before, and the answer is still no. There’s no satisfaction in seeing men take what isn’t theirs or in the bloodbath that follows.”
“Then why did you stay with them for so long? You must have liked something about it.”
Casey clenched her fists and dug her fingers into her palms. Suddenly it didn’t matter if Morgan knew her fury. He’d insulted her, and she’d done nothing to provoke him. He cast a seething glare, and it echoed with disgust. “I don’t have to explain my life to you. It’s none of your business why I did anything at all. I have better things to do than allow you to take out your bad temper on me.”
Morgan shook and his face reddened. Fear raced up her spine, but she managed to maintain a placid demeanor. Just like in the old days. No man would steal her confidence.
“All right. You can say your piece,” he said. “But I tell you this. I will never understand why you stayed with Jenkins for seven years, unless you really liked that life.” He grabbed his reins.
She faced him squarely. “I don’t want you to ever come near me again. Who are you to judge? Aren’t you the man who admitted his thirst for blood? Aren’t you the man who planned to use me to get to Jenkins? How do I know you aren’t still planning to do the same thing? You’re no better than Jenkins.”
“You don’t know anything about it.”
“Whose fault is that?” Casey refused to look at him. She turned away to the wide, green pastures and the rolling hills in the distance. She heard the sound of the saddle creaking under his weight just before hoofbeats. She was alone again. The safest place to be.
Shaking, she took a deep breath. Pray. I need to pray. How could Jocelyn have birthed a son who could change his moods in the blink of an eye? Sinking to the ground, numb and drained of strength, she couldn’t stop the tears that spilled uncontrollably over her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands. She intended neither to hear his accusations again nor to allow him to tug at her heartstrings. Leaving Kahlerville seemed like the best thing to do. She’d invited trouble by staying this long.
Casey loathed her weakness when it came to Morgan. More so, she hated losing control of her temper. Too many times she’d seen men make foolish and deadly choices in the heat of anger. Her past resolve to allow only God to rule her emotions lay shattered and broken, just like her dreams of Morgan.
Something from his past must have driven him to what he said today. Frustrated and confused, she felt the same deep sense of betrayal that she’d experienced whenever Tim allowed Jenkins to beat her. The bruises finally healed, but the hurt of Tim’s turning his back stayed with her. She despised Morgan’s temper and his reasons for not telling her the truth about himself. Furthermore, she didn’t care.
She’d tell the reverend and Sarah the truth before she rode out. In about six months’ time, she’d have enough money to hire a lawyer. Then she could hold her head high.
Casey wiped her cheeks. Stampede nuzzled her neck. Her dear stallion was more faithful than the man who claimed to care. Blinking back the wetness, she slowly walked across the grassland. The ways of violence . . . Would she ever be free?
Chapter 18
By the time Morgan had ridden back to the barn, he’d worked through most of his anger. But what had he done to his relationship with Casey, if he really had one at all? He stared at the cabin in the distance. That’s where it had started. Sometimes he wanted to burn the place down, but the memories would still be there, tearing away at his soul like a flesh-eating animal.
What had happened at the little church where he prayed for God to remove the hate and bitterness? When he’d walked out of there, he’d felt clean again. It was a new beginning, or so he thought, and he believed he’d left it all at the altar—until today.
Frustrated, his gaze swept the horizon to where he’d left Casey. No point in riding back her way. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness, not for the spiteful things he’d hurled at her. None of this was her fault.
Doesn’t matter if she forgives you or not. What’s important is that you ask.
Morgan lifted his hat and wiped the sweat from his