Dying Wish Read online

  Out Like a Light

  The grin dropped off Boris’s face. “You tried to kill me, you son of a bitch.”

  “You were doing your fair share on that train, if you recall.” Clint retorted.

  “I suppose I did.”

  Clint nodded and resisted the urge to lunge at Boris right then and there. The simple fact that Boris hadn’t moved from his spot or reached for his gun told Clint that he didn’t want to make the first move.

  “Tell me, Boris,” Clint said. “Where’s your bro—”

  Clint’s question was cut short as something heavy cracked against the back of his skull. The impact flooded Clint’s head with dull pain as his ears filled up with the loud rush of blood. Soon, that rush was joined by the flow of air rushing past his face as he fell to the straw-covered floor.

  DON’T MISS THESE ALL-ACTION WESTERN SERIES FROM THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  THE GUNSMITH by J. R. Roberts

  Clint Adams was a legend among lawmen, outlaws, and ladies. They called him…the Gunsmith.

  LONGARM by Tabor Evans

  The popular long-running series about Deputy U.S. Marshal Custis Long—his life, his loves, his fight for justice.

  SLOCUM by Jake Logan

  Today’s longest-running action Western. John Slocum rides a deadly trail of hot blood and cold steel.

  BUSHWHACKERS by B. J. Lanagan

  An action-packed series by the creators of Longarm! The rousing adventures of the most brutal gang of cutthroats ever assembled—Quantrill’s Raiders.

  DIAMONDBACK by Guy Brewer

  Dex Yancey is Diamondback, a Southern gentleman turned con man when his brother cheats him out of the family fortune. Ladies love him. Gamblers hate him. But nobody pulls one over on Dex…

  WILDGUN by Jack Hanson

  The blazing adventures of mountain man Will Barlow—from the creators of Longarm!

  TEXAS TRACKER by Tom Calhoun

  J. T. Law: the most relentless—and dangerous—manhunter in all Texas. Where sheriffs and posses fail, he’s the best man to bring in the most vicious outlaws—for a price.

  THE GUNSMITH 314

  DYING WISH

  J. R. ROBERTS

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  DYING WISH

  A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2008 by Robert J. Randisi.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ISBN: 978-1-1012-1898-3

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  Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  JOVE is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “J” design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  ONE

  In most card games being played for big stakes, everything usually came down to the last hand. Unlike most games, where the players weren’t exactly certain which hand would be the last, there was always something that cut through the air toward the end of the bigger games.

  On this particular night, something crackled through the room that put out the sort of charge that could be felt before a lightning storm was unleashed from a dark sky. It was something that might not have meant much to most of the folks in Rick’s Place, but the two at the round table in the corner sure felt the approach of what had to be the end of their game.

  Clint sat in his chair, looking down at three nines, the king of clubs, and the five of spades. Making certain his expression didn’t change any more than it needed to, he ran his fingers over the pile of chips in front of him. “I’ll bet fifty,” he said.

  Olivia McKay was a trim woman in her late twenties who’d arrived in Labyrinth, Texas, just over a week ago. Her long, raven-black hair and slightly angled features showed a great deal of Chinese blood running through her veins. The dusky hue to her skin and the curve of her hips, on the other hand, hinted at the possibility of South American ancestry.

  Clint had been trying to figure her out since her arrival, and the chance to play poker with her seemed like a perfect opportunity. But Olivia fancied herself as a gambler and seemed to have more than enough skill to back it up.

  “Only fifty?” she asked. “Last time, you raised a hundred and the time before that it was eighty.”

  “Those times were bluffs,” Clint replied with a subtle grin.

  “The time before that wasn’t. You were dealt two pair and bet two hundred.”

  “She’s got you there, Clint,” Rick Hartman shouted from his spot behind the bar.

  Rick was a big Texan who was also the namesake of the saloon. Not only was he one of the more respected businessmen in Labyrinth, but he was also one of Clint’s oldest friends.

&nbs
p; “Keep your mouth shut and polish some more glasses,” Clint hollered with just the right amount of disrespect.

