Revenge

A Sequel to The Contract

By

AZgirl66

Chapter 7-Missing Pieces

"Scarlett, Baby, you have t' go to sleep," Kitty pleaded with her cranky toddler, rubbing her back, "It's way past your bedtime."

"No, Mama," the little girl whined, her lip turning down in a pout, "I want Daddy."

The anxious mother couldn't help but notice the indifference her older daughter displayed toward her younger sibling. Normally, Addie would have something to say-whether it be words of comfort or admonishment, but this evening, she'd only offered her back to her mother and sister.

"Addie?" Kitty whispered, checking to see if the child was asleep.

The lack of response lead Kitty to pick up the two-year-old from her bed, lowering the lamp to a tiny glow. As she closed the door to the girls' room, she whispered to Scarlett, "Looks like you get your way for now, young lady. I can't have you waking your sister." Scarlett rested her head upon her mother's shoulder as Kitty headed down the stairs.

The scene before her was a little surprising. Doc comfortably sat in Matt's big chair, a medical journal in one hand, a glass of whiskey clutched in the other, and a hunting rifle propped against the arm of the chair.

"Expecting company, Doc?" Kitty asked, her eyebrows arched as she sat in her rocking chair, toddler in tow.

Doc looked at her over the top of his spectacles and answered, "I like t' be prepared for anything, young lady. Until Matt gets home, Festus and I have been charged with keeping watch over the family."

Kitty offered him a small grin of thanks, commenting, "Oh, I see. Well, I appreciate that," she slightly nodded her head.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of our uninvited guest?" he took a sip of his libation, nodding toward the moppet on Kitty's lap.

"It seems a certain little girl won't go t' sleep without a kiss from a certain lawman," Kitty kissed the top of Scarlett's unruly curls as she rubbed her back.

Barely above a whisper, the little girl whined, "I miss Daddy."

Kitty and Doc exchanged a look conveying both frustration and worry. It was nearly nine o'clock and Doc had escorted Kitty and the three school-aged children home around four o'clock.

"Addie sure was quiet at dinner," Doc offered, tugging on his ear.

"She sure was," Kitty rocked, her head resting on the back of the chair, eyes studying the ceiling. "That man scared her," she whispered, not daring to look at Doc.

"I don't think she was the only one who was scared."

Both startled at the sound of Mutt wildly barking outside, alerting them that someone was coming up the road.

Matt rode Major toward the house at a full gallop. He was pleased to see Festus sitting on the front porch with a rifle across his lap.

"Festus," the big man greeted as he dismounted, "everything okay here?" he ascended the front porch steps two at a time.

"Yes'sir, eveythin's as right as rain," his loyal friend responded, "Whadd'ya learn?"

"C'mon in and I'll tell all three of ya. Good boy, Mutt," he patted the large dog's head, as the mongrel excitedly danced around his master.

Matt quickly entered his home, immediately locking eyes with his wife. He smiled when he noticed a tear slip down her pale cheek, a look of relief bringing color back to her cheeks.

"Sweetheart," he crossed the room as she stood up, cradling Scarlett, "what's this little one doin' up?" Matt took the child from Kitty and blessed her tiny forehead with a kiss.

"Daddy," the sleepy girl yawned, "I miss…you," her head gently fell forward onto his chest.

"Let me put 'er in bed. Kitty, why don't you pour us all a drink. I'll be right down."

XXXXXXXX

Festus, Doc and Kitty sat around the kitchen table, each nursing a small glass of whiskey, eager to hear what Matt had discovered. Kitty bit her bottom lip and twirled her glass, her eyes concentrating on the swirling amber liquid.

"So was ya able t' convince that yayhoo that Mannon's dead 'n buried?" Festus was the first to ask as Matt joined them at the table.

"Let's back up a bit," Matt propped his hand on his thigh and took a sip of his whiskey, "I found the skinny fella Kitty described t' me at the Lady Gay. He was doin' some serious drinkin' and shootin' off his mouth. I think it was his attempt to get people t' speak up about Mannon's whereabouts." He eyed Kitty, who still hadn't looked up from her glass.

"Honey," Matt slightly grinned when his wife finally met his gaze, "Ya got somethin' I can eat? I'm starved," he thought it would be good for her to stay busy while he shared his tale.

"Oh, of course, Matt," Kitty immediately stood and flitted around the kitchen, preparing some leftovers for her hungry husband, "I don't know what I was thinkin'," she glanced at him over her shoulder, offering a weak smile.

Matt winked at her and continued, returning his attention to Doc and Festus, "Anyhow, he was actually very compliant when I told him I wanted to have a little chat. But first, we stopped by the other saloons t' see if there was any other chatter about Mannon."

Kitty placed a plate with two cold roast beef sandwiches and some potato salad in front of her husband. He gently squeezed her hand before she could pull it away, her blue eyes connecting with his.

"And?" Doc asked, tugging on his ear.

"I hit pay dirt at the Long Branch," Matt stated before taking a large bite of a sandwich.

Kitty froze with her back to him. Matt noticed that she'd braced herself on the back of Doc's chair. He asked, "You okay, Honey?"

Kitty smoothed the top of her hair, "Yes, Matt. I'm fine," she turned to face her three protectors, "Can I get any of you something. Water? Whiskey?"

"No thank ya, Miz Kitty," Festus smiled at her while she retrieved a pitcher full of water and some glasses.

"Water is fine, Kitty, thanks," Doc nervously swiped his mustache. "Matt, back t' the Long Branch?"

