Wildfire in His Arms Read Online Free PDF Page A

thought to ask him for his name. Possibly his reputation hadn’t reached as far as Helena, but he couldn’t count on that when people in Nashart and Butte knew that he was in the area. And the sheriff would know as well as Degan did that his name would bring other glory-seeking gunfighters to town. Whether he stayed there or not, they would still come looking for him.
    He rode directly to the brothel that Dawson favored. The scantily clad women lounging in the large parlor perked up as he entered. He heard syrupy greetings and salacious promises. Two of them even pushed each other to get to him first. A third was seductively walking toward him when she noticed his demeanor—and his gun—and turned around. Her expression must have alerted the others. The women stopped trying to attract his attention. A few of them hurriedly left the room. He was used to that reaction. Women were more afraid of him than men, and they were less inclined to try to hide it, even women like the ones here whose company could be bought by anyone. And they didn’t know him, knew nothing about him. Yet one close look at him and their instincts had them averting their eyes.
    The madam, who was also in the parlor, was the only exception. Her job was to make sure every man who entered her domain left happy. Yet even she approached Degan nervously, though she didn’t sound it when she said, “It’s not often I meet a man who makes me regret that I’m a married woman now. They call me Chicago Joe. What are you in the mood for, ­mister?”
    Three blondes were in the room, but none of them were as pretty as the one named Luella whom he’d seen standing at the window that morning bidding Dawson good-bye, and she was the one he was there to see. “I’m looking for Luella.”
    â€œOne of our favorites!” Chicago Joe smiled. “She’s upstairs, but she isn’t available right now. Can I offer you a drink while you wait, or perhaps another of our lovely . . . ?”
    Degan didn’t wait for her to finish. He headed up the stairs. No one tried to stop him. Luella’s had been the corner room facing the street. The door wasn’t locked, but she was with a customer. At least only Luella was in the rumpled bed. Her customer was still undressing to join her there. Both glanced immediately at Degan as he stepped into the room.
    â€œI only need to have a few words with the lady,” he told the man. “You can either wait in the hall for her, or find another if you can’t wait. But vacate—”
    The man had already grabbed his shirt and boots and rushed past Degan with his head ducked down. Luella got out of bed and put on a thin robe before she turned to say, “A few words, huh? And aren’t you the handsome one. Remove that gun and we’ll get along just fine, mister.”
    Degan could tell she was trying to be brave. Women usually did get bold with him once he removed his gun. But Luella was also inching her way toward her bureau, where she probably kept a weapon. Degan moved farther into the room to block her from doing something stupid.
    â€œI’m not here for your charms. You’re going to tell me where Max Dawson holes up when he’s not paying you visits.”
    She blinked before her brows snapped together. “No, I won’t.”
    â€œAre you sure about that?”
    She rushed to the other side of the bed to put an obstacle between them. Degan realized he’d terrified her with his tone. Unintentionally. He would have liked to put her at ease, but that would defeat his purpose.
    So Degan stated clearly, “If I have to wait around here for another week for Dawson to crawl through your window again, someone is bound to get shot during the arrest, particularly Dawson if he tries to run. His wanted poster doesn’t say dead or alive, but it doesn’t say he has to be alive, either.”
    â€œHow’d