Rexes & Robbers Read online

  King didn’t waste any more time on words. He took control and crashed his lips against Ro’s in a mad claiming that left her feeling as if she was losing her mind. His tongue swept inside her mouth to tangle with hers, causing stars to shatter behind her eyes as she let him claim her in such a way. King’s fingers held the back of her neck gently, keeping her locked in place, but she knew he’d let her go if she gave the smallest sign of discomfort. His other hand grinded her hips into his roughly, spreading pleasure through her core at the barely there contact. When he finally broke the kiss, it was only to trail his lips down her jaw and neck, nipping her skin without causing any real pain.

  “This probably isn’t the smartest idea,” Ro breathed, her words barely discernible from how much she panted.

  “What’s the matter, Red?” he mumbled against her skin. “Afraid I’ll eat you?”

  She didn’t miss the double meaning of his words, nor did she fight the attraction that flared to life even more for it. Here she’d teased Clem earlier for a line like that, and now she understood exactly how it worked. Her ovaries sat up at attention, and it felt dangerous, risky, and perfect. Virgil King would be a bigger complication than she thought.

  “Maybe it’ll be me that eats you,” she shot back, and it only brought a chuckle from him.

  “You can eat me all you’d like,” he groaned. “Especially if you kiss me like that every time.”

  His fingers tugged her shirt free from her pants and his fingers scraped against her flesh, drawing goosebumps in their wake.

  “I should go before this gets out of hand.”

  “Don’t you want to live dangerously?” he challenged, finally pulling away to meet her gaze. “I could rub your scent all over me and go over to the jail.”

  Ro smiled, a genuine one at that. As soon as she realized it, she tried to school her features, but it was too late, he’d already seen. “I told you I don’t want to start a war.”

  “But I want to play your games.” His voice grew husky. “I want to know what my prize is if I win.” He grinded against her again and it took all her strength not to throw her arms around his neck and say to hell with it all.

  “There is no prize.” Her voice must have been a tad bit too honest, because he paused in his movements and his eyes grew hooded. And then he stepped back as if nothing had happened, his suit as pristine as it had been when she’d first walked in, whereas she was certain she looked properly ruffled. “What’s wrong?”

  “I have work to do. It might be best if you go.”

  “Just like that?” Ro wrinkled her brow in confusion as she worked on setting her clothing straight. “Two seconds ago you were ready to bend me over your desk.”

  He clenched his jaw and looked up at the ceiling. “Do not tempt me,” he muttered.

  “Fine.” Ro threw her hands up. “I expect the information you gave me on land is good for a few days?”

  “My information is set in stone.” He met her eyes. “Now go, before I change my mind.”

  Ro grit her teeth hard, glaring at the man. “Fucking carnivores,” she growled, and spun on her heel, snatching her hat from his desk.

  “If you’re going to threaten me, do it directly, Red. I’m a Rex, not a fucking Compie.”

  Ro didn’t answer. She slid the knife she kept on her hip free, spun, and threw it before she had time to think. There was a moment where she panicked, thinking she’d hit the asshole square in the eyes before he dodged it as if it was nothing more than a feather. It embedded in the wooden wall behind him with a thunk that echoed loudly in the room. For a moment, neither said a word, and then the damned dino started laughing, as if his near death was the funniest joke he’d ever heard. Ro frowned.

  “You’re fucking insane.”

  He reached inside his desk, still laughing, and pulled her small moneybag from the drawers before tossing it to her. She caught it midair, realizing with a start that it was fuller than it had been when she’d slipped it inside his coat to be used an excuse to go to the sheriff.

  “Why is there more money in here?” She scowled.

  “I don’t know what you mean, Ro no-last-name. Tell the sheriff I returned your stolen property. If you go now, he’ll likely smell me on you.”

  Ro snarled, “I don’t like this hot and cold personality you have.”

  “Good. Now let me work before I’m tempted to throw my responsibilities to the wind and snatch you away until I’m satisfied.”

