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“You tell me who put you on the tracks.”
“Ain’t saying.”
Now I’m off the tracks, he don’t need to know who put me there. It’s better he doesn’t. I’m doing him a favor, even if he doesn’t realize it.
He takes a step closer to me, his shadow blocking out the sun. When he narrows his eyes I feel a bolt zip right through my nethers. Didn’t expect to be able to get those feelings this soon after everything I’ve been through, but my body has always had a mind of its own. Sometimes I feel like I’m just on a ride in a person-shaped vehicle, terrible things happening to me on all sides all the time and me having to do my best to keep myself alive. It ain’t fair, but that’s life.
“I reckon you’ll say,” he growls.
“Listen, mister, I wasn’t scared when those bastards tied me down to die, and I surely ain’t scared now.”
“You’ll tell me, because I need to know what trouble I just got into by setting you loose on the world again.”
“You worried about trouble, mister?”
“I’m surely worried about you, Miss Josie,” he rumbles. I could swoon, if I were the swooning type, just hearing my name on his lips.
“Don’t worry about me, just accept my thanks, and maybe if you’re still feeling generous, drop me in town next time you go. Or I’ll see myself off.”
“I don’t think so,” he says. “Them fellas with the guns will be coming after you to finish the job any minute I reckon. You’d better stay with us in the meantime until we sort out what’s goin’ on here.”
He’s not listening. Men usually don’t. Something about being a girl means that no male ever seems to think I have a brain in my head. They talk to me just like this feller does, as if I don’t have any right to make my own choices, or as if I don’t know what I want.
The rest of his posse have headed out to the camp fire and are sitting around with liquor. I don’t see any other womenfolk in this camp and that doesn’t bode well for me. Men have lustful natures, and they get real good at sharing when there’s only one woman around. I’m not keen on being spread this thin. I got to get out of here, and quick, before the drink gets in their blood and they decide collectively that they’re going to take what’s owed to them for my rescue.
The one who rescued me turns and starts talking to another man, so I turn and start walking away. I figure I’m free now and I’d better leave to make sure I stay that way. Men have a habit of rescuing women only to turn them into prisoners all over again.
I’m only a few steps away when a big hand comes down on my collar, yanking me backwards without warning.
“Now where do you think you’re running off to?”
“I ain’t staying here, mister. I ain’t entertaining all you men, not even if you did save my life.”
“Entertain?” It takes him a second to work out what I’m referring to. When he does, his lips thin and he presses them real hard together, talking through gritted teeth like he’s a ventriloquist. “You ain’t here to entertain anyone, girl. You’re here for your own safety. Under my protection.”
“And who are you?”
“Name’s Orion Steelbane,” he says.
“O.. Orion…?” No way am I with Orion Steelbane.
Orion Steelbane is a legend. He is the most wanted man on the planet. The stories about Orion are legion, and every one of them is bloodier and more daring than the one before it. My jaw is dropped, but I don’t know if I believe him.
“You can’t be Orion. He has a metal…”
I trail off when he yanks the glove off his right hand, displaying the metal and gears of a mechanical limb.
“Well, hell,” I curse to myself. “You’re really him.”
“I am,” he agrees.
“I can’t believe I’m meeting you. I can’t believe you saved me.” I’m trying not to gush, but it’s hard. He’s so famous that some of the traveling players who go from town to town putting on plays have performed stories from his life. I’ve seen them. The guy playing Orion in the play had nothing on this real version though.
“Believe it,” he rumbles. “But don’t believe everything you’ve heard about me.” He winks and I feel my heart flutter. He’s so handsome. Dashing, even. I don’t know how this works, because I thought he was attractive already, but knowing who he really is immediately kicks my body’s response up another level. I can feel myself blushing under his gaze.
“Thanks for saving me, Mr. Steelbane.”
“Don’t mention it. Go ahead and get yourself situated in my tent. It’s the one with the black flag hanging next to the opening.”
