St. Louis Missouri, March 1, 1869

I rode into St. Louis, the gateway to the west, looking for work. The only two things thing I was ever good at was using a gun and riding horses being an ex-soldier in the union army and growing up on a horse ranch before that so it seemed a no brainier that I put my skills to good use. Their were an abundance of people heading west these days and Saint Louis was the end of the civilized world. From here on in would be the frontier with a few cities and towns in between.

The streets were bustling with people going about their business. Horse-drawn carriages and wagons rattled up and down the cobbled roads, while shoppers bustled in and out of shops and markets. I was struck by the sheer size and number of buildings. The city seemed to be on the boom as countless people passed through on there way to find fortune and fame. It was in the height of property as many folks wanted to leave the still war torn east and start new lives in the west. My own ancestors had crossed an ocean to get here just a few generations ago and here I was continuing their legacy.

I inquired about work at a nearby saloon, where I overheard a group of men talking about the opportunities out west. The California gold rush has been over for years, but there's still plenty of land to be claimed and fortune to be made one of them said and there was always more gold to be found in those hills but I had no recollections about digging in the dirt or standing in a river to pan for gold.

I was having a drink at the bar and thinking about his next move when he heard a commotion at one of the poker tables in the back. Some sleazy fellow and his friends were harassing one of the saloon girls. A pretty young mulatto girl who didn't seem to like their advances I sighed and tossed back my drink and put on my hat, I cocked my pistols in my holsters in case I needed to use them as I found it gave him a split second faster on the draw. I stood up and walked over.

"Leave the lady alone." I drawled in a low tone never one to raise my voice.

“She ain't no lady.” One of the men sneered pulling her into his lap.

“Now mister, you don't want to be getting into something that ain't your business. You might get hurt." One of them said as I heard the sound of a pistol cocking under the table.

“I am making it my business. Unless you want to find out who is faster on the draw I suggest you let the lady go?” I said and put my hands at my side ready to pull the iron on my hip. The one holding the girl let her go but only to get her out of the way. I could feel this wasn't going to end well. The crowd behind me moved out of the way not wanting to catch a stray bullet.

"You bet I do.' the man said. The man stood up and went to draw on me but before he could get his gun up I already had his pistols out of their holsters and pointed one right at his face and had my second gun on the guy closets to me on his left. I had been in enough gun fights to know that speed was my best weapon. The men stared at me in shock. I heard the cock of a pistol behind the men and saw a madam holding a derringer on the third man at the back of his neck. The bartender came over holding a Winchester rifle on the men. Suddenly I liked my odds a whole lot more.

"Now. You can gentlemen can holster the iron and pay the for your drinks and be on your way before things get ugly." The madame gave me a sly smile. The man who had been harassing the girl raised up his hand and holstered his piece. They left without much fuse after that. I uncocked his pistols putting them away in their holsters once they were out the door. The piano began to play and the crowd began to rouse.

“Are you okay Abigail?” The Madame said checking on her girl.

“Yes thanks to him.” Abigail looked at me. Her hair was a wild mass of curls, framing her face in a halo of tresses. Her skin was the color of caramel. Her eyes, the color of hazel nuts, were full of hidden depths. Framing her eyes were long, dark lashes that delicately brushed against her smooth skin. Her hair was full and black as midnight as it fell to either side of her face. Her lips were luscious and full as she gave me a shy soft smile.

Her dress was simple, yet tasteful, and clung to her curves in all the right places. I couldn't take my eyes off her, drawn in by her beauty and the enigma surrounding her. It was as if she held the secrets of the world in those entrancing eyes of hers.

“Ma'am.” I tipped my hat to the ladies.

“Thank you sir. Everyone calls me Madam Kitty.” The madame offered her hand and I took it giving it a kiss. I couldn't help but look the blonde haired madame over. She was tall and statuesque, with a curvy figure that was accentuated by her tight-fitting corset. Her long, curly blonde hair tumbled down her back in loose waves, and her bright blue eyes sparkled mischievously as she scanned the room.

Madame Kitty was a vision in crimson red, her dress hugging her every curve, and the slit up the side revealing a hint of her thigh. Madame Kitty dazzled in her crimson red dress, which embraced her every curve. The form-fitting silhouette accentuated her figure, exuding elegance and allure. The luxurious red velvet fabric, with its subtle sheen, added a touch of sophistication.

Delicate black lace trim adorned the neckline, sleeves, and hemline, creating a striking contrast against the vibrant red. The low-cut sweetheart neckline enhanced her femininity, while the slit on the side of the dress revealed a hint of her thigh, adding a touch of sensuality. Her makeup was flawless, with perfectly arched eyebrows and ruby-red lips, which made her look both alluring and dangerous at the same time.

But it wasn't just her physical appearance that drew me to her. It was the way she carried herself, with an air of confidence and mystery that suggested she was a **** to be reckoned with. She smiled at me, and I felt captivated by her charms.

“Join me for a drink.” She said, her voice low and sultry, as she put her lovely leg up showing off her thigh and slid the derringer inside her garter ad pulled it snug. Her breasts looking like it might spill out of her dress as the heaved forward. Ah, a sultry scene indeed! Her ample bosom beckoned with all its enchanting allure, captivating the onlookers with its luscious curves and subtle promises. The dress strained against the weight of her bosom, hinting at the tantalizing possibility of a captivating reveal. The sheer magnetism of her heaving breasts commanded attention. She looked up at me with her lovely blue eyes. Her eyes, a captivating shade of sapphire blue, held an enchanting allure. They sparkled with a hint of mischief, drawing you in with their magnetic charm. Framed by dark, luscious lashes, her almond-shaped blue eyes seemed to dance with charisma, radiating a captivating energy that could enchant anyone in their gaze.

“I never turn down the company of a beautiful lady.” I smiled and nodded my head. As we talked I noticed her her perfume, a heady mix of jasmine and something I couldn't place, enveloped me in a seductive haze. She had come from Savannah Georgia and had fled during the war ending up in Saint Louis where she had worked as Fallen Dove before becoming a madame a year ago.

"So what brings you to St. Louis?" She asked as she poured me another shot of whiskey..

"Looking for work like most." I shrugged and downed the shot in one gulp feeling it burn on the way down.

"I just might have some. You any good with horses and wagons?”

“Horses, yes. I spent my teenage years on my uncles ranch before the war.”

“Then you might be just what we need. I am selling this place. Women are a dime a dozen in these parts and I have always been one to get when the going is good. I plan on joining up with the wagon train and heading out west. Open up my own saloon at the first chance I get and we could use someone with your talents if your interested."

“Don't they have people on the wagon train for that. Not that I am not interested.”

“They have their people but I never seen a one of them stand up to someone for a whore before plus you are quick on the draw so if we do run into trouble at least you can handle yourself. I have half a dozen girls, myself, and butch behind the bar there. I will pay you two hundred a head that you see delivered alive and unharmed. Half now and half when we get where we are going.”

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