The dawn seemed to take an almost unbearable amount of time to finally come and Ella could feel her body begin to cramp with the boredom of lying in the bed doing nothing. Her eyes felt tired from the many hours spent awake, her thoughts racing but the rest of her did not feel tired, she felt she would feel better if she could just get up and move around but Joey still slept soundly beside her and she was in no mood to deal with his annoyance at being woken up. So she continued to lie there as contentedly as she could manage, trying hard to control the urge to flip back the covers and get to her feet.

Finally she heard him give a loud sigh signaling that he was finally awake and she felt a small flood of relief ease her tense muscles. She rolled slowly over to face him, his eyes were still closed but at the feeling of her presence he opened them lazily and focused upon her. She chanced a small smile and he blinked hard, dispelling the sleep he still felt, his deep blue gaze betraying his already awakened lust.

With a gentle hand he reached out and stroked her chin tenderly, letting his fingertips trace the outline of her bottom lip. His cool eyes were soft as they studied her features. His palm finally came to a rest, cupping her cheek. Ella placed her own hand over his, the warmth of his skin against her own easing the chilly feeling she had felt the night before, making all about her seem safe and forgiving. She brought his fingers to her lips kissing each pad with feathered kisses.

Joey closed his eyes briefly at the sensation, his mouth opening slightly as the waves of desire began to lap teasingly at him. Ella abandoned his fingers and moved forward, her own lips meeting his forcefully and passionately, her arms enclosing him in an urgent embrace as she pulled him to her. At the contact Ella's worries and regrets seemed to melt away completely as his tongue burned against her own sending small shivers through her body and making her feel as if she were lost completely in a delicious darkness that she had no thought of escaping from. As his hands brushed against her exposed skin, intensifying the shivers and sending jolts of pleasure to the places that longed to feel the warmth of his hands and the teasing of his fingers, she let a small groan escape her, breathing her own breath into him. His lips continued to work heatedly upon her in soft, wet kisses, halting only briefly as he caught his own breath from the intense passion that had engulfed them both in this moment. The emotions that were already building within her mind came with an unburdened contentedness that fully reminded her why she wanted to be with him, why she couldn't leave… why she loved him…

She found that the powerful craving and want built harshly within her body until she throbbed with longing and need. She took his hand in her own and pushed it between her legs, unable to wait a moment longer to feel him touching her. His fingers did not tarry but worked skillfully, moving between folds to the pleasures beneath and Ella clutched desperately at his back as the sensation washed over her, building in momentum, she broke their kiss apart with a loud gasp. She closed her eyes, focusing upon the feelings he was bringing forth from deep within her as he teased her in certain circles. Slowly his fingers moved further and slipped deeply inside, she moaned lowly and bucked slightly at the overpowering pleasure, biting her lips, trying to contain the welling tingling that spread without remorse through her body, bursting finally from her lips in a ragged gasp. Her body shook as Joey removed his fingers and positioned himself on top of her, with a single impassioned stroke he entered her fully, his eyes tightly closed as she opened herself without shame to him, letting him take all of her mind and body.

They moved as one with feather light kisses and sharp intakes of breath mingling with low whispers of his name spilling from her lips The smell of desire and sweat merging in sweetness until finally they both became still… satisfied and lost for breath, tangled within each other.

Joey's body trembled, his form shaking beneath her comforting embrace and she held him close, determined for a short while not to let go of what they had just shared or the certainty and clarity it had seemed to bring her.

Finally he regained himself and rolled off her, pausing only long enough to brush back his now disheveled hair. Ella pulled the covers over herself and sat up as he got out of bed and walked over to the washing bowl, pouring fresh water into it from a pitcher. He took a cloth and quickly cleaned himself as best he could before setting about getting dressed.

Ella began to feel that all too familiar sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as his cool demeanor came so easily back to him, the man that had touched her, wanted her… perhaps even loved her was gone within that blissful moment and the cool killer took his place once more. She watched as he fastened his belt at his waist, her thoughts wondering if he even cared for her a little, if he ever really felt anything…. She closed her eyes as a shudder left over from their love making shook her body in a beautiful tremor and when she was again able to focus her gaze upon him she knew that despite it all she did love him. She doubted anything he could do would ever change that in this moment, and although it pained her pride and mind to the point of self loathing she knew she would continue to follow him until her body gave out and she took her last breath. The thought left her in a dark place, a hole she could never crawl out of but still she could not stop herself...

