Nothing hurts like betrayal. And when Yancey Bannerman was forced to kill a man he had once called friend, a man who had deliberately led him into an ambush, it left a sour taste in his mouth.

He needed time away from his job as Governor Dukes’ top Enforcer … but ended up riding straight into a whole new passel of trouble.

His name was Nathan King, but everyone called him King Iron because he was tough and gun-handy. He ruled the town of Calico Wells and his lust for land was such that sooner or later he clashed with any would-be settler.

When he tried to ride roughshod over young Will Benbow and Benbow’s pregnant wife, Mary, however, Yancey couldn’t help himself—he had to buy into it.

That’s when the war began.