This chapter is rated M for sexual content.

Chapter 7: A Long Day

It was getting dark now and Lilly was keeping an eye on the hostages while waiting for some of the Van der Linde gang to finish looting the train. The men were still terrified of her and any time she got too close to their liking, Lilly could almost hear their arses clench up. While the Irish girl was amused by this, she was also annoyed. Pacing back and forth near them proved to make her irritation worse so she eyeballed them.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me for a moment, please," she went to wall off but stopped, "and don't go wanderin' off," she added.

When she got to Dutch, Lilly stood next to him with her arms crossed. She was still madder than hell but the ferocity in her rage had dulled to glowing embers. Her Da seemed to notice the tension. "Somethin' on your mind, Lilly?" he asked.

"I don't suppose you'd know who the disgustin' twat is that spied and snitched on Arthur and me?" Lilly's inquiry had a distinct touch of restrained anger.

A mixture of chortling and a giggling was his response. "No, but if I had to guess, it was either Micah or Javier. Or both," he whispered with caution in his voice. "I would like to mention I will not condone your decision to kill 'em, but I will happily watch as you beat them to a bloody pulp."

Lilly stared at him. "You was laughin' about it too!"

Dutch nodded shamefully. "Yes I did. But then you said somethin' to Arthur that made me think this relationship was very new. So..." he looked at her. Only the top part of his face was uncovered. "It was your first time, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I'm kinda surprised you ain't mad, Da."

"Ha! I'd be mad if you were just a delicate little girl, but you are not. You killed a grizzly bear this morning with only arrows and knives. Oh, and wolves."

Lilly laughed and stared at the train. "Yes I did."

"Heh. And frankly," Dutch looked back at the train. "I'm surprised you two took so long"

Lilly's head snapped to the side and she gaped at Da. "What? Was he that obvious?"

"You both were."

"Me? How was I-"

"Ha! All that flirtin' you did with him. All fun and games, but I knew better. I'm not sure how you didn't, though."

Lilly bowed her head. "I didn't know what I was feelin' until this mornin'."

Dutch laughed and nudged her. "Oh, you had to know somethin'!"

"I didn't, Da. Or perhaps I didn't wanna know."

"What do you mean?"

Lilly shut her eyes then glanced at Dutch with a serious look in her dark blue eyes. "No one will ever have all of me. Some things are meant to stay locked up; dead and buried. My reasons for not knowin'...whatever this is, are no exception."

"...I respect that, but do you think Arthur will?"

Lilly scoffed. "If he doesn't, he's free to leave any time he chooses."

"Dutch!" Arthur shouted as he got off the train.

Dutch left Lilly's side and approached Arthur. "What did you find?"

"These." Arthur gave some papers to Dutch. "Bonds. They worth anythin'?"

"Oh, sure!" Dutch exclaimed as he examined the bonds. "Bearer bonds. I think we can probably sell these pretty easily. Well done." Dutch motioned to the train. "Now would you get rid of all this?"

"The train?"

"Yeah, get it outta here."

Lilly went to take a look inside the private box car. It was luxurious. As she climbed in, she caught the faint smell of cigars, expensive cologne, and brandy. God, why did every 'man cave' have to smell like that? It made her wonder what the inside of her tent smelled like. This place, though, it reminded her of the study rooms in two of her childhood homes. The one in Ireland with her family, and the other...well, that was not somethin' she wanted to think about.

"Darlin', I gotta get the train movin'." Arthur said.

She looked at him and sighed. "That's too bad. I kinda like this box car. Makes me, uh..." she ahemed with a suggestive twinkle in her eyes.

Arthur squinted his eyes at her and chuckled. "Give me a few minutes, okay?"

"Alright." Lilly watched him leave and took of her bandana, then she started taking on the whole interior. Lots of books. Ooooo. She hurried over to the book shelves and began browsing. Books about strategy, tactics, history, folklore...Mr. Cornwall had good taste with books, she gave him that. She went to the other book shelf. Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Crane, Jane Austen...what? Harriet Stowe, Emily Dickinson, Margaret Fuller, Christina Rossetti, Loiusa May Alcott... wow. He liked female authors. "Huh. I'll be damned."