  She sniffed. “As if you could catch me.”

  His eyes flashed and he moved toward her again.

  “Is that a challenge?”

  Ro grinned, seizing the opportunity. “Yes,” she chirped, and then pranced out the door before he could move even closer. His growl followed her all the way back to the hotel. She’d only looked back once, and he’d been standing on the steps watching her leave. His eyes had been glowing a green so bright, that she could pick them out even with the harsh sunlight.

  Perhaps she’d gone a little too far. Challenging a Rex was never preferred, but now he’d be focused only on her, and not the fact that she’d memorized the layout of his bank, or the fact that there was a weak bar on one of the windows, or that the lock on his desk was busted where he’d tugged too hard. Now, he would worry about her instead of her games.

  She just had to survive his.

  Boone watched Ro leave the bank with her cheeks flushed and a grin on her face. He didn’t approach King until the glow had faded from his eyes and even then, he waited a few minutes because the banker still stood outside, clearly worked up.

  “She get ya good, did she?” Boone inquired from the street, looking up at the other Rex.

  “She’s dangerous,” King growled softly, his eyes meeting the sheriff’s. “Watch your back.”

  “She says you stole her money.”

  King chuckled and it brought a frown to Boone’s face. “She has her stolen property back.”

  “So you did steal it?” Boone questioned in surprise. He hadn’t expected the woman to be telling the truth.

  “I didn’t say that.” King turned fully toward the Sheriff, sizing him up. “She’s playing games.”

  “That I agree with. Something about her and her partner showing up don’t sit right with me. We should keep a close eye on her.”

  King grinned. “I volunteer, of course.”

  The growl slipped up Boone’s throat before he could stop it, and he shook his head at the fire in King’s eyes. “Now isn’t the time to start challenging each other. We can both just relax. It ain’t like she’s gonna stick around.”

  “She was asking about purchasing property. Perhaps she means to stay.”

  Hell, Boone thought, that won’t be any good for mine and the bank owner’s relationship.

  “What I mean is, let’s make sure she isn’t up to no good before we start fighting to put a claim on her. Besides, we’d both know I’d win.”

  “Is that so?” King sized him up, but Boone held strong. “For someone saying to relax, you sure are managing to sound like you’re challenging me, sheriff.”

  “It ain’t a challenge if it’s the truth.”

  “And yet I’m the one that can still taste her on my lips,” he purred, and Boone barely held his shift at bay as his Rex threatened to come out. It worsened when he saw the slight rumples on the well-dressed man’s shirt, where someone had obviously clenched their fingers.

  Boone gritted his teeth. “Stay out of trouble, King.”

  “I can’t promise that.” He turned and started to head back inside. “After all, that particular trouble came looking for me.”

  It was a good thing he closed the door behind him, because he missed the way Boone fought the scales from spreading up and down his arms, but the sheriff was certain King had known exactly what he’d done.

  It seemed trouble was going to hit them one way or the other, and it all started with a mysterious woman in a red hat.

  Nine

  Ro made it
back to the room they’d rented just in time for a woman to come stumbling out the door, laughing as Clem chased her and smacked her on the derrière. Ro raised her brows at her partner as she stood in the doorway wearing nothing more than her shirt. It wasn’t even buttoned, so there was far more skin showing than would be considered proper if someone else saw. Clem grinned and danced back inside, leaving the door open behind her to let Ro enter.

  “Looks like you’ve been having a good time,” Ro commented as she walked in and closed the door behind her. “What was that one’s name?”

  “Abigail.” Clem winked. “Want me to tell her you’re interested?” And it took all that time for Clem’s eyes to narrow and take in her partner a little closer. “Forget I said that. It looks like you had some fun of your own.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ro moved and sat on the edge of the stiff mattress, looking anywhere but at Clem.

