Monroe was the first to enter the big tent, followed closely by Connor and Bella. Connor had his arm around Bella's shoulders, declaring her his for all those who might get the wrong idea in their heads. He wasn't deluding himself, he knew that this was all temporary and far from being real but he still wanted to enjoy it as much as possible in the mean time.
While they followed Bass, Bella kept her hand on her sword and looked all around her, taking notice of every single detail that could prove useful later if they needed to rush out. A back door, a cane on the floor, a hooded man trying to hide by the bar… She tried to take as many details as possible in.
Monroe led them to the very back of the tent, stopping a couple of times on the way to greet some people he probably knew from before and entering first through a second set of door.
"We're here." Monroe announced as he walked through the second door.
They found themselves in front of a group of people playing poker.
"Duncan. Long time no see." Bass said, making everyone turn his way.
"Monroe… I thought you'd be smart enough not to come back here, especially after the way you left." The woman replied, standing up as several men around her took their gun out.
In response, Bella and Connor took their guns out as well, at least before Monroe asked them to put them away and soothed things over.
"I thought Duncan was a man." Connor mentioned.
"Because women can't be warlords? Seriously?" Bella snapped, earning a smile from Duncan.
"Listen Duncan, I just need to buy a few men… You've probably heard of the Patriots… They're bad and need to be stopped. I need a few men to stop them in Texas." Bass told her.
"And I should lend you some men out of the goodness of my heart?" She asked him.
"We can pay." Bass insisted.
"30 a head." Duncan announced.
"Seriously? Don't you think this is a little bit over the top?" He asked her.
"30, take it or leave it." She shook her head.
"How much do you think a vaccine against the disease the Patriots are spreading to get rid of the people they don't like is worth?" Bella asked as Monroe was about to say something else.
"It depends what this disease is." Duncan smiled at Bella, obviously more open to her than to Monroe.
"Deadly. It's typhus, a fatal disease. I've got about 30 doses of the vaccine left. I can show you how to measure it and inject it. How many men would that be worth?" Bella asked.
"I'd say 2 doses for 1 man. Plus 1 man because I like you." Duncan smiled.
"Sold." Bella nodded as she shook Duncan's hand and they made plan to make the trade the next day, in Duncan's camp.
"Well, 15 men is better than nothing." Connor declared as they found themselves out of the casino tent and walking down the street once more.
"We can get more. I can get a few diamonds I left behind. That should be enough for 4 more men." Monroe explained.
"So we'd go back with 20 men… They're trained fighters, it would be good." Bella nodded.
"I wished we'd be able to get more. 20 men isn't enough against the Patriots and we can't wait on the Rangers to wake up." Monroe shook his head.
"Well, this is a city made to win money fast. We just need to find a risk-less way to get more diamonds quickly." Bella encouraged them.
"How do we even do that? We can't gamble it, it's too risky." Connor replied as his hand found its way around her waist once more since they were still pretending they were a couple.
"Actually, I think I know how…" Monroe breathed out and his traveling companions turned to look at him.
"How?" Connor asked him.
"Fighting and winning… That's what I did before Charlie found me… I can get enough money to buy 5 more men in one night." Monroe nodded.
"Isn't that risky for you?" Bella asked him.
"Well, I know how to survive and I guess it's good that we have a doctor with us." He smiled.
"Let's just hope I'm not needed then." She shook her head with a smile.
"When are we going to do that?" Connor asked, resigned.
"Tomorrow. Tonight I'll go get the money I already have hidden and plan for tomorrow's fight. You two go back to the wagon and set up camp. We'll be better off out of town for the night." Monroe ordered and they nodded, following his orders.
.
Bella and Connor did as Monroe asked and set up camp. They light the fire and Bella started to cook their dinner on it when Connor came up behind her and slowly brought his hand around her waist and buried his face in her neck. She was about to protest that she wasn't that kind of girl, that she was just pretending in town and that she didn't mean to mislead him when he whispered in her ear:
"Play along, your boyfriend followed us out there and he's watching. He's in the bushes next to the tree." Connor told her and Bella relaxed, reassured.
"Well, let's give him something to watch." She replied, turning around and standing up so that she was now in his arms, facing him.
"And what do you have in mind?" He smirked.
"Something like this." She whispered before she started kissing him.
She didn't know how long they got lost in the kiss but before she knew it, Monroe was back and complaining:
"Hey, what are you doing here you little piece of shit? Get away from here before I start to get really angry!" Bella and Connor broke away from each other, taking a step back to see Monroe with his sword out and Edward running away.
"And you two, please, don't get too serious before Bella's back on Miles' watch." He pleaded.
"We... We weren't… We knew that Edward was watching… We were just…" Bella stuttered.
"…Giving him something to watch." Connor told his father with a happy smile on his face.
"Hum… Dinner is ready." Bella blushed.
"Good, I'm starving." Both Monroe men declared.
While they ate, Bass told them that he had gotten the money and arranged several fights the next day with his old boss. That would be enough to get him about 5 more men, maybe more if the bets were good.
"Okay, well, that's good then. Now there's another subject I want to bring up." Bella started.
"What is it?" Bass asked her.
"Dad and I know that you're planning to take the Monroe Republic back once we're rid of the Patriots. I managed to convince dad that someone would always need to be on top, might as well be someone he knows. We just ask that you do it differently this time, better. Dad and I will be by your side and help as much as we can but we want to have a say in things." Bella declared.
"You're the one who figured it out, weren't you?" Bass asked her.
"I… Yes." She nodded.
"And Miles isn't mad? You're not angry?" Connor asked her, concerned that he might lose his chance to win her over.
"No, not really. I think that seeing what the Patriots were capable of was enough for him. I just wanted it to be clear between us…" Bella replied.
"Well, I'm a bit surprised. I figured Miles would want to settle somewhere nice with Rachel the ball buster." Bass joked.
"Well, he's working on convincing her and Charlie of your cause. I guess we'll see just how much she cares about him when we get back." Bella shrugged her shoulders.
After that, they went back to talking about lighter subjects and after clearing up their dishes, they went to sleep, taking turns keeping watch to ensure their safety in case Edward came back. Monroe took the first watch and smiled when he noticed his son and Bella settling close to each other.
They might think that right now there was just pretending between them but Bass could see that something had changed between them. They wouldn't pretend for long.
What did you think?
Review please?
Lorelei Candice Black