Stolen Moments 3

Emily decided that if they weren’t going to leave, then she was going to make their stay here as miserable as possible. If she knew one thing, she knew that men like these travelled long without a woman and she was a woman who was willing and able to do anything to get her way. Pulling her dress down even further to reveal her bosoms, she walked into the living room and settled down between Yelena’s father, who was shocked to see her appearance, and the scarred man. She cleared her throat and tossed her hair over her shoulder as she’d seen the women done at the brothel.

            “I like mysterious men,” she said.

            The man ignored her and she frowned. Her eyes caught Craig’s, who was warning her with his eyes to stop whatever she was doing. She simply cocked her head and turned toward the other man who was sitting by the fireplace. He was staring at her and she smiled sweetly. When he got up and began walking toward her, she felt her heart beat faster. He reached her and then extended a hand and she closed her eyes. But when she felt the fabric of her dress being pulled up, she opened her eyes and found him staring at her.

            “This ain’t a whorehouse,” he said. “Keep your dress on.”

            She was shocked to her core as he walked back to sit down. She stood up and heard a voice in the kitchen howling. Craig’s eyes almost shot out of his sockets as she walked toward the kitchen. When she walked in, she caught the man kissing Yelena like she’d been wanting to be kissed her whole life. She felt the heat burn her and anger filled her as she thought about how plain Yelena looked and yet she was the one getting the attention.

            “Did I hurt you?” he asked.

            “Your soup is ready. Eat and leave,” Yelena said as she turned and walked past Emily to the stairs.

            Emily watched the man who had introduced himself as Tom and realized he was quite handsome. He had a look of pure exotic to him and she was beginning to feel those tingles in odd places when she found she liked someone. Yelena wasn’t experienced like she was. She knew what men liked and she gave without question. She walked into the kitchen and crossed her arms.

            “You’re a bad boy,” Emily said.

            The softness in his eyes disappeared. “What do you want?”

            She laughed and shrugged as she walked around him, enjoying the sight of his hands and shoulders. “For your information, you didn’t hurt her. She’s never been kissed.”

            He shot his head up and stared at her. “What?”

            Emily nodded and then she laughed. “You should look at your face right now. For an outlaw, you sure do look ridiculous.”

            He walked past her and out of the room. She shook her head and walked up the stairs to find Yelena in her room sitting on the edge of the bed holding her pillow. The girl looked as if she’d been raped, when all that had happened was a kiss. Emily closed the door and she turned to look at her.

            “So you got your first kiss, huh? How was it?” she asked with disdain.

            Yelena frowned. “Why are you being so mean? Have you forgotten that they’re the outlaws here? Why are you becoming friends with them?”

            “I’m not becoming friends with them. I’m simply trying to make use of the situation.”

            “By what? Sleeping with them?”

            Anger shot through her and she grabbed Yelena’s arm, yanking her to a standing position. “At least I am doing something to fix this, Yelena! Not like you, who is so damn weak that she can’t even protect herself when the man forces himself on you.”

            Yelena’s eyes filled with tears. “He didn’t force himself on me! If he had, he wouldn’t be alive. He simply stole a kiss.”

            Emily smiled and touched her friend’s hair. “Awww, right, I forgot. He stole your first kiss. How was it? Was it as magical as you’d imagine? Did your heart flip? Did you see stars? Gosh, Yelena, quit day dreaming! There are no such kisses like that!”

            “Get out of here!”

            Emily laughed and she gave her a shove. “With dignity intact.”

 

            Tom watched in silence as Yelena sat beside her father tending to his wound and he fought the urge to kiss her again. He had never been amazed at a womanly creature before and he was confused as to why he was so caught up with her. He had been right when he said she was pretty because she truly was. With her mass of red curls and milk toned skin, she was very pretty, but it wasn’t her beauty that made him catch his breath. It was her innocence. Perhaps that was it; her youth, her innocence. No one had had her before and he had been the first to kiss those lips of hers. If he had known, he would have been gentler. But then again, she did pour hot liquid over his hand.

            His eyes switched to Emily who was sitting by the window staring at him with those big blue eyes of hers. Emily was a sex kitten, he knew. She was downright sexy with her big chest and even bigger hair. But she had been had and wasn’t afraid of giving it to anyone. He didn’t respect that and he knew that women like Emily were trouble.