Lilly heard the train move but the car she was in was immobile. What the hell? She walked to the door and peeked out. Arthur was walking to her. He had his bandana off and was holding his hat. He gave her a wave and got into the box car as she backed up. Arthur shut the door, locked it, and stared at her with a sultry look in his eyes. "Now we can have real privacy."

Lilly giggled and they both lowered the curtains on all the slitted windows. As she covered the last one, Lilly watched Arthur toss his hat and remove his gloves and coat with a smirk. Lilly did the same. "So...where did you wanna-"

Arthur closed the gap between them and gave her a vehement kiss. Oh, okay then. Lilly held his face and kissed him just as passionately, and Arthur pulled her with him to the intricately patterned couch. He sat down and Lilly straddled him. They continued their intense snogging while undressing each other but when Lilly got his shirt open she stopped to look at his chest. While they had seen each other naked before...kinda, having him close this way made her breath catch in her throat.

"Somethin' wrong?" he asked calmly.

She grinned as she touched the hair on his chest. "No. Just admirin' the scenery," Lilly said with a sigh.

Arthur laughed and took off his shirt, then threw it in a random direction. He unbuttoned Lilly's shirt and groaned in appreciation as her breasts were revealed behind the cloth. He chuckled and put a nipple into his mouth. Lilly huffed out a breathful high pitched squeak and he laughed. "What the hell was that?"

Lilly giggled in a silly way and shook her head. "I don't know."

Arthur laughed again. "God, Lilly, I..." he put his forehead to her chest and took a deep breath.

Lilly kissed the back of his head. "I what, mo chuisle?" [my pulse?]

"This is goin' to sound effeminate, but..." he lifted his head and showed her a smile of joy. "...I feel like the luckiest man alive right now."

Lilly's heart melted and she gazed down at him tenderly. "Oh, Arthur...that's...I don't even know what to say."

He arched a brow curiously. "Really?" He held her closer and kissed her collarbone. "Well, what will happen if I say more things like that?"

"I dunno. Got any more things like that to say?"

"Hmm." Arthur kissed her neck. "I'll keep a few of 'em in for now."

Lilly's eyes widened. Oh. Huh. Lilly sighed and looked down at him while stroking his hair. "Alright, ya silly man," she grinned.

Arthur smiled happily then pulled her head down and gave her a kiss filled with love and passion. Lilly moaned against his mouth and giggled when he grabbed her rump with both hands. Lilly fiddled with his buckle and he did so with hers. They adjusted themselves to remove their boots and pants then Lilly straddled him again and Arthur's cock slide inside. Jesus Christ, he felt amazing. Arthur held her bottom again to help guide her as she lifted and lowered herself. Her hips went back and forth in the process and Arthur groaned as he suckled her tit.

"Yeah, just like that," he growled. "Just...ah, yeah."

He grasped her hips and pulled her up and down faster and she moaned every time she slammed onto him. Eventually, though, Arthur stood up and Lilly held onto the back of his neck as he began looking around.

"Arthur, what are you doin'?"

"I loved what you were doin', but it's makin' me, mmm," he walked to the desk, swiped everything off with an arm, and set her butt on it. "I need to fuck you."

After placing her legs over his shoulders and pushing Lilly on her back, Arthur yanked her lower half to him, grabbed her waist, and began pounding into her furiously. Lilly's mouth opened wide and she began yelling from the intensity of pleasure. "Arthur, fuuuuUUUUUUCK!

"Mmhmm, sit up so I can see you," he growled. Lilly rested on her elbows and they made eye contact. Arthur went faster and deeper and Lilly's eyes rolled back into her head. She heard Arthur chuckle. "That good, huh?"

"Yes!" Lilly gasped, then she screamed out when she felt Arthur massaging her nub. "OH MO CHUISLE! Táim chomh gar!" [OH MY PULSE! I'm so close!]