"There I found a fella named Waldren. He was grilling Burke about Mannon's activities while he was here in Dodge-"

Kitty slammed the glass pitcher on the table, water sloshing onto the wooden surface. The men stared at her, waiting for her to speak. She slowly drew in her breath, her lips pursed together, "And what in the hell did Burke say?" she bit out, staring at no one in particular.

"Surprisingly, he'd been pretty reserved- for Burke. Just said Mannon took whatever he wanted and threatened me and suddenly, he disappeared on a stage headed to Denver," Matt shoveled some potato salad into his mouth and took a glass of water from Kitty.

"Matthew, what done brung these men t' Dodge lookin' for Mannon in the first place?" Festus downed the final drops of his whiskey.

Matt wiped his mouth with his napkin, "I took 'em t' my office to have a chat about just that very thing. Turns out…" he paused to look at Kitty. She nodded, giving him permission to speak freely. He started again, "Turns out they're both bounty hunters, which I kinda figured. Moss, the ass who approached Kitty, heard a rumor in Salina that the infamous Will Mannon was alive and that there's a five-thousand-dollar bounty on his head."

"Golly bill, that's the craziest thing I ever heard, a bounty on a dead man," Festus scratched his temple.

"It sure is. Waldren, the other idiot, said he heard about the bounty in a saloon in Wichita," Matt added.

"But the question really is," Kitty finally spoke, "WHY is the rumor being spread? Surely the person spreading the rumor and offering the bounty knows Mannon is really dead," she searched the faces of each of the three men.

"Come 'ere, Kitty," Matt pushed his chair away from the table, tapping his thigh, inviting his wife to sit on his lap.

Kitty slowly rose and walked to him, her eyes never leaving his face. She sat in his lap, her full skirt flowing over his legs. She whispered, "Why, Matt? Why are they in Dodge?"

Before Matt could answer, Festus stood and hooked his thumbs under his suspenders, "They's here in Dodge 'cause whoever done put out that sham bounty also put out th' word that Miz Kitty would know th' wheresabouts a that fool Mannon. If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'," Festus sat back down, exasperated.

"As much as these words taste like vinegar comin' outta my mouth, I gotta say, I do believe Festus is right," Doc admitted, shaking his head in the affirmative.

"Here's the good news," Matt rubbed Kitty's back while she rested her head on his shoulder, "Seems these men were only looking for Kitty thinking she'd lead them t' Mannon. They're leaving town in the morning and they mean her no harm."

"No harm?!" Kitty sat up straight, fire back in her eyes, "No harm?! A man accosted me on the street. He called me 'Mrs. Mannon', and insinuated Addie was Mannon's child," she took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice low and controlled, "Matt, we've done everything in our power t' move on from that time. To make it a part of the past," she stood and frantically paced around the kitchen, whispering, "I don't ever want the children t' know what happened. What I did."

Kitty stopped a couple of feet in front of her husband's chair, whispering, "Addie heard him, Matt. Our little girl…" she studied her hands, folded together in front of her churning stomach, "…heard him call her Mannon's child." With her last sentence, Kitty crumpled to the floor, crying hysterically.

XXXXXXXX

Matt exited the water closet, wearing only a towel around his waist, while lightly drying his hair with another. He looked directly at Kitty as she sat up straight in their bed, her back pressed against two, white fluffy pillows that were sandwiched between her and the brass headboard. Her knees were pulled up toward her chest, tenting the flat sheet. Her copper-colored tresses glowed against the bright whiteness of the pillowcases, while her seductive stare hypnotized her husband.

Matt slowly approached the bed, throwing his hair-drying towel to the floor. He planted himself near the foot of the bed, figuring that Kitty was totally naked under the thin sheet she'd tucked under her armpits. Her breasts were perfectly rounded, with just a tiny bit of cleavage showing. Her nipples were taut, revealing themselves through the white sheet. This made Matt bite his bottom lip, but the rest of his body remained completely still.

Kitty studied her husband's beautiful body. Her big, blue eyes caressed him from top to bottom, her gaze pausing on the area covered by his towel, before slowly moving back up to his face. Time seemed to stand still, as neither lover moved a muscle, the sexual tension filling the room like steam from a scorching, humid summer day.

In one furious, fluid motion, Matt yanked the sheet off of Kitty, tossing it to the floor. She still hadn't moved from her spot, but her eyes narrowed and she licked her lips. That was all the beckoning her husband needed to whip off his towel and grab her by the ankles, pulling her from a sitting position to flat on her back. Not one word was spoken as he stretched his body on top of hers, their mouths crashing together like magnets, tongues hungrily exploring each other.

Neither lover was concerned with keeping quiet, as was the norm with a houseful of children. Their panting, moaning, grunting and groaning were nothing short of primal. Kitty bit Matt's shoulder as he entered her, in a weak attempt to muffle her cry. It was the type of ecstasy that closely bordered pain. She locked her ankles against his backside, urging him to move faster, harder. Matt gladly accepted the invitation, pushing into her deeper, harder, and faster. He greedily suckled her breasts, swallowing some of the nourishment meant for their tiny daughter, before turning his attention to the curve of Kitty's neck, biting her hard enough to elicit a squeal.

This was not the tender love making with which the married couple had become familiar. This was fast, furious and purely carnal. This was the love making mostly of days gone by, when Kitty and Matt had both been relieved that he'd safely returned from yet another dangerous assignment, or that she'd been set free from the hands of those wanting to bring her harm. This was the love making that took place when words couldn't adequately describe feelings. This was the love making that said, "Thank God we are both alive and together again." The love making that said, "I need you today, right now, don't waste a moment." The love making that said, "Don't forget, you are mine-forever and always." The love making that said, "I will love and protect you until the end of time."

TBC