---

Joey ordered one of the women in the other room to make them breakfast and soon a small meal of beans and corn bread was brought to the table, awaiting them. Ella washed herself as Joey had done, the small gesture making her feel so much better. She asked one of the women to beat out her skirt and blouse and when they were brought back to her they were free of dust and well aired.

She sat down with Joey in the adobe as the three women looked on in apprehension as if waiting to see what their new landlord was like, but bar asking them for food Joey did not disturb them and they slowly began to relax and talk quietly. Ella knew that they were whores and she thought at any other moment in her life she would not be so pleased that her man wanted to stay in the same house as three soiled doves, but with Joey it was different she knew he had no interest in them; he hardly showed interest in her but still she did not feel threatened and instead felt pity for the women. It appeared they were used to mistreatment and Ella felt she could at least try and ensure they could eat and have a good amount of freedom while they stayed here; she wished harshly someone would have done that in the bitter months before she had met Jane Greathouse…

At the thought her memories, memories she did not like to dwell upon, came flooding back, stinging her with their unpleasantness. She had only barely been sixteen when she had first taken up as a soiled dove, she'd been nicknamed 'Little Diamond Stella' due to her small height and bright personality that the punters said made her sparkle. That sparkle hadn't lasted long, not once she went against her pimp, Johnny. His wrath had been swift and Ella had quickly learnt that although many men were kind and treated her well there were those out there that just wanted to hurt, to break her… She'd been beaten so many times that she couldn't even recall a near number; one man had even broken two of her fingers in his struggles to still her attempts to stop his violent outburst. She'd been raped more times than she cared to remember too, at first she had cried, felt dirty and lost, but a few extra dollars sent Johnny Duke's way always made him turn a blind eye and the same men would be allowed back. She quickly grew to know the men that enjoyed taking her against her will and feigned struggles to give them what they wished without them having to resort to hurting her… at least this way she was in control to a certain extent and being made to lay with men whether she wanted to or not just became part of the job… It had all been different at Jane's of course, Jane had been through something similar to Ella and she treated all her girls with respect and her customers with soft warnings that could quickly turn into a standoff at gun point if they refused her rules. Jane was a good woman…

"Ain't it any good?"

The voice startled Ella from her thoughts and she looked up at the woman who had spoken.

"What?"

"The food, you ain't touched a bite" the older white woman said in a whisper, her voice still holding unsureness to its tone.

Ella glanced down at her food realizing that she still held her spoon in mid air, the bowl of beans was untouched.

"Oh no, it's fine" Ella reassured with a soft smile as Joey scraped his bowl clean and began upon his bread. "What's all your names?" Ella continued, wanting to put them at ease.

The older woman hesitated, "I'm Beulah." She glanced back at the two younger women and gestured to the larger of the two. "This is Marieta and…" she shifted her hand to the youngest looking of the three, "this is Gabriela."

"Nice to meet you" Ella said, feeling a little strange passing pleasantries with them in this strange situation. "I'm Ella and this is Joey." She gestured to the man sitting opposite her who glanced up chewing his food, his eyes closed slowly as if the talk bored and annoyed him within the same breath.

"You do not need to talk to whores" he said, his voice and attitude unemotional.

Ella cast a dark look at him, she knew he didn't know about her past, would rather he never knew, but still his reaction to these women riled her. She would bet money that just like her; these women hadn't had much of a choice in their profession. "We are in their home" she hissed.

"No." He tossed the bread on the table having had his fill and glared at her with cold blue eyes. "It is my home now."

Ella's lips tightened as she tried to control her displeasure at his words, but she knew now was not the time to get into any quarrels.

"I will go over to the saloon tomorrow" he declared after taking a large swig from the coffee mug. "You can come."

It was not really a suggestion it was a command and Ella saw it clearly for what it was, she gave a small nod, feeling it may do her good to get better acquainted with the small town.

He glanced at her as he drained his mug and then his gaze shifted to the three women. "You will wash our clothes today" he declared and placing the mug back on the table he got up from his seat and caught Ella around her upper arm. It didn't seem to bother him that she had not finished her meal or coffee, he had other things upon his mind that were more important than if she ate well or not in this moment.

