The Outlaws Daughter

Chapter 16

Her head hurt as she tried to wake, but even opening her eyes was too much of a task. Drinking with the men was definitely not a good decision on her part.

Taking in a deep breath, she forced once eye open and slowly studied the ceiling above her. The snoring that filled the room let her know that the men were sleeping off their hangovers too.

Regret was almost as strong as the nausea hit her and she fought the overwhelming urge to vomit off the side of the bed.

Pushing herself up, she made sure not to step on anyone as she walked over to the small corner table that had a pitcher of water on it. Pouring it into the small basin, she hurried to wash her face, the cold water making her sober up as she took several deep breaths to calm her stomach.

Looking around the room, the men were still heavily asleep, half sprawled out on the floor, and still in their boots. Stifling her giggles, she realised that Jesse was already gone from the room, probably off to have his morning shot of whisky.

"Sabrina, it's barely past dawn." Caleb mumbled to her as he rested his arm across his eyes.

"I know, I'll be back after I go to the out house." She whispered in return, not that she needed to be quiet, these men would still be asleep even if a train came barrelling through the room.

Stepping out of the room, she hurried downstairs and out the back door to the small outhouse...not the main one used by every one, but the smaller one hidden behind the stables that the ladies of the night used.

The morning was crisp and clear, and she enjoyed the rare quiet of the normally busy town. Hurrying back into the saloon, she moved towards the staircase, glancing at the two men at the bar talking to the barely awake Saloon owner.

"Miss, come here for a moment." The owner spotted her and called her over.

She hesitantly approached. "What do you want?" She asked him.

"You were flouncing around with Jesse Hawk last night, are you his woman?" He asked her.

Her face screwed up in disgust at that, "No. I'm not. Why are you asking about Hawk?" She asked seriously.

The saloon owner glanced at her before leaning close, "Jesse said he was over at the Royal Saloon to try win his hand with the drunken fools still there. These men say he owes them some money." He said lowly to her.

Frowning at that, "How much does Jesse owe you?" She asked the two men, they were serious looking men, wearing dark long sleeved shirts with a brown leather vest over the top of it.

They definitely were not ones to mess with.

"A fair amount. Enough for us to teach him a hard lesson if he doesn't have our money in an hour." One spoke up, he was slightly taller, with sharp green eyes.

"I'll sort it out." She explained to them. "Jesse will have the money for you." She said quickly...if she had to use some of her hidden money to pay his debt...she would.

"We'll be back in an hour." The other one said as he stepped towards her, "Jesse better have our money." He said with a glower before he whirled on the spot and stormed out.

"Hawk has no luck at games. He won't have the money in an hour." The saloon owner explained to her.

"I know." She growled in annoyance. "You said he was at the Royal?" She asked him.

"That's what he said." The owner said with a nod.

"Thank you." Sabrina told him before she hurried out the door, furious that Jesse had gotten himself into more trouble over gambling.