Unexpected (9 page)

There were
men as tough as rawhide that couldn’t look him in the eye, yet she could.  It was something that brought out a challenge in him.  It also turned him on. He was going to love making her submissive. His other hand came up and caressed a lock of her hair momentarily drawing his attention.  It was like fine imported silk.  The color itself was desirable.  Most men liked blondes, but not Butch.  He liked the dark brownish-auburn on a woman, especially a woman with vibrant blue eyes the likes of hers.  Eyes that had fire in them.  He knew she’d be passionate and would fight him every step of the way, but he would have her.  There wasn’t even doubt in his mind.  He leaned toward her, hovering his cheek next to hers, tipping his head slightly and inhaling her scent. 
Pure as virgin snow
.  He almost sighed out loud at the shudder of pleasure that went through him at that thought.

When he locked gazes with her again there was no fear this time, just defiance
in her eyes. He almost smiled.  She definitely didn’t like being touched. Now he was hard with wanting her.  Oh, how he was going to love taming this wildcat. 

Then he heard it. 

It was the subtle click of a gun cocking, and sure enough, he felt the cold steel barrel of a derringer under his chin.

“I know these don’t cause much in the way of death, Butch, but I do know they make a hell of a mess.
And everyone knows how much you love the way you look. Release me.” A small smile appeared on her face to let him know that she’d follow through on her threat.  She was glad that her lip didn’t tremble because the rest of her felt like it was.

He
might have believed her if he didn’t feel her hand quiver through the barrel. However, this wasn’t the time or the place.  He just wanted to put some fear into her, and he was successful. He dropped his arms. “I will have you Josie.  I’m going to be inside you whether you want it or not.” He’d meant to shock her and it worked. Her hand trembled more, but her expression gave nothing away. “You can make this easy on us—or difficult.  It makes no difference to me.”

“The day you touch me, is the day hell freezes over.” She seethed stepping
quickly sideways out of his reach.  “I’ll be a corpse before I let your filthy hands near me.”

He shrugged. “I
am going to love to hear you scream my name, love. Your threats mean nothing.”

She started backing toward the door.

“Ryker can’t protect you forever.”

“I don’t need Ryker.” She lowered her aim to his crotch.  Even though she trembled with fear she managed to force a cynical smile.  “I can look after myself.”

“You have no idea how that affects me,” Butch said not the least bit worried that she’d follow through on that threat.  His eyes darkened in excitement. Women were a weak species and Josie may act brave, but she was showing signs to the contrary.  He could have forced her, but he was enjoying the fear she was displaying.  Besides, it would be long and hard with her. He was a patient man.

Just then the door opened and in stepped his men. 
They noticed Josie through the window. Butch nodded to them to let her leave.  “Until next time lovely.”

“Hold your breath
—please.  Maybe you’ll choke on it.” She stepped backwards through the door and rushed down the street.

It was
Deak that brought him back to the present. “I told you,” Deak said in response to Butch’s comment on Cogan’s size.

“
It’s time we met.” It wasn’t a suggestion.  Butch intended for his men to return with the stranger.

Deak
gave his boss a look. “Boss he shot Elroy and—“  Deak stopped talking when Butch looked at him.  That deadly look with sharp grey eyes could make a grown man shake with fear.  He never seen his boss kill anyone, but that look in his eyes made him know he wouldn’t have a problem doing it.  Deak was barely seventeen and never killed anyone in his life. “I mean, yes sir.” Deak turned and walked out the door not able to hold his gaze anymore.

“Clancy, go with him and make sure he doesn’t screw this up,” Butch said
to another man while returning to his seat.

“Yes
boss,” he answered.  He turned and followed Deak.

Cogan had
just finished helping Josie out of the wagon when she looked past him at the activity across the street. “It looks like you’ve already got Butch’s attention.” 

Four men came ou
t of the hotel and stood on the boardwalk in front of the building looking toward them.  There was no doubt they were Butch’s men because they were armed to the teeth.  This made her worry.  Would Butch actually open up on them in the middle of town?

“I recko
n,” he responded without turning around. He already knew he attracted attention as they came into town. He didn’t have to look to see whose attention he got. He could feel the evil off the bastard from where he was. There was also the movement of a curtain on the second floor of the hotel.  Furthermore, if they wanted him dead, the two armed men on the roof of the hotel would have shot him already.  Butch McAllister was obviously a paranoid man.

When he didn’t turn and look
to what she was referring to, she looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile. 

“They won’t gun me down in public.”
The concern in her expression was readable.

“
Am I that transparent?”

“Yes.”

“Gosh, I really have to work on that.”

He reached up and chucked her chin gently and affectionately
. “It’s a trait I hope you don’t change.  I’ll be only a moment. You two stay with the wagon.”

“Please be careful.”
She felt her heart jump at the compliment, but still couldn’t erase the worry she had if he was going in to meet Butch.  She didn’t share what happened in the hardware store with anyone.  She knew Ryker and his hell-fire temper would come in town and threaten to kill Butch even with a useless arm. Chances are, he’d be the one with the bullet in him.  She just couldn’t risk it, so she kept that incident to herself. 

“Always,” he said
with a glint in his dark eyes before he turned and walked across the street like he was in no hurry.  He had a long stride, a stride of confidence and power.  Yet, he didn’t act arrogant, which was a trait she associated with power the likes of that.

Josie bit her bottom lip in worry while watching him.  She knew
he could probably take care of himself, but she also knew what Butch was capable of and Cogan didn’t.

