by Bobbi Smith
"Now, let me just tie your hands in front of you so you can ride."
When she didn't immediately hold out her arms to him, he grabbed her and gave her a hard shake.
"When I tell you to do something, woman, you damned well better do it!" he snarled, his face close to hers.
She looked up at him, this time refusing to show any fear. Her defiance earned a leering look from him.
"You don't look so scared anymore," he said with a grin. "Maybe I should give you a little preview of what I got in store for you tonight-"
She still didn't blink or try to squirm away as he retied her hands. He made the rope even tighter than it had been before, and she twisted her wrists, trying to loosen it a bit.
"I think I should take you real slow, so we can both appreciate it more," he said thoughtfully. He looked her up and down, and then his lustful gaze settled on the top button of her dress. "I think I should use everything I got to make it exciting for you. What do you think, Kid?"
The Kid laughed. "I thought you always made it exciting for your women."
Zeke turned back to Alyssa and brought his knife up for her to see. Alyssa gasped in terror as he came at her with the weapon. She was expecting him to stab her. She braced herself for his attack, and she was shocked when, in one quick, slicing move, he simply cut off the top button from her dress. Her dressed gaped open slightly with the button gone, and Alyssa knew she was lucky that he hadn't slit her throat. Of course, this was a game he was playing. He was flaunting power over her.
"There," he said in satisfaction as he stared at her bared flesh. He reached up and ran one finger down the line of her throat to where the dress was still fastened. "Now I got a little more of you to look at on the rest of the ride."
"Let's go, Zeke."
Zeke heard the impatience in the Kid's voice and put his knife away. It was time to ride.
"Get on the horse," Zeke ordered.
Alyssa turned to mount and cringed when she felt Zeke's hands at her waist helping her. She jerked free of his hold as soon as she'd gotten her foot in the stirrup and could pull herself up.
"Don't think you're going to be smart and try anything," the Kid said as he edged his horse closer to hers. "Zeke may want to keep you alive, but you're just as valuable to me dead."
Alyssa didn't flinch at his words, but she knew he meant them.
The Kid sidled even closer until she could almost feel his breath on her face. "Remember this. Nobody-I mean nobody-plays me for a fool. Braxton's gonna get what's coming to him, and so are you. Johnson and Nash are dead because of you."
She had never seen such cold, deadly hatred in her life as she saw mirrored in the Kid's eyes. She thought Zeke was horrible, but the Kid was even more savage. Suddenly, she was afraid not only for herself, but for Slade, too. This man would stop at nothing to seek his revenge.
The Kid turned his horse away from her. "Let's ride."
He led the way, and they kept Alyssa between them on the trail. Zeke was enjoying the view, watching her hips as she rode her horse. He knew that tonight, he'd be the one she was riding. His imagination kept him busy for the duration of the ride to the canyon.
Alyssa felt battered and bruised. The one hope she could cling to was the knowledge that she still had her derringer in her pocket. It was her last line of defense, and she knew she would use it without hesitation when the time came.
She thought of Slade and Ken and prayed that they were following her by now. If anyone could save her, it would be Slade.
They rode on for hours, stopping only briefly to rest the horses as they needed it. It was late in the afternoon when they finally reached the entrance to the box canyon.
Alyssa took one look around and understood immediately why the Kid had picked this place to confront Slade. It was easily defensible, for the outlaws could see anyone approaching for at least a mile. She cast a quick glance back, hoping to see some sign that they were being followed, but there was no indication that anyone was closing on them. The Kid had planned well. They had gotten completely away from town without anyone being the wiser.
She wondered how long it would be before Slade showed up. She wondered, too, if she could face the possibility that he might not get there in time to save her from Zeke.
Firm resolve filled her. She would not submit to him easily. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cower, and beg before him. He might be able to overpower her with brute strength and force her to his will, but she would never give in to him. No matter how much she suffered at his hands, she would not submit willingly to his domination, and she knew that was what he wanted. He wanted to break her spirit,
"We'll camp here," the Kid said as they reached a clearing near a small creek. "It'll be the best place for us to watch for Slade."
