Free The Texan's Dream by Jodi Thomas Page B

open his eyes. He no longer cared.
    As the world began to dim and fade, the strikes stopped suddenly. Jonathan swayed, fighting to stand as the two men holding him moved away. Suddenly, in the midst of the fight, a giant intruded.
    “Let the man go!” Wolf roared. “What kind of fair fight is four to one?”
    It was now two to four, but the soldiers backed away. They’d taken several blows each from Jonathan and were in no shape, even with the odds, to challenge Wolf.
    “He started it!” the driver yelled like a boy in the school yard. “Coming in here, telling us how we should think.”
    “Well, I’m finishing it.” Wolf bent and folded Jonathan over his shoulder. “Any of you boys object, you know where to find me.”
    The four soldiers stepped out of the giant’s way.
    Wolf marched from the bar without another word. Jonathan faded in and out of consciousness.
    When they reached the hotel lobby, he heard Wolf mumble, “Try not to bleed all over the rugs.”
    By the time Wolf climbed the stairs, Jonathan was awake and demanding to be put down. Wolf dropped him off his shoulder as if Jonathan were no more than a sack of grain.
    Jonathan staggered to keep his footing. “I didn’t ask for your help.”
    “You never do, do you?” Wolf shoved him through Kara’s hotel room door. “I thought you’d outgrown brawling since you went back East. Thought you might have smartened up since taking over the ranch. But no. First time I’ve seen you in two years, and your eye is black. I should have guessed yesterday that you hadn’t changed. You’re still the fiery kid looking to get yourself killed.”
    “And you’re still the hairy guardian angel trying to save me.”
    “Somebody has to keep an eye on you. Those four would have left you for dead if I hadn’t come along. I could hear the blows plowing into you from the street.”
    “The man deserved to have his face pounded in.” Jonathan leaned against the dresser for support.
    “They always do, don’t they, Kid? Just like in some crazy way, you think you deserve getting the guts kicked out of you,” Wolf raged. “Ever since the rangers pulled you out of that Apache encampment, you’ve been fighting the world.”
    “Don’t give me that speech again about it not being my fault everyone close to me dies. I’m not in the mood. And stop calling me ‘Kid.’ ”
    “Stop acting the part. I’ve hauled your bleeding carcass out of half the bars in Texas. And I’ll tell you—”
    The smack of a leather ledger case against the side of his head silenced Wolf. He turned in time to see Kara, dressed only in a nightgown, double back for another swing. “What …” was all he got out before she hit him again.
    Wolf looked at her as if a mosquito had just decided to wage war against him.
    “Get out of my room!” Kara yelled. “What do the two of you think you’re about bringing your fight into my room? I’ll have none of it.” She might be a foot shorter and less than half his weight. But she was a furious warrior in full advance.
    “Your room?” Reason dawned in Wolf’s eyes. “Begging your pardon, miss. I thought …”
    The poor man looked so honestly confused, Kara almost felt sorry for him. “I suppose you just forgot that your room is across the hall?”
    “Well, yes.” He jerked his hat off and began mutilating it in his huge hands. The giant stood before her, an arsenal on his person, looking like he’d rather face a whole town of outlaws than apologize to one woman. “I didn’t …”
    Jonathan’s body hit the floor with a thud, ending Wolf’s agony.
    Kara rushed to Jonathan’s side and lifted his head. His handsome features were bloodied and bruised. The old wound she’d inflicted blended with new ones.
    “What happened?” Kara asked as she motioned for Wolf to help her get Jonathan to the bed.
    “I’m not sure, but when I got there it was four against one. The kid looked like he’d held his own long enough to bloody all the others.”
    Kara’s Irish accent returned. “And that’s something to brag about, is