𝘊𝘖𝘕 𝘖𝘍 𝘙𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘕𝘎𝘌 | ᴘʀᴇ ʀᴅʀ2

Chapter Five

The group sold the wagon, earning them a decent amount of cash to split evenly. A few days had passed since then, and now all they were waiting on was a tip to point them in the direction of either O'Driscoll brother.

Cormac O'Driscoll couldn't have gotten far. He had to be doing business in the area since he took the time to play poker before killing both Rosalie's father and uncle. Dutch was certain that if he and Hosea did enough surveying in the nearby town, they would come across something soon enough.

Rosalie hoped that was true.

Unfortunately, the wagon stealing had caused quite a ruckus. While it had gotten them a decent amount of cash for them to move with, the crime had been reported to the town's sheriff. It seemed the man was not one to leave a loose end untied, so the group needed to move before the sheriff came sniffing too close.

So, for the time being, they were just playing the waiting game till they got enough information on the O'Driscolls.

Rosalie spent most of her time trying to figure out her place in this group. It was hard to know where she stood with them due to the many years they shared already. The trio had a tight bond, that much was clear to her, and Rosalie wasn't sure how she would fit in. The week had given her more time to understand each person, and even if she wasn't sure of her place among them, she knew she liked all three of the men.

Hosea was a kind-hearted man. He was probably her favorite, just because he was one of the only people as of late who could make her laugh.

Most of the time she felt as though she was wading through the thick waters of her grief. She tried to not make it seem too obvious, but she knew it was hard not to notice when she would catch herself staring off into the distance for too long, a vacant look in her eyes.

Hosea had the talent of being able to pull not just any laugh from her, but one that came from deep within and brought tears to her eyes. The happiness was infrequent, so when he could give her some with his quick retorts, Rosalie would revel in it.

It hurt to spend time with Hosea because he reminded Rosalie so much of her father, but she couldn't help it. The likeness Hosea had to her father was painful, there was no denying that, but in a way, it also made her feel close to him. Like maybe she could have the chance of healing.

She was sure if Hosea and her father met under different circumstances, they would have been great friends.

Dutch was a remarkable man, and Rosalie couldn't help but develop a soft spot for him too. He was resolute yet filled with enthusiasm, the kind of presence she needed in her life amidst her grief. Whenever her thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, Dutch was there to offer reassurance. He would confidently affirm that they would track down and eliminate Cormac O'Driscoll; he wouldn't slip away from them. They would ensure that justice was served for those they held dear.

Rosalie couldn't forget the fact he had invited her to his camp. He offered her a place where she could potentially belong among himself, Hosea, and Arthur. He sold her father and uncle's horses when she couldn't. Dutch didn't ask for any bit of the money either, giving her the full amount without an inkling that he wanted to put it in his own pocket.

Dutch offered her a kindness that she was unsure she would ever be able to repay.

Arthur on the other hand, was a completely different story from the two others. She wasn't sure how to read him. That was partially due to the fact he had barely spoken to her after the wagon incident. He kept his distance, sitting at the opposite end of the firespit, and busying himself with anything else so he didn't have to talk to her during downtime.

Rosalie was hurt by his distance—she couldn't deny it. This was the first time she had ever experienced a real conflict with someone her age, and she wasn't sure how to navigate it. It seemed as though he was upset she had shown off by jumping to the wagon and kicking the driver to the curb, but she wouldn't say she was sorry for it. Rosalie needed to prove her place, and she had done just that.