Bobbi Smith by Halfbreed Warrior Read Free Book Online Page B

troublemaker.
    “It’s all right, Wade. I’ll handle this.” Hawk walked slowly to his bunk. He pulled his knife out of the snake and wiped the blade clean on the sheet. After slipping his knife back in its sheath, he picked up the rattler and turned to Fred.
    “I think this belongs to you.” He threw the bloody snake directly at the other man.
    “Why, you . . . !” Fred tried to dodge the rattler, but it hit him in the face. Furious, he launched himself at Hawk.
    The two men crashed to the floor in a violent struggle. Chaos reined as the other ranch hands rushed to get out of their way. Many of the men ran outside and then dashed over to one of the windows to watch from relative safety.
    The battle was a fierce one. Fred was a big, strong ox of a man, but he was ultimately no match for Hawk. Hawk’s agility and pure strength gave him the advantage. Only Wade’s interference stopped the fight.
    “Enough!” Wade shouted as he grabbed Fred and hauled him away from Hawk. He shoved him out the bunkhouse door in disgust.
    Fred sprawled in the dirt. Cursing and swearing, he charged to his feet, ready to continue the fight, but he found himself standing face-to-face with the boss.
    “What’s going on here?” Jack demanded angrily, staring at Fred’s bloodied face and torn clothing. He’d been out at the stable when he’d heard the commotion.
    “Nothing,” Fred muttered, frustrated and angry that the boss had shown up.
    “Like hell!” Wade said from where he was still standing in the doorway. He disappeared back inside for a minute, then came outside to join them, holding the dead snake. “This is what’s been going on, boss. Fred put this rattler in Hawk’s bunk—only it was alive when he did it.”
    “What did you think you were doing, Fred?” Jack turned to the hired hand. It wasn’t the first time Fred had caused trouble, but it was going to be the last.
    “I was just giving the half-breed a welcome present, that’s all,” Fred sneered, spitting blood from his cut and swollen lip.
    “It’s a damn good thing Hawk’s fast with his knife.” Wade tossed the dead snake aside in disgust. “Somebody could have gotten hurt bad.”
    Jack looked Hawk’s way when he came to stand in the bunkhouse doorway. “Are you all right, Morgan?”
    Hawk nodded.
    Satisfied, Jack turned back to Fred. He pinned him with an icy glare. “You’re fired.”
    “Fired?” Fred was shocked. Jack couldn’t just fire him for a little prank.
    “That’s right. You know my rules. ‘No fighting’ is one of them.”
    “But the breed started the fight!”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “He threw the snake at me!”
    “You’re just lucky the rattler was dead when he threw it!”
    “I was defending myself.”
    “I said, you’re fired,” Jack repeated in a cold voice that brooked no argument.
    “But—”
    “Get your things and get off the Lazy S. I want you out of here tonight. Stop by the house when you’re leaving, and I’ll see you get any wages I owe you.”
    Fred’s fury and humiliation were obvious. He stalked off, never looking back.
    Jack turned to the rest of the men who were watching. Though they hadn’t said anything yet, he could tell they were shocked by what had just happened to Fred.
    “Remember this,” Jack lectured them. “You know my rules—there’s no fighting, no gambling, and no drinking when you work for me. What you do in town on your days off is your business. What you do here on the ranch is mine. If you want to work here, you follow my rules. It’s as simple as that. Any questions?”
    The ranch hands knew better than to give Jack any trouble. He was a fair boss, but he was a hard man to deal with if you got on his bad side. They nodded in understanding and moved away, going back inside to wait for Wilda to bring their dinner. None of them went after Fred, and none of them spoke to Hawk.
    Jack was troubled as he returned to the main house. He’d been worried that having Hawk around