Give My Love to Rose(1st in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jeremiah exclaimed three days later after Marston tipped over a cup of water and proceeded to throw the cup a hundred yards into the distance.

Marston just grumbled and stalked back inside the lean-to. He went rifling through his saddlebags, hunting for the flask of whiskey he knew was stashed inside, when his hand closed around a bundle of money.

Marston frowned. He hadn't realized he had so much left. He pulled the money out and counted it slowly.

Three hundred dollars.

Every single wall Marston had built around his heart in the last few weeks to block out the memory of Rose and Langley came crashing down in an instant.

This was their money. It was the money he had stolen from them and Marston had forgotten all about it. They needed this money. They needed it a whole hell of a lot more than he did.

Marston shook his head. No they didn't.

'Yes they do.'

"Shut the hell up," he grumbled. He didn't make a habit of being sorry for things and he sure as hell wasn't gonna start now. Marston forced those walls to rise one more as he shoved the money back into his saddlebags.

He tossed the saddlebags over his shoulder and strode from the shack. "Where are you going?" Jeremiah asked with a frown.

He was worried about his brother. Marston had always been prickly like a cactus but here lately the man seemed to be one giant prick. Jeremiah had no idea what had happened to the man but he was getting tired of dealing with his over the top grouchiness.

"We've been sitting around this shack for days like a couple of women," Marston grumbled as he began saddling Buck. "It's time we loaded up and did something."

"We could ride into the town a couple of hours away and play some cards," Jeremiah offered, tossing his saddle over the gray.

Marston squinted into the sunset and nodded. "Sounds good to me."

***

"They've got some fairly good whiskey in that saloon over there," Jeremiah noted, tipping his head toward the two story building as they rode down the rutted street.

Marston nodded and led Buck toward the saloon. It was the nicest building in this town which was merely a stopover for outlaws, cattle drivers and any other traveler headed west.

"Nice place," Marston said as he glanced up at the second story and saw the scantily clad woman leaning over the balcony.

"Well aren't you a big piece of man," she called down to him. Her voice had a husky quality and she waved coyly. "Care to come on upstairs in a while and offer me some company?"

Marston merely shrugged and headed inside. "You gonna take her up on the offer?" Jeremiah questioned, elbowing him in the stomach.

"Depends.." Marston shrugged. "I might just decide to get good and drunk. If that happens I'll have to say no. I wouldn't wanna get up there and embarrass myself."

"Surely you wouldn't have that problem!" Jeremiah exclaimed as the two brothers settled down in some empty barstools.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," Marston grinned, tapping the bar.

"You're younger than me," Jeremiah noted, catching the beer the barkeep slid his way. "You can't be much more than thirty."

Marston caught the next beer and stared down into it. "Well I feel damned old."