Chapter 15
Cheyenne, Wyoming 1867
Lochlan had been expecting the day when Carson would ask to marry his sister. So when he told him that Róisín had turned down his marriage proposal, a burning anger boiled up inside Lochlan's gut. His headstrong, naive sister had just thrown away a golden opportunity - a secure future and comfortable life.
"You wanted to talk to me?" Róisín asked as she tapped on the door lightly.
Lochlan slammed his fist on the desk, making Róisín jump. "Sit down, Róisín," he growled, pointing at the chair in front of him. "And shut the door."
Róisín flinched at her brother's harsh tone as she obeyed, her apprehension growing with each moment. As she closed the door with a soft click, her ragged breathing was the only sound in the quietness. She went into the room hesitantly and perched on the edge of the chair, nervously playing with the fringe on her shawl.
"Are you daft, girl?" Lochlan roared, his voice edged with danger.
He shot up from his chair and began pacing the floor, clearly very agitated. Róisín shrank back, the chair creaking underneath her.
"You don't turn down a man like Carson!" He bellowed loudly. "A man who can provide for you, give you a good life!"
Róisín's chin trembled, but she held his gaze. "Lochlan," she said, barely audible, "I don't love him."
Lochlan stopped pacing abruptly, letting out a harsh, humorless laugh that sent shivers down her spine. "Love?" He scoffed. He crouched in front of her, sneering, and gripped her shoulders roughly. "That's a luxury you can't afford, Róise. Not you, not me, not anyone in this God-forsaken town."
Tears welled up in Róisín's eyes, blurring her vision. "You want me to marry a man I don't love?" She whispered emotionally. "A man I have no feelings for?"
Lochlan's grip tightened as his voice dropped to a low growl. "Love is for fairytales, Róisín. This is real life, and life is about survival. You'll do whatever you have to do to survive, and right now, that means marrying Carson."
Róisín shook her head defiantly. "No, Lochlan," she stated, her voice stronger than expected. "I won't. I won't marry a man I don't love, no matter how much you pressure me."
Lochlan's face contorted with rage, his eyes wild and dangerous. He released her shoulders with a violent shove, sending Róisín stumbling backward. In a blur of motion, his hand flew through the air and connected with her cheek in a brutal smack. The force of the blow sent her crashing to the ground, her entire body throbbing with pain.
She could taste the metallic tang of blood on her lips, and she struggled to catch her breath as tears streamed down her face. Her brother, the one who was supposed to protect her, had just struck her without any hesitation or remorse. Betrayal consumed her as lay on the dirty cold floor watching her brother's boots walk past her into the hallway.