Devils on Horseback: Nate Read Free Page A

never even once had time to think of a man as anything other than a person.
    A man complicated life too much and it was already complicated enough. Elisa would have to avoid Nate. With her work at home it wouldn’t be too hard. Every waking moment was spent trying to keep the Taggert ranch running.
    She passed the walnut tree that marked the edge of their property. Her tension lessened somewhat but her temper still simmered. Elisa eased up on Midnight and slowed him to a trot. As the horse breathed slower so did she. They calmed down together. By the time she reached the house, she felt more in control of her emotions.
    As much control as she could have anyway. She found her father sitting on the porch where she’d left him, whittling a piece of wood and staring into his knife as if it held the keys to the world.
    “Da, why are you still sitting there? You were supposed to relieve Daniel an hour ago.” She dismounted and stopped herself from shaking him. A deep breath of the sticky air did nothing to alleviate the smell of failure. The failure of the Taggert ranch and the end of their family history.
    “What was that?” He looked up. The breeze ruffled his dark brown hair liberally sprinkled with gray, and his normally sharp green eyes softened with confusion.
    “Daniel. You were supposed to relieve Daniel so he could have some time to sleep. He’s been up all night watching the herd, Da.” She threw her gloves on the ground. “And that damned Marvin forgot to order the tack for us. I think he’s about to stop our credit at the store.”
    “Don’t curse, darlin’. ’Tis not fitting for a lady.” Her father continued to whittle away at the piece of wood that didn’t resemble anything but a piece of whittled wood.
    “Lady?” she snorted. “Who the hell are you talking to? I haven’t been a lady since I was fifteen years old and had to run this ranch. Goddammit, between you and Ma—”
    She never even saw him move, but he slapped her so hard, her ears rang. Elisa knew her father still had strength and speed, but it had been so long since he’d done anything but mope, she’d doubted its existence.
    “Don’t you dare speak of your sainted mother when you’re blaspheming.” He shook with rage, his pale face suddenly florid. “I’ll thank you to keep a civil tongue in your mouth. I’m still the owner of this ranch and your father.”
    “Then act like it.”
    “How dare you.”
    “I’ve dared a lot of things, Da. If I hadn’t, you’d be sitting in an alley eating scraps for meals. We’ve got to save this ranch and we can’t do it if you are still grieving. It’s been a year already.” Her voice cracked on the last word. It had been a hard three years, but the last had nearly broken her spirit.
    Her father simply stared, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. His mouth opened and closed, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he sat back down on the stump and started whittling again.
    Anger and frustration roared through Elisa. She couldn’t be near him much anymore without the urge to rage. It wouldn’t help matters any, so she spent as much time as possible away from her father.
    With a deep breath, she mumbled, “I’ll go relieve him then.”
    She threw herself back on Midnight and rode off toward Daniel. At least watching the herd would give her relief from her family. God knows she needed more than relief. She needed a miracle.
    When Nate arrived back at camp, the rest of the Devils were sitting around the campfire staring glumly at what appeared to be a squirrel roasting above the flames. He hid a grin at the scowl on Lee’s face.
    Gideon looked up and nodded. “Hey there, Nate. Glad you’re back. I sure as hell hope you found a deer or something on the way.”
    “I had a bit of success in town actually.” He dismounted and revealed the bulging pack of supplies strapped to the back of his horse.
    “Holy shit,” Jake said with a grin.
    “A bit of success? Shit, you idiot, that’s more