Free Operative Attraction by RaeLynn Blue Page B

had walked the dog on him.
    “Hey, I asked you a question,” Jeanie said again.
    Again, he mumbled something.  Again, I didn’t catch most of it , but I clearly understood the word ‘bitch’ — and that wa s when I knew homeboy was about to meet a bad end.  Before I could say ‘no, stop, don’t , ’ Jeanie and Shara had the man untied, on his feet and were taking turns kicking his ass.
    Oh damn .  “Don’t kill him,” I instructed.
    “But I want to, M ommy,” Jeanie said all innocent - like.  That chick actually stopped, poked out her bottom lip and batted her lashes at me like that was going to make me change my mind.  Wow.  Just wow.
    “Shara and Jeanie, what did I say?”
    “No killing,” they said in unison.  From the looks on their faces , you’d think I’d told them ‘no freedom’ instead of ‘no killing.’
    “You never let us do anything,” Jeanie added.
    “I’m letting you beat him, but if y’all have a problem with the ‘no killing’ rule, I can also prohibit beating.”
    They hushed up right after that.
    Turning to the two Texans, I spoke.  “Shoot him if you have to.”
    Seeing the smiles break over their faces, I turned back to Dréa and Laura.  “Only if you have to…not simply because you can.”
    “Fine,” they simultaneously pouted.
    Walking past Yazmin and Reid , I spoke.  “Yeah, um , make sure the Texans don’t kill him.”
    “Seems like dude might need killing,” Yazmin said.
    Her words brought a tear to my eye.  Yazmin was all Cali girl but sometimes she said the most southern things.
    “If the authorities come here, they might confiscate your weave and Reid’s handbag collection as evidence,” I said.  It was wrong of me to scare them thusly , but I really didn’t want them murdering anyone in my town.  If dude had to be ended, they needed to drag him to another town to do it.
    Stepping into the saloon, I called Town Administrator of Awau.  That woman was nothing if not practical.  Okay, she wasn’t the least bit practical , but she had a houseful of big men who liked nothing better than beating the shit out of people.  Her husband   described himself as an ‘asshole by choice ; ’ her brother -in-law was co-holder of the Alaska Territory Asshole of the Year Award for the last three years; and his co-holder of the prestigious award was his best friend , who’d held the title for fifteen straight years before he came to town.  The Posse could kick all kinds of ass , but we had our families in attendance , and um , yeah, that wasn’t cool.
    “ Administrator speaking,” she answered on the first ring.  Two seconds later, she screamed , “Settle down or I’m coming in there , and you do not want that!”
    “I know your baby girls aren’t cutting up,” I said.
    “Not my angels — it’s their daddy, uncle, and godfather that I’m talking to.  If they don’t learn how to act , I’m going to toss their asses in your jail.”
    “Normally, I’d let you , but we have a situation.”  Pausing, I filled her in on the details.  I didn’t know why Shara was wailing on dude, but the fact that she was meant that he’d done something egregious…besides trespassing.
    “I’ll send the Asshole Trio your way…and being that I’m overrun by males who like to fight , send your kids over here.  Ain’t nothing going to happen to our babies,” she said before clicking off.
    I had hardly set the phone back in the cradle when I heard the sounds of a big truck.  Pressing the button to open the gates, I waved them through.  Exchanging the kids for the assholes, we made our way to the jail where dude was cuffed, bound and duct-taped.
    “He seems to be enjoying his unconsciousness,” one of the men remarked.
    “Yeah, let’s beat him awake so we can find out why the hell he’s up here threatening our family,” his brother snarled.
    “And after we find out, let’s beat him back into unconsciousness,” his friend growled.
    Leaving the