Lawless (An Outlaw's Love Story) Book II

IV | Damsel In Distress

1899 Somewhere In Southern California

"How she holdin' up?" Alonso asked, joining Stacy beside the small campfire. Another bandit by the name of Quill followed behind him.

The gang had made it back to the hideout--an abandoned house somewhere out in a thicket. Temporarily the gang is residing there until Cyrus decides the next destination to move on to, which should be soon since they now have abducted mayor's daughter. It won't be before long that a search party will be sent out.

Stacy glanced over at her. Her black curls were wildly splayed down her back, nearly reaching her tailbone. As she sat she stared blankly into the unnecessarily large bonfire that Frogger lit with too much kerosene. 

"She'll be alright," Stacy said, tilting back a bottle of expensive gin. One of the train cars they looted had been full of expensive liquor and now more than half the bandits were intoxicated. This could be the start of a pleasant night or a few fights depending on who decides to get emotional.

The three of them watched as some of the men teased and taunted her; tugging on her hair and dress, puckering their lips, and saying every lewd remark within their limited vocabulary. Tightly she crossed her arms over her breasts and did her best to ignore them.

"Handsome woman." Quill interrupted the silence. He's the only full Indigenous man in their gang. He's also one of the only other bandits who supports Stacy. He along with Alonzo, Yancy, Cisco, Jose, and Switch whom is also called Dixon.

"She's tall for a woman, no?" Cisco asked as he walked up, sweet smoke puffing from his nearly finished cigar.

"Long legs. I like it." Jose said as he squeezed down in-between Stacy and Alonzo, unapologetically bumping their shoulders as he forced room.

Cisco frowned at his cousin. "I wasn't asking you, cabrón. Why are you even here? No one invited you. Aye, this pendejo follows me everywhere."

Jose sneered up at Cisco. "I was already coming over here. You were following me, puta!" The two then started bickering back and forth, which is typical for the two men. More often then not it ends in blows. 

"Can y'all muthafuckas go somewhere else with that shit?" Switch walked up to them, two bottles of whiskey in each hand. "Ain't nobody tryna listen to arguing and fussin' all damn night. I just wanna enjoy my whiskey and sleep like a baby." He handed off three bottles of dark liquor.

"Switch is right," Alonso agreed accepting a bottle. "Tonight we are celebrating our great success." He raised his bottle of whiskey, signally the others to do the same. "Here's to Casanova!" They all cheered before guzzling down their alcohol in hand.

Stacy joined in by taking one large gulp from Alonso's bottle. He winced as the whiskey burned his throat before settling in his belly for yet another slow burn. He wasn't a heavy drinker. Not because he didn't enjoy alcohol, but because he made it his priority to always remain alert, especially when amongst enemies. He looked across the way to see several bandits glaring at them, each jealous of Stacy's rank and success in the gang. And Jonah sat in the center of them--enviously scrutinizing Stacy.

"However," Stacy began after wiping the alcohol from his lips, "we need to celebrate once the girl is returned and the mayor has paid his dues."

"Which he will." Alonso confidently reassured. "This is his pride and joy we have kidnapped."

Stacy wasn't so sure about that. The girl is no girl at all. He was under the impression that she would be fifteen or so. With a figure like that the young woman has to be somewhere in her twenties.