Diamond in the Rough (The Red Petticoat Saloon)

by Abbie Adams

  Diamond in the Rough

  The Red Petticoat Saloon

  By

  Abbie Adams and Maggie Ryan

  2016© Blushing Books® and Abbie Adams and Maggie Ryan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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  Abbie Adams and Maggie Ryan

  Diamond in the Rough

  EBook ISBN: 978-1-68259-912-9

  Cover Art by ABCD Graphics & Design

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as Blushing Books' or the author's advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

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  Table of Contents:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Epilogue

  About Abbie Adams

  About Maggie Ryan

  EBook Offer

  Blushing Books Newsletter

  Blushing Books

  Chapter One

  The room, blurry.

  The table, rocking.

  The lantern, swinging.

  The faces, swaying.

  The voices, echoing.

  The laughter, evil.

  She wasn't dead yet. God help her, she'd prayed for death.

  Searing pain crisscrossed her back and thighs. It was hot and wet, and tight. She was sure many of the agonizing stripes from the strap had torn her skin, as well as biting down into the flesh. She could smell the sweet sickening scent of her own blood as well as taste it in her mouth. Why couldn't she have died?

  "There ya go, kid. I got her all primed and ready for ya." The horrifying laughs echoed off the walls of her skull as a slap to her ass jolted her. It didn't hurt. She was pretty much numb to the abuse of her lower body now.

  The slap did little more than jar her back to the reality. She couldn't remember which one of them it was, or how many had taken her now. The one thing she did know was, if she didn't die, she'd make sure the rest of them died in the most agonizing way she could manage. She was made of stronger stock, if she'd learned one thing from her father, it was that.

  ***

  The oppressive heat weighed heavily on her. Rain would do them all some good. The pressure in the air had more than a few miners in ill spirits. Gabe had mentioned as much before the customers had even begun to trail into the Red Petticoat Saloon that afternoon. A storm was in the air. The humidity clung to Diamond's neck, her well-endowed bosom and the small of her back. Her once tightly coiled hair knot had long since strayed, leaving her coiffure a mass of frizzy spirals, springing free all over the place. She lifted the hair off her neck for at least the tenth time in just a few hours. She couldn't fathom how the upstairs gals could bear to lie under a sweaty, grunting man on a night like tonight. Diamond could hardly stand being inside the bar, let alone thinking of anyone touching her.

  She'd been feeling a bit off and needed some fresh air. Why, she'd even felt like she might faint! At least that was what she would tell Gabe if he found her outside in the dark. God forbid a gem be found outside unescorted after dusk had fallen. She had heard—no, she'd seen Gabe spank more than one gem for the like. It was one of the only really hard and fast rules at the Red Petticoat or at least the most strictly enforced rule. Ironic that he placed such an importance on the gems' safety but was more than willing to lay a belt to their backsides if he felt they deserved it.

  She should probably head back inside before someone wondered where she'd gone and began to worry. Besides, maybe tonight was the night she'd finally learn something useful about Damaris. She'd been feeling rather restless the last couple days. Her leads had long since dried up. She was no closer to finding her sister now than she was three months ago back in St. Louis, worse even. When she'd left the city, she'd had her sister's letter telling Delaney she was working in San Francisco. But since then nothing. Not a single word from Damaris. Still, there was a slew of men in the saloon tonight whom she'd never seen around before. Perhaps one of them had come from the city and would have a tidbit to offer. All she needed was something new to go on. Damaris couldn't have up and disappeared.

  Opal had told her that they'd be real busy tonight. Miners
and cowboys alike preferred to be in the saloons when storms were coming in. No one wanted to be cooped up in a flooded tent or shack on the edge of a river for days on end after a downpour filled the washes and stranded a person until the water receded again. Miners were quick to relate stories of men getting washed clear to Mexico if they weren't careful during the heavy rain. Though Delaney was quick to discount their rather outrageous tales, once she'd heard the story of a woman named Chin, known as Jade during her stay at the saloon, she'd understood that such storms could indeed claim a body. It had only been by the grace of God and the Drake brothers that Chin had been rescued from such a fate and was now wed to Cullen Drake.

