With that, she opened her hands and showed it to him. It was a shiny belt buckle with the image of a dragon embedded in the silver. He’d lost it on one of his adventures and figured it was gone permanently.
He reached out and held it in his hand, running his finger over the engraved dragon.
“Legends say he was famous for wearing fancy handmade things with dragons on ‘em,” Billie said with a laugh. “That’s how people say he earned his name as the Quickdraw Dragon.”
Clancy nodded and put the belt buckle back into her hand. It was so embarrassing, so silly, the life he’d lived long ago as a gunslinger. A past he’d left behind, a past that had only brought hardship upon all involved.
Sure, he’d managed to help a few people here and there, but there was always another outlaw, another villain, another power-hungry sheriff.
And being the one to put them down was always so tiring. It always caught up to him eventually.
“What are you thinkin’ about?” Billie asked, reaching a hand up to touch his cheek, pulling him back to the present. “I feel like sometimes you go somewhere else.”
Clancy reached down and put his hands around her waist, pulling her toward him. “I was just thinking about how delectable your lips looked.”
She laughed and cocked an eyebrow. “Want to find out?”
“All the time.”
Their lips met, and he pulled her close, heat and desire spreading through his body as his lips passionately roamed over hers.
When they broke apart, he glanced over at her small bed, then wiggled his eyebrows at Billie.
Her eyes widened, and she gasped at his implied meaning. “We’re not doing it here, you wicked man.”
Clancy leaned down and nipped at her ear. “Why not?”
“Because,” she asserted, shoving him back playfully as she giggled. “My pa’s room is right next to mine.”
“Ah.” Clancy nodded reasonably. “Yer right. Me pleasuring you senseless might prove to be a little loud and unpleasant for his ears.”
Billie wrinkled her nose. “Among other things.” She shoved him again, then took his hand and pulled him out the door. “But I have a different idea.”
“What’s that?”
“Watch and see.”
It was dark by the time they got outside. In the middle of the backyard, a small tent was set up, and it was illuminated by a lantern within. He noted that the top of the tent was clear, leaving a nearly uninhibited view of the stars.
She turned to look at him. “I used to camp out here and read stories about old Wild West figures.” She smiled and shrugged. “I always wanted to feel the freedom and wild open Texas sky as much as I could. Still do every once in a while now that I’m grown up.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Clancy said, looking at his mate adoringly.
His mate.
Damn, he was falling for this perfect woman. This passionate, wild woman who loved history and believed so fiercely in not only the Quickdraw Dragon but the world around her in general.
He’d been born to a bad situation, made the best of it he could when he left the swamp and came out west.
He’d found nothing but trouble until Dragonclaw Ranch.
But with Billie, he’d finally found something far more important.
A feeling of home.
So he rolled over onto her in the dark, kissed her deeply, and after her entreaty, proceeded to make love to her beneath the Texas stars.
14
Billie awoke that night to noises coming from outside the tent. It sounded distant at first, like male voices talking from somewhere not near them, but it took a second for her senses to clear after the hours-long lovemaking she and Clancy had shared in her little tent.
She took a glance at her phone and noted it was only a little past midnight.
Odd time of night for anyone to be having a conversation, she thought.
Clancy was still asleep, shirtless and magnificent next to her, his chest on perfect display. She tried her best to not wake him as she got her shirt and jacket on, then crept out of the tent to put on her shoes.
The voices were getting louder. One she recognized as her father, though he sounded scared.
Of what?
She made her way from the backyard toward the front of the house where the noise was coming from, and what she saw as she rounded the corner utterly shocked her.
More than a dozen and a half men were standing in a wide semicircle a short ways from the porch. A couple had flashlights, but she could make out their forms as the bright lights from the porch illuminated their tall, ominous figures.
“I told ya it ain’t here,” her pa said, standing at the front door, wearing his beat-up old bathrobe.
A huge, scary-looking guy, who made the man from a few days ago in the store seem like a friendly person by comparison, strode forward, huge arms folding. He was wearing a leather jacket and had tattoos on his neck and hands. “Yer lyin’. I can smell it. Give us the dragon’s talon, or we’ll tear yer little house apart until we find it.”
A shiver of fear went down Billie’s spine as she appraised the other men, all rough and scary and ready for trouble.
She considered calling the police, but who would answer at this time of night in such a small town? And even if they did, what was anyone supposed to do about a whole gang of terrifying-looking men threatening her family and her home?
“You have five seconds to give me the coin, or I’m coming in. And me ‘n my friends ain’t leaving until we get what we came for.”
What could these men possibly want with the dragon’s talon? They certainly didn’t look like Wild West buffs. Nor did they look like antique collectors.
Maybe Clancy had been right about the coin bringing bad luck. He was right about a lot of things these days. Should she go tell him, grab her father, and have the three of them make a run for it?
The big guy started counting. “Five.”
Then Billie heard footsteps, so quick she barely heard them until a big shadow appeared behind her.