The rocky walls of the canyon offered good pro tection from any attack. It looked impregnable, and Alyssa feared that it was.
Zeke came to her and started to reach up and grab her by the waist to help her down. But Alyssa wasn't about to suffer his touch without a fight. She lifted her foot and kicked him squarely in the chest, shoving him away.
He was taken by surprise at her action and staggered backward a step. The Kid laughed out loud at her daring. Her action infuriated Zeke.
"So you want to play rough, do you?" he growled, standing back and waiting until she'd climbed down by herself.
When she'd dismounted and turned to walk away, he deliberately tripped her, sending her to her knees.
"That's where I want you, bitch-on your knees. Remember that."
She looked up at him from where she knelt in the dirt, her hatred for him showing plainly in her expression. But he just walked past her, leaving her there.
The two men set up camp quickly. They planned to be there only one night, so there wasn't a lot to do.
"Take first watch," the Kid told Zeke. "If you see anything suspicious at all, let me know. We aren't taking any chances tonight. This is too important."
"What are you going to do with her?" Zeke looked over to where Alyssa now stood.
"I know she's not going anywhere, but I think I'll tie her up in plain sight just in case Braxton gets any ideas about trying to sneak in here and free her. If there's any trouble, any trouble at all, my first bullet goes into her."
Zeke nodded. "Where do you want her?"
The Kid looked around and saw a medium-sized tree that would be perfect for what he had in mind. "There. Tie her standing up to that one limb, her arms above her head."
Zeke went to get Alyssa and do as the Kid had told him. He liked the idea that she'd be tied up right where he could keep an eye on her while he was standing guard. She would be far better scenery than the surrounding countryside.
"Let's go, sugar. It's almost time for some fun," he said, leering at her as he grabbed her by the arm and led her off toward the tree.
In short order, he had her tied up just the way the Kid wanted her. She was standing, her arms above her head, completely helpless to do anything to free herself.
"You look real good that way," he said. "Course, you've always looked real good to me. Should I take her gag off?"
"Sure, there ain't nobody gonna hear her out here," the Kid answered.
Zeke reached behind her head and loosened the rag that had silenced her during the trip. He expected her to scream and curse him when he did, but she only stared at him and did not speak.
"What's the matter, honey? Ain't you got nothing to say?" He leaned toward her.
Alyssa's rage was so great, she didn't even think; she just spat in his face.
Zeke swore loudly and pulled out his knife. He wiped his cheek off with the back of his arm as he glared at her. He wanted to teach her a lesson right then, but he stopped himself.
"Don't worry. I'll pay you back for that later." He smiled coldly. "But maybe I'll give you something to think about until then, what do you say?"
He dropped his gaze to her bosom and lifted the knife to
sever another button on the front of her gown. She gasped as the button fell away. Intrigued by her reaction, he sliced off another one. When he finally stopped, her dress was open to the waist. Alyssa was thankful that her chemise still covered her, but her breasts swelled above it, giving him a hint of the fullness shielded from his view.
"We are going to have some good times when I get done with my turn at watch," he said hungrily.
Alyssa didn't respond. She found herself holding her breath as he pressed the cold blade of his knife against her bared skin.
"Some real good times," he repeated, lifting his gaze to hers.
The look he gave her was unnerving, yet Alyssa didn't show her terror. She looked him straight in the eye. Only when he finally gave a maniacal laugh and turned and walked away, did she allow herself to exhale in relief.
Alyssa glanced up at the sky, trying to judge how much time there was until sundown. The sun was low in the western sky, and she knew it wouldn't be too long before she'd have to face the coming night-and Zeke.
"It's not much farther," Slade told Ken and the others as they neared the canyon. "We'll have to be careful from here on out, though. It'll probably be best if we stop after another mile and wait for dark."