  “Bullshit. You’ve clearly been up to no good. Your cheeks are flushed, your hair’s falling from its braid.” Clem took a deep breath. “And you very clearly smell like a Rex.” She took another sniff and her eyes widened. “You smell like two Rexes!”

  “That was the plan, wasn’t it?”

  “What happened to no sex?”

  “I haven’t had sex with them,” Ro defended.

  “Not yet. You forget I can smell everything, including how bothered those two got you.” Clem wiggled her brows. “How was it?”

  “Stop. It was just a kiss.”

  “Which one kissed you?” Clem moved over and sat beside Ro on her bed, still far underdressed and completely comfortable. “Was it the sheriff? He seems like a man who knows what he wants.”

  “It was King.”

  “Oh, the bank owner! Was it a good one?”

  Ro chewed on her bottom lip and met Clem’s eyes. “Best I ever had.”

  “I knew it! And did you stir up trouble?”

  “Of course. They both know the other is interested now. I made sure of it. Now it’s just a matter of keeping them distracted.”

  Clem started buttoning up her shirt. “I know a way you can keep their attention.”

  Ro laughed and shook her head, plucking her hat from her head and hanging it gently on the bedrail. “What did you find out from Abigail?”

  “That she likes it when I—”

  “No, about the plan,” Ro interrupted with a laugh. “I don’t need to know the other details.”

  “Fine,” Clem grumbled. “I didn’t find out anything from Abigail, but I learned something from Dolly. A steam train comes into town every Tuesday with a shipment for the bank. It’s heavily guarded by King’s goons, so if we were to actually target the steam train—”

  “It would be suicidal.” Ro nodded. “That means a new shipment should be coming the day after tomorrow. It fits within our week plan.”

  Ro knew that there were a lot of variables they still needed to work out, too many to keep sitting idly by and think up useless ideas. Ro needed to get inside that vault, and she needed to study it a little better. The jail was small, easily mapped out. The only thing she needed to learn more about was the sheriff. He was fast, probably had excellent senses since he was the sheriff, and she hadn’t even met the deputy yet. Every town had a deputy. With her luck, the deputy would be another Rex and their plan would never work.

  “There’s something else I learned from Dolly,” Clem started, her voice hesitant.

  Ro sighed, already knowing the news wouldn’t be good. Working girls heard everything. Men tended to talk when they were trying to impress a lady, and when she had her mouth around him, he’d spill secrets never meant to be heard. Dolly must have known something good.

  “What is it?”

  “The Croc hit Silverton two days ago.”

  Ro clenched her jaw at the mention of the outlaw, her eyes narrowing. “Silverton is a five day ride from here.”

  Clem nodded and ran her hand through her blonde hair. “There’s rumors going around that he plans to attack Embertown next, and if it’s a rumor, that means he wanted everyone to know he’s headed this way.”

  Ro stood quickly and pulled her hair free before quickly rebraiding it. “This changes things.” She walked from one side of the small room to the other, spun, and repeated the action. “That means we don’t have a week.”

  “We have three days before he can be expected here.”

  “That means we have to hit the moment the steam train leaves,” Ro breathed. “We have to be long gone before The Croc ever gets close to Embertown.”

  Clem studied Ro’s stricken face. “Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?”

  Ro didn’t answer. She couldn’t. The Croc and her had a history, that was true, but it was one that was bathed in blood and crime. Along with the few good memories came the worst ones, and she cringed as they all came tumbling back in. “It’s going to be twice as dangerous hitting the town just after a shipment when the security is at its highest.”

  Clem let her ignored question slide without any ill will. She knew the other outlaw was a sore subject for Ro. “If we want to hit the town, that’s the only time we can do it. Either we act after the steam train shipment, or we leave town and cut our losses, target another town.”

  “We can’t do that. The crew is depending on this haul. If we fail, resources are going to get scarce, and we won’t be prepared for what’s comin’.”

  “Then we go tell the crew the plan tomorrow evening, and come back ready to act after the shipment. Until then, you need to work your magic on the Rexes, and I’ll continue questioning the working girls.”

