Quicksilver Passion (184 page)

Jake, no!” She managed to pull her mouth away.
There’s a Saturday night crowd gathering downstairs, I need to go down.”

They’ll keep awhile longer,” he said thickly.
The card sharps and the girls will keep them entertained. For the next few minutes, you are going to entertain me. And if you behave yourself and make me enjoy it, I won’t tell your brat I’m her old man yet.”

Jake, no!”

Don’t ever tell me no, you Injun whore. You’ll do exactly what I tell you to.” He slapped her, knocking her backward, then grabbed her arm and half dragged her through the office door into her bedroom.
Come on, bitch, show me your talent and maybe I won’t hurt you too bad!” He reached out and ripped the whole front of her dress away.

I won’t submit to you anymore. I’m rich and successful—”

You’re an Injun whore and that’s your major talent. Don’t you ever forget it.” He reached for his whip.
I want to watch you twist and squirm under me, watch your hot body get all excited when I do things to you.”

She backed away from him, shaking her head.
Take one of the whores. Take the governess if you want, but just leave me alone!”

He grinned, and ran his fingers through his tangled, dirty beard.
I intend to do all three, Gray Dove. As your partner, I kin do just about what I like.”

Silver had listened outside the door for the first few minutes of the conversation. So Jake Dallinger was Waanibe’s father! It didn’t make any difference to Silver; she had never know or even cared who might have fathered the child. In fact, she had almost been afraid it was Cherokee from a previous time. All she could think of now was that the Duchess or Gray Dove, or whoever she was, didn’t want the child. That meant Silver could have her ... or did it?

The Saturday night crowd downstairs sounded louder and drunker than usual, possibly because of the holiday season, and anything was an excuse for these hard-living, hard-drinking men to down a few more. Then, too, the Palace attracted a rougher crowd than some of the others places. If Denver ever decided it wanted to change its image and become a
law and order” town, the Palace would be one of the first saloons the city fathers would want to close.