"His site's that good?"
"If he's camped where I think he is, he'll be able to see almost a mile out. Going in after dark is the only way."
"You're sure about this?" Ken repeated, wanting to confirm their plan.
"There's nothing else we can do. I have to get to Alyssa now. Zeke's wanted her ever since the night we went into Black Springs to check out the bank. He isn't going to stop tonight, and the Kid won't care what he does to her. All the Kid cares about is getting even with me."
They were silent and grim as they urged their mounts forward. The next few hours would be critical and dangerous. They would have to shoot straight and move swiftly when the time came. Alyssa's very life depended upon it.
The Kid started a small campfire near the tree where Alyssa was restrained, so he could keep a close watch over her. He was certain that Braxton was on his way by now. He wondered if the Pinkerton would be stupid enough to try to rescue her tonight. If he did, she was a dead woman.
One way or the other, once any shooting started, the Kid's first shot would be at her. Killing her would be the thing that would affect Braxton the most, and that was what he wanted to do. Braxton was going to suffer for his part in seeing Johnson and Nash hanged.
Getting up from where he'd been sitting by the fire, the Kid walked over to Alyssa. He took the canteen with him.
"Do you need a drink?" he asked.
She looked at him, taking care to keep her expression blank. "Yes." She hadn't had anything to drink for most of the day.
Alyssa grew worried as he came toward her. With her clothes torn away as they were, she was afraid that he might decide to start what Zeke wanted to finish later that night. She tensed, but said nothing more. Relief flooded through her when the Kid merely held the canteen to her lips and waited.
The Kid paid little attention to her. Women were the last thing on his mind tonight. He was too concerned with trying to figure out what trickery Braxton might try to pull off. He wouldn't put anything past the Pinkerton.
When Alyssa had finally finished drinking, the Kid glanced up the canyon as if he expected trouble to come riding in on them at any moment. He saw no sign of anyone trying to sneak up on them, so he relaxed again for a while.
He was going to have to relieve Zeke as lookout soon, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Zeke had no intention of being distracted from the lady judge tonight, and the Kid had no intention of trying to distract him. He just didn't want to lose sight of what was really important-watching for Braxton.
It was an hour past sundown when the Kid finally decided to take over for Zeke. He made his way up to his vantage point.
"All right, go on."
Zeke looked up at the Kid, his eyes shining with an eagerness born of waiting. "I'm gonna be busy for a while."
He was all but drooling in his rabid excitement. At last! The lady judge was going to be his!
"I figured that. Just keep it quiet. Gag her again if you have to, but I don't want no screaming. Braxton could be out there listening and waiting."
"Yeah, yeah."
The last thing Zeke wanted to hear about from the Kid right then was Braxton. His body was hungry for the woman, and he intended to sate that hunger. He was going to take her as many times as he could.
Zeke started down to the campsite. He was ready. He'd already waited longer for her than he'd ever waited for any woman. He thought back to the first time he'd seen her and thought about how different things would have been if he had knifed Slade and gone after her then, when he'd wanted to. The Kid would have been angry with him if he had, though, for an attack that night could have ruined the robbery they'd pulled off successfully the next morning. Still, if he'd gotten rid of Braxton that night, none of this would have happened, and Johnson and Nash might still be alive.
"Evening, darling," he said as he put his rifle aside and walked toward Alyssa. "I can tell you've been missing me while I was gone."
"You're wrong, Malone," she said. "I didn't miss you at all."
"Too bad. I sure was thinking about you." He grabbed himself explicitly to show her where his thoughts had been.
Alyssa was disgusted by his action and looked away from him. He was a low, vile man, and she hoped she could get to her gun before he had the chance to lay a hand on her.
"Would you like me to cut you down? I could be real good to you if you'd let me." He thought he'd try being nice to her at first to see if she'd cooperate a little. Either way he was going to get some of her right now, so it didn't really matter.
"Go to hell."
