Les grinned fully then, and what should have made him more attractive only worried Ro more. Even worse, her heart started to beat for a different reason, and it might just get her killed.
“Maybe you amuse me,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe I like your spirit.”
“Maybe you just want a pet,” Ro corrected.
He winked. “Maybe I just want a pet,” he purred. Ro clenched her jaw, but damn her, she didn’t run.
She should have run the moment she opened her eyes.
Thirteen
Ro made good time as she walked down the busy dirt road, dodging dinos and people alike. The beauty of Embertown was also the downside. The road was made full of dips and holes, thanks to the feet of the larger dinosaurs, and littered with their droppings. She barely managed to jump over a pile in her haste to get out of the way of a Triceratops pulling a wagon loaded full of skins. Luckily, they were all furry rather than any with scales. One of the towns Ro had visited once, Comanche, specialized in some of the darker markets. Ro remembered walking past a covered wagon full of scaly skins, skulls, and eggs. She’d been horrified, and they’d rode out far sooner than they’d planned, especially when she saw the sheer number of people fighting to purchase some of the murderous goods. Ro had never been back since, and she warned any man, woman, or child that came through the Free Outlaws to stay away from that region. She never hoped to hear someone had disappeared only to wonder if the poachers had got them.
Pushing the terrible memories from her mind, Ro dodged an Euoplocephalus moseying along the path, his clubbed tail swinging side to side far too widely. He nearly took out her knees and when she thumped him on the side, his eye swiveled to look at her with a happy grin on his face. Seemed like he didn’t much care what she thought, and as he was one of the largest armored dinosaurs, it wasn’t like she could do much about it anyways.
“Fucking asshole,” she grumbled to herself, before the general store finally came into view.
What should have been a few minutes’ walk turned into nearly half an hour with how busy the town was today. Clem told her it was because it was shipment day. Apparently, King’s steam train brought in more than money and gold. It also brought in food, supplies, and new people hoping to make their way to Embertown. King would be busy today and Ro was glad for it. While last night had been amazing, she’d never been so worried. She’d almost forgotten her mission while she’d lain in his arms, and that wouldn’t be a good thing. She had mouths to feed, people to take care of, and she couldn’t afford to lose her head over an arrogant Rex.
The problem was, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Stomping up the stairs to the general store, Ro pushed through the swinging doors and took a deep breath. Stores always smelled the same, like tobacco, mint, and leather, and this one had all these things in abundance. Against one wall, coats, chaps, and any other manner of clothing hung, ready for someone to pull them from the wall and purchase them. Expecting them to be far too overpriced, she was surprised to see a thick coat for three dollars, and a rifle for fifteen. She’d been to towns where everything had been triple those prices.
Ro pulled her money pouch from her side and counted out the coins, figuring out she could purchase at least eighteen coats, and still have plenty leftover for the other supplies she needed. Turning in excitement, she started looking through the food, and found a whole jar full of licorice for only a dollar. The children would go mad with their excitement.
“Sir,” Ro called to the man sitting at the counter. His face was weathered, much like Jiminy’s, and his hair was a crisp white, but the look in his eyes was so unfriendly, Ro almost took a step back.
“Wha’d’ya want?”
“I’d like to purchase eighteen coats please, various sizes, a jar of licorice, three spools of rope—”
“No.” His one word stopped her list, and she drew her brows down in confusion.
“What do you mean no?”
“That’s what I mean. No, you can’t purchase that much. If I sell it to ya, there won’t be none left for the rest of ‘em.”
“But there’s a shipment coming in today.” Ro clenched her coin pouch hard enough that she’d have imprints in her palms later. “Surely you can sell me these items now, and replace them with new ones.” She held out her pouch. “I have plenty of money.”
“Maybe I just don’ like the looks of ya,” he commented, squinting his eyes behind spectacles. “Maybe I don’t care what you got ‘cause I ain’t gonna sell you nothin’.”
