Texas Hellion Read online

  Some people might think it was a bit much having her investigated the way I had, but the truth is, I can’t stand a fraud. As the granddaughter of the town’s long standing judge I had heard more than my fair share of stories of swindlers and other ne’er do wells. So when this seemingly unassuming young thing showed up and had half the town singing her praises and the other half fawning all over her, I took it upon myself to ensure that she was exactly who she said she was.

  It wouldn’t be the first time the good people of Sutter’s Ville had been suckered by an air of innocence, and it was a good thing I had done my homework as it turns out. My only mistake was in trying to be fair and warning her not to try the same thing she had been run out of the last town for here.

  I guess she took my generosity for weakness, everyone knew that I was kind to a fault and hated to hurt anyone no matter how deserving. If there was a way to salvage someone, if there was even an ounce of decency to be found in them, I was more than willing to give them another shot. Everyone knew this about me; this was one of my many virtues and was well known by all. I guess the new girl in town had heard this about the town’s reigning princess as some of the locals had fondly dubbed me.

  Well, someone had forgot to tell her that there were two sides to sweet lil ole me. I’m sure she knew all about the cotillions and the coming out parties and such, but she didn’t know about the shooting range behind the family mansion, or the weekends spent hunting with daddy and grandpa.

  I guess after the doctors told mama she couldn’t have any more after me, and daddy decided he loved mama too much to cheat, he decided to treat his one and only as both son and daughter. I got the best of both worlds. I could do anything a boy child could do and do it while looking damn good thank you very much.

  I pulled up outside the house with horns blaring and blood in my eye. By the time I climbed out the car whatever rationale I might’ve had was long gone. Every wrong that had been done to me in the last coupe of weeks culminated in this one moment. I slammed the door and marched my ass towards the front door.

  “Joel you bring your skinny ass on out here right now.” I know the snake was in there because I saw the tail end of his truck sticking out from behind the house where he thought it was hidden. How dare he be here after everything? You mean he couldn’t even stay away from her for one stinking night after making me the laughing stock of the whole county?

  When there was no answer forthcoming, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I didn’t have all day with this mess. I sighted my rifle and took aim. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The first shot broke the front window. That got them to running around in there like bulls at a stampede.

  “That one was for free, you come on out here and face me like a man.” This felt kinda good, makes me wonder why I waited so long to settle all my arguments this way. I’ll tell ya there’s a whole other feeling of accomplishment when there was someone else at the other end of my shots instead of just clay or bales of hay.

  “Cami calm down now, we can talk about this like two adults.”

  “Come on out ya hear.” I wasn’t too much interested in anything he had to say at this point. What kind of ass gets caught two days before his wedding at the local motel with another woman? I mean if he was going to do it why didn’t they just come back here to her place? It was remote enough. No doubt it had been her idea to go to the motel, where they were bound to be seen by many.

  He didn’t seem to be paying me no mind and I wasn’t about to leave here without my pound of flesh. That third or fourth gin and tonic was now kicking in and I was feeling no pain. I took aim again and let my finger on the trigger do the talking.

  The second one went through the door. Shit, door, there’s a back door. I made my way around the side of the house to the back where I was just in time to catch them trying to make a run for it. I didn’t aim over their heads. What would be the point? I was sure no one would blame me for winging them, and besides, my gramps’ the town judge, he’d get me off.

  “Ouch, she shot me.” They scrambled back inside after I nailed her ass. She was still talking so it was maybe just a flesh wound; more’s the pity. “If you don’t come on out of there, I’m gonna get me that nice can of gasoline that daddy insist I carry around in my trunk and light this place up like the fourth of July.”

  “Cami, you calm down out there now, don’t you do anything stupid you hear.”

  “Did you just call me stupid?” I shot through the broken window. Damn that gin and tonic was a real fire starter. How many of those things did I have anyway? Didn’t matter, I was feeling no pain.

  There was a lot of screaming and griping from the bitch on the other side of the door but I didn’t feel any compassion for her. She shoulda known better than to ride another woman’s dick, now she can take what the hell she got. As for Joel, I know just how to deal with his cheating ass, and no I didn’t feel any way about what he had coming.

  I shot off a few more rounds but the two cowards weren’t budging so I did as promised, I kept my word. The bright red plastic container with the black nozzle was right where I’d left it, all I needed was some matches and I was in business.

  Chapter 2

  GRANT

  “Grant you’ve got to help me out.”

  “What is it Brady? You sound…off.” I would be too if I had to deal with the wedding of the century, but I didn’t say anything to my old friend. He’d probably chew my ear off if I said anything anyway. No one got away with anything when it came to his precious little girl.

  “Cami’s cheese fell off her cracker again.” What the hell is new? The girl is a damn nuisance. I’m surprised she hasn’t been carted off to the loony bin before now, as much shit as she gets up to. “What did she do now?” I rolled my eyes in the safety of my home, which was about the only place it was safe to do so in this situation in this town. I seem to be the only one in the seven years that I’d been living here, to have seen the true colors of one Camille Sutherland.

