It was enough. Sloan set down his coffee and moved behind Abel in a wink. He had a patch of Abel’s hair in one hand while he held his knife to Abel’s throat with the other. “Five hundred dollars isn’t any good to a dead man. And that’s about what you are.”
“Who the hell—why, Sloan! Sloan, it’s you—think about it, five hundred dollars for a pair of women?—”
“Abel, shut up, you damned fool!” Horse said, glancing at Abel with disgust and at Sloan with a certain edge of fear. “You’re talking to a man who grew up Oglala with Hawk.”
Sloan drew the knife more tightly against Abel’s throat.
“I don’t know nothing more than what you’ve heard, Sloan?—”
“How do you know what I’ve heard?”
“Why, why—do something, you bloody cowards! There’s one bloody mixed-blood behind me, and you’re just sitting there like a pack of laying hens!”
“Abel,” Sloan said pleasantly, “these boys aren’t going to move. Horse there knows I could knife you both before anyone had time to spit. Now maybe I couldn’t kill all five, but who wants to chance being one of those I will take down with me?”
No one moved.
Sloan pressed the knife against Abel’s throat so tightly that a thin thread of blood appeared against his flesh. “Now, Abel. Either you or Mark knows who the ‘he’ behind all this is. Start talking.”
“You can’t kill him! You’re a major in the damned army.”
“I am. And I’m a damned mixed-blood Sioux as well. And you just ask either of your two Crow comrades there. No one knows how to torture and kill quite like a Sioux. Abel, you better damned well tell me what you know.”
When Hawk cameup the stairs, Skylar was nowhere in sight. Puzzled, he remained on the landing, listening. Was this some new trick? Was she aware that a senator was in the house, that they had guests? Was she determined to show him that she could be every bit as distant as he could when she chose?
Damn her, she didn’t understand. She just didn’t understand how she had tied him up in knots. How it seemed that danger awaited her at every corner, and he couldn’t begin to fight it because he couldn’t begin to recognize it. He hadn’t wanted her in his life, hadn’t trusted her an inch.
And now he quite simply couldn’t imagine life without her. He hadn’t the least idea when he had begun falling in love with her. Nor had he ever imagined that his feelings would grow so deep, so passionate, so nearly desperate. He’d never thought that he could look into silver eyes…
And forget to be wary.
Now he didn’t dare go near her. Not until she came to him. Believe, she had said.
She had to do some of the believing.
He heard a sound from his bedroom library. He strode there quickly, pushing open the door to see her standing by the globe. She was definitely pale.
“Are you ill?”
“No—I’ve got to talk with you.”
“Skylar, we have company downstairs. A senator from back east. If you’re hoping to get even with me in some way?—”
“No, no, he’s not a senator from back east?—”
“Skylar, I assure you that he is. He’s served several terms.”
“He is a senator. But he’s more. You can’t trust him. He’s—it’s him!” she said breathlessly.
“Skylar, I?—”
She rushed at him suddenly, coming up on her toes, taking his face between her hands. “He’s come for me. Not for me. Oh, God, I’m not making any sense. I’m of legal age. He can’t do anything to me. But he wants to hurt me.” She gasped suddenly. “I should have known. He wants me dead. He’s always wanted me dead. He needs her, but if I were to perish in the West?—”
“Skylar, Skylar!” Hawk exclaimed, catching her hands and holding them tightly. “Skylar, he who? What are you talking about?”
“Dillman.”
“Dillman!” Hawk exclaimed incredulously.