  "You all right, miss?" A deep masculine voice very near her ear, startled her out of her musings. She spun around, her heart ricocheting against her ribs under the stifling corset, cinched tightly around her waist.

  She shrieked, stumbling backwards, nearly losing her footing as she stepped in a rut in the dark. "What in all that is holy are you doing, sneaking up on a lady like that?" Lord almighty, he'd been so near she was certain she'd felt his breath on her ear. Must've been Charlie and Silver's rowdy song flowing out of the saloon and into the streets that masked the man coming so close to her without her notice. She swatted at his hands as he tried to steady her with his strong grip.

  "A lady?" He looked pointedly to her bosom, now nearly overflowing from her scantily low-cut bodice, then his sinfully dark eyes locked on hers. A cocky tilt at the side of his lips accompanied his words. "What's a lady doing in an alley behind a saloon at this time of night?" His voice was deep and carried the same tone of authority that Gabe's would when he called a girl out on her behavior, the difference being that this man's voice sent warmth to her middle. The man had somehow managed to come even closer while she'd been trying to right herself. Now she'd have to push him aside or step around him to get away. He stood there, so close, casually breathing in each breath she exhaled, one hand on the wall on either side of her shoulders. She'd been backed right up against the building. Her daddy always said she didn't have much common sense. Now what was she going to do?

  "Gabe was on his way out to get a breath of air with me." She grasped for a way to put him off. "He went to fetch a drink for me first, so you better just back away and get on out of here. He doesn't take kindly to drifters taking advantage of his girls." She tried to sidestep, and duck under his arm but he stepped along to the side at the same time, staying right with her, so that she was still effectively pinned between him and the exterior saloon wall. She couldn't help but notice how nicely he was built. Under a leather vest, his shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, showing his bare chest. And he smelled so manly and clean, unlike many of the miners who came in. Wait! What the hell was she thinking? The heat really was getting to her. "I'm warning you—"

  "Save it, honey. I saw him heading upstairs as I left the bar. Kind of strange for a gem to go wandering outside after dark, especially knowing that Gabe will likely tan her hide for it. So, what lured you out?" He stepped closer, his hips pinning her to the white-washed wall behind her, while he leaned on one elbow so he could tug on one of her springy curls with his free hand. "Meeting someone? Someone you don't want Gabe or Madam Jewel to know about? Or perhaps you like living dangerously… are you the sort of gal who enjoys having her bottom attended to?"

  "What!" Delaney could feel her cheeks heat even more at the indecent inquiry. "No! I told you, I needed air!" She shoved at his chest. "If you know Gabe so well, you know he was probably heading upstairs to look for me and when he doesn't find me, he'll be right out. No matter who you are, if you are threatening me, he will—"

  He cut her off. "I'm not threatening you, ladybug. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I'd hate for you to meet up with some nefarious outlaw out here. They are all around, you know?" His eyes seemed to drill into her. His calculating gaze digging right into her head, trying to find out something, or set her up... Who could he possibly think she'd be meeting? And besides—it wasn't like Jewel owned her.

  "Listen, mister. My break is up. I need to get back inside. Either let me go or you'll be answering to Gabe. If you want anything else, you'll have to sit at my table. Maybe lady luck will be with you tonight." She glared at him, willing her smile to be just as cunning as his, and lifted her chest higher, thrusting her breasts out. "No, perhaps you better sit elsewhere, I have the distinct impression lady luck doesn't like you at all." She stood up tall, as tall as her short stature would allow her, and pressed her hips back toward his, instead of trying to slip away. Satisfaction came quickly when she noted the quick intake of breath he took. She was perhaps more chaste than the ladies she worked with but she wasn't innocent enough to be unaware of the hard edge pressing into her tummy.

  "I'm not worried about luck; I make my own." He leaned in, pressing harder into her soft middle, taking back the small space she'd gained. "My guess is you make your own luck too, don't you?" His words were a husky whisper, hot against her skin, and probably not overheard by anyone, but they made her nipples tingle and pebble tight inside her bodice. Could he feel them too?