  Hartman knew better than to take those words at face value. Instead, he simply shook his head and waved Clint off using the old towel in his hand. “In that case, I hope she does clean you out.”

  “You’re probably feeding her all the information she needs.” Shifting his eyes as well as his grin toward Olivia, Clint asked, “Has he been telling you how I play?”

  “He doesn’t need to tell me anything,” Olivia replied with a pretty smile that only made her slightly rounded face seem even prettier. “I’ve seen all I need just by playing with you this long.”

  “It hasn’t been that long,” Clint pointed out.

  “Exactly.”

  Hartman walked up to the table while letting out a low whistle. “She’s got you again, I’d say.”

  Clint kept his eyes on Olivia, but knew better than to leave himself open for more of Rick’s barbed comments. “My bet’s still the only one out there,” Clint said. “And where poker’s concerned, the money always has the final say.”

  When Hartman nodded this time, he shifted his eyes toward Olivia. “I’d say he’s got you there.”

  Olivia didn’t need to say anything when she glanced up at Hartman. Even though the Texan dwarfed her by standing near the table, he was the one to back up half a step with his hands raised as though he was being held at gunpoint.

  “I won’t stick my nose in anymore,” Hartman said. “I was just making sure you had enough to drink.” With that, he picked up the empty glasses on the table and took them back to the bar.

  So far, Clint still hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Considering the way Olivia’s pale yellow dress clung to her tight curves, that wasn’t exactly a chore.

  “I’ll call,” she said with a shrug. After moving in the appropriate amount of chips, she picked up the deck beside her. “How many cards do you need?”

  “Two,” Clint replied.

  She flipped him his cards and announced, “Same for me.”

  The game had started off with three other players, but they hadn’t lasted very long. For the last few hours, it had just been Clint and Olivia. Since the game had been whittled down to these two players, the stakes had gone up considerably.

  Having gotten rid of the two cards that weren’t nines, Clint rearranged his hand while watching Olivia’s face as she did the same. Although her smooth skin and long hair were easy on the eyes, there wasn’t one thing on that pretty face to tell Clint much of anything of use where poker was concerned.

  Olivia stared right back at him, wearing half a smile. “Are you going to pass the bet on to me?”

  When he took a quick peek at his cards, Clint discovered the two cards he’d gotten rid of had been replaced by the six and four of diamonds. “No, I’ll do the honors. Three hundred.”

  Before Clint could move that many chips in, Olivia added, “Make it four.”

  Clint nodded. “Somehow, I knew you’d do that. How about we just make it six hundred and forty-nine?”

  Olivia raised her eyebrows and ran the tip of her tongue along her upper lip. “That’s all you’ve got left?”

  “It sure is.”

  When Clint looked over to the bar, he saw Hartman leaning forward on both elbows and watching intently. “Can you believe this, Rick?”

  “Stop talking to him and play,” Olivia said with the same bit of fire in her voice that Clint had had when he’d been needling Hartman earlier. “I’m the only one you need to worry about.”

  “No wonder the others left,” Clint said. “You’re a hard woman.”

  “They left because they wanted a friendly game to pass some time,” she replied. “I always play for blood.”

  “Do you now?”

  She nodded, and then eased all of her chips into the middle of the table. “Yes, I do. Always.”

  “You’ve already got me on chips,” Clint pointed out. “How should I cover this bet?”

  “You could always fold,” Olivia said with another sly grin.

  Clint made a show of looking down at his cards and then shaking his head. “No. I don’t think I’ll fold. I do, however, think you’re bluffing.”

  “Then what do you propose?”

  “Double our original bet.”

  That widened Olivia’s smile a bit. “You mean the one we made at the beginning of this game? The one before those other three showed up?”

  “That’s the one.”

  After thinking it over for all of two seconds, she nodded. “Done.”

  Clint smiled and showed his three nines. “You were drawing to try and fill in a hand,” he said proudly. “You’ve got a cute little tell that showed up the last few times you were drawing for a hand and didn’t have one.”

