Read Online Devils on Horseback: Zeke, Book 3 by Beth Williamson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beth Williamson
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sitting on the cot, and in the dim light of the jail, he started talking. “I’m from Georgia, little town called Briar Creek. Wasn’t much left of it after the war, so me and my friends came west.”
Although she looked wary, Naomi reached for a piece of cornbread. “I’m from North Carolina.”
He’d been right then, a displaced southern belle. “I don’t rightly know what we expected when we came out here. It sure as hell wasn’t this place.”
“Tanger’s not so bad.” She nibbled on the cornbread. “Folks seem pretty nice, well, most of them anyway. Believe me, there’s worse towns than this one, and far worse people.”
He wanted to ask if she’d been referring to the bar patrons or him, but didn’t want to know the answer. “I suppose they are, but this town’s covered in blood too.”
She looked saddened by what he said. “Sometimes there’s nothing but life and death. I’ll take life anytime, even if it’s messy and out of control. Too many people I know don’t have that choice anymore. I’ll fight to survive, no matter what I have to do.”
His stomach cramped because she spoke the truth, but that didn’t mean he was going to admit it. At times, Texas seemed to be just as bad as the battlefields he’d escaped, but Tanger seemed to be where the Devils had finally stopped roaming. It sure as hell wasn’t perfect, but they were trying to make it a home.
“How did you end up in Tanger?” He offered her milk, as if they were sitting on the riverbank with a picnic basket.
Naomi took a swig of milk from the bottle as well as any man. “Thank you.” She wiped the residue with her fingers, and Zeke happened to notice they were long and slender. Foolish man had to pull his gaze away from her hands so he could focus on what she was saying. “I’ve been in Texas about three months, lived in a few towns, but moved around a lot. The supply wagon stopped here and I didn’t have any more money to pay the driver.” She shrugged. “I’ve been in some rough places, but Tanger really is one of the better ones.”
“You always work in a saloon?” He took a drink of milk himself, more than aware her mouth had been on the same glass moments before. It sent a tingle of awareness through him.
She shook her head. “No, done lots of things, whatever I had to survive.” This time when she met his gaze, a pulse beat between them.
Zeke had done many things to survive, and in this tiny woman he’d found a kindred soul. His friends never quite understood how Zeke felt about things, and truth be told, he didn’t talk much about it either. Yet in that split second, it seemed Naomi understood completely. It was a bond he didn’t want or need, dammit, but he couldn’t deny it.
“If I untie you, you promise not to run away?” What the hell was he doing? She was his prisoner for God’s sake, and he just offered to free her.
She narrowed her gaze. “I won’t run, but I don’t know why you’d free me so quickly.”
He shrugged. “Now that we talked, well, I know you didn’t start the brawl on purpose.” Of course, she could have been lying, but he didn’t think so. “If you stay here tonight, I’ll release you in the morning.”
As she finished the piece of cornbread in her hands, she chewed slowly, watching him with bulging cheeks. It would’ve been comical in any other situation, but there he was, giving his trust to a woman he barely knew.
When she nodded, he stood and untied her hands. She rubbed her wrists and whispered a thank you.
Zeke didn’t want her to be afraid of him since he wasn’t about to hurt her. “Let’s get out of this cell.”
Naomi hadn’t lost her suspicious expression, so she carefully walked out of the cell and let out a huge sigh when she reached the other side of the room.
He gestured to the desk. “Have a seat. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
She scooted up on the desk, her feet swinging like a kid’s would. “You know I lost a
Although she looked wary, Naomi reached for a piece of cornbread. “I’m from North Carolina.”
He’d been right then, a displaced southern belle. “I don’t rightly know what we expected when we came out here. It sure as hell wasn’t this place.”
“Tanger’s not so bad.” She nibbled on the cornbread. “Folks seem pretty nice, well, most of them anyway. Believe me, there’s worse towns than this one, and far worse people.”
He wanted to ask if she’d been referring to the bar patrons or him, but didn’t want to know the answer. “I suppose they are, but this town’s covered in blood too.”
She looked saddened by what he said. “Sometimes there’s nothing but life and death. I’ll take life anytime, even if it’s messy and out of control. Too many people I know don’t have that choice anymore. I’ll fight to survive, no matter what I have to do.”
His stomach cramped because she spoke the truth, but that didn’t mean he was going to admit it. At times, Texas seemed to be just as bad as the battlefields he’d escaped, but Tanger seemed to be where the Devils had finally stopped roaming. It sure as hell wasn’t perfect, but they were trying to make it a home.
“How did you end up in Tanger?” He offered her milk, as if they were sitting on the riverbank with a picnic basket.
Naomi took a swig of milk from the bottle as well as any man. “Thank you.” She wiped the residue with her fingers, and Zeke happened to notice they were long and slender. Foolish man had to pull his gaze away from her hands so he could focus on what she was saying. “I’ve been in Texas about three months, lived in a few towns, but moved around a lot. The supply wagon stopped here and I didn’t have any more money to pay the driver.” She shrugged. “I’ve been in some rough places, but Tanger really is one of the better ones.”
“You always work in a saloon?” He took a drink of milk himself, more than aware her mouth had been on the same glass moments before. It sent a tingle of awareness through him.
She shook her head. “No, done lots of things, whatever I had to survive.” This time when she met his gaze, a pulse beat between them.
Zeke had done many things to survive, and in this tiny woman he’d found a kindred soul. His friends never quite understood how Zeke felt about things, and truth be told, he didn’t talk much about it either. Yet in that split second, it seemed Naomi understood completely. It was a bond he didn’t want or need, dammit, but he couldn’t deny it.
“If I untie you, you promise not to run away?” What the hell was he doing? She was his prisoner for God’s sake, and he just offered to free her.
She narrowed her gaze. “I won’t run, but I don’t know why you’d free me so quickly.”
He shrugged. “Now that we talked, well, I know you didn’t start the brawl on purpose.” Of course, she could have been lying, but he didn’t think so. “If you stay here tonight, I’ll release you in the morning.”
As she finished the piece of cornbread in her hands, she chewed slowly, watching him with bulging cheeks. It would’ve been comical in any other situation, but there he was, giving his trust to a woman he barely knew.
When she nodded, he stood and untied her hands. She rubbed her wrists and whispered a thank you.
Zeke didn’t want her to be afraid of him since he wasn’t about to hurt her. “Let’s get out of this cell.”
Naomi hadn’t lost her suspicious expression, so she carefully walked out of the cell and let out a huge sigh when she reached the other side of the room.
He gestured to the desk. “Have a seat. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
She scooted up on the desk, her feet swinging like a kid’s would. “You know I lost a
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