“What the fuck is your problem?” Ro growled. “You’re a store. I wanna buy some supplies. I have money.”
“Fuck off.” He looked down, returning his attention to a newspaper as if he just couldn’t be bothered.
Ro felt her face go red first, her hand twitching toward the revolver on her hip, but she restrained herself. It wouldn’t do any good to shoot the general store owner, especially when the plan was to stay under the radar for now. Instead, she stormed up to the counter and slammed her coin on the worn wood, her jaw clenching and unclenching so hard, her teeth would hurt later.
“You’re gonna take my coin. I understand if you don’t wanna sell me everything, but I need those supplies, and you’re the only store in town.”
“What part of fuck off don’t you understand?”
“What’s going on here?” a new voice joined in, and Ro spun on her heel to see the newcomer, but she already knew who it was.
Sheriff Boone glared at the old man, his own hand resting on his holster, centimeters from his gun.
“This ain’t none of your business, sheriff. Go on right back to your jail.”
“It kinda sounds like my business, when you’re refusing to sell this lady what she’s asking for.”
“I can refuse to sell to whomever I want,” he growled. “Just cause you’re a Rex ain’t gonna make me change my mind.”
Sheriff Boone tilted his head, his posture saying he was completely at ease, but Ro recognized a waiting predator when she saw one. Even though the sheriff was smiling and held a toothpick between his teeth, that didn’t mean he was off his guard. No, he was coiled tight, waiting for his chance to spring.
“What items are you tryin’ to buy, Ro?”
She eyed the old man warily, but dutifully started to run through her list, making sure to mention a sturdy cane. She appreciated the sheriff stepping in before she had to teach the old man a lesson, but it really grinded her nerves that she was accepting his help. She’d learned that lesson the hard way, to never let anyone intervene and do her job for her. Les had practically beat it into her, leaving her stranded during jobs just to see how she’d handle it. She’d become a master of getting out of hostile situations, but sometimes she couldn’t get people to see reason. She just hadn’t expected to encounter that in Embertown.
Boone whistled. “You got an army you’re buying for?”
Ro didn’t give anything away with her expression. “Just some family. Winter is coming soon. Can’t be too prepared.”
“Well then, you heard the lady, Tom. Get her supplies.”
“I said, I ain’t—”
“Have you told your old lady about the workin’ girls you’ve been seeing lately yet?” Boone turned his head toward the old man, and Ro finally saw the Rex in his eyes, the severity hiding within them. “You tell her how much money you been spending at the brothel?”
“That ain’t none of your business,” Tom growled.
“You’re gonna make it my business unless you sell this woman her supplies. She’s got the money. Load her up on a wagon and let her be.” When Tom looked like he would protest again, Boone slammed his fist on the counter, sending a nice crack right up the center. Tom jumped out of his seat with a scowl on his face. “Now!”
“That wasn’t necessary,” Tom grumbled, but he went to work grabbing the supplies Ro had listed. She watched the whole exchange with a raised brow, and when Boone turned back to her, she smiled.
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“Well, I sure do appreciate the help, sheriff.”
“Anytime, troublemaker. Seems no matter where you go, you’re startin’ trouble.”
“Well, it wasn’t on purpose.”
“Maybe not this time,” he agreed, and a fire danced in his eyes, reminding Ro of how he’d watched King carry her into the bank last night, and of how he hadn’t looked away.
Seizing the opportunity, Ro grinned. “Ain’t anyone ever told you that you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Boone tilted his head, studying her, but his gaze dropped to her lips before meeting her eyes again. “Are you tryin’ to imply somethin’?”
“Just that maybe if you weren’t so sour, it could have been you last night.” Ro knew she was stirring up trouble just like the sheriff thought she was, and it wasn’t wise to start a war between two Rexes, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. If she was being honest, she kind of wanted to see the two, shifted and ready for battle. She was certain it was a glorious sight.