This was the best feeling Lilly ever had. She looked at him again and bit her lip hard. Arthur was sweating and breathing hard but he didn't look like he was going to stop anytime soon. Not that she wanted him to. He rubbed her faster and Lilly began moaning louder and louder and louder as she felt immense pleasure building up.

"Arthur, I'm gonna..." she started to say but then she changed languages as an explosion of wetness hit her...and it was a whole new level of pleasure she hadn't experienced, not even from earlier that day. It was so powerful she started crying. "Táim ag teacht! Táim ag teacht! Tá mé ag teacht chomh crua!" [I'm coming! I'm coming! I'm coming so hard!]

Her muscles tensed and released around his shaft but Lilly felt herself dripping. Arthur looked down and his jaw dropped. He slowed down and Lilly felt herself drip more. "Oh my God, Lilly! You..." he glanced at her and made a short laugh of surprise. "You're a gusher! Ha! You are full of surprises!"

"What is that and why am I cryin' about it?!" she demanded.

Arthur laughed. "Relax, it's not a bad thing. It's a really good thing. In fact I...ha, I gotta, just a minute, darlin'," he chortled with glee. Arthur pulled out and went to his knees.

"Arthur!" She protested. "What are you..." She stopped when she felt his mouth on her. He was licking her and he was...slurping? Was he actually slurping? What the hell for? Was this what he meant earlier about eating a honey pot? When he put fingers inside her, Lilly felt him massage something that made her hips buck because it felt that amazing. "WHAT THE FUCK!" her voice warbled as she yelled out and her head went back. "Arthur! What are you doin' to me?!"

"I'm makin' you do that again!"

"What? No! I don't like it! It made me cry!"

Arthur sighed and stopped. "Lilly, that isn't a bad thing. Trust me. It's just you gettin' overwhelmed, that's all. It felt really good didn't it? Better than earlier today?"

Lilly looked at him and frowned. "Yes." It did, but the crying made her feel too vulnerable. Too open. That was the part she didn't like and that was not something she was ready for Arthur to see. If she was ever ready for that, anyway. "It did, but I...I can't." Lilly backed away from him, got off the desk, and started grabbing her clothes.

"Lilly, what are you doin'?"

"I can't...I can't...fuck, I don't know how tah say it, Arthur!" She put her shirt on and began buttoning it. For some reason, Lilly couldn't look him in the eye.

Arthur grabbed her hands with a tenderness that made her feel worse. "Lillian, look at me." Lilly shook her head but Arthur lifted her face by the chin. Lilly averted her gaze. "Lillian, please. Tell me why it's so bad."

"I don't wanna!" she backed up. "Stop thinkin' with yer god damn cock fer a minute and listen! I said no!"

Arthur's face went hard and he took a step towards her. "I ain't thinkin' with my cock! I just wanna know what's wrong! Why won't you tell me?"

"Because ya canna have that part a' me! Nobody can!" she glared with defiance. "If ya want me, yer gonna have tah accept that ya canna have all of me!"

Arthur tilted his head and his face got harder. He looked angry. "All of you? What do you mean 'all of you'?"

"There are things about me ya canna know! That ya canna see! I won't let anyone near 'em, not even you! They're me own tah keep!"

"Well, what the fuck, Lillian?" he barked loudly. "It's not a big shock that you have secrets! I don't know shit about your past! I barely know anythin' about your family other than them all bein' dead and your brother Brian gettin' killed over a god damn debt! And it's fuckin' irritatin' that you won't tell anyone! Or me! But I've never pushed the subject! I never pushed you on why you used to have night terrors, either!"

"Well yer pushin' shit now!" Lilly looked around for her pants.

"Lillian! Lillian stop!"

Lilly slipped on her pants. "Ya ain't the boss of me, Arthur!"

Arthur grabbed her and kissed her forehead, then looked into her eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You've had a really emotional day so I get-"

"Not emotional! I don't get emotional! I get angry! Now let me go!"

