Free Unexpected by Lietha Wards Page A

attention from someone like him, and with his older brother laid up, he suspected he was the next best thing.  He wasn’t sure how much time Ryker had with Thomas to begin with because this was a big spread and it would be hard to maintain it with no help. Cogan had always liked children and didn’t mind taking the time to pay attention to Thomas.
    “Defiant.”
    He chuckled and slapped the reins on the mare’s back causing the buckboard move forward.
    ***
    “Hey boss.  That stranger and pretty Miss Hamilton just came into town,” said Deak who was standing by the front window of Butch’s office.  It was in the hotel on the second floor and gave the best view of Main Street.  Someone always stood there to keep watch. Deak was intimidated by the stranger but he wouldn’t let on. In this gang it would be seen as a weakness. He feared his boss, but this guy was bigger and for some reason gave off a sense that he was more dangerous.
    Butch got up from his seat behind the desk and walked over to the window while tucking his hands in the pockets of his dark navy pinstriped pants as he stared down at the wagon that just stopped in front of the hardware store across the street.  He was intrigued.  This guy killed five of his men, wounded Elroy, and had the guts to stay on at the Hamilton ranch even with his men trying to warn him off.
    Deak got in two hours ago and updated him on the most recent visit to the Hamilton Ranch.  The stranger was still there even after he’d sent Elroy and a couple of others out there with the sheriff to warn him the day before. Deak said he didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.  He also was terrified of the man.  He didn’t have to say anything, he could tell from the look in his eyes.  Not that Deak would be hard to scare, but this and the slaying of his men just made him unhappy. Butch didn’t like to be unhappy. Then, to add to his darkening mood, there was the sheriff.  Gus was useless. He was actually thinking about having the sheriff shot, but he knew that whatever resistance the townsfolk had would flare with that.  Gus had some supporters and he definitely didn’t need a marshal to come in and meddle in his business to see how corrupt it was.  Those men were as straight as they come.  He couldn’t risk them not taking a bribe.  “He is a big one,” he finally said when Cogan got out of the buckboard to help Miss Hamilton down. His attention then went to her. No one could see the hunger in his eyes, because he hid it well. Josephine Hamilton was a striking woman and Butch thought about her a lot, but she wasn’t like his other women. She wasn’t easily intimidated despite his attempts. So he would have to think of another way.  Today, she looked like a perfect lady in her gown, with perfect curves.  She didn’t even have to dress that way because an experienced man could see how priceless she was. She was a woman that could draw envy from other men just from having her on his arm.  She was sophisticated, sassy, and unique. He always got what he wanted, and he wanted her.
    He liked women and had plenty of them, mostly his whores.  He liked things rough and would occasionally slap them around during sex.  He also had particular tastes that couldn’t be filled from a lady like Josie, but if he’d gotten her alone, he would definitely show her what he liked.  Problem was, she was always with her brother who could easily protect her, and she could handle a gun fairly well.  Yet, Butch was a patient man. Sooner or later there would be the perfect opportunity and he would pounce like a cat on a mouse.
    He’d cornered her a few weeks ago when he followed her into the hardware store.  When he walked in he looked at Bill, and told him to get lost.  Bill shot out from behind the counter, glanced guiltily down the aisle that Josie went, then went out the front door like he was on fire.  That left him and Josie.  Two of his men stood at the entrance so no