Little Sharpshooter Chap 15

Randy was strangely numb inside. It was a long slow ride from the rundown shack with Ernie walking all funny behind her from his bruised man parts. He whined about it the whole way and kept telling her how he was going to kill her when he got out of jail. But all she had to do was speed up to shut his mouth.

When she saw all the men sitting on the edge of town with no intention of coming to help her, she was disgusted with them all. There were no gentlemanly type in the territory. They all reverted back to animals that fend for themselves. But the most amazing sight was Trevor on Al’s back. Her horse finally could trust someone other than her. If she had any feeling left inside her, it would mean the world to her. But it would have to wait. It was obvious she had to show all the men she could take care of herself and didn’t need them. Randy wouldn’t fall apart until she was alone. That also meant that she didn’t trust herself to say a word.

The men tried to ask her how she did it as she rode by. She didn’t stop, staring straight ahead to head for the jail. The sheriff had better follow. Trevor was asking her questions but she couldn’t answer yet. Randy would tell him later. She wasn’t mad at him, just mad at everyone else.

Randy stopped in front of the sheriff’s office. She slid off the saddle, tied the horse to the hitching post, and held onto Ernie’s rope until the Sheriff was there to take it from her. She didn’t look at him once he took the rope from her. He asked her something. Randy didn’t hear him as she walked away.

The boarding house wasn’t far. She clutched her chest to close her ripped shirt avoiding everyone’s eyes as she single-mindedly walked back to her room. It wasn’t much farther. Her eyes were welling with tears. She still had the second room key in her pocket as she fumbled with the lock. The door finally opened. When she looked in the mirror, her eyes blurred the streaks of blood on her face and down her neck. Blood was all over her shirt. She tore it off and threw it in the corner. Randy couldn’t hold it in anymore, falling to her knees on the floor. Big sobs fell out of her. She covered her face, folded over on the floor, and she couldn’t stop.

Bronson was first by her side. He rubbed her back and said something to her. But whatever he said didn’t matter. He lifted her to hold her in his lap on the floor. He held her for some time trying to console her patting her head as if she was a dog.

“Sweetheart, the sheriff needs to know if he violated you,” he said when she finally calmed down some.

She shrugged and she couldn’t control her sobs.

“He’ll have to wait until you can pull yourself together. I’m gonna give you to Trevor now. I have to go talk to the sheriff.” He lifted Randy in his arms.

Randy covered her face with her hands as Bronson set her down on Trevor’s lap on the bed.

“She needs this,” Bronson said.

Trevor moved her hands from her face. A cold wet cloth touched her chin. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, tears were spilling from his too as he washed her face gently.

Trevor touched the bruise on her cheek lightly. He wiped his face with the back of his hand before he rubbed away what dried blood she had on her neck.

“You’re not hurt as bad as it looked like you were.” He attempted to smile.

Randy was able to crack a slight smile in return. “I think I hurt him more than he hurt me.”

“That’s good. He had it comin’.” He held her head in his hands, closed his eyes to rest his forehead on hers, taking in a deep breath. “I was really scared I wasn’t gonna see you again or if I did, you’d be pretty messed up worse than ya are.”

Randy watched his face as the tight knot of grief and fear turned into something else. All she wanted was for Trevor to help her feel better. She wasn’t going to bump into his nose this time. His eyes were still closed when her lips sought his. Gently she kissed him.

His arms tightened around her back pulling her close and he kissed her harder. Trevor rolled to the side and slid her down the bed until she was on her back. Propped up on one arm, the back of his other hand trailed down her cheek, her neck, and then rested on her shoulder. His thumb traced the lace on her camisole. Trevor gazed into her eyes and his body leaned against hers.

All she wanted was to be in his arms. Randy pulled his mouth closer to hers and the rest of the world didn’t matter as long as she was close to him.

After they kissed for some time, he stopped to move the tendrils of hair that stuck to the sweat on her face.

“You shrugged when Bronson asked if he violated you. Did you know what he meant by that?” he tickled her shoulder and her upper arm with his fingers.

“Yes.” She flushed. “I understand what he was askin’. I don’t know if he did when I was out. But I don’t think so. He tried once I woke up. All he did was kiss me and he ripped my shirt. But I don’t think he’s gonna want to do anything to a girl for awhile.”

“Why’s that?”

“I hurt his man parts.”

“What you kicked him?”