Arthur grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "Lillian. Why are you runnin' away from me?"

"I'm not! I'm just mad!"

"Yeah, but that isn't the only thing you're feelin'. Is it?" he whispered. "Lillian, don't run away from me. Why are you scared of lettin' me see all of you?"

Lilly's eyes narrowed. "What the feck did ya just ask me? Ya think I'm scared?!" Lilly was getting angrier by the minute. "I ain't scared of a god damn thing! As ucht Dé, I took on a feckin' bear!"

Arthur got closer to her face. "Yes, you fought a bear. You also had sex for the first time today. You had your first orgasm, and you had a lot of them today. You found out that someone spied on us and blabbed to the whole gang. And just now, you cried during a really powerful orgasm, and that is perfectly normal. You had a loooong day. So calm down, come sit with me. Don't go. Please."

Lilly's lips were trembling. Fuck, she was about to start crying. She couldn't let him see it. She wouldn't. Lilly backed up from him and held in a breath to hold back the tears. "I do not want tah calm down! I do not want tah sit with ya. I want tah go!" she shouted. "I want tah be alone!"

Arthur lowered his head, then lifted it. Lilly saw he was angry again. "You wanna be alone? You wanna go?! Then FINE!" He pointed to the door. "There's the door, you god damn selfish brat!"

Tears threatened to overwhelm her again. Lilly didn't want him to see it, so instead of yelling, she grabbed her hat and boots. "Keep yer stupid coat! I don't want it!" She unlocked the door, opened it, but stopped and looked at him. "YA FUCKIN' PIECE OF SHITE! YA DIRTY OLD MAN! I HATE YA, ARTHUR MORGAN! AND I WISH TODAY NEVER HAPPENED!" she screamed before storming out.

"Lillian! Shit!" she heard Arthur yell. She walked while shoving her boots on and whistled for her mount. "LILLIAN!"

"FECK OFF, MORGAN! God damn horse! WHERE ARE YA, YA DUMB HORSE?!" Lilly's eyes overflowed with tears and she tried not to sob. "God dammit, stop cryin', ya weak little bitch!" she hissed at herself, slapped herself, and wiped her eyes and cheeks with her sleeves. "HORSE!"

Lilly's temporary mount galloped up. Ugh, finally. She could hear Arthur closing in behind her, so she jumped on her horse and rode away.

7-year-old Lilly ran from the theater. She didn't want to be followed. She banked right and went between the theater and another building. She ran to the ladder and began her climb.

"Miss Lilly!"

She turned and saw Mr. Morgan running after her along with the other two men. She climbed faster. "As ucht Dé, what d'ya want?!" Lilly shouted.

"Give is back our money!" Arthur shouted back.

Oh. They found that out already. "No can do, Fear Álainn!" [Beautiful Man!]

She heard the ladder shake. He was coming after her. Lilly reached the top and looked out in the distance. Lightning flashed. A storm was coming. Thunder boomed and she scampered across the roof. The next building over would be an easy jump. The next one, though. Eesh. She reached into her coat pockets and grabbed her brown leather fingerless gloves and slipped them on with ease. Pounding steps were almost right behind her. Lilly stepped on the ledge and jumped over to the next building. Lightning and thunder flashed and boomed again and the rain started to fall.

Lilly landed the jump nicely and raced forward as soon as her feet hit the roof. The next jump was going to be difficult. She dared a glance over her shoulder. Arthur just landed his small jump, so the girl faced forward. With as much power she could muster in her legs she chugged on faster across the roof. The ledge was higher, but not too high. Well, here goes nothing. She jumped onto the ledge and used the momentum to leap across the gap. She was going to fall just a wee bit short and she realized this mid air. A wee bit shy of actually landing on the ledge, mostly.

Her hands grasped the ledge as she hit the side of the building. Arthur jumped across easily. Shit. Fortunately for her, she had a contingency plan. Lilly released the edge and fell down. Along the way she gripped onto thin metal bars sticking out from the building.

