Whiskey Rose (Fallen) (27 page)

When Katrina finished her last song he put out his hand and she took it and stepped down off the stage. He put his hand on her back and leaned in and whispered in her ear. Katrina laughed and
Rose knew what it felt like to really want to kill someone. Matt walked her slowly up the stairs and Rose drank another shot.

“
You okay Rosy
?
” Rose looked up and saw one of the regulars watching her. She normally talked with them while she worked but tonight she had been too preoccupied. She smiled at the other man and tried to force herself to calm down.

“
I’
m fine Ed, i
t’
s just been a long week you know
.
”

“
I’
m really sorry about everything Rose, you know if you ever need a shoulder to cry on I got two o
f‘
em
.
” She started to refuse automatically but then she stopped. Why should
n’
t she? She could show Matt that he did
n’
t matter either. She could move on just as easily as he could. She smiled broadly at him. He was
n’
t nearly as good looking as Matt was but it did
n’
t matter he would be good enough.

“
Tha
t’
s really sweet, too bad I am working or I would take you up on that
.
”

“
Well
I’
m not going anywhere
,
” he said, grinning at her.

“
Can I get you a drink
?
” she asked, smiling a smile that she hoped encouraged him to stay. She continued serving as the crowd slowly began to disperse. Ed stayed at the bar chatting with the other patrons but the more she thought about it the more she lost her nerve. She could
n’
t let some strange man touch her in the hope that it would hurt Matt as much as he had hurt her. There was a chance that he would
n’
t even care and she woul
d’
ve still done something that made her uncomfortable.

“
Alright boys, thanks for coming but I am tired, you all gotta go
.
” There was a series of groans but she continued ushering them out the door.

“
You sure?I could stay
.
” Ed said but she just smiled at him and shook her head.

“Thanks for the offer but I’ll be fine.” As soon as she got them all out she shut and locked the door and looked back at the empty Saloon. She didn’t want to do this anymore she wanted a real life, to hell with him and to hell with the rest of them too. She seriously considered just taking what she could carry and walking out the door but then the anger returned. He had used her
, made a fool out of her. She wasn’t leaving until she told him exactly what she thought of him, Katrina too for that matter they were supposed to be friends. She climbed stairs and pounded on Katrina’s door.

“
Who is it
?
” Katrina called from within.

“
Rose
,
” she said,through clenched teeth. She was so angry her whole body was shaking. Katrina opened the door. She was fully clothed and looked surprised to see her.
 “
Where is he
?
” Rose asked looking past her into the room. She did
n’
t see him anywhere, was he hiding? What was the point?

“
Who
?
”

“
Matt
.
”

“
H
e’
s not in here, he never was
.
”

“
What
?
” Rose asked deflating slightly.

“
I do
n’
t know he just said he was laying a trap for a killer and asked me to play along. Then he walked me up here and told me to stay inside
.
”
 
Rose deflated completely then. A trap for a killer? That did
n’
t make any sense. She turned and walked down the hall.

“
Rose wait
.
” Katrina called but she just kept walking.

Matt felt more than a little odd lying in wait for someone who was lying in wait but it was his best option. He had
n’
t been able to find Jack so he was on his own. He stayed out of sight hidden in the darkness waiting for his prey. The Saloon would be closing soon this was going to work he was sure of it. He saw a figure in move through the moonlight and was disheartened by who it was.

“
You looking for me
?
” Matt asked drawing back the hammer of his pistol that was already leveled at the other ma
n’
s head.

“
No
.
” Jonathan said
.“
Should I be
?
” He turned and faced him
.“
Mind telling me why you have a gun pointed at my head
.
”

“
Mind telling me why yo
u’
re lurking back here
?
”

“
I do actually
.
”

“
Well I guess you get to continue to have my gun pointed at you. I have to admit you are not who I expected
.
”

“
Fine
.
” Jonathan sighed
.“
The light was
n’
t on
,
” He pointed up at the window.
 “
I thought she might be going for a walk. She does that sometimes. I was
n’
t going to bother her. I just wanted to see her. Happy
?
” Before Matt could answer the back door burst open and Rose came walking out. Both men turned toward the door in time to see someone grab her from behind. The silver gleam of light off the knife blade at her throat made his blood turn cold.

“
That who you were expecting
?
” Jonathan whispered.

“
Yeah
.
” Matt said stepping forward with his gun on them
.“
Mr. Duncan, you do
n’
t want to do that
.
” Matt said loudly. Ros
e’
s eyes were wide with fright and he felt even more murderous toward this man than he had when this all started. After this it would be a miracle if the man made it to jail in one piece.