She looked over her shoulder, surprised and slightly calmer at seeing Clancy, who was only wearing his jeans, boots, and a white undershirt along with his Stetson.
“Looks like trouble,” he said. “What do they want?”
“Four,” the leader called out, not noticing her and Clancy in the shadows of the house.
“They say they’re looking for the dragon’s talon,” Billie replied.
Clancy’s expression darkened, his face going grim and serious. “I’ll take care of ‘em.”
“Three.”
“What? How?” Billie asked.
“No time. When I go, you just get to the safety of the house. You stay inside, and I’ll let you know when it’s safe.”
“Two.”
“You can’t. There’s too many of them,” Billie exclaimed.
“I’m sorry. This is my fault. Just stay safe.”
“One.”
At that, Clancy straightened his hat and strode out into the main lights of the porch that beamed out past the steps up to her home just as the men began to advance. Upon seeing Clancy, they paused midstep, faces falling as they took in the sudden intruder in front of them.
Billie’s whole body froze as she watched, not sure of what to do. Then she remembered what Clancy had said, and she ran past him up the steps to the porch where her father was waiting, and she pulled him inside with her and shut the door behind them as Clancy asked.
All she could do was move to her window, watching with rapt attention.
Clancy had shown he was an expert gunslinger. But that was different than facing off against a group like this.
“I don’t know who your proprietor is, but I’ll have to ask you fellas to leave.” Clancy folded his arms, the only person between her home and a small army of men all after the tiny coin in her pocket.
“Outta my way,” the leader said.
“No can do. These fine people are under the p
rotection of Clancy. And if you know what’s good for ya, you’ll turn tail and go.”
There were murmurs amongst some of them, and Billie wondered what these men knew about him that she didn’t.
And why were all of them at least over six feet, some of them as tall as even Clancy? All built and muscular and baring their teeth in grimaces.
“I don’t care who you are. That coin is ours.” And with that, he stepped forward while the rest of the men began to surround Clancy.
All she could do was watch and pray.
The first man rushed Clancy from the circle, fist cocked back, and Billie braced herself for the worst.
Clancy just waited until the man was only mere feet away. Then he lifted one booted foot off the ground and swung his leg into the guy’s midsection so hard there was a loud thwack that sounded off the front of the house. The man went flying backward, tumbling into the dirt as three more men came forward to take his place.
“What in tarnation?” her pa whispered from their place of concealment by the window.
The next three attacked in unison. But Clancy was cool as morning dew, green eyes glinting with cold appraisal as one tried to throw a wild punch. Clancy dodged, tripping the man over the toes of his boot in the process, while the other two leapt.
Crack. Crack. Clancy swung a fist into one’s jaw, sending him keeling sideways. Then in a flurry of impossible motion, he hit the other with a left hook that was equally as powerful, smashing through the other’s cheek, and he fell backward into the dirt, groaning. Then before the first could even recover, Clancy turned and grabbed the man by the scruff of his shirt, and he yanked the man right toward him, right into his knee as it came up into the man’s midsection.
Billie felt the impact of it right down in her gut as Clancy tossed the coughing thug aside like a bale of hay.
How in the heck?!
Suddenly, there was whinnying from the back pasture, and her father stood up in a hurry.
“I need to check on Elmer. He could trip or run into the fence if he gets spooked.”
And it was true, Elmer had a bad habit of getting scared by things, and there was no telling what could happen if he didn’t calm down. So as her father disappeared from her side and ran toward the back of the house, toward the pasture, Billie just kept her eyes glued to the scene in front of her.
The men had dragged their unconscious friends away and into the shadows as five more thugs began to surround Clancy, who seemed satisfied to plant himself at the base of the stairs like some overprotective bulldog watching over her home and family. Only, now it wasn’t just fists. One had a cinder block in his hands, another a baseball bat, and one was swinging a length of chain around like a whip.
She wanted to scream at these guys about not fighting fair, but she doubted they would listen.
Her front yard became a whirlwind of commotion as the one with the bat and a friend rushed Clancy from the sides, but Clancy’s utter calm contrasted the feral rage with which these men attacked. With a swift step to the side, the bat whooshed past Clancy, barely missing as he grabbed the man who wasn’t holding the bat by the throat. When his compatriot swung down again, Clancy put the man he had by the throat between them, and the bat shattered as it came down on the head of the guy’s ally, knocking him out cold.
But before Clancy could counter, another man attacked, waving the cinderblock in his hand like it was made of freaking foam. Clancy kicked the block as it swung sideways, sending shards of cement flying up in a cloud of dust just as Clancy’s elbow came down on the man’s head as he stumbled past.
The man who’d had the bat a moment ago ran at Clancy from behind in the commotion, wrapping his arms around Clancy’s midsection, and for a moment, Billie feared the worst as the man with the chain attacked.
But Clancy’s head flew back, breaking the man’s nose behind him, and Clancy’s arms pushed free of his grip. And not a moment too soon, as the air whizzed with the chain as it flew toward Clancy. In a blur of motion, he caught the chain, wrapping the end of it around his fist, and when he yanked back, the man holding it flew toward Clancy, pulled completely off his feet.
