Read Unexpected for Free Online

clear the house with his reaction.
    Hattie came in at that moment with a tray of breakfast. “Has he been awake yet?” she asked softly glancing at her sleeping nephew.  He was lying flat on his back, bare chested with the blankets covering his waist.  His arm was in a stark white sling across his midsection, and to her, he seemed comfortably sleeping.   
    “No.  I was going to try.” Her aunt was a Godsend. She had been with them since Ryker was first born.  A distant aunt of her mother’s that never married.   Josie was only eighteen, barely.  She was eight when Thomas was born and didn’t have a clue about raising a child. Hattie helped with that and Thomas was a good boy because of it. Her eyes moistened and she turned her head away so her aunt wouldn’t see. She knew she had to be strong for Thomas and Ryker during these times, but sometimes it wasn’t easy.  She was approached more than once by Butch or his men when she was alone in town.  Some of the things they said to her would have sent any other woman home terrified and in tears, but like Ryker she stood strong.  Inside she was trembling after every incident.
    “You go and get your other things done Josie.  I’ll wake him enough to get some food in him.”
    “If you’re sure, Hattie.”  If her aunt noticed her tears, she didn’t let on.  She was grateful.
    “Very. ” She paused for a moment unsure on how to broach the next subject.  It wasn’t as if it wasn’t her place to have an opinion, because she was part of this family. However, she knew there was an enormous amount of responsibility on her young niece and nephew without bringing her worries forth. Yet, she felt like it needed to be said. “That new hand you hired is already out in the barn.  He said something about shoeing Ryker’s horse.”  She gave her niece a guarded glance as she set the tray beside Ryker.  “He’s a big man Josie, and he’s menacing.”
    “He saved Ryker.  I’ll not judge him becaus e of that,” Josie countered.  She didn’t miss the concerned look, and Hattie was right, there was something dark in the man’s eyes. There was no doubt he was a dangerous man. Yet, she’d also seen him take care of Ryker’s horse and it caught her attention. She’d easily figured out that he may be large and looked menacing, but he obviously had gentle hands. 
    He’d led the bay to the water trough and allowed him to drink before he gave him a good brush and rub to calm him down.  Not many men treated animals that well.  Most would just put him in a corral and let him work off the shock.  In that hard crust of a man was a soft heart, and she couldn’t help but admire him for the extra effort. Mr. Reid didn’t know that Ryker rescued that bay horse from a butcher.  He’d been mistreated all his life and didn’t trust anyone but Ryker, who’d spent better than six months gaining his trust.  Yet, Cogan had him as gentle as a milk fed kitten in minutes.
    “ I know and I agree, but he frightens me too,” Hattie spoke breaking her thoughts.
    Josie nodded. “Yes, and I understand why, but I don’t see a need to fear him.”  She may have said those words, but it was just to reassure her aunt.  She still had the same reservations despite his care of Ryker’s horse.  He had killed five men without even batting an eye.  Yes, it was to save her brother, but a man who kills like that is someone who has killed a lot.
    She didn’t see him that morning at breakfast either.  Hattie had told her that he’d ridden out before dawn, and returned just a short time ago.  He never told anyone where he was going.  She asked her aunt since she’d seen him leave, but Hattie made some comment about not asking that frightening man a darn thing.
    Hattie watched Josie leave the room and couldn’t help but worry about her.  She was always trying to be strong for Thomas and Ryker and not once did she ever display a selfish tendency. She knew they were