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The cowboy laughed out loud. “That’s right, pretty thing. You’ll be riding me soon.”

When she sank her teeth into his ear, he roared and jerked her over the top of his head, flinging her to the earth.

Jesse stumbled to his feet and charged Dusty.

“Don’t go there, Jesse,” Mona said in a low, pleading voice. “He’s not worth it.”

“I’ll kill him.” Jesse reached out to push her aside.

“Don’t or I’ll fire you and Dusty both. And where would you get the money to help your mamma?” Mona was running out of steam and her baby was kicking against her ribs so hard, it took her breath away. If she didn’t get Jesse to leave soon, she didn’t know if she’d still be standing to stop him.

* * *

REED RINSED HIS HANDS, taking his time, waiting for the man behind him to finish his business, take off his hat or something.

The dark-haired man flushed and left the bathroom without washing his hands. Reed followed.

A shout went up, “Fight!”

Already people rushed for the door, anxious to see the action.

Like everyone else, the Hispanic man hurried out, his buddies ahead of him.

Reed waded through the crush, two deep behind the disappearing dark-haired man.

When his quarry stepped through the open door, the wind whipped his hat off his head.

No sign of an injury from the back. Reed’s pulse quickened and he pushed his way through and out into the open, determined to get around in front of the man.

As soon as he did, he saw it. The angry slash of red high in the man’s hairline. This was one of the rustlers. Reed was certain. The man grabbed his hat from the ground and disappeared around the corner of the bar.

Reed took a step toward him, when he heard a shout.

“Go home, Jesse!” The female voice lifted above the heads of the crowd. The determined ring to her tone could be none other than the owner of the Rancho Linda. What the hell was Mona doing here?

Reed shouldered his way to ringside where Dusty and Jesse threw punches at each other. Jesse had a cut high on his left cheekbone, his eye already swelling shut.

A flurry of motion zipped by him and Catalina was kicking, scratching and spitting like a wildcat at Dusty. “Leave him alone, you bastard!”

Reed charged in, jerked Jesse out of the way and stood in front of Dusty. “Catalina, let me handle this.”

“Yeah, like you did today?” Dusty waved him forward with his fists. “Come on. You don’t scare me. You want a piece of this, come on.”

“I don’t want a piece of anything. I want you to go home and sleep it off. Both of you.”

“Do as he says, Dusty.” Mona stepped up beside Reed.

Dusty crossed his arms over his chest and spit at Reed’s boots. “No. I don’t have to listen to you and I certainly don’t have to listen to a girl who has no business running a ranch.”

Reed moved forward, but Mona’s hand on his arm kept him from swinging at the man.

“Don’t.” Mona looked across at Dusty and said in a cool, clear voice. “Don’t bother to come back to the Rancho Linda. You’re fired.”

“You can’t fire me. Your daddy hired me.”

“Yeah, well, my father is dead, andI’mthe new owner.”

“The hell you are.” Dusty lunged at her.