Chained Apache Woman Begged Him to Do Anything — The Cowboy Did the Unexpected Thing
Chapter 13
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"Time is a luxury we may not have," Clara warned. "Marcus will hear about this attack within hours. He'll move to consolidate his power, eliminate anyone he sees as a threat. If we're going to act, it needs to be soon.""Then act. But give me 24 hours. I've been beaten, starved, and nearly burned alive. I think I've earned a day to breathe."Clara studied her niece for a long moment, then nodded. "24 hours. But we can't leave you here; it's too exposed. Come to the ranch. It's fortified, defensible. You'll be safe there while you decide.""I'm not leaving Caleb." The words came out fierce, protective.Clara raised an eyebrow. "This man risked everything for you. The least we can do is ensure his safety, too." She looked at Caleb. "Your cabin is destroyed. Your land is a battlefield. You're welcome to come with us: rest, recover, and decide if you want to be part of what comes next."Caleb wanted to refuse, wanted to stay on his land, rebuild, pretend none of this had happened. But the smoking ruins of his cabin told him that ship had sailed."All right," he said finally. "But I'm not making any promises beyond getting through the next day.""Fair enough."Clara's people moved with military efficiency: gathering weapons from the fallen Carvers, tending to their own wounded, and preparing to move out. Caleb salvaged what he could from the cabin: some clothes, a few precious books, his father's pocket watch. Everything else was ash and memory.One of Clara's lieutenants, a grizzled man named Thomas, approached as Caleb finished loading supplies onto his horse. "That was good shooting earlier," Thomas said. "Military training?""Some.""We could use a man who keeps his head in a fight, if you decide to join us.""I'll keep that in mind."Thomas nodded and moved off. Caleb caught Ayla watching him from where she sat on a horse Clara had provided."You don't have to do this," she called. "You could ride in a different direction, disappear, start over somewhere they'll never find you."He walked over, looking up at her. "That's the second time you've suggested I run. You trying to get rid of me?""I'm trying to give you an out before you're in so deep there's no escape.""I think we passed that point when I freed you.""This is different. This is choosing to walk into a war.""Isn't that what you're doing?"She didn't have an answer for that.They rode north: 43 riders moving in tight formation across the scrubland. Clara kept scouts ahead and behind, watching for pursuit that never came. Either Marcus hadn't heard yet, or he was planning something more calculated than an immediate retaliation.Ayla rode beside Caleb, both of them silent for the first hour.Finally, she spoke: "I keep thinking about what my life was supposed to be: the marriage, the big house, the children I was supposed to produce to strengthen the family line." She laughed bitterly. "It seems like a dream now. Someone else's dream.""Do you regret refusing?"