Liam was smiling as he neared home. The trip had gone well. He'd made more than enough money off his furs to take the next trapping season off—which meant more time to spend with Emma and their child.

He couldn't wait to see the look on Emma's face when she realized he was home early. It wasn't even dawn yet and she would no doubt still be sleeping soundly.

He hadn't planned on being home until midday but had decided to skip sleep and ride through the night. Not long ago, Liam had been a man who disappeared for days, sometimes weeks at a time, and never told anyone where he was going. Now, the only place he wanted to be was at that cabin with his wife.

As his home came into view unease trickled down his spine. The hairs on his neck stood on end and he pulled Honey to a stop.

The darkness hindered him as he glanced around, but his eyes were fairly well adjusted... adjusted enough to realize that the windows of his cabin had been shattered.

Liam hopped from Honey in a rush and raced onto the porch, slipping in a puddle of something. Liam's stomach churned and a tangible panic began to claw at his gut—a pool of blood was beneath his feet.

"Emma!" Liam cried out as he ran through the open front door. The lamp in the back of the sitting room was burning, casting shadows around the cabin.

There was a bucket full of dishes, the supper scraps were in another bucket. Patrick's pipe, something he wouldn't have left willingly, was sitting on the table.

And blood... blood was smeared across the floor and puddled in places.

"Emma?" Liam's voice was broken and quiet as he went to the bedroom and realized she wasn't there.

What had happened while he'd been gone....Part of him knew exactly what must have happened but another refused to believe it.

Liam had warned the man; had made it clear.....

Had Silas taken her? And where was Patrick?

Liam raced to Patrick's cabin but it was empty, just as he'd thought it would be.

Going to the barn, Liam began to saddle Misty. If Silas thought he'd get away with taken Emma—he had another thing coming.

It was then that Liam realized Colt was gone.

Forcing himself to take several deep breaths, Liam tried to still his racing thoughts and rid himself of the images currently flashing in his mind.

Something bad had happened here, yes, but if Colt was gone that meant Emma must have ridden him out of here. That beast wouldn't have allowed anyone else—much less a mountain man like Silas—ride him.

Liam went back inside the cabin and grabbed the lamp. He took it outside and began examining the tracks. With the help of the light, he was able to determine that Emma and Patrick had both left on Colt's back—though at least one of them had been bleeding fairly heavily.

He also found the dead body of a mountain man beside the tree line and the tracks of two more bleeding men heading up the mountain.

Liam would deal with them later. For now, he needed to get to his wife and father.

He quickly unhooked Honey from the cart, settled her into the barn and finished saddling Misty. Hopping on her back, Liam dug his heels deep and urged her into her fastest pace. He had no idea what he'd find when he reached town but he knew he had to get there quick.

Liam raced up the doc's steps with every intention of barging in but when he reached the top step, he froze. What was he going to find?

Could he carry on if Emma......

With a deep, steadying breath, Liam slowly pushed open the door. The room was crowded. Chase, Kyle, Anita, Lauren, William, Ben and Cassie all stood inside.

But where was Emma?

"Liam... what are you doing back so soon?" Kyle demanded when everyone noticed him.

Liam's hands were shaking and he had to work his mouth several times before sound came out. "Emma?"

Everyone moved aside and he saw her. She was lying on the couch. Blood covered her dress and her hair was wet with sweat and matted to her pale face. Her eyes were closed and she was so very pale—so very still.

"Is she......?"

Anita rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him, though Liam didn't respond. He simply stood there frozen. "She's okay, Liam. Just exhausted and sleeping."

He didn't' feel relief. He saw the bandage on her arm and the pallor of her face... his wife was not okay. "What happened?"

Chase stepped forward as Anita moved away, dabbing at her damp cheeks with her kerchief. "We don't know exactly," Chase admitted. "Her and Patrick haven't been real talkative."

"Is Patrick okay?" Liam asked. "Where is he?"

"The doctor's with him in the other room," Anita replied, her voice hollow.

"He'll be okay.. but it'll take a while before he's up and ready to go," Chase admitted. "A bullet grazed his head and addled him pretty bad and another clipped his lung. The doc said he'll recover but it'll take time."

Silence fell but was quickly interrupted by Emma's fitful whimpering. Liam's gaze quickly returned to her. She was asleep but it was as if she were fighting someone he couldn't see.

She cried out his name and Liam rushed forward, shoving past the bodies in his way. He dropped to his knees in front of the sofa and smoothed the hair from her face. "Emma, love, I'm right here."

Her light blue eyes opened and she cried out his name again as she saw him. Her good arm was slung quickly around his neck and Liam scooped her up, settling himself down on the sofa, with her held tight in his lap.

"Liam... don't leave again..." she whispered.

"Who did this to you, Emma?" he asked, feeling her body shivering against him. He nodded in thanks to Ben who brought over a blanket and draped it on them.

