Page 42 of Loving My Cowboys

“Because they killed my family. The Lazy I ranch on the night of June 21, 1871. You were there that night. I saw you. I’ve captured every gang member, but you,” Seth said as he glared at the man. “You may think that because your brother is a Texas Ranger, you’re going to get a break. No way in hell will you ever get out of prison once I’m done with you.”

The man turned his head. “Did you have a younger sister?”

“Yes.”

“I enjoyed fucking her.”

Seth lunged at Calvin, rage roaring in his head. But then the grin on Calvin’s face calmed him.

“You didn’t fuck her. She died in the house fire,” he said. “She burned to death because someone believed my father had gold coins. He was a simple farmer. He had nothing.”

His confirmation of being there sent hate spiraling through Seth and he had to take a deep breath to keep from killing the man.

“You’re going to hang. You are the last member of the gang. All the others I’ve caught. You’re the last to die.”

There was silence as Seth walked away from the man on the ground. He needed to put distance between them or else he feared he would kill this monster who set his family farm on fire.

He still didn’t understand the reason. Though Frank Mercardo said some idiot thought his father was holding gold coins from the war. But it was all a lie. A lie that killed innocent people and left him scared.

Just a boy, he had hidden in the outhouse, terrified, while his family was shot and killed in the front yard and the house set on fire. Only his sister had hidden, and in the end, she died too.

Now they were gone and he was alone except for Will and Lily. And yet, how did the knowledge that Calvin was Will’s brother affect their relationship?

Because there was no way Calvin could escape justice, regardless of the fact that he was Will’s brother.

Seth would make certain the man would hang.

What did they do now?

21

Lily

Lily hurried in the darkness after Will. She’d seen his face, the way he looked like he wanted to murder his brother. And yet, part of her was fearful. Will was Jim White’s son.

She walked up behind him and he whirled around, his hand on his gun. “It’s me.”

He didn’t say anything but continued to stare out into the darkness.

“I hate him,” he said, his voice cracking. “For what he did to my mother. For how he abandoned me. For the evil I see in his eyes.”

She laid her hand on his arm. “You’re not him.”

“No, but his blood pulses in me. What if suddenly I become like him. What if I become greedy and selfish and turn into my father?”

Lily slid her arms around his waist and pulled him tightly to her. “You’ll never be like him. Your mother taught you well. You are an honest, lawful man who would help anyone. You are not your father.”

Suddenly he turned and pulled her into his arms and held her. She could feel him shaking.

“When people learn that he’s my father, they’re going to think I’m like him.”

“Then they will be wrong.”

“And you’re married to me. My tainted blood will hurt you and our children. What if he suddenly wants to be their grandfather. I don’t want anything to do with him.”

Relief flooded her when he said he wanted nothing to do with the man, as she thought of Jim wanting to be a grandfather to her children. Absolutely not! Over her dead body and she knew he could arrange that.

“Did you know that Jim White was your father?”

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