  "Diamond girl, what are you doing? We were looking for you." Gabe's words came through the dark, a stark relief to Delaney, even though the man holding her against the wall hardly seemed to care about the presence of her guardian angel. He stepped back only enough to turn his face to Gabe, but not enough to release her. She pressed against his chest with the hand resting between them, but he stayed there as if she were a babe with no strength at all.

  "Gabe, yes, I…" She didn't know what to say. Where had her previous excuse gone? Oh yes, now she remembered. "I wasn't feeling well so I came out to get some air. It was so warm inside…"

  Her new friend's eyes sparkled with mischief, and even though she didn't know him, she knew he was about to run his mouth.

  "I saw her sneak out the door and followed her to be sure she was safe. I told her it was dangerous out here for a lady alone. I know you understand that, Gabe, but these womenfolk need to know it too. We've talked of this before. These gals have to know the dangers. We have all sorts of scoundrels out here at night: outlaws, rowdy ranchers, drunken miners; it's just not safe."

  "Oh, yes, you can be sure the gems know that, Marshal. And you can count on the fact that Diamond won't do it again after tonight either." Even in the dark, Delaney could see the telling muscle tick in Gabe's rigid jaw.

  "Good, we have to keep them safe. Can I talk to her a few more minutes before she comes in? If you like, I'll bring her straight to you when I'm done." He lowered his arm and stepped back. She could run now if she wanted, yet she stayed.

  "Diamond?" Gabe came closer, as if wanting to know for sure she was comfortable before leaving her. She should go back inside with him, but now her curiosity was piqued, and it seemed that Gabe knew and trusted the man holding her waist so firmly.

  "Yes, Gabe, if I could just have a few more minutes? I'm sorry for worrying you. I just needed a little air and you weren't nearby…"

  Gabe nodded. "I'd like to talk to you inside before you start dealing again." The look in his eyes told her she was in for it. Delaney had never been the object of that look before, although she'd surely heard the gems speak of it many times in the time she'd been at the Red Petticoat Saloon. She swallowed hard and nodded her agreement, thanking God for the cover of darkness when heat crept up her neck, face, and ears—burning her with mortification.

  As soon as Gabe was gone she let loose of the stranger. "Marshal is it? Why didn't you tell me you were the law instead of scaring me half to death? What is your game, Mister—what do you want with me?" Despite the anger she felt toward the man, when she looked into his eyes again and he spoke, heat pooled low in her tummy.

  "No game. Like I said, I just want to keep you out of the hands of some outlaw, with vile intentions. But, honey, if you want to play games, I'd be delighted. I'll even let you choose—but be warned, I never lose." He tugged on one of her curls again.
<
br />   She shoved his hand away and then stepped aside when she realized she had the space to do so. Before she stomped back into the saloon, she leveled on him. "Well, that makes two of us, Marshal. But there are some things you should keep in mind. First, here, the house takes all ties. And second, the play doesn't happen until you take your seat at the table; anything else is just talk. Many men can talk a good talk, but that's it." She spun on her heel to leave him, but he caught her arm and turned her back to face him.

  "I'll be seated at your table tomorrow night, ladybug, but I'll be interested to see if you are able to do any sitting." He let her go with a cocky wink and a husky chuckle.

  She was halfway across the saloon floor when she spotted Gabe and he tipped his head toward the hallway that led to her room. It was only then that she realized just what the marshal had meant about her sitting tomorrow.

  She walked very slowly, following behind Gabe at a much slower pace, needing a couple of seconds to think. What was she going to say? She had to come up with something to deter him from his goal of teaching her a lesson. He couldn't really mean to spank her. She'd never been spanked before and she didn't want to be now! Her face flamed hot just thinking about it. The other gems had been spanked on numerous occasions and she'd overheard it. The memory of the crying, soft pleas and apologies, alongside the crack of a hand smacking bare skin or a belt cracking with each stroke made her insides feel squirmy. Truly she was terrified, but not one of the gems considered it unfair or abusive. She knew because they said as much, and always agreed they'd deserved the spanking afterward. Almost everyone in Culpepper Cove, whores and townsfolk alike, respected Madam Jewel and Gabe. So while she should be running in the opposite direction as fast as she could, instead she was following the man through the card room, past the bathing rooms and down another short corridor to her room… or more importantly, to her doom.