“Yeah and grabbed him so hard it took him a long time before he was able to walk.” Guilt washed over her. She didn’t know it would hurt him that bad. “Pa said if a guy wanted to have his way with me, I was to make him sorry he had his parts on the outside.” She looked away.

Trevor cleared his throat and backed away from Randy, “I’m gonna have to remember that.”

She pulled him closer to her so she could kiss him again. He let her readily.

“Are you ready to talk to the Sheriff?” Trevor asked.

“After I clean up and find some clothes.” Randy sat on the edge of the bed. She tugged on the heavy fabric of her skirt. “He said he knew who I was because of my clothes. I forgot they saw them on the floor of my room that day.” She sighed.

“I think you need some new ones before we leave town.” Trevor sat beside her.

“I just want to wear the trousers.”

“You’re a girl and it don’t look right. Besides, I can’t pretend to be married to a boy.” He nudged her with his elbow.

“I dunno if Bronson’s gonna let that us do that once we leave.”

“You told him before he’s not your pa.”

“I know. We’ll see.” Randy lightly rubbed her burning wrists and back of her hands.

“What happened?” Trevor took her raw hands in his to look them over.

“Its rope burns. I was tied up.” She pulled them away and went through her saddle bag to find her other shirt.

“You haven’t told me much about the games your pa played with you.” Trevor handed it to her. It was on the bed for some reason.

“I didn’t think much of them. They weren’t always fun. In fact the only one I liked was target practice. This isn’t the first time my hands and wrists were covered in rope burns. But if it weren’t for those games, I wouldn’t have escaped. I understand everything now.” She started to pour water from the pitcher in the washbasin over her hand. Trevor took the pitcher from her and poured water over both her hands. She looked at her face in the mirror. Her cheek was quite swollen and her eye was squinty from the swelling.

“So who looked worse? Me or him?” She winced when she touched her cheek.

“I’d say you both looked pretty rough. The men were laughing at him though. He’s sufferin’ from the humiliation somethin’ awful.”

“I wish that made me feel better. All the way here he was carryin’ on how he was gonna kill me. I’m sure that I just made it worse.”

“You teach me how to shoot like you can and we ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.” He kissed her cheek.

She smiled but only turned up one side of her mouth. The other side hurt too much. They left for the Sheriff’s office.

After Randy was questioned thoroughly by the sheriff, Bronson agreed with Trevor that Randy needed new clothes before they left. He had something in particular in mind. Randy was still worn out from the ordeal with Ernie so she didn’t put up much fuss when Bronson told the seamstress he had some great ideas on what she should be wearing. When he told the woman what he wanted, Randy lifted her eyebrows at Trevor, but Trevor was eating it all up. Bronson had a look for her and it was all for show. Randy didn’t like it one bit.

When alone with the seamstress for private measurements and fittings for a few already made skirts, Randy put in her two cents and paid the woman extra. There was no way Bronson was going to turn her into some high-dollar, stiff-collared, poofy-sleeved, fancy dress wearing girl.

The next day when Randy tried on the clothes the seamstress made for her, she was happy with the compromise. She had a nice riding outfit in her style and a city dress with some of the fancy taken out of it.

Bronson frowned when he saw it.

“That’s not what we decided.” He held up the top to the city dress.

“It’s what I wanted. You never asked me,” Randy said.

“But I paid for somethin’ else.”

“I paid her more to make it mine.” Randy glared at Bronson.

“Well, it’s not bad. I have to admit, it does suit you.” Bronson relented handing the seamstress the top.

“It doesn’t suit me at all really. I’d rather wear somethin’ less buttoned up. But you all think I should fit in like some rich, city lady. That’s not even practical. It’s just plain dirty everywhere and this here dress is just gonna be a mess no matter how hard I try to keep it nice. No offense, ma’am.” Randy looked over at her apologetically.

“I understand. I wish there were a few more ladies out here that would speak their mind to keep their men in-line.” The seamstress finished wrapping the clothes in plain brown paper. With a swish of her skirt she turned around and stepped into the back room before Bronson could say another word.

They headed out into the unrelenting sun.

“Now, I wish you hadn’t changed nothin’ on it. You didn’t even give it a chance. ”

“I think you could use a change of clothes. You look like a vagabond.” Randy quipped back.

“What? Me? Well I kinda have been these days.” He winked at Randy.