{Chapter 33}

Katie felt like the entire situation was hopeless. She wasn‘t scared of dying, only about what would happen to Adam after she did. Brant obviously wasn’t going to believe that the paper was burned.

“Put down your gun, deputy,” Brant warned.

Adam threw his gun down on the ground.

“The one in the holster, too.”

Adam didn’t move, but stared directly into Brant’s eyes.

“Do what I said, Sterling!” Brant yelled.

Adam slowly shook his head, keeping an unflinching gaze on Brant.

“I’ll shoot her!” Katie saw Brant’s hand start shaking.

Adam took slow steps toward him. His hand started shaking even more. Katie braced herself, preparing to die. With his hand shaking like it was, Brant would accidentally pull the trigger. Tears began slipping from her eyes one by one as she thought of never being married to Adam, of her life ending before she had a chance to be with him.

Adam took another slow step.

“I’m warning you, deputy!” Brant shouted again.

Adam took each step until he stood toe to toe with Brant.

“Put down the gun, Brant,” he said.

Brant’s shaking hand slowly lowered.

Without warning, Adam drew back a fist and laid Brant out on the ground. Brant came back up with his gun in his hand, but Adam was quicker.

A gun fired, and Katie jerked her head away from the sound. Brant remained on the ground. Adam jerked his head toward Alex, who froze a moment before throwing Katie on the ground and taking off running. Katie looked to see Gringo light out after him. Alex didn’t stand a chance.

Adam reached down and helped Katie up to her feet. She stood on shaky feet and realized that she would have her happily-ever-after with Adam after all. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Adam dropped his gun and crushed her to him.

“I can’t imagine ever losing you, Katie,” he murmured. “I figured he didn’t have the guts to shoot you, but I couldn’t help but worry.”

“Well, we’re okay now. That’s all that matters,” Katie said against his chest.

Adam sighed. “I’m sorely tempted to bypass asking your dad for his blessing altogether. For a nickel I’d get Erik to marry us right here. You’re my whole world, Kate. If something happened to you…”

“Nothing happened to me. I’m standing right here,” Katie pulled back and looked up at him, cupping one side of his face in her hand. “It’s all thanks to you. Thank you so much for saving me.”

“How could I not?” Adam replied.

“I got ‘im!” Gringo yelled, dragging a kicking Alex by the collar of his shirt.

“Tie him up with the other two.” Adam pointed to where he had left Joe and Marshall tied up.

“Uh, Adam? We’ve gotta get him to a doc. He ain’t doin’ good at all,” Tiny said from where he was tending to Wade.

“Gringo, when you get done with that guy I need you to ride on to Sundance and tell that doc to get out to Aubrey and Wade’s place. We can’t be more than a few hours away if we push it,” Adam said as he rushed to Wade’s side.

“Wade! What happened to him?” Toni rushed to where everyone was gathered around Wade.

Katie had never seen such terror in Toni’s eyes before. She knew that Wade was like a brother to her cousin.

“He got shot. Erik, I’m gonna need you to ride with him on one horse. It’s the only we have of getting him home,” Adam said, taking charge of the situation as Toni was obviously in shock.

Erik nodded. “Anything.”

Katie came to the startling realization that Wade might not live to make it home to his wife.

Aubrey would die of grief!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…

**********

Toni watched as Erik held Wade upright in the saddle in front of him. Wade was deathly pale, and blood was continuing to ooze from his shoulder. They had tried everything to get the bleeding to stop, but it continued to spill from the wound. The bullet was still inside him, and it needed to come out as soon as possible or he wouldn’t make it at all.

God, I don’t ask for an easy time for anything. Ever. Right now I’m begging to let Wade pull out of this. Aubrey needs him like no one I’ve ever seen. Please, Lord. Please heal him.

“Toni, you wanna bury Mark before we leave?” Adam asked her.

Toni shook her head. “No. Texas dirt’s too good for ‘im.”

She had hidden Justin in a hollow in the ground so he wouldn’t get hurt, and she had the Lord to thank that Mark didn’t find him and hurt him out of spite.

Adam shrugged. “Ya’ll go ahead and mount up. I’ve gotta do something first.”

**********

Adam stood over the lifeless body of Brant Alexander.

He didn’t feel as much guilt for killing this time. His Kate’s life had been on the line, and he had no choice. Still, he knew that the man was more than likely not enjoying himself at that moment.

“The thing is, Brant. You never learned a very important lesson in life,” Adam unpinned his badge from his shirt, “and that’s that the good guys win. Sooner or later, they always will.”

