Devil in Texas (Lady Law & The Gunslinger Series, Book 1)

Devil in Texas (Lady Law & The Gunslinger Series, Book 1) by Adrienne deWolfe

Book: Devil in Texas (Lady Law & The Gunslinger Series, Book 1) by Adrienne deWolfe Read Free Book Online
Authors: Adrienne deWolfe
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railed at her nether region. What the Rebel Rutter knew about love could probably be poured into a thimble.
    As if on cue, the parlor door opened, and Wilma crossed to Sadie's table with a serving tray. As the madam flashed her secretive smile and leaned over Sadie's shoulder, Sadie could smell the oddly pleasant combination of dried peony and rosemary, which the Mambo regularly replenished in her gris-gris, the protection pouch swinging from a leather cord around her neck. Wilma ardently believed in banishing evil—as well she might. A whore, and especially a whore of mixed blood, often saw the darkest side of men.
    "Are you sure you're up to meeting with him, chere?" the Mambo whispered, placing a shot of whiskey-colored sugar water by Sadie's elbow.
    Sadie nodded curtly. She didn't see how fleeing through Wilma's secret tunnel would help her dig up dirt on a senator. Besides, the only way to determine if Cass could be turned into a trustworthy informant was to figure out how loyal he was to Baron.
    "C'est bon," Wilma murmured. "I shall send him to the poker room. Let us see how long your disguise fools our Rebel Rutter."
    Wilma waved; Cotton nodded; and within minutes, Cass and Collie were stepping through the sliding panel that separated the gaming hall from the parlor. A great deal of grinning and giggling arose from the two female beerjerkers in the room. Sadie couldn't tell whether they were admiring Cass's rugged good looks or Collie's. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought the kid's silvery-blond hair, sun-chiseled features, and rangy torso made him Cass's younger brother.
    Pushing her spectacles up her nose, she pretended to focus on shuffling. The hayseeds in her game were well on their way to having their crops freighted, so to speak. In fact, they were more interested in gawking at "big city titties" than shelling out money for a rut. Sadie figured her Bubbas were the best part of her disguise to fool Cass.
    But she hadn't considered the raccoon. Cass let the varmint sniff something that looked suspiciously like Daddy's button. The next thing she knew, the roly-poly nuisance was galloping across the carpet in a silvery ripple of fur, sniffing his way past boots and spittoons before clambering triumphantly into her lap. She glowered at the creature.
    "Tarnation!" cried Bubba One, blinking blearily across the table at the furry game-crasher. "I'm seeing coons!"
    "Dag-nabbit." This from Bubba Two. "I gave the bouncer my squirrel gun!"
    "Don't make no never mind," said the heroic Bubba Three, who was trying—rather clumsily—to impale the coon with a walking stick. "I'll barbecue the varmint!"
    The coon swiped a paw, flashing ferocious fangs. A heartbeat later, Cass and Collie stood scowling on either side of her chair.
    "You barbecue my coon, and I'll barbecue your ass," Collie threatened in a gruff, Kentucky accent.
    The coon grabbed her shot glass and began guzzling the sugar water.
    Honestly. How does Cass keep a straight face around these clowns?
    "Scram," the gunfighter growled, drilling his iced baby-blues into the rednecks.
    The grangers gulped and fled, their chairs toppling backwards onto the carpet.
    So much for the safety of numbers.
    But Sadie had been playing games with Cass—both in and out of bed—long enough to recognize a real threat when she saw one. Right now, his anger was under control.
    "Looks like we're one short in our foursome," she drawled, continuing to shuffle her cards. "Should I be dealing a hand for the coon?"
    Collie arched an eyebrow at Cass. "You put up with that mouth?"
    "With a gag."
    Sadie snorted. "So you'll be kissing my ass, then."
    Reluctant amusement sneaked across the steely planes of Cass's face.
    The kid shook his head. "You're a goner, Snake Bait." Hoisting Vandy to his shoulder, Collie reached for a Bubba's half-empty bottle of Wild Turkey. "I'm getting drunk over yonder. So if you need rescuing, you'll have to give Vandy a holler."
    Cass nodded.
    For a

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