“
Stop right there
I’
ll kill her I swear
.
” The ma
n’
s voice was shaky he sounded unstable and it scared Matt. 

“
Alright
,
” Matt stopped his approach
.“I’
m stopped look. Now let the girl go
.
” Duncan had his arm around Ros
e’
s shoulders and the knife pressed to her throat, h
e’
d already seen what that knife could do he definitely did
n’
t want to see it now.

“
No, yo
u
… you put your gun down
.
”
 
Matt did
n’
t want to relinquish his gun but he was
n’
t willing to gamble Ros
e’
s life. He bent and placed the gun on the ground.

“
I’
m the one you want, I am the one you came for. Let her go and take me
.
”

“
No. Yo
u’
re not the one I want, I want Katrina
.
”

“
I’
m here
.
” Katrina stepped out of the darkened doorway and Matt wanted to curse. The last thing he needed was another person in this situation.

“
Go back inside
!
” He barked but she ignored him.

“
I’
m the one you want. Take me, let Rose go
.
” Duncan looked at everyone wide eyed as Matt feared the man was
n’
t quite all there.

“
Yo
u
… yo
u’d
… d-do that? Come with me
?
” He asked Katrina, stuttering badly.

“
Yes of course
.
” Katrina said quietly
.“I’
ve seen you, yo
u’
re at every show. Yo
u’
ve never missed one
.
”

“
I have to come, I love you, yo
u
… your v-voice i
s
… yo
u’
re an a-angel. You can s-s-save me
.
” Matt inched his way forward while he was distracted by Katrina.

“
Tha
t’
s right I can
.
” She soothed
,“
But I need you to do something for me
.
”

“
Anything
.
”

“
This is my friend, her name is Rose. I need you to let her go. You can take me,
I’
ll come with you
.
” Duncan looked at Katrina, then he looked at Matt then back to Katrina. He lowered the knife from Ros
e’
s throat and released her. She rushed forward, before she even reached him a single shot rang out Duncan dropped to his knees then fell face first into the dust. Matt grabbed Rose and pulled her tightly into his arms. He glanced back and saw that it was Jonathan who had fired the shot.

“
Are you alright? Did he hurt you
?
” He breathed against her hair. He felt her shake her head but she did
n’
t lift her face from his chest.

Jonathan approached slowly his gun still in his hand.  When he reached Katrina he stopped. She looked at him for a moment and then she slapped him. The sharp crack reverberated in the night air. Jonathan did
n’
t react save the movement of his head. Katrina choked back a sob and then she threw her arms around his neck.

“I am sorry Trina, I am so sorry.” He whispered. Katrina was crying, Rose was crying, he was pretty sure Jonathan was crying. He wasn’t crying but his heart hadn’t returned to a normal rhythm yet. He wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and hold her close until he was sure she was safe. He was torn. His duty should be to take care of the scene, to deliver the body to the Sheriff or the undertaker. He looked at the man on the ground then at the top of Rose’s head. He
made the decision, and realized he had made the decision before he even considered that there was a decision.

He didn’t release her. He didn’t even loosen his grip except to retrieve his gun. He walked back into the saloon. He didn’t stop until they were back in the bedroom. Finally he released her. He locked the door and took off her wig then he sat her down and took off her shoes. He took off all of her clothes and his own then pulled her close. He just wanted to hold her, his motivation wasn’t carnal but as he lay there in the dark with his arms wrapped around her he felt her mouth against his neck. He felt her kiss along his collar bone then up his neck under his chin. He bent his head and met her lips kissing her deeply.

“
I swear Rose if ever there was a time when you should have stayed behind this locked door he growled
.
” It was the first time either of them had spoken.

“How was I supposed to know?” She demanded, “If you had told me what you were doing.” He silenced her with his mouth, now that she had ignited him he needed to lose himself in her, to work off the fear that had shaken him so badly. He kissed her, plundering her mouth with his own. She was breathless when he finally broke the connection. He didn’t stop, moving down instead he licked kissed and nibbled everything his mouth came into contact with until she was writhing beneath him then he entered her. Passion flowed through him replacing his blood. He had never been so scared for another person all the adrenaline that had been stirred up in him, poured out of him now. Until he heard her call his name then he was lost. He buried himself in her and found a release that made him nearly as light headed as the first time. He didn’t collapse on her this time. He rolled instead, taking her with him. So that she was on top of him.