Ezra struggled to sit up, his body numb to any pain he might have felt.
"I suggest you stay where you are, Mr. Standish. None of this really concerns you at all." Wills sneered, his focus solely on Josephine. "And if you remember that, you might live."
"It is my business." Ezra shrugged off Josephine's arm as she tried to keep him on the bed. "You're not going to take her anywhere and you're going to leave her alone."
"Ezra." Josephine whispered warningly.
"I propose you get back on your horse and ride back to San Francisco, Mr. Wills." Ezra continued, ignoring the woman beside him. "I wired the federal marshals days ago, and they seemed rather interested in you."
"Is that right?"
"That's right."
"Do you even know the type of woman you're willing to die for, Mr. Standish?" Wills asked, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Because you understand that's what I'm going to have to do."
"You leave here or I'm going to have to kill you. And I believe you understand that." Ezra threatened, positioning himself protectively in front of Josephine. He felt her hands on his back, gripping his thin undershirt tightly. A surge of hatred rushed through his body, the anger he once directed at Josephine, now aimed solely toward the man before him. He hated Wills for the doubts he had when he first heard Josephine's story, he hated Wills for the ugly thoughts that floated through his head whenever he replayed her conversation in his mind. And he absolutely loathed Wills for the sheer terror he knew Josephine felt when Wills had left him for dead and the horror she had to have felt right now. It was Ezra's job was to protect her; to keep her safe. Which is why he wired the marshals and Judge Travis the day after Josephine arrived.
"She stole my money, boy. And she deserves to be dealt with." Wills hissed his tone low and threatening. "And if you have any type of history with Josephine Devereaux, I gather she's done you wrong at some point in time, as well. She's quite notorious for that."
"The marshals feel the same about you." Ezra countered. "Something about killing a lawman in Chicago a few years back. They were quite interested in the fact you were looking to kill a federal judge as well. You remember? The brother of the man who you killed for trying to extort money from you?" Wills' face twisted into rage, his lips peeled back to show clenched teeth.
"That man tried to take my money. Josephine succeeded." Wills snarled. "That sort of behavior will not be tolerated. And if you continue to try and protect that thieving little whore in some twisted sense of Southern gentlemanly behavior, I'm afraid your values are a little misplaced." Ezra's face twisted to show his own rage he felt, the feelings intensified by Wills' coarse language directed at the woman Ezra was completely enamored with.
But he felt completely helpless, knowing if he lunged for Wills, the gun would be fired, almost certainly killing Ezra in the process. Then no one would be able to protect Josephine. But if he stood still much longer, he was likely to explode from all the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
"You're talkin' bout a lady there, mister." The slow drawl, accented by the sound of a round being chambered in his sawed-off Winchester rifle, caused Wills' face to lose color. "And I believe Ezra told you to leave. Shame you didn't when you could, huh?"
"I'm not leaving here without her."
"You take a step and I'll gun you down." Vin growled.
"I don't think you will."
"Willin' to bet that?" Wills muttered a curse under his breath, his body tense, his finger still wrapped tightly around the trigger. A few more heart pounding moments passed before the gun slowly lowered, a look of defeat upon Wills' weathered face. "Smart man."
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He leaned his body against the post as he watched her usher her cousin into the awaiting stage. Her buttery Southern inflection floating through the air as she patiently ordered Mutt into the cabin. He felt a flurry of mixed emotions as he watched her. He wasn't confident on what he wanted to say before she took off in that stage. He wasn't too keen on letting her leave on her own, even though Wills had left Four Corners the day before, heavily guarded by federal marshals eager to get him back to Chicago. But he wasn't too sure if it was his own selfish reasons he didn't want her to leave.
She glanced up and caught his eye, tossing him a dimpled smile. His face softened and he felt his heart quicken as she crossed the thoroughfare. Her sultry strut was back, something he liked to think was just for him.
She stopped a few inches from him, dipping her chin slightly to give him the look that won him over in the first place. He gazed down at her, an elbow resting on the pistol strapped to his hip.
"How are you feeling?' she asked, reaching up to brush a hand lightly against his arm. Her touch sent a shiver up his spine. He was certain he didn't want her to leave. Would she come back?
"I am feeling exceptional, my dear. How's, uh, Mutt?"
"He'll be fine." she assured him.
"And you?" Josephine smiled shyly and gave a tiny shrug.
"I'm alright." Silence fell once again as Ezra and Josephine continued to gaze at one another. "I should get going. They won't hold the stage forever for me."
"I'm willing to bet they will." Ezra cleared his throat as he gathered his thoughts. "You know, I could always go with you to Savannah."
"Ezra, I can't ask you to do that. I know what you're doing for this town. I never would have imagined you'd turn to a protection job, Ezra." Ezra broke her gaze and tried to convey a haughty attitude he certainly didn't feel.
"It's not what you think." Ezra argued. "What better way to obtain monetary funds than to offer a feeling of protection. You must gain trust before…" his voice trailed off when he noticed the doubting look on Josephine's face. She reached up to cup the side of his face, a soft smile on her lips.
"Ezra, don't lie to me." He returned her smile. "I happen to think it's a fantastic thing you're doing."
"I would much rather protect you." Her laugh took him by surprise, but he didn't show it. He just widened his smile and leaned down closer to her so he was mere centimeters from her face. "What?" he asked softly.
"Ezra…" she paused and bit her bottom lip slightly as she tossed a glance at the stage. "I really should be going."
"Will you…" he stopped, not wanting to sound weak. He couldn't beg her to stay; he couldn't ask if she had any intentions of returning. Revealing any sort of weakness was certainly not part of his style.
"It shouldn't be more than a few weeks." Josephine said quietly. "I just want to make sure Mutt gets home safe and sound. And I'll come back…if you want." The last few words were almost an afterthought. She knew what he wanted to ask. She could read him like a book. She was so very much like him in many ways, yet different enough to keep him on his toes. He was convinced five years ago she'd be his bride. And he was convinced now.
"Of course I do. I love you." He felt his heart ache as Josephine's wide eyes moistened. He brushed his lips against hers softly, just enough to get a taste of her before she left once again.
"Good bye, Ezra." she tossed him another one of her dazzling smiles before turning on her heel and heading for the stage once again. He watched appreciatively as her hips swayed, a half-smile on his lips as he anticipated her return.