Cowboys of the Old West Series
Lawton “Silver” Silverton has returned to Blackhawk. When he left three years ago he was an outlaw. Now he’s returned as their sheriff.
Sadie Hunter has secrets she’s keeping from Silver, not able to ever forgive him for leaving her all alone. But he’s sworn to protect her as sheriff, but she wonders who’ll protect her from having her heart stolen by The Outlaw.
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Excerpt from The Outlaw:
The moon lit the empty streets of the little town of Blackhawk. Lawton’s horse stopped outside the establishment and he could hear the piano music as he dismounted and made his way to the doors of the Boar’s Head Saloon.
This was Sadie Hunter’s saloon, or at least it was when he left Blackhawk three years ago to run with the Amos brothers. Robbing banks and holding up stagecoaches wasn’t to his liking, and he was glad that was all behind him now.
Lawton “Silver” Silverton had returned, and everyone in town knew it.
His boot heels echoed loudly in the silent night as he crossed the plank board walkway. He felt the eyes of the saloon’s occupants upon him even before he pushed open the swinging doors and stopped just inside the entrance.
“It’s him,” came a voice from the crowd. The piano music stopped suddenly.
“Lawless is back,” said another, referring to him by the derogatory town’s label.
Silver scanned the room, noticing Two Finger Tom, and Buckweed, the town’s fool, bellied up to the bar. Mayor Ted Braxton and the grocer, Big George, gave him a half nod, looking up from their drinks. The local working girls were still there, smiling at him and batting their eyes. Nothing had changed in Blackhawk. Nothing at all.
He entered the room, trying not to draw more attention to himself then he was already acquiring. The gunshot wound he’d taken to the leg the last time he rode out of Blackhawk left him with a slight limp. Sheriff Bart Windslow had shot him. Ol’ Bart had been wounded as well by a shot to the leg because of such a stupid move. He’d tried to take on the Amos gang single-handedly. If Silver hadn’t shot him in order to stop him, the Amos brothers would have killed him. Bart must have realized the favor Silver did for him. It wasn’t two days later his wife and kids convinced him to give up his badge and move north.
Silver approached the bar and two men volunteered their positions just to let him pass. Tom and Buckweed looked on, but when he caught their eyes, they found interest in their drinks instead.
“Silver,” came that smooth, sweet voice that always made his heart beat faster.
Sadie was behind the counter, just as he’d hoped she’d be. Only this time, instead of that cute flirtatious smile, her expression was cool and guarded. No warmth in her eyes. No welcome greeting. But then he hadn’t really expected her to welcome him back with open arms.
“Sadie. It’s been a long time.” There was so much more he wanted to say to her, but couldn’t. He felt the lump in his throat threatening to choke him, and he knew he needed a damned drink and fast.
Sadie looked over to the piano player and nodded. The music started up again and the patrons seemed to forget about him for the moment. But Sadie wasn’t going to forget about him, not after what he’d done.
“What do you want, Silver?”
“I’ll take my usual.”
“We don’t serve your kind in here.” She reached under the counter and Silver knew she was going for her gun, the gun he’d given her to protect herself years ago.
“There’s no need for that, sweetheart. I’m not here to cause trouble.”