Honor and Desire (Gold Sky #3) - Rebel Carter Page 0,44

wouldn’t do to have everyone racing to the pass trying to hold her father back when he was angry and motivated. She eyeballed the Colt warily as her father continued on, “Those honyockers deserved that beating and the whole town agrees with me.”

August laughed, but the sound died on his lips when Will cut a look his way. “What’s so funny, son?”

The smile faded from his face, and he stood up straighter, shoulders broadening. “Nothing, sir,” he said, all hint of mirth gone from his face. Seylah rolled her eyes at the display and addressed her father once more.

“I mean it, Daddy. We already have Tom and Wallace out on the boundaries to the east of town, because of the trouble that new family’s been having with bandits. That only leaves August and Liam to take your back if anything happens, which means it’s just me and Papa in town.”

“Oh, Forrest and you can handle things just fine here,” Will grumbled, but he looked less inclined to storm off as he had a moment before.

“Can I help with the homesteaders?” August offered, stepping forward then. “I’m as fed up with all the newcomers' demands as anyone, but I’m not keen on Seylah getting involved. There’s been far too many new people from the East coast coming to town these days. Feels like a powder keg around here, and I’d rather have you and Forrest managing the town if it comes down to it.”

“And me,” Seylah interjected, but August sighed and turned to her.

“I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I’m just as good with a gun as you are. We had the same teachers, or have you forgotten that now that you wear a badge?”

August crossed his arms and shook his head at her words. “Seylah, Gold Sky is home, but home is changing. It’s getting bigger, people we don’t know on the streets, it’s not the kind of place that I want you enforcing the law.”

Seylah’s cheeks reddened at that. “I am not some sort of coddled lady. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and this town.”

“He’s right, darlin’,” Will said, and she stared at him in shock.

“You always said I can do anything a boy can; that I’m just as capable as any man I meet,” she reminded him, not understanding his meaning. “Why would you say he’s right?”

Will set the gun in his holster and glanced meaningfully at August who returned the look with a nod that had Seylah’s hackles up. What were the two of them doing exchanging knowing looks as if she were daft enough not to notice.

“Don’t think I didn’t see that look,” she told her father, who rubbed the bridge of his nose and exhaled at her words.

“Didn’t mean for you not to see it, Seylah. August is right. That town is changing. Things are more dangerous now, we have to be vigilant, and that means you can’t be going about as you did before.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Life doesn’t care about fair, sweetheart. And what I care about as your daddy is keeping you and the rest of my family safe. That means you don’t patrol, not like before.”

Seylah’s face fell at her father’s words. She had been raised to be as capable and outgoing as any boy, or man, never once had she been insecure of her abilities, but now her father was telling her it wasn’t safe. Had things truly changed in Gold Sky that much? How had she not noticed it?

“Then what am I meant to do while the rest of you are out there keeping the peace?” She asked, hating how weak her voice sounded to her own ears.

Her father shifted uncomfortably, another shared look passing between the men that set her on edge. “We need you here,” Will said finally, gesturing around the main office and looking back at her with gentle eyes, “For now I want you staying around the office, no runnin’ off to give back up or responding to anything that needs a gun on it. This is non-negotiable, Seylah. For now you are a secretary in all sense of the word. Do you understand?”

Seylah’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, Sheriff Barnes,” she said, and her father’s shoulders went rigid at her use of his title. He was all business now, they knew it and she could think of no other way to address him when he was like this.

“Good.” He nodded and then cleared his throat giving her a pained look. “It’s because I love you,