He utterly shocked her as the man flew into Clancy’s arm as it extended, clotheslining the thug in the face with a powerful whap.
Then, as if to show off, Clancy whipped the chain around a few times while the rest of the men looked on aghast before taking it in his hands and snapping it in half like it was yarn.
“Who else dares try me?” Clancy asked as he adjusted his Stetson slightly.
The ringleader stepped forward, flanked by two men almost as large as he was. There was an almost feral gleam in their eyes, and the men beside him had oddly sharp canines that shone in the light.
Thankfully, Billie didn’t hear the whinnying from the backyard, so hopefully, Elmer was safe.
But that didn’t explain how in the heck Clancy had fought off so many guys in such a short amount of time.
The big one cracked his knuckles while his two friends attacked so quickly she wondered how humans could move like that. Clancy was fast on his feet, though, even faster than they were. One swung hard from Clancy’s left while the other lunged for Clancy, trying to tackle him.
Clancy’s knee connected with one of the men as he jumped, smacking him hard. The other’s fist came down, though, and hit Clancy in the shoulder, but Clancy didn’t seem to notice as he whirled and uppercut the man so hard he flew backward.
To her complete shock, both men got up, shaking off the blows.
But Clancy just shrugged, and he lunged for the one closest to him. The man put his arms up to block Clancy’s fist, but it was no use as it rocketed forward, hitting them in the face once, then twice, knocking one out before the other could fully recover.
The other charged, and Clancy narrowly avoided the hit to his back as he turned. But things only worsened as the leader charged too, bellowing and bringing both fists downward toward Clancy, who hadn’t expected the surprise attack.
Both the man’s fists hit the ground as Clancy rolled to the side, and the ground shook from the impact. With the dust that was kicked up, Clancy attacked the other lackey, head-butting him with a fierce crack and making him fall backward and into the shadows.
Then he turned on the huge leader just as his fist came swinging down toward Clancy. Clancy raised his hand, catching the leader’s fist just as it was about to connect with his handsome face.
Billie watched as Clancy then grabbed the man’s shirt and literally picked up the huge guy. She could see the shock on his face as Clancy raised him over his head for a moment before slamming him into the ground with such force the floorboards of her home shook and the windowpanes rattled.
The man groaned but somehow had the strength to somehow try to get up. “Not. Possible…”
Clancy’s fist came down in a ruthless punch right to the man’s face, bloodying him and sending his head flying back into the dirt.
“You dumbass bear. Get yourself and your wolves out of my fucking sight.” Then Clancy glared up at the few remaining men watching from the shadows. “Unless anyone else wants to try my patience.”
She wasn’t sure what that meant. Maybe just because the guy was big and mean-looking like a bear and the rest looked like a pack of ravening wolves?
Apparently, there were none left still wanting to fight, and Clancy backed off as any who weren’t completely unconscious dragged their friends away or helped them retreat beyond the visible space in front of her home.
Billie let out a long sigh, nerves tense from all the fighting and worrying for Clancy. A moment later, she rushed out of the front door of her home, and Clancy opened his arms for her as she appeared at the top of the steps.
She fell into his warm, strong arms, grateful nothing had happened. But when she pulled away from his embrace, his eyes were serious, his lips turned down.
“This is why you should just give me the coin,” Clancy said.
She had to agree with hi
s logic, but they still didn’t even know who these people were. Or why they wanted it in the first place.
Maybe they would stop coming after tonight.
“Thank you for protecting my house. My family. For what you did just now. You were amazing.”
“You’re more than welcome, darlin’. But I don’t know if there will be more coming after you.”
The thought made a pit form deep in her stomach. After all, without the coin, would Clancy still want to see her? It was what he’d been after in the first place. And though the Clancy she knew now seemed like an entirely different person from the one who’d first walked into her store, trying to buy her precious keepsake off her, it was hard to know left from right with all the adrenaline still in her veins.
“You know it’s important to me. Why do you want it so badly?” What if this was all about the coin in the first place? Maybe he was just sleeping with her to get it after all. But no, he’d never do that.
“Because you’ll be safer without it.”
“I shouldn’t have to give up something that rightfully belongs to me and my family.”
“I insist, Billie.” There wasn’t the usual playfulness in his tone.
“What, so you can leave? So you can run back to your life at Dragonclaw?” All the tension and worry were making her think things she wouldn’t normally think.
“You don’t trust me?”
“We still barely know each other!” Though, on a deep level, she felt like she knew Clancy better than any other person she’d ever met and that he knew her as well.
Seemingly sensing her stress, Clancy just reached forward and enveloped her in a warm, comforting hug. “I’m sorry about all this mess. I tried to warn you.” His tone was soft, caring. “But I know it’s important to you. And whatever’s important to you is important to me as well.”
A moment later, her pa sprang from the front door, a shotgun in his hands, as if expecting the fight to still be going. When he saw all was quiet, he set the gun aside and calmed visibly.
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