WM02 - Texas Princess Read Online Free PDF

never warm to him, but fear held her tongue.
    He smiled, that perfect smile he always made as if posing for a painting. “Now, Liberty, I know you’re upset over the threats your father is getting, but I assure you nothing wil happen to him the day of our wedding. If it takes every man in my command to guard him, the senator wil be safe.”
    The worry over her father had been in the back of every thought since her father received a death threat three days ago, but that had nothing to do with what she was about to say. Lifting her chin slightly, she faced him. “I think we should postpone the wedding.” He’d been the one who wanted it from the beginning and she’d been the fool who’d gone along with it.
    “I wil not hear of it.” He said the words slowly, each one a nail into the cofn of her freedom. “You agreed to this wedding, then even begged that it be so extravagant.
    Neither your father nor I plan to let you change your mind.”
    He took another stride toward her.
    She stepped back, guessing she had three or four more feet before she hit the barn wal .
    He moved forward again as if playing a game with a child.
    Liberty straightened preparing for yet another argument. Behind Samuel, she noticed the stranger she’d awakened slip from the stal and move silently across the barn. At least he was smart enough to escape. She wasn’t sure she’d be so lucky.
    She’d felt it coming for days in subtle words and looks. Now, she couldn’t believe she’d
    rst thought it was endearing when Samuel became possessive. He’d ordered for her in restaurants without asking her and claimed he knew her better than she knew herself. Then, a few days ago, he’d told someone what she thought, as though she were a mute standing next to him. And earlier tonight when she’d wanted to dance a new dance, he’d said he wouldn’t al ow it as if she were a child who wouldn’t dare disobey.
    He’d been perfect when he’d courted her, paying her al the attention her father never had time to show her. But since their engagement the earth had been shifting until suddenly Liberty had nowhere to stand.
    Liberty took her last step backward. Maybe some of this was her fault. She’d been so caught up in marrying the handsome captain she hadn’t taken the time to get to know him. Then, when he’d proposed, she’d gone along with whatever he wanted thinking it would make things easier. Only somehow his take-charge manner had twisted into arrogance. It felt almost as if he would be owning her, not wedding her.
    Her father had played his part too, giving her everything she wanted except his time.
    He’d agreed with Samuel, happily moving the wedding up so that he could get back to his campaign.
    “Samuel,” she began, trying not to notice the hardness in his face. “I’ve been thinking about what you said.”
    He stopped, interested. She noticed Tobin silently lift the gate at the far side of the barn and lead out a horse. The animal nuzzled him playful y, but any noise they made blended in with that of other animals in the barn.
    “I know you’re angry that I refuse to learn to ride.”
    “You wil learn to ride,” he answered calmly. “I insist on it.”
    She wanted to yel that she didn’t care one hair what he insisted on, but now wasn’t the time. “That’s why I came to the barn.” She stumbled slightly over her lie, but he didn’t seem to notice.
    He raised an eyebrow and she hurried on. “I wanted to see if the new horse had arrived.” What she wanted to do was kick him and run, but she wasn’t sure what would happen in the darkness if he caught her between the house and the barn. Inside, she’d be safe—her father would protect her. But not here and denitely not alone with Samuel. Her arms stil ached from where he’d gripped her and the memory of the blow he’d landed on one of his men stil haunted her thoughts. She’d play along until she could pick her battleeld and then she’d end this