Free Taming of Jessi Rose by Beverly Jenkins Page B

“He any good?”
    Griff knew Darcy was asking about his prowess with a gun.
    In answer, the man got down from his horse and untied the cow’s rope from his saddle.
    Darcy snapped, “What the hell are you doing?”
    â€œNo disrespect, Mr. Darcy, but maybe you want tobe in a pine box over a cow, but not me. Heard he and a couple of his friends took on a whole army of-hired guns up in Montana. The army lost.”
    He handed the rope over to Joth. “Here you go, boy.”
    Darcy appeared ready to explode. “Have you lost your mind? I’m the one paying your salary, not the Claytons!”
    â€œNot anymore. I quit. Him throwing in with the Claytons changes everything around here.”
    Darcy looked first to Griffin and then to his now former ranch hand. “My son says he’s just a train robber, not a gunslinger.”
    â€œYour son is wrong. It’s been nice working for you, Mr. Darcy.” The man turned his mount and galloped off toward town.
    Reed Darcy appeared stunned. He looked to his remaining companion, who seemed to be viewing Griff with a lot less confidence than he had previously.
    The man asked Griff, “Are you really Oklahoma Red?”
    â€œI’ve been called that, yes. Some folks call me Nevada Red, Omaha Red. I’ve got a lot of names, don’t I, Joth?”
    â€œSure do,” Joth chimed in with a smile. “Do you know him, too, mister?”
    â€œUh, yeah. Mr. Darcy, maybe we should head on back.”
    â€œYou turning yellow, too?” he barked.
    â€œNot yellow. Just smart.” He reined his horse around. “You coming?”
    It was easy to see that Darcy clearly had no idea what to do. This encounter had not played out as he’d planned. He was accustomed to having his orders carried out without question. “There are two of us and only one of him,” the wealthy land baron reminded the man.
    â€œMakes no difference. My pappy always said neverprovoke a rattler, and that, my friend, is a big one. See you back at the ranch.”
    He rode off.
    As the silence of the beautiful afternoon settled once again, Griff gave Reed Darcy a lazy smile and said, “Well now. Looks like it’s just you, me, and the boy.”
    Darcy glared.
    â€œYou don’t really want to lose your life over a cow, do you?”
    Silence.
    â€œI thought not,” Griff replied, answering for him. “So here’s how it’s gonna be—me and the boy are going to take this Clayton cow and head on back.”
    â€œThat cow’s not going anywhere. My men may be afraid of you, but I’m not.”
    The angry Darcy went for his gun, but it was way too late. Griff had already drawn his steel blue Colt and had the business end coolly pointed at the man’s now very wide eyes.
    Griff told him, “If I shoot you, Miss Jessi’s going to be real mad at me for letting your rotten carcass poison her land, and Lord knows we don’t want to make the lady mad. So be a good boy and put that away. Better yet, just toss it over there on the ground—we wouldn’t want anybody backshot by mistake, now, would we?”
    Darcy seemed to swell with fury.
    â€œNow.”
    Reed Darcy must have seen the force in Griff’s eyes, because he slowly but sullenly complied.
    â€œJoth, go get it. Careful picking it up.”
    Joth hustled over to retrieve the weapon and passed it to Griff, who placed the gun in his left hand, his eyes never wavering from his target. In a low voice filled with steel, he told Darcy, “Now, let me give you some advice: stay off Clayton land. If I catch you or your handsout here again, I’m going to risk Miss Jessi’s wrath and shoot you like the rustlers you are.”
    Reed Darcy seethed. “You’ll pay for this!”
    â€œMaybe, but it won’t be today. Now, git.”
    The furious and bested Darcy gave Griffin one last malevolent glare, then turned the carriage’s