Quinn's Honor Read online

  Books by Shirleen Davies

  Historical Western Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Tougher than the Rest, Book One

  Faster than the Rest, Book Two

  Harder than the Rest, Book Three

  Stronger than the Rest, Book Four

  Deadlier than the Rest, Book Five

  Wilder than the Rest, Book Six

  Redemption Mountain

  Redemption’s Edge, Book One

  Wildfire Creek, Book Two

  Sunrise Ridge, Book Three

  Dixie Moon, Book Four

  Survivor Pass, Book Five

  Promise Trail, Book Six

  Deep River, Book Seven, Releasing 2017

  MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

  Colin’s Quest, Book One,

  Brodie’s Gamble, Book Two

  Quinn’s Honor, Book Three

  Contemporary Romance Series

  MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Second Summer, Book One

  Hard Landing, Book Two

  One More Day, Book Three

  All Your Nights, Book Four

  Always Love You, Book Five

  Hearts Don’t Lie, Book Six

  No Getting Over You, Book Seven

  ‘Til the Sun Comes Up, Book Eight, Releasing 2017

  Peregrine Bay

  Reclaiming Love, Book One

  Our Kind of Love, Book Two

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  Quinn’s Honor

  MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  SHIRLEEN DAVIES

  Book Three in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain

  Historical Western Romance Series

  Copyright © 2016 by Shirleen Davies

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  For permission requests, contact the publisher.

  Avalanche Ranch Press, LLC

  PO Box 12618

  Prescott, AZ 86304

  Quinn’s Honor is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is wholly coincidental.

  Book design and conversions by Joseph Murray at 3rdplanetpublishing.com

  Cover design by Kim Killion, The Killion Group

  ISBN: 978-1-941786-39-0

  I care about quality, so if you find something in error, please contact me via email at

  [email protected]

  Description

  Quinn’s Honor, Book Three, MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Historical Western Romance Series

  “Every book of Shirleen's never fails to draw me in and make it impossible to put down until I devour it!”

  Quinn MacLaren has one true love…Circle M, the family ranch. He makes it a habit of working hard and playing harder, spending time with experienced women who know he wants nothing more than their company. He buries the love he feels for one woman deep inside, knowing he’ll never be the man she needs.

  Emma Pearce is a true ranch woman, working long hours to help keep the family ranch thriving. Feisty, funny, and reliable, she’s the girl all the single young men want—after they’ve sewn their wild oats. Few know Emma has her heart set on one man. A man who may never grow up enough to walk away from his wild ways and settle down.

  When tragedy strikes, Quinn’s right where he doesn’t want to be—as temporary foreman of the Pearce ranch. Stepping in to fill Big Jim Pearce’s shoes isn’t easy. Neither is keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his hands to himself. Honor-bound to do what is right, Quinn meets the challenge, losing Emma’s friendship in the process.

  Adding to Quinn’s worries, something sinister is working its way through the thriving town of Conviction. Unforeseen forces are at work. Debt builds, families lose their ranches, and newcomers threaten to divide not only the land, but the people—including the Pearce family.

  As events unfold, Quinn faces the difficult challenge of keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his honor intact. Doing what he believes is right couldn’t feel more wrong.

  After all, what’s a man without honor?

  Quinn’s Honor, book three in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain historical western romance series, is a full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

  Visit my website for a list of characters for each series.

  http://www.shirleendavies.com/character-list.html

  Acknowledgements

  Many thanks to my editor, Kim Young, proofreader, Alicia Carmical, and all of my beta readers. Your insights and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

  As always, many thanks to my wonderful cover designer, Kim Killion, and Joseph Murray who is superb at formatting my books for print and electronic versions.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Books by Shirleen Davies

  Quinn’s Honor

  Prologue

  Conviction, California

  December 1864

  “Tell me I’m dreaming.” Quinn MacLaren sipped the punch his cousin, Blaine, had spiked with whiskey, watching two young women walk into the church Christmas social.

  Blaine chuckled as he tipped his glass up and took a sip, his gaze catching sight of the two dark-haired ladies. “You mean there are women in Conviction you haven’t met?”

  “I think you need to be more specific, Blaine. Quinn doesn’t waste his time with innocents. I believe his tastes go to older women. Those he doesn’t have to train.” Caleb Stewart, a man the MacLarens considered family, glanced around, noticing several ladies he had yet to meet. “I, on the other hand…”

  Quinn placed a hand on his heart, feigning hurt at his friend’s comment. “Ach, you make me sound as if I have no feelings for the women I spend time with, Caleb.”

  “You do?” Blaine asked, raising his eyebrows.

  “Of course I have feelings for the lasses.” He took another swallow, his gaze following another young woman as she and her family entered the room. She’d twisted her light blonde hair into an intricate knot, a few wisps escaping to fan her cheeks. Her bright blue eyes scanned the room, jerking to a stop when she spotted him. Quinn inwardly groaned when she licked her lips, a brilliant smile flashing before she turned away.

