Aces Wild by Taylor Lee Page A

to control your anger, you’re nothing but a schoolyard bully. Tough, brash, and easy to beat. All it takes for an accomplished fighter is to step back like I did tonight and let you beat yourself.”
    He could see the kid was listening and went in for the kill.
    “ That’s not good enough, Kai. You’re right. You are Ana’s first line of defense. I need you, boy. I need to count on you. I need you on my team.”
    He waited for a moment. When Kai didn’t answer, he asked, “Need help getting up?
    Kai shook his head and mumbled, “I’m okay. You can go.”
    Gabe nodded. “Sure thing. See you in the morning.”
    He walked away, but stood quietly in the shadow of the barn. He waited until Kai hoisted himself to his feet, clutching the post. After several minutes, Kai got his balance and walked unsteadily toward the big house. Gabe followed him at a discreet distance. When he was sure Kai made it inside, he headed across the courtyard to the guest house.

~~
     
    Chapter 11
     
     
    The next morning, Gabe ducked by the dining room entrance. He pretended not to hear Penelope call out to him. That’s all he’d need, he thought with a grimace, to get shanghaied by that loathsome woman. His quick glance told him all he needed to know. Ana was not at the table. He chuckled. Not surprising. From what he learned about this family in the last twenty four hours, it amazed him if Penelope could get anyone to eat with her. Or be in the same room, for that matter.
    His humor died a quick death when it hit him again that Ana wasn’t there. An unfamiliar emotion gripped his chest. It felt like anxiety edging toward fear. Neither emotion was familiar. From what he sensed now, it wasn’t a feeling he would enjoy.
    He headed out to the barn to look for her. To his relief he saw Clem, the ranch foreman, educating a group of bored looking stable boys on the rights and wrongs of stable mucking. The boys weren’t impressed. Gabe had to agree. What more could you learn about shoveling horseshit except to do it as fast as you can and learn to like the smell.
    Gabe closed in on the group and tipped his hat to Clem.
    “ Morning, Clem. Know we haven’t officially met. I’m Gabe McKenna.” He stuck out his hand. Top his surprise, the wiry little man ignored it and glared at him. In a voice far from cordial, he said, “I know who you are.”
    When he turned to walk away, Gabe called after him. “I’m glad that you do. Chao Li told me last night if I had questions about anything around the ranch I should go to you.”
    Clem stopped at the mention of Chao’s name and stood several feet away. Hostility vibrated off his sinewy body. “What do you want?”
    Gabe frowned than plunged ahead. “I’m looking for Ana. Have you seen her?”
    Clem shrugged. “Not lately.”
    Gabe held the man’s gaze for a long moment then said in a careful voice.
    “ I see. Well, let’s put it this way, Clem. You can tell me what’s got vinegar in your craw and we can deal with it. Or the two of us can find Chao Li and see if he can figure out who or what put a stick up your ass.”
    Clem’s dark suntanned face flushed. Gabe was sure it was with anger not embarrassment. While he waited for Clem to decide if he was going to answer him, Gabe took out his cigarette case and held it out to the man.
    “ You smoke?”
    “ Hell, yeah. What man doesn’t? But not that sissy chickenshit crap. I roll my own. That way I don’t smell like I just stepped out of a chippy joint.”
    Gabe nodded. He took his time lighting his cigarette, never taking his eyes off the other man’s hard face. While the insinuation was clear, he decided not to take him on. After he took several drags and Clem had yet to answer him, Gabe decided enough was enough.
    “ Let’s try this again, Clem. See if we can get a better start. Is Ana here?”
    He shrugged. “Her roan’s gone.”
    Gabe let a smile tweak his lips although he could feel the anger stirring in his gut. Goddanmit, he