Not a Second Time

Becky was regaining her senses as she heard Big Joe speaking to his men. "Get off me! You'll never get away with this. I'm not bargaining for my brother's life this time."

"You weren't last time, you dumb cunt. I had already sent your worthless brother off with a few others to fight for the south when I fucked you that night. You didn't save his life. We both know you were just another married slut wanting my big dick. I had you moaning pretty damned good before your pansy-assed husband showed up. Beating the shit out of him gave me another boner. If you hadn't snuck away while I was looking for his chicken-shit ass, I would have fucked the hell out of you again."

"You miserable bastard! You told me Jack was going to hang for stealing that gambler's horse. You agreed that you'd hand him over to be conscripted into the Confederate Army if I slept with you. You lied!"

"Yeah, I did. I lied and got laid," replied Big Joe with an evil chuckle. "Now I'm going to get laid again. I just hope you try to fight me. I like it better that way."

"Big Joe!" called Dirk.

"What the fuck's the problem?" demanded Joe angrily. "Is that old rancher coming?"

"Look up. That damn stranger is standing in front of you with a fucking gun and he looks pissed," replied Dirk. "You should have let me follow and finish him off after I shot him."

Jess had seen Big Joe break over the hill just as Becky had ridden into his sight. He was stunned at how quickly Joe had knocked her from the saddle and dismounted to attack her. Jess had pulled his gun and moved closer so he could shoot the man without risking any injury to Becky. That was when he heard Big Joe brag about how he had lied to Becky in order to bed her.

Jess was preparing to place a bullet in Big Joe's head when the man on the horse spoke. He admitted he had been the one to back-shoot Jess. As the ambusher warned Big Joe, he went for the gun on his belt.

Jess swung his weapon from Big Joe and shot the other man in the chest. As the rider tumbled from the saddle, Jess turned back to face Big Joe just as he brought his gun into play. Jess shot him between the eyes. He watched as the man flew backward off Becky.

Jess suddenly felt a sharp blow on the top of his head, which caused him to drop to his knees. His head was spinning when he heard another shot. He wiped blood from his eyes and managed to see Becky pointing Buck's gun at something behind him. A few seconds later, he heard a body hit the ground. Sam Blocker had belatedly decided to buy into the game. Becky had made it his last mistake.

Jess briefly passed out, but came around when felt a cloth wiping the blood from his face. He slowly opened his eyes. To his pleasant surprise, a hard nipple on a large firm breast obscured his vision.

"Don't poke me in the eye with that tit. I don't want to die half blind."

"Jess! You're awake," croaked Becky before proceeding to completely jeopardize Jess' vision by hugging his head to her breast. "I'm so sorry I let that bastard into our bed! He had Jack in jail for stealing a horse and they were going to hang him in the morning. He said he'd let Jack join the Confederate Army if I slept with him.

"Jack's my twin brother, Jess. I thought I had to do it to save him. You weren't supposed to be home for a day or two and I was desperate," continued Becky as huge sobs wracked her body.

"He lied to me. Jack had already been conscripted by the time Big Joe showed up to make his offer, but I didn't know it. I thought Jack was sitting in jail waiting to be hanged in the morning."

"I was stupid and betrayed you, Jess. I thought I was doing the right thing, but it was all a lie," admitted Becky. "I had never seen you so hurt and angry as when you came in and attacked him. You took a terrible beating. I hid until Joe Buck stopped looking for you and left. I thought that he must have killed you.

"Two years later, you saved Jack from being beaten to death by Union soldiers. You even risked your life and career to bring him home to us. When Jack told us how you had saved him, I was ecstatic that you were alive, at least until I realized you had deliberately left him in such a way that we'd never get to see you. I knew then that you'd never forgive me."

"Becky, this is a lot to take in. I never knew why you slept with that bastard. I thought you must have preferred him to me. You hurt me pretty bad, and Big Joe busted me up even more. I wanted to die, so I enlisted in the Union Army thinking that should do the trick," stated Jess.

"You know how different Jack is. Some tinhorn gambler cheated him at cards, so Jack took the man's horse to get even. They don't hang people for cheating at cards, but they do for stealing a horse. You risked your life for my brother. I stupidly thought I was giving up some pussy to save him. It ruined my life, but I'd do it again if it I thought it meant saving Jack's life. I'm so sorry, Jess, but he's my brother."

Ben, Jack and Will spent the better part of an hour dragging the bodies to a nearby hillside where they dug six shallow graves. Ben's wife gave him a worried look when he finally returned to the house with Jack and Will.

"Becky's been gone quite some time, Ben. What if those men found her? God only knows what they'd do. You need to get out there and bring her home."

"She's coming down the trail now," stated Maggie. "She's riding double with some bloodied man. I think it might be Jess!"

By the time Becky rode into the yard, her entire family was waiting for her with questions in their eyes. She decided to answer them all immediately.

"Big Joe caught me, knocked me from my horse and ripped my shirt off. Jess killed him and another man. A third man shot at Jess and bounced a bullet off his head. I killed that bastard with Joe Buck's gun. Jess had been bush-wacked earlier and has a bullet hole in his side.

"I want Jack and Dad to help me get my husband into my bed so I can take care of him. He's going to be pretty weak for a few days. Mom, please make some beef broth for him while I get him cleaned up. We're going to need to be left alone after that unless I ask for something. Does anyone have a problem with any of this?" demanded Becky as she looked each family member directly in the eye.

"I've read about treating bullet wounds," began Jack. "Clean it real good and..."

"Jack! I love you, but just shut the hell up," responded Becky with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I know exactly what my husband needs and I'll see that he gets it."