Outlaw Vices (third in The Crane Gang Series)manxman

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Ezekiel had hardened his heart the moment he'd stepped into the saloon and found Craig. He'd searched every store in town before coming here. He hadn't wanted to believe that Craig would be spending time at the saloon after the talk they'd had at the ranch.

But he was.

He was at a table with a mug of beer and a rather pretty woman.

If Ezekiel's heart hadn't hardened, it would have broken, and he wasn't about to let Craig turn him into a broken-hearted fool.

Craig raised his head, his green eyes wide and his boyish face pale. "It's not what it looks like," he muttered. "Trust me. There is no way that this is what it looks like."

Ezekiel crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the man he'd spent the last weeks falling in love with—he shook his head. He couldn't think that way. Love was foolish. Love hurt you.

"Can I ask just what the hell it is then?" Ezekiel growled, ignoring the woman who was looking between them with confusion.

"What are you doing here?" Craig asked, becoming defensive and bristly, which was always what Craig did when he was cornered and uncomfortable. "Thought you trusted me?"

Ezekiel raised his brow and said nothing. Craig's shoulders sagged. "We need to talk. Let's go talk."

He pushed himself from his seat and Ezekiel followed him from the saloon. Craig whirled around when they realized the woman had followed them. "We need privacy."

She raised her chin. "We weren't finished with our conversation."

Ezekiel watched Craig as rubbed roughly at his face and pointed down the road. "You go back to the brothel. We'll talk later. I need to speak with Ezekiel and only Ezekiel."

Her eyes narrowed as looked between the men once again. Finally, she nodded, turned on her heel and strode away.

Ezekiel turned toward Craig but didn't meet his gaze. He didn't want to look in those eyes. It would only worse. Letting out a long sigh, Craig motioned for Ezekiel and continued off the boardwalk and down the road.

Ezekiel clenched his fists as they came to a stop behind the livery at the tail end of town. Craig's eyes were closed as he turned around to face Ezekiel. He held up his hands, spread his palms and let out a sigh as he opened his eyes. "Don't overreact."

Ezekiel crossed his arms over his chest and raised his brow as he stared down at the other man. He wanted so badly to pull Craig into his arms and soothe the lines of worry and stress on his face. He didn't do that, however, because he knew something bad was coming—something that would hurt.

"Given your similarities to my brother, Jeb, I'm gonna word this like I would if I was telling him...."

"I'm not your goddamn brother, Craig. I'm your......" Ezekiel's voice trailed off.

What was he to Craig? He had no real idea.

Craig winced and let out yet another long sigh. "That woman in there, she's a worker from the brothel."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Ezekiel growled.

Craig laid a palm on the rough hewn livery boards. He flashed a grin that was clearly meant to soothe Ezekiel's temper. "Because I'm a bad man."