Bride Gone Bad
Page 23
“That happens a lot around here,” Big Jim added.
“I think she’s in real trouble,” Mercy said. “I’ll pay you a bounty to find her.”
“I don’t need your money.” Belle tossed him a withering look. “Anyway, if you can’t keep track of your lady friend, you don’t deserve her.”
“It’s not like that.”
“So what is it? You beat her? Starve her? Work her? Make her your plaything?”
He blinked in astonishment. Belle wasn’t as pretty inside as she was outside. No telling what horrors she’d seen in her young life. “It’s personal.”
“It always is.”
“I mean, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Men never do.”
Mercy looked at Big Jim. “I need help. Tell her I wouldn’t hurt Diana. I’m worried about her. She’s a nice lady.”
“If she’s run out on you, I won’t be the one to help find her,” Belle said. “A woman’s got a right to protect herself any way she can.”
“You’ve got me all wrong. Big Jim, please explain who I am.”
“Mercy is . . . the artist.” He drew out the words as if with great reluctance.
“What artist?”
“The bar.”
Belle dropped her hand to her six-shooter. “So you’re the low-down, yellowbelly Yankee who thinks women are nothing but sides of beef.”
Shocked, Mercy stepped back. She was armed and he wasn’t. She was mad and he wasn’t. She hated art and he was an artist. Still, he couldn’t let a few problems stand in the way of helping a friend.
He forced a smile. “When can you start looking for Diana?”
Photo by Brenda Dennis Snow
SABINE STARR rides the trails of her ancestors by horseback, four-wheeler, and Jeep when she explores Wild West myths, legends, and mysteries to locate authentic excitement for her novels. She lives near the Old Shawnee Trail in Texas and in the Kiamichi Mountains of Oklahoma, where she writes about lawmen, outlaws, Indians, and honky-tonk gals with a penchant for fast guns, hot guys, and daring adventures. Visit her at sabinestarr.com.
Praise for LADY GONE BAD
“An exciting read!”
—New York Times bestselling author Bobbi Smith
“A fun read—Old West Style!”
—USA Today blog
“Starr writes a fun, vivid western romance
with entertaining characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“If you’re a fan of sexy cowboys, mysterious outlaws, historical settings, and HAWT romance—definitely grab this one up.”
—JenRen Reviews
“Readers will enjoy . . . Lady Gone Bad.”
—Genre Go Round Reviews
“I like the plot, the characters and dialogue, the chemistry.”
—Diah’s review (goodreads.com)
“This is a good western story with a spicy romance.”
—The Book Faerie
“Lady Gone Bad is a hot romance
with a touch of tenderness at its core.”
—Virginia Campbell (redroom.com)
“And I loved the spiritual aspect to it,
someone watching over them and aiding in their journey.”
—Lady Godiva (goodreads.com)
“This book is perfect for a romance reader.”
—nocturnereads.com
“One of the best historicals of the year!”
—Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and More
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Copyright © 2013 Sabine Starr
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First electronic edition: October 2013
ISBN: 978-1-6018-3145-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-60183-214-6
ISBN-10: 1-60183-214-1