  She’s a spoilt little rich…grrr, who thinks she can have her way in everything. From the age of sixteen until now, I haven’t seen much difference in her and won’t hold my breath. “That asshole Joel cheated on her with that new librarian. She only found out today and her friend Mary-Joe just called to say she’s gone after them. I’m not home, I got stuck down in San Anton, and her mama went on a last minute buying trip before the wedding. Heaven help me, if somebody don’t get down there quick there’s going to be trouble.”

  “What do you mean went after them? Is she armed?”

  “You know she is, I always make sure she rides around with her shotgun, the world being what it is.” Something inside me went cold and hard, what if the little fool got hurt? “I’ll go after her Brady not to worry.” I hung up the phone and headed for my truck without a second thought.

  I had a general idea of where the librarian lived, what was her name again, Sandra? I think that’s it. It might be faster on my horse to cut through the pasture and all, but I wasn’t about to take my stallion in the middle of some shit that I didn’t know whether it was dangerous or not. Of course when you think about the fact that I was about to put my own self in the middle of it, that didn’t make any sense but what the hell. It was my choice the horse didn’t have one.

  And why was I putting myself in the middle of this shit anyway? I could lie and tell myself that I was doing it for my good friend Brady, but there’s never really any use in lying to yourself. I wasn’t about to second- guess myself, not now anyway. I had to go get this pain in the ass out of her latest fix.

  Cami-Cami-Cami. I wasn’t sure what to make of this girl from one minute to the next. The first time I met the sixteen year old, she seemed sane enough. There was no difference between her and any other sixteen year old I’d met up to that point, except maybe for her exceptional beauty. She had this long flowing mane of burnish copper hair that reached down her back, and chocolate colored eyes with just enough slant to them to make
them exotic.

  In a damn state of blondes she was a definite standout, even though I made it a point not to notice her because she was nothing more than jailbait. She was stunning I’d give her that, but it didn’t take me long to realize that there was more than a little bit wrong with the girl. She’s nuts plain and simple.

  Now that she was older and I no longer had to pretend she didn’t exist, and I could openly admire her Grade A ass, I had already made up my mind to leave that shit alone. Because of my relationship with her daddy I was privy to some things that others weren’t, and I knew a lot more about the little princess than I probably needed to. She was a handful and a half, nothing at all like the pliable prim and proper miss I envisioned at my side.

  Her daddy and grandpa thinks the sun rises and sets in her ass, and so does most of the town come to think of it. I seem to be the only one in her spoilt little existence who’s ever told her no. Come to think of it, that’s when I first saw the other side of her. She’d wanted to try some hair-brained experiment on my land that was sure to get her killed. I can’t remember what now, but I sure do remember the mouth on her when I told her to take her spoilt ass on home to her daddy.

  It’s not like she was vindictive or spiteful or anything like that, but she had a way of getting her point across and it’s not for the faint of heart. I make it a point to stay out of her way and she affords me the same courtesy, but it’s hard to miss her. If she’s within ten miles you know it, or at least I do. It’s been a while since I laid eyes on her and I could’ve gone a whole lifetime without another sighting if you ask me. She usually just leaves me either confused or spitting mad with no outlet for my anger.

  That was all before the news of her upcoming nuptials. It was as if a switch went off inside me. All the years of pent up whatever the fuck I had for her seemed balled into one and just hit me out of nowhere. I’d spent almost every night since then imagining how the fuck to pull a snatch and run. When I finally accepted that that was crazy think, I distanced myself from the whole damn thing, she’d made her choice.

  It’s not like she ever knew what I really felt for her, fuck if I knew that shit myself, so there was no harm done. But it had taken some doing for me to come to terms with what the fuck had become of my life. Half the time I wanted to turn her over my knee and the other half I wanted to fuck her into the ground; now she was caught up in who knows what again.

  The last time I saw her she was up to her shit as usual. I was never sure if she knew or suspected that I had a torch for her, but she sure did act up whenever I was around. It’s like she was always trying to get a rise outta me, yanking my chain. That last time she’d come close to feeling my bare hand across her ass which would’ve probably led to other things.

  I don’t dare lay hands on her, though she could do with a good tanning, but her daddy is one of my favorite people and he won’t take kindly to me manhandling his little girl. So instead I just grit my teeth and bear whatever shit she threw my way. In the past few years it had been getting harder and harder to keep my feelings hidden so I made the choice to stay away from her, but here lately it seems that life just keeps throwing us together.

  That boy Joel was a mistake waiting to happen. I could’ve told them that, but I’m sure, as with everything else, she wanted him, so her daddy made sure and got him for her. That boy was no match for little miss firebrand, and the fact that no one else had seen that was a mystery to me. She’d eat him for breakfast any day of the week, and maybe that’s why she’d chosen him. She was the type that would want a man she could rule over. Her daddy hadn’t done her any favors letting her get her way in everything under the sun, and I guess now those chickens were coming home to roost.

  The girl had never been denied anything a day in her life, I can’t imagine how she was dealing with this new chapter, but I do wish I was anywhere but here. There wasn’t much I could do now could I? And I wasn’t too thrilled at the prospect of being alone with her after spending so much time and effort over the years to avoid just this catastrophe.