            “Boss, where we gonna go from here?” Two Face asked.

            He turned to Two Face, the half Indian half American friend who had been burned by a cruel joke. “As soon as we get the shipment, we’ll leave.”

            “And these people? They’ve seen us. They may tell the sheriff,” Bobby Jenkins said.

            “I’ve got something planned to help us out in that department.”

            He watched as Yelena left and her father stood up. He walked to them and took a deep breath, his eyes gazing from one to the other until they settled back on his. Tom smiled and stood up. “What is it?”

            “I want you out of here by morning. I’ll be blind and deaf to your arrival and departure if you promise to leave quietly and without harming anyone,” he said.

            Smiling, Tom said, “Leaving quietly and without harm is what I do best. But how can I trust that you will keep your word?”

            Craig straightened. “I always keep my word. It’s how I was able to keep this inn alive all these years. My word is as strong as oak.”

            Tom didn’t doubt that, but he found something he could use. “I want some insurance.”

            “Name your terms.”

            “I want your daughter.”

            Craig’s eyes darkened and he shook his head. “Anything but her.”

            “How will I trust you if you can’t give me what I want?”

            “I’ll go with you,” Emily said as she joined them.

            Craig turned to her. “Emily, you stay out of this. Go sit down.”

            She ignored him. “I’ll go with you. This place is suffocating me. I want a new adventure. Take me.”

            Tom laughed. “You’re so ready to give up and go with us when you don’t even know what is in store for you?”

            “Yes.”

            “You’re trouble.”

            Her eyes filled with anger. “I’m what you need!”

            Tom shook his head and turned to Craig. “I want your daughter.”

            Before he could answer, Tom heard the sound of horse hooves outside and knew trouble had arrived. He pushed Craig down on the ground as a bullet flew by. Emily screamed and was shoved to the ground by Bobby. Tom flipped the couch over and pushed Craig behind it as he thought of Yelena. He removed his gun and signaled for his two men to check outside.

            “Stay low. I’m going to check on Yelena,” Tom said.

            He crouched along the wall and entered the kitchen where it was empty except for a pair of legs sticking out from under the kitchen table. He bent down and found her holding a pan. He smiled and dragged her out by her legs. He took the pan from her hold and helped her stand up.

            “My father,” she said.

            “Your father is fine. Let’s go.”

            He took her back to the living room where Two Faced and Bobby had returned. “Did you find anyone?”

            “Horse tracks, but nothing else,” Bobby said.

            “We have to leave,” Two Faced said.

            Craig stood up. “Whatever trouble you brought here, take it with you back.”

            Tom turned to him and watched as a bullet ricochet through the window and went clean through Craig’s head. He heard Yelena’s scream as she ran for her father, but he grabbed her before she could reach him and tossed her on the ground. He landed on top of her and held her as she screamed when the bullets fired through every wall of the house. He covered her body as the bullets flew by hissing angry messages. He turned and found Craig’s hollow eyes staring at him and felt guilty for what he had brought to this man. He felt her small fists slamming against his chest and he removed himself.

            “Dad!” she cried as she hugged him.

            “Mr. Trotter!” Emily yelled from the corner of the room.

            Yelena turned around and slapped him across the face. “You killed my father!”

            “I didn’t kill your father. I wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger.”

            “You brought them here! You’re responsible!”

            He had no words to say to her tear streaked face. When he reached for her, she slapped his hands away. He grabbed her again and shook her lightly. “Listen, we have to leave now. Whoever came back is going to make sure no one is alive. Your best chance to stay alive is to come with me.”

            “No!” she cried removing herself from him. “Leave me alone!”

            Emily ran to her side and grabbed her hands. “We have to go with them. Whoever did this will kill us.”

            “Emily, if you want them so much, why don’t you go with them? I’m not leaving this place.”

            “We have to leave now!” Bobby cried.

            “You’re forcing me to do this, lassie.”

            Tom picked her up and threw her over her shoulder. She threw punches against his back as he ran to the front door. He saw a picture frame of daughter and father and something in his gut told him to take it. He grabbed it, shoved it at Bobby, and walked out.