  “Who has caught your interest?” Blaine followed Quinn’s gaze, seeing Emma Pearce talking to his brother and sister-in-law, Colin and Sa
rah MacLaren. “I know it’s not Emma, so who did you see?”

  Quinn finished his drink, ignoring the question, asking one of his own. “Has anyone seen Brodie?”

  “At the jail. I don’t think he plans on coming over.” Blaine’s expression sobered. Their cousin and sheriff of Conviction, Brodie MacLaren, hadn’t been the same since his fiancée, Maggie King, left him behind to return to Texas with her family. “It may take the lad a while to get over her.”

  “Then it’s our duty to help him.” Without waiting for a response, Quinn took one last look in Emma’s direction, then headed for the door.

  The townsfolk adored her, and most lads wanted to court her. It had been that way since he’d first met Emma. She attracted people the way honey drew flies. Vivacious with a wonderful sense of humor and a ready smile, she won people over with little effort. The same way she’d won his heart years ago. A fact he’d never shared with anyone.

  Caleb didn’t know how right he was in saying Quinn preferred older ladies with experience. Working hard and playing harder suited him just fine. He had no intention of settling down with one woman, and no business showing any interest in a sweet innocent such as Emma. Too bad the desire he felt for her never diminished, no matter how many years passed since he’d first been attracted to her as they sat side-by-side in school.

  “Quinn MacLaren. You weren’t planning to leave without saying hello to us, were you?” Emma’s mother, Gertie Pearce, touched Quinn’s arm before she slipped her hand through the arm of her husband, Big Jim.

  Quinn’s face softened. Gertie and Big Jim were good people, hardworking and generous, and the MacLarens’ closest neighbors to the north.

  “Never, Mrs. Pearce.” Quinn shook Big Jim’s hand, his gaze catching Emma’s before he shifted his attention back to her father. “Colin tells me you bought a new bull.”

  “It was Emma’s idea.”

  Quinn’s gaze snapped to her. “That a fact?”

  “Sure is. She’s got it in her head we can produce better stock with him than the bull we’ve had for years.” Big Jim shot an indulgent smile at his daughter.

  “As good as any of the MacLaren cattle. Right, Papa?” Her blue eyes sparkled, her smile so bright, Quinn thought he’d be struck blind by the intensity.

  “Now, Emma, I don’t know about that. We’ll give it a good try, though.” Big Jim’s chuckle died on his lips when three men walked into the room. Even though the gathering took place in a church, all wore guns, their hats pushed low on their heads, clothes caked with dirt. “Do you know those men, Quinn?”

  Turning, he saw the men split up, pushing past people as they made their way around the room. On instinct, Quinn stepped in front of Emma, his hand moving toward his hip, remembering his gunbelt hung in the entry hall.

  “No, sir, I don’t.” Shifting, he set his intense gaze on Emma. “I want you to take your mother and walk outside.”

  Emma’s eyes narrowed. “But—”

  “He’s right, Emma.” Big Jim looked at his wife. “Take her outside, Gertie. I’ll come get you when I know what’s happening.”

  Gertie took Emma’s arm. “Let’s do what your father says.”

  The glare Emma sent Quinn would have amused him if his gut wasn’t telling him danger stood twenty feet away in the form of a stranger whose hard gaze roamed the room. A movement of the man’s hand toward his gunbelt had Quinn shoving the women toward the door.

  “Go. Now.” His hard tone allowed no argument.

  Gertie pulled a reluctant Emma behind her, reaching the door an instant before a shot rang out.

  “Go!” Quinn shouted as a stunned crowd turned their attention to the man now standing on top of a table, his gun waving back and forth. A quick glance around showed his two companions at opposite ends of the room, guns drawn.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve joined your party for one reason.” He narrowed his gaze, his features hardening. “We want your valuables, not your lives.” He grinned at the loud gasp. “No one will get hurt as long as you do what I say. I want you to create two lines. One in front of each of my boys. Put your money and jewelry in the bags they’re holding.”

  Quinn’s gut clenched as he searched the room for his brother, Bram, thankful his sister, Heather, and younger siblings had stayed away. Catching the attention of Blaine and Caleb, he inched his way toward the back door. If he could get outside, he might be able to circle around to the entry and retrieve his gun, surprising the robbers as they left.

  “You there.” Quinn froze, his eyes locking with the man pointing a gun in his direction. “You aren’t thinking of doing something foolish, are you?”

  “Stay put, son. Our money isn’t worth your life,” Big Jim said, his face hard with anger. “We’ll let Brodie deal with them.”

