Mail Order Brides: A Bride for the Banker (Bozeman Brides Book 1) by Emily Woods Read Free Book Online Page A

no sign of that in the crowded, noisy place, he returned his gaze to his oldest brother. “I heard tell you’re getting married and I wanted to say congratulations.”
    “Is that right?” He didn’t believe it for a moment. He leveled a steely look at Austin. “Well, now you’ve done it so I guess you’ll be off first thing in the morning, or better yet, tonight?”
    “Ah, no can do. You see, I’ve been looking for you all over, little brother. I heard a rumor that you’re working in a bank and I think we can help each other out.” Thankfully Austin had lowered his own voice and Theo strained to hear him. “After you help me lighten the safe, I light out of your life.” He grinned at his own play on words.
    “No possible way,” Theo replied evenly, grinding out each word individually. “What made you think that I would help you rob from the people that have come to mean more to me than any so-called family ever did?”
    Austin laughed as though this was the funniest thing he’d ever heard, but his eyes remained mirthless. “Ah, I thought you’d say that. Well, you wouldn’t want your friends, nor that lovely young girl to come to any harm now, wouldja? You see, accidents happen every day, and no one is to blame, but if you could, say, prevent an accident from happening, you’d do that, wouldn’t ya?” He’d stopped laughing. Theo felt pure evil radiate from his brother. How could he be related to this man?
    Fury roiled inside Theo’s stomach and before he quite knew what he was doing, he had leapt to his feet and had his hands around his brother’s neck. He was so overtaken with anger he didn’t hear someone come up behind him.  With full force, a bottle came crashing down on the back of his head.  He sat there dazed for a moment before he let go of his brother and fell to the floor.
    “Don’t go getting any ideas,” Austin growled menacingly in a low voice. “These two might be old, but there’s still three of us and only one of you. This, my brother, is one of my best plans and you won’t mess it up. I’m getting old too, so I plan to retire on this here hold-up. Don’t get in my way, or I will take away everything that you love.”
    The trio left the saloon, heading over to the brothel located only a few steps away. Theo pushed himself off the floor and looked around. Most of the men in the saloon were not exactly strangers to him, not people with whom he’d cross paths, but they knew him and would likely wonder what had happened here. He had no time to worry about them. He had to ensure the safety of those he cared about and then deal with his brother in such a way that he’d never be a threat again.
     
    ***
     
    Jackson watched the three men leave the saloon and wander down the street. They’d apparently forgotten that he was supposed to meet them here. Relief poured through him and he started to head back to the hotel when the saloon door swung open and Theo stumbled out. Jackson pressed himself against the side of the building and watched the big man lumber down the street. Was he drunk? Why had the supposedly righteous man been inside the notorious place?
    Theo had gained Jackson’s grudging respect, especially after he realized that the man still wanted to marry his sister despite knowing why she’d come West.  Unfortunately, he’d lost his one hold over Margie, the hold that was supposed to get him enough money in six months time to get back to New York, but he had to admire a man who would keep his word despite finding out he’d been tricked.
    Jackson watched as Theo staggered over to the hotel. What was he thinking, going there so late at night? It was rather indecent to visit a woman at this hour unless…A wave of anger washed over him as he followed the big man. He had treated his sister badly since he’d found out her plan, but no way was some man from a two-bit town going to take advantage of her.
    He crept along the street and even followed him into the hotel