“You think I can’t be sweet?” he asked, his lips quirking up. “Maybe I just know you ain’t about the sugar?”
“How would you know?”
“I know for a fact, King isn’t the honey in this situation.” He stepped closer as Tom walked outside with an armful of supplies.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I know that if anyone is the vinegar here, it’s the rich asshole.”
“So what does that make you? You sayin’ you’re the honey?”
“No. You’re the honey.” Ro chuckled, but held his gaze as he moved a little bit closer. “King’s the vinegar. I’m just the fly.”
Ro’s nose crinkled. “I’m not certain this is workin’ for me. Flies aren’t really my forte.”
Boone laughed, reaching his hand down to cup her chin, and tilting her head back until she was forced to crane her neck. “Maybe all I’m sayin’ is that, either way, you draw me in. You’re pure trouble. I know that. And yet I still can’t stop imagining you sprawled out in the bank on King’s desk like a meal.”
“It was on top of his gold actually,” Ro corrected with a gasp.
Boone’s fingers tightened on her chin almost to the point of pain, but he stopped before it became a problem. His eyes flashed dangerously, letting her know that his beast was threatening to come out to play, that he was holding on to the leash for the moment, but how long would that last. “So you have a thing for money,” he purred. “How about steel bars?”
“You gonna arrest me, sheriff?”
He growled low in his throat. “Maybe I will. You seem to always be in trouble. I should do it now before you cause chaos.”
Ro grinned, and when Tom came back inside grumbling that he’d finished, she stepped back from the sheriff and started counting out her coin. She threw in just a little bit more and slapped them on the counter. “For your troubles, Tom.” The old man curled his lip up at her, but otherwise didn’t react. He didn’t even say thank you. “Sheriff, I’ll see you around.”
“Maybe tonight.”
Ro raised her brow, her grin still on her face as she flicked her hat and winked. “I’m sorry, sheriff. I don’t know what you mean, but you know where to find me.”
He growled but followed her toward the door, watching as she lifted the handles of the wagon. He didn’t step forward to help her, and it heightened her respect for him just a little bit more. He’d known she would have rebuked any offer, knew she was more than capable of handling a few supplies.
“How about tonight, you know where to find me,” he countered. Ro glanced over at him. “That is, if you’re still looking to start trouble.”
She didn’t answer, but she did consider his invitation. The plan was to distract Sheriff Boone and King, to keep them focused elsewhere. Maybe going to find the sheriff would be the final nail in the coffin and seal their plan. She’d go talk to Clem, and then maybe she’d find the sheriff tonight. It was all for the hit of course, not because she wanted to. The lie felt heavy in her stomach even as she thought it, and she pursed her lips.
The shipment would be arriving any moment, the bank would be stocked, the gold refilled. The town would be on high alert for outlaws until tomorrow, when the money would be safely locked away behind King’s vault, or so they thought.
Ro would distract the sheriff tonight while Clem finished up the sketches they’d started, then when all but the working girls and drunks were asleep, they’d slip out of town and rally the forces.
It was time to get to work.
Fourteen
Ro expected Clem to be in their room, sketching out the last bits of the plans. Instead, when she walked inside, it was to find Dolly’s face pressed deeply between Clem’s thighs, licking until her legs shook.
Ro rolled her eyes at the scene, putting her hand on her hip as she closed the door behind her. “I thought you were gonna be busy?” she asked.
“I am busy,” Clem shot back on a gasp, her fingers tangled into Dolly’s hair. “So busy.”
“We ain’t got time for this. We gotta move.”
“Give me five minutes,” Clem breathed, as Dolly reached up and filled her hands with her breasts.
