, Joseph, if you think I’d be kissing anyone who’s hit me.” It was a brave stand to take. Half the wives in town wouldn’t dare lay down any opinion like that before their husbands. Striking a wife wasn’t any cause for concern as long as you didn’t do real damage.

  “I think you’ll be kissing me and a whole lot more.” Joseph’s eyes lit with lust as he ran a hand down to his crotch, a disgusting gesture. There was a pop as he opened his trousers and pulled his erection into view. His protruding belly made it harder to see, but she shivered as nausea filled her. His exterior had been repulsive, his cock was flatly disgusting. The idea of letting it anywhere near her body caused her knees to press tightly against one another. She suddenly understood just why medieval brides had committed suicide rather than consummate their marriages. If the groom looked like Joseph, she’d demand to be sent to a convent, too! Better hours on her knees at prayer than spreading her thighs for his use.

  Joseph snickered and worked his hand up and down his erection. “You’s going to do everything I tell you. When I tell you to get on your knees and suck my cock…you’ll do it real quick like.”

  “Joseph, I am not your wife.” She tried to keep her voice low. Maybe Joseph would mistake that for respect. His father passed by the dingy front window of the cabin, reins wrapped around his fist. He didn’t glance towards the cabin. Her only hope was to lull Joseph into a false sense of victory. But she refused to touch his cock. She wasn’t that desperate and she was willing to beg God to let her die before being that broken.

  “But you will be.” He moved faster than she thought he could. Gripping the back of her hair and pulling. Pain shot down her spine as she braced her bound hands against his chest to hold him away. Mere inches separated them. It would be so easy for him to rape her. Recognition of just how helpless she was against his strength made her angry, but it didn’t change the harsh reality. Men were stronger than women. His foul breath hit her nose and she gasped at the stench.

  “Now you listen to Joseph.” His hand pulled her hair harder until her face was angled towards his. His eyes were full of lust as he ground his erect cock against her belly. She stumbled back until the wall stopped her. Joseph pressed his body against her and leered down into her face.

  “You’re going to lift your pretty clean skirt anytime I tell you to. You’ll obey me like a well-trained bitch because every morsel of food you get will come from my hand. You won’t even get a blanket if I don’t like the way you look at me. In a few months your belly is going to swell up and you’ll be mighty happy to get married.” He pressed his cock against her and planted a sloppy kiss against her mouth. Brianna clamped her jaw tight against the vile invasion and Joseph snickered at her resistance.

  “You ain’t the first bitch I ever broke, just the first human one.” He stuffed his cock back into his trousers and closed up his fly. “But I don’t see it making much difference. Once your belly’s good and empty and your skin cold as ice… Well, you’ll be a whole lot more friendly. Mark my words. By tomorrow sunrise, I bet you’re going to feel like being much nicer to me. My cock will look just fine when you’re starving for a slice of bread.”

  He grasped her wrist and dragged her towards the far side of the cabin. A pair of thick iron shackles hung from a bolt driven through one of the trees that formed the outer wall of the cabin. Joseph yanked her arm forward and clamped the chilled iron around one wrist. The chain made a horrible noise as he grabbed the second manacle. Brianna flailed at him but he shouldered her into the corner and snapped the second iron shackle in place.

  “Now that’s better. Got these here shackles from a Chinese fellow that uses them on the girls he brings over for the cribs.” Joseph sniffed before grinning at the sight of her locked in his slave chains. He reached forward and ripped her top open. The buttons went scattering onto the floor as she tried to twist away from his hands. He grabbed her skirt as she turned, ripping at the calico until he flung the ruined garment across the room. Her petticoat didn’t last very long with his hands clawing at it, but when he pulled the shredded cotton away, she lifted a leg and kicked out at his groin.

  “You bitch!” His hand rose to deliver another blow, but he stopped before landing it. His chest shook with laughter instead as he rubbed his bruised cock. “Guess you aren’t too hungry yet.” His eyes moved over her exposed legs, clad in nothing but a pair of flannel knickers and knee socks. She felt dirty just from the path his eyes took over her limbs and back up to where her corset was showing through her ruined bodice. “That’ll change soon enough. You’ll be mighty happy to share my bed after a few nights shivering in your bloomers.”

  “Joseph, this
is insane. You’re a human being.”

  “So what?” He reached for one of her wrists and pulled it against the iron bracelet holding her prisoner. A soft cry escaped her lips when he tried to pull her hands through the shackle, but the bones of her hands were too large to fit. The edge bit into her flesh. Joseph grunted approval before he moved away. He kicked her ruined dress and petticoat across the room, well out of her reach.

  “You look just like one of them Chinese crib whores. Better be glad you got’s something worth marrying for or I just might keep your ass right here and sell it to every trapper that comes by. White whores go for more than Chinese. Maybe I’ll sell you anyway, after I know you’re growing my baby. Don’t see why you can’t earn me a little more silver, since I’m feeding you. But I want to know whose baby you birth under my roof.”

  Brianna pressed against the rough wall in self-defense. The horrible truth was almost too much to grasp. Joseph snickered before he dropped a blanket on top of her ruined dress. “Now there’s a nice sight for you to look at while your fingers go numb from the night cold. I’m going to leave it all right here.” He snickered again before turning his back on her. The chill from the open door brushed her legs, making her shiver. The bolt that held her shackles was driven into the wall at her waist level, allowing enough chain for her to sit on the dirty floor. Lowering her body, she hugged her knees close to her chest to stay warm. The chains rattled against themselves as she stared at the rusty manacles. The implements of slavery were harsh reminders that many men didn’t quibble over taking away the rights of others. She’d only heard of cribs, but the stories were bad enough. Chinese men worked harder for the same pay as white men or even colored men. The Chinese took the most dangerous jobs, often ending up dead as they set the blast charges on the railroad construction tunnels.

  Chinese women were worse off than their male counterparts. Unfortunate Chinese girls were sold by their families in China and shipped across the ocean where they were locked into wooden cages called cribs. Any man with coin could pay her keeper and rape her at will. It wasn’t a legal practice, but in the territories the practice flourished. Their keepers would slit their throats rather than have the law catch them. Without a witness, there was no trial. Lawmen often arrived too late to save the lives of the unlucky girls.