  Olivia let out a breath and set her cards facedown on the table. “You’re right,” she sighed. Then, she spread out her cards to show that all of them were clubs. “This time, I managed to fill in the hand I was after.”

  The confident smirk dropped off Clint’s face. “Damn.”

  TWO

  Within minutes of the end of that game, Clint and Olivia were in the hotel across the street from Rick’s Place. They were in Olivia’s room and she was currently sitting on the edge of her bed with her foot resting on Clint’s bended knee.

  “When I said I wouldn’t mind getting you alone for an hour, this wasn’t what I had in mind,” Clint said as he remained on one knee at the foot of the bed.

  “It wasn’t?”

  Looking down at the foot that was propped on his knee, Clint replied, “Well…not exactly.” He reached up to slide his hands along Olivia’s boot. The higher he moved his hand, the more her skirts fell away to reveal a tightly muscled calf. “Although I am starting to see the appeal.”

  “I bet you are. Besides, it’s not just an hour anymore. It’s two. Remember, I won that last hand.”

  Clint shook his head and reached up a bit higher under her skirts. Olivia’s thigh was smooth as silk and warm to the touch. When his fingers glanced along the soft ruffle of her expensive panties, he slowly eased his hand back down.

  “To be honest,” he said, “I was only kidding when I brought up that bet at all. I thought there was a good chance you’d slap me right in the face.”

  “Then why’d you mention wanting to get me alone?”

  “Because there was the slight possibility that you’d say yes.” Grinning, Clint unhooked the garter from her stocking and slowly rolled the thin material down her leg. “Actually, I was pretty sure you’d say yes.”

  “You mean that pretty little tell of mine?” she asked.

  “Yep.”

  “What tell do you mean exactly?”

  Clint shook his head and started unlacing her boot. “I’m planning on more games with you, lady. I’m not telling you my secrets just yet.”

  “Then maybe I’ll take you up on that money you owe me.”

  “What money?” Clint laughed. “Those chips were just for show so we could see who won the game. That’s why those other three left so soon. Poker’s no fun unless you’re playing for something.”

  “Oh, I was playing for something all right,” she whispered. “And I’m claiming my prize right here. You get that boot off and do what I say. That’s the deal, remember?”

  “It wasn’t the deal when we started,” Clint pointed out. “All I said was I’d like to get you alone for an hour.”

  “That’s before you lost so badly to me. Now you need to work off what you owe me.” Gritting her teeth a bit and pressing her foot against Clint’s chest, she said, “Now get to work.”

  Clint peeled the boot off Olivia’s leg. The leather came up to her knee, but dropped away easily enough once the laces were loosened. He kept one hand on her ankle and used the other to toss the boot away. Clint then placed that hand on her calf and slid it all the way up.

  “That’s it,” Olivia purred. “Now go higher.”

  Clin
t eased his hand up a bit more until he could feel those ruffled panties once more.

  “Be careful,” Olivia warned. “Those are expensive. Be gentle when you take them down.”

  Smiling up at her, Clint slipped his fingers under her panties to feel the smooth skin and soft downy hair between her legs.

  Olivia closed her eyes and let out a slow breath as she leaned back a bit. “I told you to take them down.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Clint replied as he eased the panties off and slipped them over both of her feet. When he reached under her skirts again, he felt Olivia take hold of his wrist.

  “Not yet,” she said.

  But Clint didn’t let her move his hand. His fingers were already close enough to feel the heat of her body. Stretching just a little bit more allowed him to trace a soft line along the curve of her moist pussy lips.

  Allowing him to linger there for another second, Olivia shook her head and pushed his hand away. “Not yet, I told you. Who won this bet anyway?”

  “You did, but I think you cheated.”

  “Can you prove it?”

  “No.”

  Smiling, Olivia took her foot from Clint’s chest, placed her other foot in its place, and said, “Then get my other boot off.”

  Clint bit his tongue since he knew all too well he’d lost the bet. Then again, it was hard to complain about that since he was in a perfect spot to look up her skirts as Olivia lifted her leg so he could get to her boot. He took his time with the laces and savored the sight of the skin that was now bare since her panties had been removed.