"Kid! What the hell?"

Lilly looked up at Arthur. Lightning and thunder came and the rain got heavier. He looked impressed. "Yes, Mr. Morgan?"

"What are ya? A kid or a monkey?!"

Lilly wanted to smile but did not. "You tell me."

She faced forward and stared at the other bars. Perfectly good distance. Each one. The storm began to grow more intense as Lilly swung herself back and forth. Arthur couldn't get down to her, she knew that, but he was going to try all the same for sure. Once she had enough momentum, she let go of the bar and grabbed the next one. She continued her swings and jumps to each bar effortlessly. The storm clashed above her. Lilly had to hurry because the bars were getting slippery.

"Dutch! Hosea! Are you two seein' this?!"

Lilly gazed down at the two men. They were laughing with delight. They must have been impressed too. In that moment her hands slipped. Lilly yelped but shifted and grabbed the slim edge of the building.

"Shit! You okay kid?" Arthur asked.

"Are ya that concerned for me well-bein'? If I fall yer definitely gonna get yer money back!"

"Yes!"

She scrunched up her face at him. "Why?"

"Why would I wish death on a child?"

Lilly shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe because that child stole yer money?"

Arthur cackled. His expression was one of amusement. "You are somethin' else. But since you're stuck, how about I find a way to help you up?"

Lilly smirked at him mischeviously. "Who said I was stuck?"

She looked to her side at the next ledge over. Should be easy to get to. Lilly inched across the thin stone edge she was barely hanging onto. Her fingers were getting sore. Lilly placed her feet on something sturdy under her, backed her upper body back, then pushed herself off to the ledge she needed to get to. Lilly nailed the catch and climbed around the corner. The ledge was walkable now, thank God. Lilly paced along the wall to the first window. She knocked on it.

"Helloooooo? Anybody in there?" she shouted.

"You won't make it out of this, Miss Lilly!" Arthur shouted from above.

The storm kept brewing and she was now soaking wet. As was Arthur. Lilly smirked and pressed the palm of her dominant hand to the window. Her other hand gripped the edge above her. Her dominant arm bent at the elbow and she moved her forearm back then forward. She was prepping for this. And luckily, the leather in her palms had steel in them. But the boys chasing her didn't need to know that. Lightning and thunder overwhelmed her senses for barely a second. She shut her eyes, inhaled, then exhaled through circular shaped lips she formed. Lilly reached her whole arm back, then thrusted it forward with a loud grunt. The glass didn't break. She pulled back and tried again. Her palm hit the window and it cracked. Ha! And with one more pull back, she struck the glass and it shattered.

"Oh what the hell?" Arthur groaned. "Are you even human?!"

Lilly unlocked the window and lifted the bottom part up. "Hell if I know, Arthur!"

"Arthur!" Dutch shouted. "Did she just-"

"Yes she did," Lilly heard Arthur laugh.

She climbed in and jumped across to avoid the broken shards of glass. She was in some sort of office. Hmm. Lilly went over to the desk and opened the drawers. The door slammed open. It was the Hilltop Brothers. They looked beaten up but angry.

"Shit!" She yelled and jumped to the window. She ran across the ledge away from the window just as they were reached out to grab her. They missed. "Fuck fuck fuck!" She had a glass shard stuck in the bottom of her foot. Not a big one, but significantly hindering. Lilly lifted her foot and yanked it out. "AHH!" she dropped it and limped along the edge. She looked up. Where did Arthur go?

A window opened down a ways and Arthur poked his head out. He reached out his arms to her. "Those guys are in here! Come on!"

Lilly froze. "Why should I trust you?! I stole from you!"

"I don't care about that! If you need it that much then keep it! Just-"

The window in front of her opened and Lilly jumped back. "As ucht Dé!"

One of the brothers poked his head out and grinned. It was Travis. Bald head and a curly brown mustache. "Hey there, kid. Be a good girl and come back in from the rain." Lilly took a step back. She flinched from the cut in her foot. Travis seemed to notice it. "Ah shit. Are you okay?"

