A Different Trade Read Online Free

A Different Trade
Book: A Different Trade Read Online Free
Author: J. R. Roberts
Pages:
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right cross to the head.
    Although Westin was hurt by the last blow, he had enough of his wits about him to catch Clint’s incoming punch. The sound of knuckles slapping against his left palm still hung in the air when Westin tightened his grip around Clint’s fist. “You made a whole lot of mistakes here, boy,” he snarled into Clint’s face.
    When Clint tried to pull his hand free, he only felt Westin’s grip become even tighter. Already, sharp jolts of pain shot up through his arm.
    â€œYou picked the wrong saloon to come into,” Westin said. “You opened your mouth when you should’a kept it shut. And you raised a hand to a man who can put you six feet under anytime he chooses.”
    Clint balled up his other fist and took a swing at Westin. That punch bounced off the big man’s side, and before Clint could follow up, the bones in his trapped hand were mercilessly ground together. Even though Clint was able to stand up in front of the bigger man, he couldn’t do much else at that moment.
    â€œLook at the idiot you stuck your neck out for,” Westin said. “He don’t even have enough of a brain to know when he should run. It ain’t like he’ll get many more chances after this little dance.”
    Sure enough, Leo had his back to the wall of shelves behind the bar as though he were stuck there by half a barrel of glue.
    â€œI’ll only say this one more time,” Clint said. “Leave now.”
    â€œAnd I’ll say this one more time: Or what?”
    â€œOr I draw the pistol that I’ve left in its holster this long just to keep this from getting too messy.”
    Westin’s eyes darted downward to verify Clint’s claim. The Colt wasn’t easy to miss, and though he wasn’t shocked to see it there, Westin let go of Clint’s hand. “That brings us right back around to where we started.”
    â€œYou mean about whether or not I’ve got the sand to pull a trigger?” Clint asked. “Can you look in my eyes and have any doubt of that?”
    Westin took a look for himself, and before he could respond to what he saw, someone spoke up from a few paces behind him.
    â€œYou shouldn’t doubt me on that count,” the woman who’d been on the stage not too long ago said. She held her pistol in a two-handed grip and stared at Westin over the top of its barrel. When he positioned himself so he could shift his gaze between her and Clint, Westin said, “I should’ve guessed you’d need the help of a woman, boy.”
    â€œJust get the hell out of my sight,” Clint replied.
    Westin casually turned to look at Leo, who was still glued to the wall behind the bar. “You remember what I told you before we was interrupted?”
    â€œYes,” Leo replied.
    â€œThen I’m done here.” Westin turned his back on all the guns in the room as if none of them were capable of making him bleed, and he walked out through the front door.
    Once he was certain the big man wasn’t about to come back, Clint looked over at the woman and asked, “What took you so damn long?”

SIX
    It wasn’t until after he’d drunk the beer he’d been given that Clint actually took a good look at the woman who’d been on the stage when he’d first arrived. Before then, either she was on the opposite side of the room, or he was more interested in the gun she’d been carrying. Now that the storm had passed and she was right in front of him, he could see that she was much younger than he’d originally thought.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she said.
    â€œFor what?” Clint asked.
    â€œFor taking so long to get to you. I guess I was just a bit scared.”
    Clint set his beer down and said, “I was just riled up when I asked you that. You came in at just the right time. That big ape needed to be knocked around a bit before he would go quietly. Any sooner and he
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