Page 38 of Cowboy's Last Stand
When Natalie chatted with the Lunas, Jason went in search of dessert.If he stayed at the table, they would glance over at him curiously and ask her why she didn’t want to introduce him.He knew why.She feared they would judge her for dating someone new.Either that, or she was afraid to admit it to herself.Maybe she was still in love with Mike.She said she wasn’t ready to move on, but she seemed ready.He’d seen the heat in her eyes.She was capable of succumbing to desire.She’d done it before—with Wade.
Jason felt a surge of jealousy, even though he assumed the encounter had been unsatisfying.She hadn’t wanted a repeat.
With him, she would.He’d guarantee it.
Jason found the dessert table and perused the plentiful offerings.A big man sidled up next to him.
Billy’s father.
He was wearing a bolo tie with turquoise and silver feathers.The style reminded Jason of a garrote, ready to be tightened.It was distinctly unflattering on the sheriff, who had a weak chin and round face like Billy.
“Hello there.I’m Sheriff Hendricks.”
Jason nodded curtly.“Sheriff.”
“I heard you met my son the other night.”
“I’ve met both of them.Or are there more than two?”
“Billy was in a regretfully inebriated state.”
Jason made a skeptical sound.Billy regretted his drunkenness—and getting his ass kicked—more than he regretted his actions.“Billy got what he deserved,” Jason said bluntly, meeting the old man’s eyes.
Sheriff Hendricks didn’t blink.“He mentioned an item that you removed from his person.It’s a family heirloom.”
Jason gave him an incredulous look.“His brass knuckles are a family heirloom?”
Hendricks lowered his voice another decibel.“We’ve been using them on people of your ilk for decades.”
It was a blatant threat and a grave insult.“People of myilk?”
“Drifters.Undesirables.”He let his gaze slide to Natalie and then back to him.“You don’t want that pretty little thing getting caught in the middle, do you?”
Jason was speechless.He’d never been spoken to this way before.His size and strength, along with his military background, inspired respect in others.If anything, people idolized him.He was a combat veteran, for Christ’s sake.He’d served his country with honor.Getting confronted by this salty old bastard was an outrage.Plus, he’d extended the threat toNatalie.Jason imagined planting a fist in his face and sending him sprawling into the dessert table.
“Return my property on your way out of town,” Hendricks said.Then he chose a piece of chocolate cake and left.
Jason walked away from the dessert table empty-handed.For once, he had no appetite.He watched Natalie and Marcus from a distance.She selected cheesecake with fruit topping before rejoining him.He couldn’t even take pleasure in the sight of her eating a ripe strawberry.After dessert, Marcus went to play with Missy’s twins.
Natalie set down her fork, her face serious.“What happened?”
Jason couldn’t lie about the confrontation.He was already withholding too much.“The sheriff wants Billy’s brass knuckles back.”
“You’re kidding.”
“He called them a ‘family heirloom.’Apparently, his family has a long history of being dirty fighters as well as ignorant rednecks.”
She smiled at his observation.
He smiled with her and felt some of his anger drain away.
“It’s not funny,” she said, sobering.“The history of violence isn’t funny.You just have a way with words.”
Jason nodded in understanding.“He told me to get out of town.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.“You haven’t been given a very warm welcome.”
It wasn’t her fault, but he could imagine a perfect remedy in her bed.He doubted she would invite him in, as Marcus had innocently suggested.Draining the rest of his iced tea, he surveyed the crowd once again.It was a diverse group, reflecting the military at large, with lots of mixed-race families.Wade sat next to his father, his posture stiff.Jason sensed some tension between the old guard and the new one.