"He did," Emma replied.

"Emma, we know your real tired but do you think you could tell us what happened? We need to know," Ben urged.

She took a shaky breath and nodded. Liam listened to her words and the anger and rage within him grew with every single one—and so did the guilt.

To know the pain and fear his wife had been feeling—to hear of what had happened to his father who had been risking his life to protect Emma—none of that would have happened had Liam killed Silas Hawke from the start.

Liam was partly to blame for those bullets that had come flying into his home.

When Emma finished, Liam barely noticed Ben and Cassandra slipping from the doc's house. His attention was on the doc who was stepping out of the other room.

"Can I see him?" Liam asked.

The doc sighed and wiped at his brow. "Yeah, I reckon. He's in and out because of the blow to the head and he has trouble speaking. Don't be too alarmed by his breathing—it sounds worse than it is."

Liam nodded and got to his feet. "I want to come with you," Emma stated, getting to hers as well.

Liam took her hand and led her to the doorway.

It felt as if a ton of rocks settled into his gut when he saw his father lying in that bed. His skin seemed paper thin and white as cotton. Every breath he took rattled and wheezed. He was so small, so frail....

It was Emma who urged Liam forward and his father's eyes fluttered open when they reached the side of his bed. A weak smile tugged at Patrick's lips. "Glad.. you're okay... Hell Cat."

"Thank you for what you did," Liam managed to speak around the lump in his throat.

Patrick nodded. He reached out and took Liam's hand in his—his skin felt so cold.

Suddenly the past and every reason Liam had to hate his father disappeared. The wall he had so desperately fought to keep erected, came tumbling down.

Liam stooped low and hugged his bed-ridden father the best he could. Tears stung his eyes as he buried his face in the man's shoulder. "I love you, pa."

His father's hand fell surprisingly strong on his back several times. "I love you, son."

Liam stood straight and swiped his arm across his face. "Come on, Emma. Let's let him rest."

Emma kissed Patrick's cheek and then Liam led her toward the door, surprised when Anita was entering. "I'll stay in here and tend to Patrick," she said, her eyes going to the man on the bed. "I'm sure he'd like to have company."

"I'd.. like that," Patrick agreed.

As confusing as all that was, Liam couldn't focus on the budding relationship between his once-feuding relatives. He had a reckoning to deliver.

Liam led Emma back to the sofa, settled her down on it and then crouched before her. "I'm going, Emma."

Fear and worry widened her eyes but she nodded. "I knew you would." She took his hands and swallowed hard. "Please be careful... your daughter and I need you, Liam."

Liam nodded. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips before placing an even tenderer kiss to her rounding stomach. Then he shoved himself to his feet and headed toward the door.

Ben and Cassandra entered just as he reached it. Liam's gaze instantly dropped to the gun belt slung low on Ben's hips. "What are you doing?" Liam demanded.

"Coming with you," Ben replied. "A man can't let something like this stand."

"Isn't vengeance frowned upon?" Liam asked.

"The Lord will forgive him," Cassandra assured him. "Men like that one need to be put down."

Liam sighed. "I'll do the putting down," he vowed. "I should have done it a long time ago. You'll stay here."

Ben shook his head. "I want to help."

Liam knew that Ben's heart was in the right place but he doubted that he had much talent with that gun on his hip. He could tell by the way the man wore it that he didn't have much practice.

"I won't forget your offer," Liam promised. "But I need your prayers here more than I need your gun up there. Don't go breaking your vows for me. I've got this handled."

He put a hand on Ben's shoulder and Ben swallowed hard before nodding. Liam could see the relief in the other man's eyes but he chose not to mention it.

Liam stepped out the door and clenched his fists as he swept down the steps. "Liam?"

With a grumble he turned to realize that Chase and Kyle had followed him. "Don't even try to tell me I'm not coming," Kyle warned. "By God we're more brothers than we are friends and I won't let you go up there alone."

Liam knew he wouldn't convince Kyle to stay behind. He recognized the look on his friend's face far too well. "Fine. But Chase you need to go back inside."

Chase's nostril's flared. "I don't reckon I will!"

"Please, Chase? I know it's not fair of me to ask since Kyle is coming with me but I need to know that Emma and the babe will be taken care of.... I know you'd protect them and take care of them. I know you'd love them in all the ways that matter. I need to know that if I don't come back, they won't be alone...."

Chase swallowed hard. He glanced at Kyle who nodded slightly and then he held out his hand to Liam. "You have my word, Liam. I'll see to your wife and child."

"Thank you," Liam replied, content with knowing that no matter what, his wife and child would ever want for anything.

Chase cleared his throat. "But can I ask you a favor?" Liam raised a brow in waiting. Chase forced a humorless laugh. "Can you do your damn best to bring my man back home to me?"

�zy_