Later on, I head to the river for a bath because Evan is down there. Wade’s talking with Noble about the next job, so I think maybe I can do the kid.
From the shore, I see nobody right off. Maybe I was mistaken on Evan’s intentions. Still in want of a bath, I strip and wash, in the course of which I note movement downstream on the opposite shore among the trees. I move down to get a look and find Evan standing stark naked, bent over for Jack, who is fucking like a madman. I rise out of the water to watch, and Jack turns my way, passes me an awful grin as he pops his prick out of the kid, turns toward me and wags it before driving back into Evan. The kid doesn’t look my way so there’s no telling if he knows I’m there. Jack starts to hurry and I know he’s ready to come, so I go back upstream, get dressed, hurry away, hating that any of this bothers me.
Wade is in the cabin and I tell him, “Come to the barn,” which he knows what for. He passes me a look I well know, showing he’s eager, and we head to Noble’s barn, where we often use a back stall. A come-stained blanket lies in the straw and I push Wade onto it, pull down his pants and drawers. I’m hard as iron and unloose my dick, but when I try to mount Wade, he bucks me off, rolls over, and slams a fist to my gut.
“What in hell?” I say before he lands another, at which I gain myself and sock him in the jaw, causing him to fall back. I fall on top of him, get his arm into a lock, which allows me to roll him over and pin him. I shove my dick up his ass and fuck him hard and fast, and it’s a good one, maybe because I’m worked up with the fighting, and I come quick, after which we lie quiet, me still atop him.
Breathing heavy, we pass a minute before I pull out and sit back. He rolls over and I see where he’s let go into the blanket, but he doesn’t look satisfied. He appears angry, like he’d punch me, had he not just spent himself. I button up and leave him there, then ride into Greenlee, where I get into a card game that goes most of the night.
A good bit of my money stays in Greenlee, but I don’t care. I just want to be away from Wade and Evan both. A man across the poker table gives me the eye, and when he cashes out of the game around four a.m., I do the same, then follow him around back, where he drops his pants and I take him braced against a wall.
I roar with the come, and soon as I’m done I want to do it again, like there’s not going to be any relief ever, so I get down and suck his dick, swallowing his stuff when he comes.
After this, I find my horse and head toward Noble’s place. The sun comes up as I ride and I think on things, such as how Jack likely persuaded the kid to submit, how Jack’s never been good for the outfit, him and his no-good schemes. When I reach the ranch, I see him coming out of the privy, wearing just drawers, and I want to beat hell out of him. Instead, I unsaddle my horse, get him some oats, and wash up at the river. Only then do I venture into the cabin.
Wade sports a bruise on his jaw where I’d hit him, but he acts regular, like nothing happened. Nobody asks where I’ve been because a man has a right to go off by himself. Everyone is moving around, dressing, because Hannah is strict about breakfast time. That woman could run an outfit like nobody else, if she chose.
When the others head up to the house, Evan stays back, fussing over a boot, which is almost funny. I give him a second, then sit beside him on his bed.
“I saw you with Jack yesterday, down at the river.”
He inspects his boot, runs his thumb along the sole, but says nothing.
“I thought we had something going,” I add, “so I’m surprised at what I saw.”
“Jack helped me out. I owe him.”
“You don’t owe any man, not even me. There’s no debt here. You shouldn’t give way unless you want.”
He goes silent again.
“Do you want?”
“I always want,” he says.
This is a slap in the face, sure as if he’d laid a hand to me. My head snaps to the side and I get up because I want to slap this kid, this boy, who’s letting his dick run him. I go out, force myself to take breakfast with the men because I refuse to be seen as played.
Evan is big enough to allow some minutes before he follows and he sits away from me at the table. As talk goes around, I offer how I’d gambled and caroused all night in Greenlee.
“Any money left?” asks Virgil.
“Enough,” I return with a laugh.
As others tell of similar experiences, most of which we’d witnessed, there’s laughter, which I welcome, because it allows me to keep an eye on Evan and Jack. What I find by meal’s end is that I’m alone in my concern. Evan chows down, looking innocent, while Jack appears a bit too sure of himself. I scarcely taste my food.
Noble announces that he’s got fresh stock coming in today and will need us to help out. All agree to this and I welcome the diversion. Horses can comfort a man, being mostly good-natured, and the day passes in culling and rebranding.
When we finally knock off around five, we
