Sam's Creed

Sam should have known Isabella wouldn’t stay put. She stood beside him, staring down at the man, no expression on her face. “I don’t remember inviting you to this parley.”

Kell worked his way between them, his yellow eyes locked on the bandit. Bella folded her arms across her chest. “I do not remember asking you to capture me.”

He cocked the other hammer of the gun. “And yet we’re both here.”

“And here is where?”

It was the bandit that answered with a sneer. “Here is where you will die.”

Sam was tempted to end it right there. Instead, he placed his foot on the bandit’s injured shoulder and pressed. “Care to share what makes here so damn dangerous?”

It took very little for the bandit to spill what he knew. Pretty much one hard push and he was telling all. “Tejala owns this town. Owns this territory. No one will help you for fear of his retribution.”

“I never asked for help.”

The bandit leaned to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood. “You will need it.” He jerked his chin toward the dead. “You killed his cousin. He will not rest until he kills you.”

“Which one’s his cousin?”

Sam looked at Isabella. She shrugged. The bandit was more accommodating. “The one with the moustache.”

“The stupid son of a bitch who came between me and my dinner?”

The man spat again. “In a few days, we will see who is so stupid.”

“If you kill him, no one will know who did this,” Isabella interjected helpfully.

Kell growled as if he approved the plan.

“True.” Sam removed his foot from the bandit’s shoulder as he pretended to consider the notion. “Of course, the thirty or so townsfolk peeking at us from behind the window curtains might be a problem.”

“How many bullets are in your gun?”

Damn if she didn’t have a sense of humor. Swallowing back a chuckle, he shook his head. “Not that many.”

The bandit grimaced, showing rotted teeth stained red with blood. “There is no hope for you, ranger.”

Suppressing an urge to kick those ugly teeth down his throat, Sam kept his voice even. “I wouldn’t go that far. As long as I have the woman, I have a bargaining chip.”

Isabella gasped. A sly glint came into the bandit’s gaze. “Tejala would pay much for her.” He hitched his weight up higher against the wall. “I could bring you to him. We could share the profits.”

“I don’t share.”

“You will need me to find him.”

Sam caught Isabella’s hand, keeping her from getting any further out from his side. “Or I could just plant my feet somewhere and give a shout as to what I’ve got.”

He ignored Isabella’s “Bastard.”

“What do you think of that?”

The bandit spat again. He wiped his chin on his shoulder. “I think that you are a dead man.”

Sam straightened. “I think you’re right. Which means I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Curtains were fluttering like crazy down the street. The town’s residents were getting nervous. Nervous people made him anxious. Isabella tugged on his hand. He looked down.

“If you let me go,” she said, in a voice that shook, “No one will chase you.”

“Now where would the fun be in that?”

“You don’t want me.”

She had to be shitting him. The woman was a curvy little keg of dynamite that had a man thinking about making her explode with his first look. “Darling, there isn’t a man alive that wouldn’t want you.”

He didn’t like the assessing look in her eyes as she cocked her head to the side and placed her hands on her hips. “You also?”

“Sure. I’m as red-blooded as the next man.”

“Good.” The too-big hat fell over her face. She pushed it back with an impatient hand. “Then I will hire you.”

“I’m a ranger. I’m not for hire.”

She didn’t bat an eye. “Then you can hire me.”

“For what?”

“You’re a ranger in Tejala territory who’s going to have bandidos on his trail in a very short time. You’re going to need a guide if you plan on surviving.”

He pushed his hat back with the back of his hand. “I suppose you’re offering your services?”

“Yes.”

“You got any references?”

She waved at the nearly unconscious bandit at their feet. “I have been evading men such as he for the last six months. That must mean something.”

What it meant was she’d been running scared longer than any woman should have to. “Well, I might be impressed if you could prove it was true.”

That chin came up. The hat came down. She rounded on the bandit. “You will tell him it is true.”

The man shook his head. Isabella kicked his calf, then his thigh. Sam figured the family jewels were next. The man grabbed her boot. “I’m not telling him shit.”

Kell lunged in and snapped at his arm. Isabella stomped on his fingers as he jerked it back. “Tell him!”

Sam chuckled as he pulled out a sulphur. They sure were a bloodthirsty pair.

The bandit lurched to the side, cradling his arm. Isabella drew her foot back. Kell stalked forward. It was probably time to step in.