Free Dangerous by Sylvia McDaniel Page B

sisters of yours.”
    “You may regret saying that.”
    “Come on, let’s go. You’re going with me.”
    Why now and why with this man had she suddenly experienced her first kiss? Why an outlaw, a man her papa would have hauled into town for his bounty? And why like this out on the prairie?
    Because of her own silly pride for thinking her sisters had all the fun, while she sat at home and talked to the chickens.

Chapter Five
     
    L ater that afternoon, Beau’s worst nightmare came true. He glanced behind him and saw the Harris gang riding hard toward them, sending his heart to pounding and his breath straining. He had a choice. Try to get away from them with Annabelle, or stop and act like he was glad to see the gang he belonged to and he’d been busy searching for the outlaws everywhere.
    Though he hated the second option, he couldn’t help but think it would serve him better than trying to outrun them and risking either himself or Annabelle being shot.
    He pulled his horse to a halt and glanced over at Annabelle. “Listen,” he said, his voice stern. “The Harris gang is about a half mile behind us. Follow my lead and don’t do anything stupid. You’re my wife. Do you hear me? Don’t disagree or you’ll be servicing five randy cowboys. Are we clear?”
    Her blue eyes widened with fear, as she pulled up next to his horse. “You better get me out of this alive, or I will haunt you in hell. Do you understand me?”
    He reached out and ran his fingertips across the smooth skin of her face. “Sugar, just be your usual charming self.”
    The sound of horse's hooves brought his attention back to the situation at hand. Beau waved to the riders like he was happy to see them and said a quick prayer that they would not be dead before sunset.
    The riders surrounded them, with William coming up beside Beau. “Where in the hell have you been?”
    “What do you mean? I told you when we split up I would hide the bank robbery money, and I’d catch up to you on the way to Fort Worth.” God, he hoped they believed that lie. Or else any second now he’d be feeling a bullet entering his brain.
    “I’ve spent the last three days looking for you,” William said, his dark eyes glowing with hatred. “I’ve half a mind to shoot you right now.”
    Beau shrugged his shoulders, pretending it didn’t matter, while remembering the man William had shot and left for dead on the trail. “If you don’t ever want to see that bank money again, that’s your choice.”
    Silence filled the air as William stared at Beau, his eyes searching Beau’s face.
    “Once I lost that posse, I hid the money. Then I was passing by Zenith, and I stopped and married my childhood sweetheart. Gentlemen, meet my lovely wife, Annabelle.”
    Maybe since he’d brought his wife, they’d believe he wasn’t trying to steal the money away from them. Though, in a sense, he did plan on keeping the cash from them.
    The men whistled, but William didn’t look convinced. He shook his head. “Why in the hell did you bring your wife out on the trail?”
    “Now, I know what you’re thinking, William, but it’s not true. I wouldn’t have brought Annabelle if I was trying steal the hold-up money. My plan was to get the money, find you, and put Annabelle at Crockett, where your family is waiting for you. That way she’d be safe, while we’re out earning a living.”
    William growled like a ravenous beast. “Where did you hide the money?”
    “We’re two days’ ride away,” Beau said, trying to act surprised at the outlaw’s reaction. “It’s near the Red River. Right on the way to visit your wife and family.”
    “I should kill you right here for disappearing with the money.”
    Beau expected to see the flash of the gun’s nozzle any second. William hadn’t hesitated when he’d killed that poor man for being drunk. The only thing working in Beau’s favor was the missing money, or he knew he would have been dead by now.
    He shrugged like his life