Renegades and Stubborn Pride (sequal to Renegades and Pretty Women)

Chapter Twenty

 

                Clayton was scared, but mostly he was mad. He’d woken up hours ago and it hadn’t taken him long to realize that he was in a trunk and he still had a burlap sack over his head. The sack was hot and itchy and he had the strongest urge to scratch his nose, but couldn’t, of course, because his hands were now tied.

                He wondered where his ma and pa were? He was sure they’d come for him and then these bastards would be sorry they’d taken him. He could tell by the sounds of the creaking metal and the whoosh of steam that he was on a train and he wondered where they were going.

                Growling because his nose itched so badly, Clayton began to rub it against the side of the crate he’d been stuffed in. He tugged at his hands and nearly cried out with excitement when one moved a little against the ropes which had grown looser.

                Focusing all his attention on freeing his arms, Clayton worked against the ropes. He could hear voices approaching him. Men’s voices. He recognized the big man’s voice.

                “We gotta check on the little bastard. Scarlett wants him kept alive.”

                Clayton pulled his hands free and then tore the sack off his head, though he couldn’t see any better with it off than he had with it on. He put his hand on the new knife his Uncle Reb had gotten for him. He was surprised that these men hadn’t taken it, but glad. Now he could stab them in the ass, just the way Uncle Reb had told him to.

                The trunk opened and Clayton didn’t even pause to think before pulling out the bowie knife and swinging it wildly.

                A loud curse filled the air and Clayton knew he’d hurt someone but he just kept swinging with his eyes squeezed tightly closed. More curses erupted as Clayton felt his knife connecting with bodies.

                He opened his eyes finally to see the big man and one other man standing there bleeding from wounds on their arms and faces. They both looked real mad but also a little scared.

                Clayton scurried from the crate and realized they were in a cargo cart on the train and the side door was open . He ran for it and then stopped at the edge, grabbing the side of the door with his hand to steady himself as he looked at the ground quickly passing by him. It was raining hard and it was dark as midnight out there.

                “What are you gonna do, little man? Jump for it?” the big man growled with a chuckle. “Drop that damned knife, turn around and get your ass back over here.”

                Clayton knew he had to jump. It was the only choice he had. Swallowing hard he stuck his knife in the holster quickly and then squeezed his eyes tight before leaping into the air.

                He was floating for one terrifying second and then he felt a tug on the back of his shirt and he was tossed through the air before landing roughly on his backside and skidding across the train floor. Before Clayton could recover he was grabbed roughly by the big man who took his knife away and tossed it out the train door.