  The thought of his cousin riding after the robbers didn’t sit well with Quinn, but Big Jim was right. If the outlaw decided to shoot, a stray bullet could go anywhere, hurting or killing women and children. Quinn took a decisive step forward.

  “Smart choice.” The man switched his focus to the crowd. “Line up, ladies and gentlemen. And don’t be stingy.”

  Emma listened through the open window, her heart hammering in her chest. “Mother, I’m going to get Brodie. You stay here.” Before Gertie could object, she lifted her skirt and took off toward the sheriff’s office.

  Paying little attention to her surroundings, she jumped onto the boardwalk, yelping when she collided with a hard body. Strong hands grabbed her arms, holding her upright.

  “Miss Pearce. Are you all right?”

  Relief washed through her as she looked up at the concerned gaze of Sam Covington, one of Brodie’s deputies. Pulling from his grasp, she pointed toward the church behind her, sucking in a breath.

  “Outlaws. They’re holding everyone at gunpoint.”

  “How many?” Sam reached for his gun, checking the cylinder.

  “Three that I could see, but there may be more.”

  “The sheriff is at the jail. Tell him what you told me, then stay put. Don’t come back.”

  Sam hurried to the church, watchful for others who might be with the outlaws. As he got close, he slowed, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Emma entered the jail.

  Sam first noticed the eerie quiet from a room full of people celebrating Christmas. As he looked into the entry, he spotted the gunbelts hanging on the walls, weapons still in the holsters. Moving past the entry, he stopped below an open window. Rising, he peeked into the room, seeing the three outlaws, as well as many friends. His anger rose when he saw them dropping money and jewelry into bags held by two of the outlaws. Sensing movement behind him, he swung around, gun at the ready.

  Holding up his hands, Brodie came to a stop. “Whoa, Sam,” he whispered. Dropping his hands, he pulled out his revolver as two other deputies, Nate Hollis and Jack Perkins, ran to join them. “What do you see?”

  “Three men holding guns on everyone. They’re collecting money and jewelry.” Sam hesitated a moment. “Your family is inside, Brodie.”

  “Aye.” Brodie swallowed before looking at his deputies. “Jack, go around back to the right. Nate, you go around to the left. They must have horses in the back. Let them loose, then wait for Sam and me to join you. Do not go inside. We’ll wait for them to leave.”

  “Do you want us to wound them, or…” Nate let the thought trail off, knowing his meaning was clear.

  “They’re pointing guns at our friends and families. If they get away, we’ll be sending them to do the same to other innocents.” Brodie checked his gun once more, then glanced at his men, his face devoid of emotion. “Shoot to kill.”

  Waiting until the two left, Brodie leaned against the side of the building, sucking in air, letting it out in a slow breath. “We wait until they’re ready to leave, make sure they don’t come this way, then join Nate and Jack in the back. You ready?”

  Sam nodded. “Let’s get this done, Brodie.”

  “Thank you for your
generous donations. As promised, my men and I will leave you now to continue your celebration.” The outlaw jumped off the table, continuing to hold his gun. “I’d suggest no one tries to be a hero. We won’t hesitate to shoot.” Nodding to his men, they backed toward the back door.

  Brodie didn’t hesitate. “Head to the right, Sam. I’ll go this way.” Running to reach the back before the robbers left, he came to a halt at the sight of Gertie Pearce pacing by a side door. “You shouldn’t be here, Mrs. Pearce. Please, join Emma at the jail.”

  She wrung her hands, shaking her head. “Big Jim is inside, Brodie. I can’t leave him.”

  Taking hold of her arm, he turned her away from the building, his heart pounding, knowing the outlaws would come outside any moment.

  “I can’t let you stay. There is going to be gunfire. Please. I’m asking you to go.”

  Turning her toward the jail, he let go of her arm, watching her leave. Spinning and continuing to the back, he winced at the sound of gunfire, reaching the corner of the building to see his deputies with guns trained on the men coming out the back door.

  “Hands up! There’s no chance you’ll escape.” Sam’s voice rang out. “Drop your guns. Now!”

  Brodie added his voice to Sam’s. “Set down your guns and turn around. No one needs to die here.”

  In an instant, the scene broke into chaos as one outlaw shot at Jack, who returned fire, hitting him in the chest. The other two dashed back inside, grabbing two people to use as shields, not seeing that Quinn, Blaine, Caleb, and Big Jim had already headed to the entry for their guns.

  The crowd parted as the four men moved toward the unsuspecting outlaws, holding their guns at their sides. They stopped, hearing Brodie’s warning.

  “You don’t want to add murder to robbery. Let those people go. Jail is better than a noose.”

  “The hell it is,” the leader yelled back, tightening his grip on the older woman. Her body trembled in his grasp, her panicked gaze searching the crowd.

  Quinn raised his gun. “Let them go, lads. You’ll not be able to get away.”