Gold Dust Widow: The Story of an Outlaw's Revenge

Chapter 31: Clara

I barely had time to gasp and drop to the ground when the shot reverberated through town. I couldn't tell who'd pulled the trigger, it should have been me. But I felt myself dropping to my knees to avoid the bullet.

I started to roll over when Jasper and his black stallion appeared from behind Rhett Mealy.

The stallion crashed into the Mealy men and reared up. Jasper was suddenly vaulting off the horse in a practised and lethal manner and landed right in front of me, his pistol drawn behind me, his grey eyes boring into mine.

For a split second, I could stare up at him, as he glared down at me, his chest heaving for breath. My emotions swarmed and when he reached down to grab me, I threw myself into his arms.

The moment my body slammed into his, I felt his arm wrap tightly around me, taking my weight entirely. His arm remained outstretched, pointed at whoever had appeared behind me.

Suddenly the moment exploded, and his hand was on the top of my head, bowing me down, his arm wrapped around my waist, and he was pulling me out of the street.

Bullets seemed to rain down around us. I heard the men's screams, grunts, and groans as they fell. Hank was shooting, dropping back behind an overturned buggy; Norman was running across the bank roof, shooting as he went at the men below. Two men hot on his heels.

Ares raced around the men, barking, bearing his teeth, and then ran back down the street after the stallion.

Jasper shoved me into the post office, pulling the door closed behind us at the last minute. We both pushed the heavy filing cabinet in front of the door before Jasper grabbed my hand and dragged me to the back of the small building. Shots seemed to echo around us, whizzing through the wooden planks.

Swearing, profusely, Jasper pulled me down and shoved me under the desk before crouching down next to me, his hot breath in my face.

He looked furious, murderous. His hand gripped my shirt under my chin, pulling my head up.

"You reckless, thoughtless, little woman," he seethed. "I cannot begin to fathom why you would at all think it was a good idea to throw yourself in the middle of them!"

"Jasper," I was reaching for him. My heart was hammering. He looked enraged, but his hands wrapped around my face gently, pulling me against his chest. I held onto him tightly.

"You scared me, Clara," he breathed.

"I love you, Jasper," I blurted against his chest. I felt him stiffen for a moment, then his arms around me tightened. He pressed his lips against my forehead.

"I love you, woman," he growled. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, my cheeks burning. "You damn stubborn woman," he added.

I noticed his hands stroking down my face were covered in blood, his fists were trembling.

"Jasper what happened?" I asked, pulling his hand back, so I could see them in the cracks of light through the shattered window.

He bloody hand closed around mine. His other hand grasped my chin and lifted it, so he could meet my gaze. "I'm alright, Clara. It doesn't hurt much. We have to get you out of here."

Bullets pinged through the wood above our heads. We ducked down further.

I shook my head. "No, I have to kill Rhett Mealy."

He eyes almost bugged out of his head. I felt his fingers squeezing mine.

"He almost killed you," he seethed through barely contained rage. "You were almost shot out there. Another minute-"