Page 5 of The Copper Heir (The Gilded West #1)

Chapter Three

E mmaline’s heart sank the instant she realized they were riding directly toward her. Panic threatened to overtake her, but she managed to keep a grip on herself. There were only two choices: fight them or run and hide. Neither of those seemed to have a chance in hell of working out in her favor.

If she ran, she could try to make it to the trees to hide, but even as she looked to confirm the distance she knew that she wouldn’t make it.

It was too far; the very reason she had opted to hide in the grass.

Transferring her grip from the locket to the old Smith they were taking her to force her to talk.

She closed her eyes to fight back the treacherous tears that threatened.

Whatever happened, she could endure it as long as she knew the children would be spared. She had to; they needed her.

The pretty one moved forward to his horse, a beautiful animal whose coat shimmered black in the moonlight with a pretty white star pattern between his eyes.

What sort of outlaw owned such a magnificent creature?

With the force of his body propelling her toward the horse whether she wanted to go or not, she didn’t have time to ponder the answer to that question.

When they reached it, he stopped and looked down at her.

She knew because his breath was suddenly very close to her ear, sending a strange tingle shooting through her, making her turn her head away to stop it.

“I can sit you in front of me without tying you down, if you promise to behave.”

“Go to the devil.” She bit the words out between clenched teeth.

His chuckle was anything but reassuring.

Before she could anticipate his movement, he picked her up and sat her awkwardly across the saddle.

When she would have kicked out, he grabbed her ankles and wrapped the length of rope hanging from her wrists around them, so that she was literally bound hands to feet.

Then he mounted behind her and placed an arm securely around her waist and pulled her back against him.