  In my head I was saying all that shit, but my foot was heavy on the gas and all I could think of was getting to her before she hurt herself, or heaven forbid, someone else hurt her. That I knew I could never let slide so it was probably best for all concerned if I got there before shit went south.

  I heard the racket before she came into sight. One thing about her, whenever I had her in my sights I was sure to get a good laugh. She looked a sight with her hair wild from the wind and no doubt going too fast in that death trap she called a car. The heels on her feet had her tottering in the grass and the satin and lace top she had on was pretty much out of place here.

  “Put that damn gun down and get out of there.” I slammed out of the truck suddenly angrier than was warranted. The situation didn’t really have anything to do with me after all, I was only here as a favor to her daddy. But somehow seeing her here making a fool of herself over some other dick, made me hot around the collar.

  I saw the oilcan and what looked like the contents of her purse scattered on the grass. One swift glance around showed bits of glass from the shot out windows and one very pissed off woman.

  “You get out of here Grant Colfax, this has nothing to do with you.” Did she just stomp her foot at me? She pouted and glowered at me as she brandished the gun. There was steam coming out her ears for sure and she did not look happy to see me at all, not that I expected her to be. We had a silent love hate relationship going on that I’d be damned if I knew how it started.

  “That you out there Grant? We need help in here, Sandra’s been hurt.” That changed things up a little now didn’t it?

  “How bad is she hurt?” I held my position next to the truck making sure to keep it between me, and the idiot woman with the shotgun. Her little friend was cowering in the hedges off to the side with her phone plastered to her ear.

  “Her elbow, I think it’s shattered.”

  “I’ma shatter more than that trollop’s elbow, you come on outta there you snake.” The idiot took another shot at the house. I always knew she was gonna come to this end. Too much damn fire in one little girl. She took a stumbling step and that was my first clue that I was dealing with more than her pique, but maybe a little liquid courage as well. Oh joy.

  “Cami, your daddy sent me out here after you, now put the gun down and let’s talk this thing through. Your daddy and mama are worried sick over you, let’s end this before it gets any worse.” I kept my voice low and even keeled so as not to spook her; just the way I would a fractious mare or a cantankerous bull.

  “Can’t get any worse than this, they humiliated me in front of the whole town, they have to pay. Now you go on back home Grant, I don’t want you here.” She swiped her hand under her nose like a child and my heart clutched a little at the innocent move. I couldn’t let that sway me though, I knew that any sign of weakness on my part and she’d walk all over me.

  “Too bad, now put that damn thing down before you hurt yourself.” She swung it around and pointed it at me. Now I’m no fool, at least I tell myself that I ain’t, but I hate being aimed at. It’s like waving a flag in front of a bull. I was around the truck and heading for her before I could think better of it. Her eyes widened and she tried to make a run for it when I advanced on her.

  “Don’t you move one step little girl or I promise you I’ll turn you over my knee right here in this clearing.” I knew that wasn’t gonna work, but I also knew she wasn’t gonna shoot me. Her dander might be up, but she wasn’t stupid, and like I said, she didn’t have a mean bone in her body, well not usually; she was just nuts.

  I saw the hurt in her eyes the closer I got to her and wasn’t sure what to make of the feeling that started in my gut. I always did hate to see anything weaker than me in pain, but this one can take care of herself. “Give me the gun sweetheart.” I held out my hand for the weapon, hoping that she wouldn’t make me have to get rough with her, but knowing that it could go either way.


  “No, I don’t think I wanna. Why are you here anyway? What do you care, or are you here to gloat?”

  I wasn’t sure what the hell she was talking about, why would she think that I would want to gloat at her being hurt? Come to think of it, this was the longest conversation we’d ever had, so I don’t know where she was coming from.

  “I’m sorry you got hurt baby, but this isn’t the way. You never let them see you sweat.” For the first time since I’d known her I saw a softer side, but it was fleeting. She composed herself and I could see the struggle inside her as she tried to come to a decision.

  She took one last look back at the house, as though weighing her options, while hefting the gun in her hand. Then her shoulders slumped in defeat and she passed it off to me. “Now I’m gonna let those two come out here so he can take that girl to the hospital to get looked at before she bleeds out. You gonna promise me to behave yourself right.” She nodded her head as I emptied the gun of any live rounds and placed it under my arm.

  She looked so dejected I almost took my life in my hands and reached for her, but thought better of it in the end. I knew I was playing with fire; me being who I am and she being who she is. A situation like this could reveal more than I meant it to, but I hated like hell to see her looking like this. I was also pissed that she was this broken up over some other guy, which made no damn sense at all.

  Watch yourself here Grant; you’re teetering on the brink. But my mind was suddenly full of what ifs. What if I stopped being a chump and took what I wanted, what I wanted to own? When I was sure that she was gonna stay calm I turned back to the matter at hand.

  “Okay Joel you two can come on out now.” The door squeaked open a little and he peered out before making his way around it and out onto the porch. The librarian wasn’t much taller than his shoulder as she hid behind him with her arm wrapped in a towel with way too much blood soaking through it.