Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Heartbroke Injun, a Weed Bouquet and A Broken Leg

"A wedding? Honestly? You wanna waste time gettin' married instead of hitting the road?" Frankie demanded as she stared at Charlotte and Silas with shock and irritation.

She glanced around the kitchen where everyone was currently eating the pork and gravy that Charlotte had cooked for them that morning and waited for someone else to argue.

"I don't see it as a waste of time." Charlotte stated in her quiet, meek voice that drove Frankie crazy.

"Neither do I. I'll stand witness." Colt spoke up before taking a sip of his steaming coffee. "I don't see any reason to rush off from here. We can stay a few days or a week or so... as long as the supplies hold out."

"You all go ahead and do what you need to do then but I'm moving on." Frankie said as she stood from her chair and swiped some crumbs off her shirt.

"We are?" Comanche questioned with a slight raise of his brow. Frankie swallowed and shook her head, not meeting his gaze.

"No, not we, me. I. Singular. Alone. I'm leaving."

The dining room fell silent as Comanche got to his feet, his movement slow and fluid. Without even looking her way he left the room, stopping just outside the door.

His voice was low when he spoke and he kept his back to everyone in the room. "You will come speak to me now."

Frankie sighed. She'd like to tell him to kiss her ass seeing as how he was ordering her around but she couldn't. While she'd never admit it out loud, her heart was hurting a little at the knowledge that she'd be leaving Comanche behind. He was good at helping her forget and she was going to miss that... she refused to acknowledge, even to herself, that she was going to miss him for any other reason.

She spared a glance at Colt but the man wasn't paying any attention to anything other than the pork and gravy on his plate. Frankie had hoped he'd offer supplies but clearly she was going to have to ask if she wanted them.

"Colt, I'll need some supplies...."

"Paleface, come with me now." Comanche growled from the doorway and Frankie realized that he was now looking at her. His dark eyes were flashing with temper and muscles were jumping in his tense chiseled jaw. He had placed a thin white cotton shirt on but left most of the buttons undone so his broad copper chest was still clearly visible. Frankie wished it wasn't. It would be much easier to walk away from him if she couldn't see what she was giving up.

"Alright then, injun." She muttered as Comanche turned quickly and strode from the room, leaving her scrambling to keep up. "Slow the hell down." She grumbled and Comanche came to such an abrupt halt in the sitting room that Frankie ran directly into his back and barely had time to right herself before he turned on her.

"What have I done?" he whispered harshly and Frankie could see the pain in his dark eyes. She cursed his soul to hell and clenched her fists beside her thighs.

"Damn you, Comanche, I told you I wasn't lookin' to get tied down and you said okay. Don't you act as if I'm surprisin' you now that I'm ready to move on!"

"You can walk away from me so easily?" Comanche demanded, his jaw tightening so drastically that Frankie worried his bones would pop.

"Comanche, you weren't never anything other than a distraction and I told you that from the beginning." Frankie informed him, ignoring the nagging gnawing sensation in her gut that told her she might not be being completely honest. "Now I know you wanna stay here with these folks, I ain't got no urge to settle in with them, so I believe we've reached the end of our ride together."