Hunted

ofpain he had to have noticed-and then another distressed squawkcompeted with the distant buzz of a sawmill.

“My hat?” Sebastian leaned around thedoorframe. Mud spattered his suit, his hair, and smudged his jaw.He thrust his top hat aloft, displaying the daylight now visiblethrough a bullet hole. “That was a little reckless, don’t youthink?” Though he tried for nonchalance, the way he kept most ofhis body out of sight meant he was no longer positive she wouldn’tshoot him. Good.

“You’re right.” Kali lowered the rifle. “Whenthe bullet passed through the hat, it might have hit an innocentpasserby.”

“I meant reckless for me! If you’dmissed by a half an inch, you could have shot me in the brain.”

“Nonsense. Your brain isn’t that large. Iwasn’t even close. Besides, I’m a better shot than I used to be.I’ve been the beneficiary of lessons.” She wondered if mentioningher business partner was a talented bounty hunter would intimidatehim-or make him more likely to stay and ask questions. The latterwould be intolerable.

“Look.” Sebastian eased inside again, handsspread wide. “Just give me two minutes to explain why I’m here. Ifyou’re not interested in my offer, I’ll leave you aloneforever.”

“Without tipping off flash-gold-huntingpirates and thieves on your way out of town?”

He winced. “Kali, I never meant to get thosemen on your trail. I was just mad and-”

“That dog won’t hunt. Say your piece andabsquatulate.”

“I just filed for a claim on Sixty Mile,”Sebastian said. “I want you to help me work it. We’ll splitwhatever we find.”

Kali stared at him, both because the idea ofhim “working” was ludicrous and because… “Panning for gold? That’s for fools who don’t understand statistics.”

“Don’t you know how much gold is being foundout there right now? Once word gets south, people will be swarmingto Dawson. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Those whofile now will get rich, while those who arrive too late will belucky to work for bread and salt, mining somebody else’sclaim.”

“Prospecting is hard work,” Kali said. “Idon’t believe you’ll be out there getting your hands dirty.”

“I’ll be out there. Directing others to gettheir hands dirty. I’ve already hired a team.”

“Then why do you need me?” she asked.

“To be my engineer. You think I’m going to goat this like some rube straight off the steamer from San Francisco?Panning in the shallows? I’ve got boilers on the way. We’re goingto build steam shovels and pumps so we can dig down to hunt forveins. Word around Dawson is you’re the best mechanic around.”

“I see,” Kali said. “You spent three monthscourting me, and presumably time before that researching me tolearn how to get at my father’s secrets, and yet you had to hearfrom strangers that I’m good with my hands.” The urge to shoot theman spilled into her again.

Sebastian’s lips twitched, as if they weretrying to form a scowl, but he forced a smile back into place. “Areyou interested or not? Half the gold we pull out of the claim isyours.”

She doubted that would prove true, but evenif he was not lying, the answer was the same: “No.”

“I thought you wanted to get out of theYukon. Here’s a chance. Besides, you’ll be safer in the wildernessif bounty hunters come looking for you. As long as you’re here,anyone in town can direct them to you.”

“A predicament I’m in only because of you.”Kali hefted the rifle again. “Now get out. As you can see, I’m notdefenseless. And I already have a plan for getting out of theYukon. One that’s far more likely to pan out than your goldclaim.”

Sebastian scratched his head. “How could youpossibly earn the money to go anywhere? Are you joining the girlsof the line? You aren’t pretty enough to charge big money.”

Her grip tightened on the rifle. Maybemissing had been a mistake. She wasn’t sure if she was moreinsulted that he thought the only way a woman could earn money wasby whoring or that he didn’t think her bright enough to findanother way out of the north.

“Honey, don’t look so shocked. You clean upall right when you get out of those man-clothes, but nobody’spaying more than pennies for half breeds. Ruse or not, you shouldthank me for spending time with you because no man with teeth,hair, and halfway decent prospects would look twice at someone likeyou.”

Kali stood so still she forgot to breathe.How was it that he still had the power to make her feel like thesludge in the bottom of a sluice box?

“Problem?” a familiar voice came fromoutside.

Cedar stepped across the threshold, duckinghis head to keep from clunking it on the frame. His broad shouldersfilled the doorway, and Sebastian eased back a few steps. Cedarwore clothing practical to the rough- around-the-edges town: deerskin trousers, work shirt, oilskin duster, and a black slouchhat that threw his face into shadows. Kali knew his features byheart, though, and hoped Sebastian felt intimidated when he took inCedar’s strong square jaw, cool blue eyes, and the scar on hischeek that proclaimed him a survivor of at least one knife battle.Both a rifle barrel and a sword hilt were visible over hisshoulder.

“No problem.” Sebastian removed his hat andbowed as deeply as he had for Kali, though he paused on the way upto scowl at the hole in the beaver fur.

“Cedar,” Kali said. “This is Sebastian.” Sheput enough emphasis on the name to make it clear this wasThe Sebastian. While she had not shared much of her pastwith Cedar-being fool enough to get betrayed by a con man wasnothing to be proud of-he knew Sebastian was the reason bountyhunters, pirates, and other opportunistic thugs were calling uponher now.

A silent moment passed as Cedar studiedSebastian from boots to top hat.

“Want me to kill him?” he asked.

The offer didn’t surprise Kali so much thatshe dropped the rifle, but she did fumble it. He waskidding, wasn’t he?

“Uh, pardon?” Sebastian glanced back andforth between them.

“I don’t know,” Kali said, meeting Cedar’seyes over Sebastian’s head. “Is there a bounty out on him?”

“I could check. After I kill him.”

Sebastian raised a hand. “Are we joshing? Idon’t have a bounty on my head. I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

“Yes, apparently swindling women isn’tagainst the law,” Kali muttered.

“We could tell the Mounties it was amistake,” Cedar said. “I’ve taken out enough criminals for themthat they wouldn’t likely arrest me.”

“Who are you?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m her-”

“Beau,” Kali blurted before Cedar could saybusiness partner.

Then she groaned inwardly, hating herself forthe ridiculous impulse. She did not respect women who played gamesinstead of simply speaking the truth, and here she was, trying tolook good for Sebastian. Like a woman who could get a manwith teeth and hair, thank you very much.

“Yes,” Cedar said, deadpan. “Yes, I am.”

“You?” Sebastian asked with insultingskepticism. “You’re courting her? Why?”

Cedar strolled inside, not-so-accidentallybumping Sebastian with his shoulder on the way past, and joinedKali. Despite the hat shadowing his face, she caught the glimmer ofamusement in his eyes. Good. She was relieved. He always seemed totolerate her wit, if she could call it that, but he had neverintimated that they should have a relationship that was anythingbut professional. Oh, there were days when she thought he wastrying to impress her, but the couple of times she had hinted thatthey might go have a drink at the dancing hall, he had rejected theidea, pointing out that she would be unwise to attend such publicvenues, given the bounty on her head. She had not had the courageto suggest a private dinner.

“Because,” Cedar said, wrapping his armsaround her from behind, “I’d be a fool not to.”

Something clunked against her collar bone. Arock. It dangled on a chain around his neck. She had never seen itbefore and could not guess why he might wear such a thing. Well,she’d ask later. Now, thanks to her big mouth, she had a part toplay.

Kali leaned against Cedar, enjoying thestartled expression on Sebastian’s face despite herself. Eventhrough the layers of clothing that separated her from Cedar, shecould feel the hard muscles of his chest and arms. He spent a lotof time training to be a capable bounty hunter. The evidence ofthat training felt nice. All right, more than nice.