Page 71 of A Steadfast Heart
He’d resisted the urge to kiss her as well. He wouldn’t kiss her again until they knew where they stood. Until he knew if he could tear down the last of the fences around his heart or if he had to rebuild them higher than before.
Lord, I could sure use some help in the silver-tongue department.
Barclay laid a hand on his arm. “Who’s that?”
Drew followed his gaze. A blond man pushed through the small group of women and stopped too close to Kaitlyn, his body crowding her. Kaitlyn stepped back, and the man followed her. Her face paled. Her lips formed the wordMichael.
Drew’s vision tunneled and sounds around him faded. He was too far away. He whistled. Solomon wasn’t here to answer, but his brothers would recognize the notes and be right behind him. The crowd quieted and searched for the source of the noise.
Why didn’t they help Kaitlyn?
She backed up another step, but the church building blocked any further retreat.
He sprinted across the churchyard.
Every eye followed his path.
Ed and Nick rounded the corner of the building, but too many people stood between him and his brothers.
Kaitlyn pulled against the grip her brother had on her, but he didn’t release her. Drew’s heart raced. No more. He’d promised Michael would never lay a hand on her again.
Michael clutched her arm. “It’s all right, Kaitlyn. I’m here to help you.” His voice was pitched to carry. He wanted everyone to hear.
Judging by the people’s expressions, it was working.
Several cowboys elbowed their way into the crowd. Maybe they’d help.
“Your letter said that McGraw forced this marriage.” Michael shook a piece of paper.
Kaitlyn violently shook her head.
Drew was close enough. Finally. “Get your hands off her.” He grabbed Michael’s shoulder and spun him around.
Kaitlyn stumbled free.
Michael stepped toward her, a look of concern on his face. He was a good actor.
No. That man was never going to touch his wife again. Drew swung at Michael’s jaw, but the other man moved. Drew’s punch landed on Michael’s shoulder, but it was still enough to make Michael stagger. Good. How many bruises had he left on Kaitlyn over the years?
A cowhand joined Michael but shoved Drew.
Hadn’t he seen Kaitlyn struggling to get away? “I have to get to my wife.”
The man shoved Drew back a few steps. “Hey, mister. This guy’s just defending his sister.”
The cowhand blocked his path, sidestepped to stay in front of him.
Fury poured through Drew, turning the edges of his vision red with rage. His fist crunched into the cowhand’s cheek. Kaitlyn. He had to find her.
Two men grabbed his arms from behind and turned him back to face the cowhand, who landed a fist into his gut. Drew wheezed. Nick and Ed pulled his captors away only to have more men join the fight.
Too many men.
Men blocked him from his brothers. Two men shoved Nick to the ground. Drew ran toward him only to be caught from behind.
Where was Kaitlyn?
A flash of blue. There. In the crowd. Barclay and Fisher were close by.