Without pausing he led her back into the light bedroom and began to strip her out of her clothing, his hands none to gentle in their task. When she stood naked and had crawled underneath the covers to hide herself he set to work on his own clothing and then tossed the large pile out to the women.

Ella studied him for a moment, that small tug of regret making itself known at his callous almost uncaring actions, but again it began to become nothing but a bitter memory as he reached out and ran a hand over her bare shoulder, his lips soon joined his caress following the path they had created and she shivered as the ache for his touch swallowed her whole.

---

The next day dawned brighter and with better feeling for Ella, she lay content in Joey's arms as he slumbered leisurely beside her. She had never imagined being with a man both intimately and emotionally could be so wonderful and so terrible all within the same moment.

He shifted, signaling that he was fully awake and Ella let out a small yawn before pushing herself into a sitting position and then getting to her feet. She walked to the basin and splashed cool water upon her face waking herself fully with the small shock before wrapping her bare body in a spare blanket.

Joey ran his fingers through his hair before he propped himself up on his elbows. "Go and see if they have finished the laundry" he said in a low voice, "I want to go to the saloon after I eat."

Ella's mouth tightened at the blatant order but still she gave a small nod before pushing the curtain aside and entering the dingy room beyond. She gave another small yawn before turning to the three women who were huddled together by the bed.

"Joey wants you to bring through the laundry" she said, trying to suppress another yawn. Without waiting for them to reply she walked back into the bedroom and got under the covers of the now empty bed preventing the shivers that threatened her body in the coldness of the sheltered house. Joey had tied a strip of old bedding around his middle and was washing his face with a wash rag.

The three women soon appeared at the door, the two younger women held out the clothing. Joey turned and strode up to them, throwing Ella's clothes to her without a backward glance. He took his own shirt and shook it before holding it up in the bright sun light.

Beulah stood apprehensively behind the younger women, her look telling Ella she knew something was wrong.

Joey's brows knitted together as he brought the material closer, studying it intently. With a cool glance over the women before him he roughly pushed the shirt back into one of their grasps.

"This shirt is dirty" he claimed his voice verging upon vexation. "Wash it again."

Beulah glanced at both the women that were now backing up into the dim room. "They ain't trained to be laundresses, you know" she said in a soft whisper.

Joey cast a cruel eye over her. "They better learn. My mother can do my clothes much better." He said this with such contempt as to indicate that if his own mother could do it they should find no hard task in the chore.

Ella glared up at him, his tone over Maria and the way he talked to these women was beginning to grate irritatingly upon her nerves. "Least you ma did your laundry" she mumbled.

"No," Joey said, dismissing her words, "she's a whore too... but she can clean my clothes. It should be easy for them to do."

Ella scowled at him as he walked over to the mirror and began to comb out his hair. He then rummaged in a leather saddle bag and pulled out a spare shirt and pair of trousers. Beulah took her cue to leave and left them alone.

"You shouldn't speak ill of you Ma" Ella said sulkily, knowing that he would not listen.

Once he had finished dressing, he turned back to the mirror and preened a moment pushing his hair behind his ears; Ella looked towards the curtain noticing that Beulah had again appeared. Joey gave her a sideways glance, his expression telling her to say what she wanted quickly.

"Joey?" Her voice was nervous, asking within that one word if he minded her using his name so freely.

He turned away from the mirror his cold eyes fully upon her.

"You got to be careful around John Wesley Hardin." She paused, her eyes shifting to Ella. "He's probably over at the saloon now, drinkin' with Redfoot." Her gaze again flicked to Joey. "He's killed over fifty men, they say. You need to be careful… he's got a temper." She again looked at Ella, her agitation heightened under those deadly blue eyes. "Best you don't take the lady with you."

Ella couldn't help a smile touch her lips at being referred to as a 'lady'.

"He's likely to try and take her for himself."

Ella glanced at Joey, waiting for his reaction to this news. He let out a long suffering sigh and closed his eyes slowly in that familiar way that Ella knew meant he was holding his temper back.

"This man does not concern me and he will not take what is already mine" he said quietly turning his attention back to the mirror.

Ella couldn't stop the little extra beat her heart gave at his words.