It wasn’t even the most compromising position Ro had found her partner in. Clem loved sex, and there was nothing wrong with that. One time, Ro had walked in on Clem getting serviced by not one, but three working girls. And the thing about Clem was, she hardly ever actually paid for sex. She would, of course, compensate them, but many times they turned her coin down because she was a break from the normal jerks they dealt with. Ro could understand. Men could be assholes, and while women could be too, many weren’t rude to the working girls unless they were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
Ro never begrudged Clem her sexuality, and while sometimes it happened at the worst moment, Clem had spent the vast majority of her life denying who she was to make other people happy. Besides being into women, being a scaly made it even worse. She’d been beaten, spit on, punished, had rocks thrown at her, all for simply being born a certain way. Clem deserved her happiness, no matter how she chose to find it. If it chased away her nightmares, no one could complain.
“Should I go?” Ro pulled her hat from her head and tossed it onto her mattress. “I can leave until you’re done.”
“No,” Clem moaned, throwing her head back in pleasure. “God, no.”
“You can join in.” Dolly lifted her head just enough to make her offer before Clem pressed her down again.
“This isn’t really her thing,” Clem breathed, moaning as Dolly’s lips found the right spot again. “Ro likes the predators.”
It took Clem three minutes to finish up, and for Dolly to stand and clean her face. When Clem tried to hand her coin, she shook her head, but Clem slipped it inside the working girl’s skirts anyways as she turned to leave. With one final slap on the ass, Clem sent Dolly on her way, before cleaning herself and rearranging her clothing.
“Have fun?” Ro asked, grinning. She pulled out the rolled up parchment they’d been using to sketch the bank. The night before, she’d added as many new details about the vault as she could. She hoped she’d remembered things accurately. The harder she thought about them, the fuzzier they became in her mind. Apparently, having great sex in a place where someone was supposed to be remembering details wasn’t the best option.
“I always have fun,” Clem replied, coming over to study the parchment. “We got everything we need?”
“Almost. I bought a bunch of supplies for the crew too. Can you believe coats here were only three dollars?”
“What? That’s a third of what they cost elsewhere.” Clem’s brow wrinkled in confusion.
“I know. Apparently other places charge ridiculous amounts because they’re necessary items. Here, they only make a small profit on them. Also, the old man at the general store is an asshole. Don’t go in there unless you wanna have to argue about why he should
sell you things.”
“How did you manage to get the supplies then?” Clem took a seat next to Ro on the mattress.
“The sheriff helped.”
“Good on him.” Clem’s eyes twinkled. “Also, we didn’t discuss where you went last night either, but when you came back into the room under the cover of darkness, you smelled like Rex and sex.”
Ro felt her face flame before she could help it and she didn’t understand why. She wasn’t shy, she openly talked about sex with Clem. Hell, she’d sat next to Clem while another woman licked her. So why was she blushing now? “It was all part of the plan is all.”
“Is that right?” Clem grinned wide. “How was it?”
“How was what?”
“Sex with Virgil King?”
Ro bit her lip and met Clem’s eyes. “It was definitely the best I’ve ever had.”
“Wow.” Clem whistled. “I didn’t expect that from the bank owner. Maybe the sheriff, but not the rich one.”
“That’s another thing. The sheriff wants me to meet him tonight.”
Clem nodded. “The last part of the plan. You go send those Rexes into chaos, Rowena ‘The Ghost’ Wickham. They won’t know what hit ‘em!”
Ro stood and dusted off her trousers with her hat before tossing it on the mattress. She just barely managed not to flinch at the outlaw name. “I might get eaten.”
“I hope so,” Clem replied with a grin on her face. “I highly suggest it.”
Ro rolled her eyes, but she turned and slipped from the room, leaving her hat behind. She probably wouldn’t need it, not yet, but that night they’d have to ride into the desert to find the rest of their crew. They were moving too fast for their original plan, but with The Croc moving swiftly toward them, they had no choice.
Ro couldn’t run into the outlaw, so against all odds, they’d pull off this haul and then ride off into the sunset too fast to be captured, too clever to be shot. That was the plan anyways.
The problem was, things didn’t always go according to plan.
Rexes & Robbers Page 10