"Yes. It's just a scratch."

"You're bleedin' all over the place, Miss O'Callaghan. Now come inside and-"

Lilly crouched down and hung over the edge. She glared at Travis as the rain pattered down. She let go of the edge and caught the next one down. She fell and caught, fell and caught, fell and caught. Lilly looked over and saw Arthur's two associates waiting for her. Crap. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Lilly realized she was in front of one of her friend's places. She knocked on the window repeatedly. A boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes, no older than 17 in brown overalls and a black shirt came and opened the window.

"Ah, Lilly." His Irish accent was not as prominent as hers, but it still showed. "Cén chaoi a bhfuil sé crochta?" [How's it hanging?]

"Ha ha, very funny, Craig! Look, I...Tá cúigear fear ag teacht chugam. Ní gá dom dul i bhfolach anseo. Ní gá dom ach bealach amach as an bhfoirgneamh." [There are five men coming to me. I don't need to hide here. I only need a way out of the building.]

Craig helped her in and shut the window. "Yer gonna need that foot taken care of first. Why do you always insist on being barefoot?"

Lilly plopped onto a chair by the dinner table and raised her foot. "Boots and shoes slow me down and make too much noise."

"Well, what was your target this time?" He went into the washroom for medical supplies.

"Them."

Craig poked his head out. "Them? Ya mean Travis and Steven?"

Lilly pulled out the pocketwatch. "Yep."

"Are they after you?"

"Yes." She put the watch into her side pouch.

"And the other three?" He went and knelt by her foot and started cleaning the blood off. "They with the brothers?"

"No, uh...actually one of 'em saved me from gettin' hit by a horse and carriage. And God, I'm too young fer these kinds of feelings but I know a massive beave when I see one."

Craig laughed. "That good lookin', aye?" He started cleaning the wound.

"Craig, I don't believe in love at first sight. But Jesus Christ, I'm at a close second to it! And I might hafta fight ya fer him!" she snickered.

There was a knock on the door. "Miss Lilly!"

She sighed. "Speak of the Devil."

Craig went under the table and grabbed his father's shotgun. "Want me to shoot the bastard?"

"No. Let him in, he's fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes, Craig. He was only chasin' me because I stole money from him."

Craig sighed. "You have a strange way of expressin' crushes and gratitude." He opened the door and a soaking wet Arthur Morgan was standing there. Craig's eyes went wide and he welcomed the man inside. As Craig shut the door, he let out a hysterical giggle and mouthed the words "Oh my God!" at her.

"Yes," Lilly grinned. "Craig, meet Fear Álainn. Fear Álainn, meet Craig."

"Arthur will do just fine."

Craig put the gun down and went back to tending Lilly's foot. "Grá ar an gcéad amharc go deimhin," [Love at first glance indeed] Craig said and wiggled his eyebrows at Lilly, then he wrapped her foot in gauze.

"Dúirt mé leat, [I told you]" Lilly let out a sing song voice.

Craig and Lilly laughed amongst themselves. "Uh, excuse me?" Arthur cleared his throat. "Might I have a word with Miss Lilly?"

Lilly sighed. "Whatever ya hafta say, ya can say it in front of Craig."

"Fair enough." Arthur crouched to Lilly's side. "Why are those men after you?"

"Did ya not get the information outta 'em before ya kicked their arses? Travis looked particularly worse for wear," Lilly replied.

"Yes. But why are you runnin' from your father?"

Craig and Lilly eyed each other. "Bí cúramach le do chuid focal, Lilly," [Be careful with your words, Lilly] Craig warned. "Fiú níl mórán eolais agam. Fear álainn, ach strainséir álainn." [Even I don't know much. Beautiful man, but a beautiful stranger.]

"He...uh...he's not a very nice man," Lilly replied. "He's a very bad man, in fact. I ran away." Lilly hated lying.

"What does your watch have to do with it?"

"...Family heirloom." Craig pinched her. "Ouch!"

