Heart of an Outlaw *First in the Crane Gang series*

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

          Jeb wasn’t sure exactly what he was feeling as he pulled Gill into the hotel room and slammed the door closed behind them.

          “Can I ask what the hell that was about?” Gill grumbled, yanking out of Jeb’s grasp. “You had half the damn town staring on in shock dragging me that way.”

          “We need to talk,” Jeb replied, going to the arm chair in the corner and standing behind it as he gripped the back tightly.

          “Well talk then, Jebidiah! You seem to have one hell of a stick up your ass—I’d be happy to replace it with my boot if you feel inclined.”

          Jebidiah’s eyes widened before narrowing once more. “I am the leader of this gang, Gill. You don’t get to step in and take over…”

          “What are you talking about?” Gill asked, a frown curving his lips.

          Jeb grumbled under his breath and yanked his hat off before shoving his hand through his hair. “You should have let me beat him until he couldn’t stand, Gilliam! You had no right to step into the middle of that and shove me away.”

          Gill rolled his eyes. “And here I thought Pete would be the most impulsive person I’d have the misfortune of finding myself attached to.”

          Before Jeb could remind himself that he was angry with the other man, the word ‘attached’ coming from Gill’s lips in regard to Jeb had a smile pulling at his lips. “You’ve grown attached?”

          Gill’s eyes went to the ceiling as he let out an exasperated groan and then he nodded. “Yeah, Jeb, I have. Which is why I didn’t turn you in and don’t appreciate that you thought I did. And as far as that damn doctor goes, you were going to kill him, not beat him, and if you’d done that then Preston could have kissed his medicine, and his heartbeat, goodbye.”

          Jeb defiantly shook his head. “I wouldn’t have killed him….”

          “Maybe not, but you would have beat him within an inch of his life leaving him in no shape to order the medicine the boy needs.”

          Jeb stood there fuming and not quite sure what to do about it. He didn’t like having his authority questioned. He had been the man in charge for far too long and anyone second guessing or overriding him was like a burr in his saddle…. Then again, this was Gill, and he had to admit that Gill was awfully tempting and looked damn good when he started barking orders and taking charge….

          “Gill, I am the leader of this gang. From now on if you have any doubts about what I’m doing, you discuss them with me in private. Don’t you ever shove me out of the way again and take over.”

          Gill’s brown eyes narrowed dangerously. His shoulders squared and he walked forward to stand toe to toe with Jeb who turned to meet his advance. “I think you and I need to get a few things straight,” Gill warned. “Maybe you got the wrong impression of me, but let me make one thing clear—I won’t bow down and do your bidding just because you think I ought to. If you want a future with me then you need to realize that if I think I need to step in because you aren’t handling something the right way, then I will….”