"Oh, no, sweetheart, getting between your thighs is going to be heaven, not hell." He chuckled lasciviously as he came to stand before her. "Let's have us some fun tonight."
Alyssa felt almost physically ill. Though he hadn't touched her yet, she still felt violated. She kept hoping and praying to be rescued from the horrible fate that awaited her at Zeke's hands, but there was no sign that Slade was riding in to her rescue. She was trapped.
Held captive as she was by two killers, her oneshot derringer out of reach, Alyssa realized she was on her own. She was going to have to save herself. It wasn't going to be easy, but she would choose her moment carefully and pray her attempt worked.
"Here... Let me free you so you can enjoy this as much as I'm going to," Zeke said as he used his knife to cut her down.
Alyssa's arms felt leaden, and she could barely move. She rubbed at her wrists, trying to get the feeling back in her hands as quickly as she could. She couldn't afford to fumble when she went for the derringer. She was going to have one chance and one chance only. She would have to move fast and shoot straight if she was to survive the night. She stood staring at Zeke, waiting, trying to anticipate his next move.
"Come on, sugar," he said in a low voice, not quite believing that the moment he'd waited so long for was actually upon him. He took a step toward her.
"No!" Alyssa said, backing up.
Her move broke his mood and he grabbed her, not about to put up with any protests. She was his to do with as he pleased.
"You're mine. Get used to it," he said in a low, threatening voice as he pulled her along with him to the campfire, where he'd spread out his bedroll earlier.
He shoved her roughly to the ground and stared down at her as he unbuckled his gunbelt and set it aside. His gaze grew hot, and he could wait no longer. He dropped to his knees beside her and reached for her.
"Get away from me, Malone, or I swear I'll kill you."
"That ain't no way to talk. All I want to do is show you a good time. Lift up your skirts and spread your legs. I don't want to waste no more time-"
He moved over her, lying down upon her, forcing her legs apart with his knees when she refused to accommodate him willingl
y. He pressed hot, wet kisses to her throat and then lower, to the tops of her breasts. He moved against her, showing her exactly what he wanted to do to her.
Alyssa was in a panic. Bile rose in her throat at his touch, and she wanted to scream in frustration. She looked over to where the Kid was keeping watch, only to find him staring at them with open interest. She started to go for her gun, but Zeke caught her hands and pulled them up above her head. She was pinned there, the weight of his body holding her fast. Bucking wildly, Alyssa hoped to throw him from her, but he was too heavy.
"That's it, honey. Give me a good hard ride."
He slipped one hand down to pull up her skirt. His fingers groped at her legs as she squirmed desperately, trying to avoid his touch.
"You know, I owe you an apology," he said, talking low to her as he continued to paw at her. "I really am sorry about your father."
Alyssa had been fighting and twisting and turning, trying to escape his degrading possession, but at his mention of her father, she went completely still.
"What?" she demanded.
"Your daddy... I'm real sorry I killed him."
"You bastard! What do you care about my father? You are a killer! A murderer! You shoot people down in cold blood!"
"Well, that's just it, honey," he said, stopping his groping at her while he spoke. "You see, I wasn't aiming at your daddy when I was shooting that day. He just sorta got in the way. I was trying to kill Braxton, but the shot went wide and hit the old man instead."
"How dare you-!"
"I'd dare anything for you, sugar. You see, you're the reason why I was shooting at Braxton in the first place. That night at the dance, I was wanting you." He moved against her to emphasize his words. "I told old Slade to dance you over to me, and then I'd get some of you right there in the back alley. I was real hard for you that night, just like I am now." He gave a fierce thrust of his hips against her, wanting her to know the strength of his desire.
"You're horrible!"
"You won't be saying that once I give you what I got," he said, grinning down at her. "But that night, Slade told me you weren't for the likes of me. He even hit me to make his point. Now I don't know what that boy could have been talking about, 'cause look at us now. You're here with me, and you're just loving every minute of it. Ain't you, sweetheart?"
