Page 21 of Loving My Cowboys

Was there any truth in the man’s words? Lily had not mentioned the man drank or was this just a way to keep them from searching into his disappearance?

“You wouldn’t happen to know Calvin Smith would you? I’m almost certain I saw him last night in the darkness. We’re searching for him.”

The man’s nostrils flared and his eyes darkened. “Never heard of the man.”

Will nodded. “Just wanted to check. When we find him, he’s going to jail.”

“The Texas Rangers are the best,” the man said sarcastically, and Seth didn’t know if it was a compliment or condemnation. Either way, he didn’t like the man. “Well, I best be going. Good luck, gentleman, with your search for Calvin Smith. Hope you stop those rustlers from stealing anymore of your cattle.”

A feeling in the pit of Seth’s gut knew who the rustlers were. Now they just had to catch them. “Oh, I hope they come back. We’re ready for them.”

“Be careful. I’d hate to see that young girl made a widow. But then again, my boy could marry her.”

Those were not the words to say to a man who had just married Lily and already adored her. She was their woman.

Will’s fake smile disappeared “Not going to happen. Lily belongs to me and I’ll kill any man who tries to harm her.”

Oh, hell no, it would not happen. Seth would kill this bastard before he had a chance to harm any of them.

The man laughed. “Don’t get riled. I’m just worrying that something could happen to you and then she’d be left alone again.”

The man’s horse stepped nervously.

“That’s not going to happen,” Seth said, his voice ominous.

“We better get going. If you change your mind about selling, let me know.”

Before Seth could tell him to go fuck himself, he turned his horse and rode out of the yard, with his two men following him.

“He’s our rustler. This was just to make us think he was a nice guy and see how we felt about selling. He thought that if he terrified Lily enough, she would eventually sell,” Will said.

“And now he’s going to begin on us,” Seth replied.

“Yes, we need to go into town and buy another glass pane to put in that window. And then we need to make certain we’re armed and ready for a war.”

“What did he mean he use to know a girl named Parker?” Seth asked.

“Don’t know,” Will said. “Mother never mentioned him. But then she never told me the name of my father, because she didn’t want me to try to find him. If that son of a bitch helped create me, it would only make me hate him even more. Besides, there are probably dozens of Parkers around. Most not related.”

Relief overcame Seth. There was no way to know if Jim White was his blood relation, but even so, Will hated his father. It wouldn’t matter.

They gazed back at the house and then at each other. “Our bride is inside.”

“Let’s go,” Seth said. “I’m getting hard just thinking about her.”

12

Lily

Lily glanced out the window and saw the men talking. Her men didn’t know how ruthless Jim White could be. Though they had told her to stay in the house and to remain nude, she couldn’t.

She had to get out there and call out Jim’s lies. She had to protect her men. Right now, it appeared they were getting cozy and that couldn’t happen. Jim White was a crook surrounded by his ill-gotten gains and riches and protected by the law in town.

Her men didn’t understand how capable he was of treachery.

Dashing up the stairs, she found a dress and put it over her nakedness. When she was dressed, she hurried back down the stairs and grabbed her gun.

The man was not going to win against her. And she would never let him hurt her husbands.

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