  “No casualties,” Ro whispered, but it was stupid to do so. This hit would be far more dangerous than they planned, but it wouldn’t be impossible. They just needed to be smart, and make sure no one was left behind, dead or alive.

  “No casualties,” Clem repeated. “We should have a drink before all hell breaks loose.”

  Ro nodded. A drink right then sounded like just the thing she needed.

  Whiskey could fix anything.

  Ten

  SEVEN YEARS AGO

  Ro had thought it would be easy to set out as an outlaw, stealing from men who saw her as nothing more than a brood mare, threatening them until they were puddles, but nothing ever worked out like she’d planned. The money she’d stolen from Mr. Steele had only lasted her until she’d traveled far away from Millwatch. With her last few pieces of coin, she paid for a horse that still had some life left in him, and wandered away. She figured she’d take her chances with the natives and the rattlers rather than beg for money. She needed to figure out what her plan was.

  Wandering in the desert was how she ran into the sleepy town of Copper Hollow. Copper Hollow was smaller than Millwatch; the town was made up on only ten buildings—a bank, a general store, a hotel, the jail, the saloon, and a few other little shops. Three of them were abandoned, the town’s time running out.

  The bank of Copper Hollow was small, and probably barely had any money, but because the risk of being caught was low, Ro had decided she could target the bank, add some coin to her purse, and continue on her way. She had a horse to escape on, plenty of bullets—though she didn’t intend to use them—and the determination her father always told her came from her mother. She could take on an old sheriff and an even older bank owner. The owner could hardly stand and used a cane to get around. Surely he’d be an easy target.

  But Ro was inexperienced and high on her assurance that she could do it, that she could continue this life without marrying some asshole and becoming his slave. If she wanted freedom, well, it came with the life of an outlaw.

  Ro waited until the sheriff fell fast asleep on the steps of his jail, an empty liquor bottle barely held in his fingers, his snores the only lively thing on the street. A single working girl watched Ro tie the reins of her horse to the post outside the bank, beckoning her forward with eyes that knew she wouldn’t come. It seemed even those that m
ade the best living in towns were struggling and giving up. Soon, Copper Hollow would be nothing more than a ghost town.

  Ro walked up the steps to the small bank, her fingers twitching toward her holster. She doubted the bank owner could be a quick draw, but at least she was cautious. If he went for a gun, she’d have hers trained on him first, just long enough to get the money and run in the opposite direction of Copper Hollow. Easy in and out.

  Ro pushed through the swinging doors and stepped inside, her eyes immediately bouncing around the tiny room. There was only a small safe against the wall, much smaller than she’d anticipated, but perhaps it would be just enough to tide her over for a while.

  The bank owner sat at a desk, half asleep as he stared at a paper in front of him. The words were probably blending together in his eyes. The cane that he used to walk with sat propped up beside him. At her entry, his eyes popped open fully and he glanced up. When he saw she was a woman, he shook his head.

  “I don’t do dealing with your kind. Ain’t no point in you being here.”

  “So you won’t sell me some land?” Ro asked, tilting her head. She already knew the answer, but she asked anyways, with a small shred of hope still in her chest.

  “Women can’t own land. Take yourself outside young lady. Ain’t gonna be no dealings with me.”

  “I thought you’d say that.” Ro pulled her revolver from her hip and leveled it at the old man. To his credit, he didn’t even flinch with the barrel of a gun aimed at his face. “Open the safe, give me everything, and maybe I’ll be okay with you being an asshole.”

  A heavy sigh slipped from his lips as he rubbed his temple. The sound threw off Ro so much that she lowered her pistol the smallest amount in confusion. “Young lady, this town is dying in case you didn’t notice on yer way in here. Ain’t got no money. Hell, someone robbed me last week and took the last set of silver dollars I had.”

  “You don’t have any money?” Ro queried, dropping her pistol completely.