Free The Texan's Bride by Geralyn Dawson

herself.
    Then she stilled and centered all her energy behind her words. “The devil take you, Branch Kincaid, the devil take you all.”
    She laughed hysterically. With her hair in tangled disarray, eyes frantic and breasts thrust forward as she arched away from those who held her, Katie looked like Bedlam’s daughter. And as such, she unknowingly helped his cause.
    He whirled on her, eyes blazing. Nobody stopped him when he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard. “Shut up. I’ve had all your mouth I’m willing to take.” He stared into her wild eyes, trying to reach her, reassure her, but she was beyond seeing. He grasped her upper arm and yanked her away from the Regulators. She stumbled as he dragged her toward the horse trough and threw her to her knees beside John.
    “Tend to your old man, woman. Don’t let me hear so much as a swallow out of you.” He lowered his voice and pleaded, “Trust me, Sprite.”
    Wearing a disgusted sneer, he walked back to the dumbfounded group of Regulators. “She’s a loon, you know,” he told the man in black. “Her old man told me she’s had these spells ever since her husband died.” He shook his head. “Dangerous thing, too. Why, one morning I woke up and she had a hammer raised above my head. Ready to kill me in my sleep she was. And after a right pleasant night of pokin’, too. I should’ve known her Pa wouldn’t sell her so cheap without a reason.” He shrugged and said, “But she’s an Anglo woman, unattached and clean. They ain’t too easy to find in Texas, you know.”
    “It seems as though lack of sense runs in the family,” the Regulator replied. “All I intended was for us to burn the place. It wasn’t until the boy started shooting and the old man swung his fists that things got personal.”
    Branch waved a hand in a dismissive gesture and said, “They are a strange bunch of pups around here, that’s for certain. I’ve been wanting to talk with you about joining up with the Regs. I’ve got a hankerin’ to get involved in this little war y’all got going. How do I go about it?”
    The Regulator threw back his head and laughed. At the sound, a chill brushed the back of Branch’s neck. “Just what kind of fool are you, Kincaid? the fellow asked. He turned to his men and said, “You men take care, the woman isn’t the only crazy one here today.”
    He shifted his gaze back to Branch, shaking his head. “You show up out of nowhere, help me out of a little difficulty, take control of one of my prisoners, then calmly announce you want to join our organization.” He chuckled, but amusement never touched the sinister gleam in his eyes. “For all I know, you could be a Moderator spy!”
    Now the gamble, Branch thought. But the stakes were higher than he’d planned. Dammit, Kate, why didn’t you stay put ? “You’re right.” Branch nodded slowly. “That’s what I am, or at least that’s what I told the Moderator leader, Edward Merchant.”
    The Regulator held up a hand, halting his men, who were going for their guns. “What’s your story?” he asked.
    Branch looked around guardedly. “Well, I hate to go into any detail right about now, what with all the company.” He flicked his thumb toward the Gallaghers. Katie had helped John to his feet, and together they had staggered over to Daniel. She worked feverishly at the knots that bound his hands. Tears flowed down John’s dirty, wrinkled face as he comforted his son, whose soft moans drummed in Branch’s ears.
    “Do you think we might could find a more private place to speak?” Branch asked.
    Cold eyes stared at him a full minute, then the man nodded once and pointed toward the kitchen, which had not been set afire. “In there, after you.”
    “Hey, boss, can we have the gal now?” one of the men called as they crossed the yard.
    Branch shot the leader a hard look. “The woman is mine,” he stated flatly. “I meant what I said about liking my women clean, and I aim to