Catherine's Awakening Read Free

firm and final. “You already
    have one. You manage the ranch house, and do a hell of a job with it too. The men love
    you, Dad loves you and if I don’t get my cock into you soon I’m going to explode.
    That’s enough for any woman.”
    “Don’t you dare use words like that with me,” she said, shocked. “I may not be a
    fancy lady, but I am a respectable woman. You’ll treat me as such.”
    11

    Joanna Wylde
    He laughed, and backed away from her. The pressure in the air eased, and
    Catherine had to stop herself from bolting out of the loft. She had a feeling that might
    raise the predator in him. Instead she looked him right in the eye, holding his gaze like
    a sheepdog staring down an errant charge. Time to lay down the law with Wade.
    “You don’t have the right to tell me what to do, Wade,” she said. “I’ll make my own
    way, thank you very much. And if you can’t treat me with respect, then you should
    keep your mouth shut. I’ll go where I want to go.”
    She ducked around him, marching purposefully toward the ladder. Best to escape
    while she had the final word. His laugh followed her and she stiffened her spine.
    “You go ahead and try to leave, Cat,” he said. “See what happens. You belong to
    me, and I don’t give up what’s mine whether it’s land, cattle or a woman. The sooner
    you understand that, the happier you’ll be.”

    * * * * *

    His words followed Catherine all day as she worked, worming their way through
    her mind at inconvenient moments. She had to make the biscuits twice, after pounding
    them so hard the first batch lost its lift. She burned the stew for dinner, and took a
    certain amount of pleasure in the fact that she didn’t have time to make a pie for
    dessert. In fact, she didn’t have time to do several things, including mending a pair of
    Wade’s pants. Until he saw fit to treat her with respect, it wouldn’t happen.
    Even if he did, it might not happen. Not if she got her teaching job. The position
    was more than just a way to earn money—it meant independence, a home of her own.
    A life free of men telling her what to do. Marriage to Ryan had been enough to convince
    any sane woman to swear off men. By the time the food was ready, she’d managed to
    build up a good head of righteous indignation over Wade’s words to her earlier. He
    didn’t own her. No man owned her. And a woman wasn’t like a cow in any way.
    Although a nasty little voice in the back of her head whispered that in the eyes of the
    law, she might as well be.

    12

    Catherine’s Awakening
    Catherine certainly hadn’t been able to get free from Ryan, no matter how poorly he
    treated her. Nobody would give her a job, and she seriously suspected only Wade’s
    glowering presence had protected her from physical harm at Ryan’s hands. He’d only
    hit her once. Wade had heard her scream, and he’d broken into their bedroom, pulling
    Ryan off her and hauling him out to the barn. She hadn’t seen her husband for nearly
    two weeks after that, and he’d never laid a hand on her again.
    The expression on Wade’s face the morning after that horrific night had been
    terrible. She’d served breakfast to him and her father-in-law and then hid in the kitchen
    for the rest of the day. She simply couldn’t bear to look at him, she felt so much shame
    and humiliation. He’d seen her at her lowest point, and half naked too.
    Catherine shivered, then pulled herself together. Bad memories were like a plague,
    you couldn’t get rid of them. Best to pretend they didn’t exist. Still, she was feeling a
    little more charitable toward Wade as she set the table. He might be overbearing, but
    she didn’t believe he’d hurt a woman. Ever. No, he was different than Ryan in that
    respect.   You married the wrong brother , the traitorous little voice whispered in the back of
    her head, but she ignored it. The past was over, time to look to the future. And her
    future didn’t include a man, not even one as