"Cúramach," [Careful] Craig said sternly.

Arthur looked at the two of them with squinted eyes. "Miss Lilly, do those men work for your father?"

"Yes."

"So why do you owe a debt to your father?" Lilly bit her lip. Caught in a lie. Shit. "Wait, scratch that. Why do you want to kill those men?"

Lilly looked at Craig. "Ar chóir dom a insint dó faoi mo dheartháir? Ní maith liom luí." [Should I tell him about my brother? I don't like lying.]

"Do rogha, Lilly. Cad a dhéanfadh Brian?" [Your choice, Lilly. What would Brian do?]

"Tá Brian marbh," [Brian is dead] Lilly's eyes welled with tears. "Tá mo theaghlach ar fad marbh." [My whole family is dead.]

Arthur sighed and grabbed a hankerchief from his pocket. He started dabbing at her eyes. Lilly flinched but he held up a hand. "I'm sorry. You were...well..." he offered the hanky instead.

Lilly took it and growled. "I ain't cryin'. I'm just drippin' with raindrops, ya silly man."

"Cad a dhéanfadh Sean? Faighim a chomhfhreagras go fóill," [What would Sean do? I still get his correspondence] said Craig.

Lilly chuckled. "He'd talk a dog off a meat wagon." Lilly looked at Arthur. "They killed me brother, Brian. And that man they want me to go back to ain't my real father. He ordered them to kill Brian."

"Hmm. Where's your real father then?"

"...Dead."

"Your mother?"

"Dead."

"And your brother. Well, that's-"

"And my other brother. And my little sister. All dead. And I..." Lilly stopped talking and looked down at the hanky she was holding. "Don't make me say more, Mr. Morgan."

Lilly watched his hand go on top of hers. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry for your losses, kid. I really am."

The door busted open. It was the Hilltop Brothers. "There she is!"

Craig grabbed the shotgun but Travis shot him in the head. "CRAIG!" Lilly shouted. Oh my god, not Craig!

Arthur had his guns out already and was aiming them at the men. "He was just a kid! What the fuck!"

"Now calm down. We only want the girl." Travis said.

Arthur moved in front of her. "You want Miss Lilly? You gotta go through me!"

"Arthur..." Lilly said. "I'll go with them."

"Lilly! No!"

"They killed Craig. Don't make me watch you die too." Lilly stood up and poked her head out from behind Arthur's leg. "I'll go with you, but spare Arthur. Please."

"Lilly, no! You are not goin' with them!"

"We will spare him, Miss O'Callaghan," the other brother Steven said. He had an eye patch and greasy brown hair. "You have our word."

"Lilly. Don't you do it, kid. They'll kill me anyway!"

"It's my choice, Arthur. And they won't. If they do, I'll cut out Steven's other eye."

Steven laughed. "I don't doubt it, kid. You really are a tough little savage."

Lilly reached into her side pouch and pulled out the two bill folds...and her family pocket watch. She stuffed them into his back pocket. "Keep it, somethin' to remember me by. I won't be needin' it no more." Lilly walked over to Travis and Steven with her head lowered and her hand up. "Take me back to Papa."

Steven picked her up with a grunt. "You shouldn't be walkin' on that foot, Lilly. I'll carry you."

Lilly nodded and looked back at Arthur. He had the saddest expression on his face. "Bye, Fear Álainn." [Beautiful Man.] Travis shot Arthur in the chest and he hit the table then fell to the floor. "NO! YOU PROMISED!"

"He'd follow us, Miss O'Callaghan," Steven sighed. "Besides, he might live. Maybe."

Lilly took out her knife and was going to stab Steven's other eye but Travis yanked it from her hand. "Ah ah ah, nope." He pocketed it. "Let's go, Steve."

Lilly hit Steven over and over as he pushed her on his shoulder. She looked at Arthur and Craig and started sobbing. "ARTHUR! GET UP!" The men started walking but Lilly kicked and screamed. "NO! NO! ARTHUR!!!"