He threw the badge down on Brant’s shirt and left without looking back.

Adam tried to keep the pace as fast as possible yet not cause more pain for Wade. The man’s forehead stayed creased in pain, and Adam couldn’t even imagine the pain he must have went through to have passed out because of it. The entire ride was a constant prayer for Wade’s health to Adam. He grew more and more nervous about the arrival at Wade’s place with each passing mile. His wife would probably pass out just looking at him. He had met the woman on a couple of occasions, and he knew how much Wade meant to her. He felt compelled to personally bring Wade home safely. The three of his prisoners rode ahead on the same poor horse. They constantly argued and squirmed, but it was the only relief that any of them got. Watching the three of them suffer made the whole debacle seem a little more worthwhile.

It was a long few hours on that lonely ride back toward the MC. None of them hardly spoke a word to each other except for the complaining prisoners. Yet when that yellow and white house came into view, they were all smiles. The MC cattle drive was officially over.

**********

Toni braced herself as Aubrey came running out of the house with two children on her heels. She smiled when she saw her daughter’s reddish brown curls.

“W-Wade?” Aubrey neared Erik’s horse and reached her hand out, but didn’t touch her husband. “What… happened? Is he…?”
“Aubrey, he’s going to be fine. Gringo’s gone to fetch the doctor. Can you help us get him in the house?” Adam dismounted his horse.

Aubrey nodded and pointed to the door. “I’ll get the bed ready.”

Adam and Erik carried Wade into the house while the rest followed.

“Pa?” Jay walked beside Adam. “What’s wrong with him? Why won’t he wake up?”

Toni put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Your Pa’s hurt, but he’s gonna be fine, okay?”

“Hurt? Is he shot?” The innocence in Jay’s voice was heart-wrenching.

Toni nodded.

“Who shot him?” Jay asked.

Toni took a deep breath. “A very, very bad man. The bad man is dead now, so he won’t bother us any more.”

She looked over to where Rawhide and Tiny were guarding the prisoners. There were three more bad men who deserved to head right along with their leader.

“Will Pa be okay?” Jay asked.

Toni nodded. “He is. You’ve just gotta be extra good for him, okay?”

Jay nodded.

Toni hoped to goodness that the doctor wasn’t in the middle of a surgery or something.

*********

Miles away, two lonely bodies lay in the stillness of what was once the campsite of people who loved each other. People who would do anything for the other. The two bodies had tried to sever that bond, and had given their lives for it. All was silence. Not even the birds sang within earshot of two such evil men. No movement filled the air. No buzzards came to take care of the dead corpses. No wooden crossed served as a headstone for the dead forms. No dirt hid their disgusting appearance. Only the stench of blood and death accompanied the mere shells of what were once human beings.

The scene was proof that no matter what, no matter where, the ones standing up for good always win… eventually.

**********

Katie was devastated at the look of horror on Aubrey’s face when she had seen Wade for the first time. She couldn’t even imagine what the woman must be going through after expecting a joyful reunion with her husband only to find him deathly ill. Now the way she sat silently by their bed where Wade lay, stroking the back of his hand with the tips of her fingers as tears coursed down her cheeks and multiple prayers were uttered from her trembling lips. Every once in a while she would look up to the ceiling as if begging God to spare her the heartbreak she was feeling. Wade hadn’t moved since arriving home. Katie prayed that the doctor hadn’t been in a surgery or anything serious when Gringo found him.

She prayed over and over for the doctor’s swift arrival.

“Kate, as bad as I hate to leave, I’ve got to get my prisoners in jail. I’ll be back as soon as I take care of them,” Adam told her as he walked toward the door.

Katie stood from where she was sitting at the kitchen table. “Adam? You’ve seen gunshot wounds before. That bullet was mighty close to his chest. Do you think he’ll make it?”

Adam shook his head. “Depends on when they get that bullet out. I’m gonna be honest with you. He looks real bad off.”

Katie nodded. “I know.”

Adam reached for the door handle. “You gonna be okay?” he asked.

“I reckon. You be careful, okay?”

“I’m taking Tiny with me. The man’ll go stir crazy if he has to sit here and wait.”

Katie nodded again.

“You know, “Adam said, “I don’t know how this is going to turn out, but I know who does. We’ll just keep praying, okay?”
“W-Will you pray with me before you go?” Katie asked.

Adam smiled. “Sure.”

Thanks so much for reading! I'm like this close to finishing this story! |---| :) Thanks for sticking by me, guys!!!