Give My All to Jessie (Third in Outlaw Series)

Give My All to Jessie

Texas: April 1880 (3 months after leaving windfall)

"Wow a real outlaw camp.... I've read about these but I never actually thought I'd see one!" Langly said with a mixture of awe and excitement as he looked around at the dirty tents, small fires and filthy weather worn men lounging around. There were also women there that made Langly blush with the amount of skin they were showing. These women were wearing blouses that hung off their shoulders and skirts much shorter than was considered proper. Their hair was loose and some of them had big hoop earrings dangling from their ears.

"Those are what we like to call man's best friend." Jeremiah said following his gaze to one of the dark haired beauties.

"Are they whores?" Langly whispered, though not quietly enough to keep several men from looking in their direction and snickering.

"Keep your voice down, Langly, you're supposed to be an outlaw now not some wet behind the ears kid." Jeremiah scolded and Langly flushed and tried to sit up a little straighter in his saddle. "In answer to your question, yes they're whores but you ain't gotta pay 'em for their services. All they want is food and a place to sleep and they're happy."

"Mama would shit a brick if she knew where we were." Langly said with a grin. Jeremiah shook his head.

"You better not ever tell her or your damn pa! I'd like to not be shot dead on the spot."

"Pa wouldn't really shoot you dead." Langly argued and Jeremiah just shrugged. Langly couldn't seem to wipe the smile from his face. The last few months had been the most fun he'd ever had. He and Jeremiah had traveled miles every day. Camped for weeks just hunting, playing cards and having no responsibilities. They'd spent nights in some towns along the way and won a lot of money at the poker tables.

Langly had seen quite a few whores at these saloons but he'd never used any, just the same as he wouldn't use any of these at this camp. There were some things he knew he would never do because of his mama and Kaitlyn's pasts and that was one of them.... Even if these women did seem more than willing, Langly figured there wasn't a woman alive who grew up hoping to be a whore... Any women who chose that line of work did so because they were forced into a corner and saw no other way.

"Jeremiah!" A booming voice called out from behind them. The men turned to look back from atop their horses and saw a large man, easily six and a half feet tall with a belly to rival the biggest of bellies. He was clearly part Indian and his long black hair whipped around in the light breeze beneath his bowler hat. He had a long gray and white owl feather sticking out of his hat and beads on the long strands of his hair. His face was covered in pockmark scars and he had a smile that made him appear close to laughter.

"Hawkins! How are you doing?" Jeremiah asked as he jumped from his horse. Langly followed suit and stretched out his aching legs.

"I'm doing good, Jeremiah, doin' good. Where's Duke at? You two are usually connected at the hip."

"Pa always said that Jeremiah was stuck on Duke's backside." Langly said with a chuckle. Hawkins turned and looked at him with that same jovial smile.

"And who might you be, kid?" he asked.

"This is Langly, my nephew." Jeremiah answered for him as Langly held out his hand. Hawkins eyed his hand with amusement before shaking it quickly.

"I didn't know Marston had a youngin."

"Three actually." Langly replied quickly. "He adopted me and Kaitlyn and then he and my mama had Lucy...."

"That's enough." Jeremiah said sharply and then when both Langly and Hawkins eyed him curiously, he shrugged. "The man doesn't care about y'alls life story."