Accept his offer

"Fine," you spit out, the word tasting like a mouthful of alkali dust. "I'll tell her. Thirty minutes. But you listen here Darius, you try anything funny, and you'll regret it. She’s got a temper like a prairie fire, and she don't think much of you."

Darius lets out a low, wet chuckle that rumbles deep in his massive chest. Your threat barely registers, unsurprising, given that it was an empty one. Darius could easily win a brawl against you and Ella combined. "Of course John, I'll behave. I’ve heard that song before, most girls don't like me right up until they do. You just get her ready. I’ll be along shortly with the posse supplies." He smirks, a slow, ugly twist of his mouth. "Thirty minutes. Not a second less."

The ride back to the ranch is a blur of heat, self-loathing and nervousness. When you pull up, Ella is waiting on the porch, her hand shading her eyes. You steel yourself and explain the deputy's terms. You watch the color drain from her face, replaced instantly by a hot, radiating fury.

"You did what?" she hisses, her chest heaving, the fabric of her bodice straining against her breasts with every ragged breath. Her eyes flash with a dangerous, hazel fire. "Alone with that big brute? Lord knows what he's planning! What kind of spineless man would put his wife in that situation?!"

"I'm sorry Ella, I panicked. It's not too late to say no. We can turn him away when he gets here, and I can look for the cattle myself!" you plead, your heart hammering against your ribs. The mention of the cattle quickly cools her off. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry John. You did the right thing. Going after Grey Hawk alone is a **** sentence. Besides, I'm the one who told you to ask the deputy for help... and it's only thirty minutes. I can handle myself." You see her expression grow more confident as she steels herself. She leans forward and gives you a hug. You reach for your belt, unholstering your revolver and pressing the heavy cold iron into her hand. "If he tries anything... funny... you shoot. You shoot and I’ll come runnin'. I’ll be right outside."

Minutes later, the deputy’s horse trots into the yard. Darius dismounts with a heavy thud, his massive frame casting a long, dark shadow across the porch. He tips his hat to Ella, his eyes crawling over her fit body, lingering on the swell of her ass and the curve of her waist with an appetite that makes your stomach turn.

"Mornin', Ma'am," he purrs, his tone silky, laced with confidence.

Ella doesn't move. She stands rigid, her jaw set. "Get inside," she snaps. "Let's get this over with."

Darius grins. He looks back at you, his thumb hooked into his pocket. "You heard the lady, Doe. I believe I was promised some alone time. Why don't you go find somethin' to do in the barn? I’ll give a holler when we're through."

You step off the porch, your boots feeling like lead. You hear the heavy oak door creak shut. You stand in the dirt, ashamed and worried, the silence of the ranch feeling like a physical weight. You tell yourself that everything will be fine, you trust Ella. She hates Darius. She's strong-willed. You're right outside. But for some reason the memory of those moans in the station pops into your mind. Causing doubt and anxiety to grow.

You want to know what's happening in there .