Now there were townsfolk coming out of doorways to catch a glimpse of the man that shot five of Butch’s
best.  Rumors spread through this town like wildfire and no doubt were thoroughly embellished. Others had paused from walking along the street and the boardwalks to watch him. Josie couldn’t blame them for being curious, or probably the most appropriate word, was awe. It wasn’t often anyone stood up to Butch or his men.  Cogan acted as though nothing in the world could scare him and that troubled her.  No man was invincible.  Yet, she had difficulty stopping the smile when Butch’s men stared at him warily and stepped out of the way as Cogan went lazily up the steps to the boardwalk.  He seemed to have that effect on people.

“They’re scared of him Josie,
” Thomas said from behind her.

“Yes, I see that.”
She was impressed that her little brother was so astute.

“That’s good isn’t it?” he asked
as he climbed down from the wagon and stepped up beside his sister.  He asked because she didn’t look as impressed as he felt.

She looked down at him and explained.
“Sometimes when men fear something, they’d rather shoot first. Cogan incites fear in men. I’m worried that we put him in danger.”

“He’s really tough.”

She looked down at Thomas and gave him an encouraging smile. It was obvious he was in admiration of Cogan and rightly so.  He was mysterious and did seem invincible, but that only meant it would take a lot more to kill him.  Butch wasn’t a stupid man.  Although he seemed indestructible, Butch would figure out Cogan’s Achilles heel. 

Whe
n Cogan entered the room his skilled mind quickly assessed his surroundings. Butch was easy to pick out because he stood out. He was dressed in an expensive dark navy suit, dark vest, and white striped shirt with a western tie. He obviously spent a lot of time on his looks. His hair was neatly combed and his moustache was even and trimmed perfectly. The handlebar probably wasn’t his best choice.  It made his head look smaller than it really was.

To Cogan, it
seemed as if he liked to surround himself in fancy things. Well, he went overboard with it to try and make himself look important.  His office was richly furnished with items that weren’t common in a small town and nothing seemed to go together. Yet, now he knew vanity was important to this man. However the look in his eyes also said a lot.  Just because he lavished himself didn’t mean he was a pompous fool. Besides his wealth, he liked to show his influence and intimidation.  

Like outside the hotel, t
here were about six more armed men in the room and a woman sitting over in the corner smoking a cheroot.  She was pretty but obviously a whore from the way she was made up and dressed.  She also had what looked like a faint bruise on her cheek. Cogan gritted his teeth.  It was a coward’s way to hit a woman despite how she made a living.

At that moment Butch
stood up and smiled.  It was cold and calculating and Cogan had been around long enough to know that this was a dangerous man.  His eyes were soulless.

“Mr. Reid.” Butch greeted.  “My name is Butch
McAllister.”

“I know
who you are Mr. McAllister,” Cogan said without returning his smile.  It was dim in the room and he figured it was because of Butch’s need to appear intimidating.  Little did he know, Cogan appreciated the lack of light. 

“Have a seat.”
He spread his arm to a luxurious leather bound wingback chair, one of two facing his desk.

“I’ll stand. I don’t expect to stay too long.”

“Would you like a drink?” He indicated toward a liquor cabinet and one of the men moved toward it to do Butch’s bidding.

“I don’
t drink,” Cogan answered casually.  “I’m not here to make friends, or small-talk, so I recommend you get on with it.”

B
utch’s smile dropped and his eyes went over Cogan trying to read him.  Normally he was good at it, but this man gave nothing away.  He was definitely someone to worry about though. It was his lack of fear and the way he confidently stood that clued him in.  Any man that had been in that position before always showed apprehension unless he was stupid.  This man wasn’t the least bit stupid. He’d killed five of his men, and although he couldn’t prove it through Elroy’s rantings about an animal, he was certain he had something to do with that too. He hadn’t had any trouble from anyone until the stranger arrived, that’s why he blamed him. Elroy more than likely made up that story after he’d failed him a second time worried about mentioning it was Cogan again.

The whole time Butch was studying Cogan, he was returning the favor with eyes dark as night, and filled with intelligence. 

No, definitely not stupid.

After a moment of silence he nodded.
“Fine, I’ll get to the point. I’ll pay you a hundred a week to come work for me.”

Cogan slipped his thumb into the pocket of his pants and relaxed his stance.  A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as if he found
the offer amusing.

Butch waited but didn’t get an answer s
o he upped the wage. “Three hundred.”

“You’ve misjudged me Mr. McAllister.
  You’re wasting your time.”

“Anyone can be bought.”
At least Butch thought so.  He just hadn’t found Cogan’s price. 

“As I said, you don’t know me.”

Butch looked at him for a moment before he came around and leaned against the front of his desk facing him, so he could study him more closely.  His men may be wary of this man, but he wasn’t. There wasn’t much in this world that scared him anymore, but Cogan had an air about him that warned him.  He could honestly say he hadn’t met anyone like him before. Not many men had the balls to look him in the eyes for very long and Cogan had yet to even blink. “I’ve been around, more than most men have.  I’ve also learned from a young age on how to survive Mr. Reid.  I pride myself in knowing a lot about people and what makes them tick. All men want the same things.  Money, power, and women. In that order,” Butch said. Several of his men in the room verbalized their agreements.

“If you say so,
” he replied with a tone of disagreement.

“I do,” he said confidently.
Cocky bastard,
he thought to himself.  He looked half his age, yet acted as if he lived twice as long.

“Then you still have much to learn.”

“Do I?” A single brow went up.  Then he stood straight, turned and walked to the window moving the lace curtain aside. He gave Cogan a brief pretentious look before turning his head to stare out the window at the brother and sister waiting patiently by the buckboard on the street below. He’d seen the small affectionate exchange between Josie and Cogan before he joined them. “I may have,” he murmured to no one in particular.  Then he turned back to his desk and retrieved a cigar from the box on top and took his time clipping it before lighting it.  He took a long drag off it before he spoke again.  His eyes never left Cogan’s.  “She’s a beauty isn’t she?”