Crushing Desire (10 page)

Michael sat next to her, gathering her into his arms. Reena put her hand on Michael’s chest, about to tell him that she could not go on when a noise in the nearby bushes startled them both.

“Well, would ya look at this, Bertie?” A tall, muscular man stepped toward them from the trees. “Couple o’ lovers waiting for us. And rich too, judging by the fancies.”

His disheveled appearance seemed to prove that he had been living in the woods that bordered this side of the river for a while now. His hair was long and ratty, and Reena sensed that if it weren’t covered in so much muck that it might not have been dark brown. He had a scar that ran his neck from ear to ear. Reena gasped. Next to him stood a short man with a thick bulk and clothes so ripped and soiled that they were close to indecent, except for his coat, which appeared to be new but was stained with blood.

“And would ya look at the lovely, William?” Bertie said to his tall companion. “Ya keeping her warm for us, boy-o?” he asked, slipping a knife from his belt.

Chapter Ten

“Run!” Michael pushed her in the direction of the carriage.

In an instant, there was a flurry of motion.

Michael jumped to his feet, advancing on the tall man. William pulled the biggest blade that Reena had ever seen from his belt and pressed forward. Reena scrambled to her feet, trying to wrench a candle free from the ground, but it was buried too far into the ground and wouldn’t budge. She glanced up, her heart in her throat. Bertie had turned to where Michael stood, grappling with the thin man for his blade. Michael’s coat was impeding some of his movement as he tried to twist the knife from the other man’s fingers.

Bertie sliced the blade toward him. Reena screamed. But Michael moved to the side, whirling on him. Reena picked up a heavy rock and threw it at Bertie, hitting him hard on the back. Michael dodged another strike from William, and Bertie turned toward her. She tried to scramble away, but tripped over the candle. Then Bertie was on her, grabbing her arms and hauling her to her feet. He turned to where William grappled with Michael. The thug twisted Michael’s wrist and jerked it up behind him, forcing him to his knees. His blade met Michael’s throat.

Michael glared up at the stout man that held Reena, his jaw set.

“I have money. Leave us in peace and it’s yours.”

Bertie laughed, grinning at Reena with a nearly toothless mouth. Reena wanted to wretch, and it was all she could do not to beg. Her captor’s beaming face turned toward Michael’s, and Reena’s gaze followed. Michael’s eyes went wide when they met the stout man’s, his mouth dropped open, and then Michael rotated his head, gaping at Reena. His gaze held hers for one helpless moment before Bertie’s arms tugged her toward the beautiful white blanket. She dug her heels into the dirt, but it didn’t provide much resistance against this man who was a head shorter, but much larger than she.

Reena couldn’t believe what was happening. She’d started the evening yearning for one handsome gentleman that she loved and trying to find a way to settle for the other. How had the night gone so wrong that she’d ended up being manhandled by an immense grimy ruffian while his friend watched, licking his dirty lips?

“Tall one, ain’t she?” Bertie said to his partner as he stared in a most disgusting manner at her heaving chest. “Don’t worry love, I like me lovelies tall.”

Perhaps it was her punishment for considering another man? But as she peered down at the dirty face of the man that held her, the shriek in her chest pushed up to her throat and out of her mouth. “Stop!” she yelled at the large man who was lugging her back toward the blanket, and then she took Lily’s advice.

The toe of her boot struck Bertie right in his shin. His yelp of surprise was all but drowned out by the beating of her heart in her ears. Stumbling back, she turned to run. Reena had only made it a few steps before she heard William speak in counterpoint to Michael’s strangled cry.

“Wouldn’t do that, lovely,” William said, while Bertie hopped around holding his shin. “Ya did seem to like the boy-o here. Wouldn’t want to see…” Reena whipped around at the sound of Michael’s pain, her heart lurching in her chest. He pulled Michael’s arm again, and Michael doubled over onto the weapon. A thin line of red appeared at the site where the blade touched his neck, and a shimmering object fell from his waistcoat.

“No!” She stepped toward the tall man, holding out her hand, fingers spread, as if she could stay the knife by pure will. “Don’t I…I won’t run.”

She took a step toward the blanket, holding her breath when she came within grabbing distance of Bertie. The man relieved the pressure from Michael’s neck, and a choked sound somewhere between a whimper and a sigh, broke from her welling throat.

William pushed Michael forward with a knee on his back, using the knife to spear at something on the ground.

“Well ain’t this fancy?” He held the knife up, a shimmering ring poised on the tip. “Was you gonna marry this one?”

Reena’s stomach twisted. He used the blade to slip the delicate ring into a crusty pocket before returning the knife to Michael’s throat.

“This’ll be a special night for ya. Bertie ‘n’ me’ll make it a fine night indeed.” William’s eyes raked her.

“Listen to me, my good men, I have more money available to me.” Michael’s breath came in hard wheezes, the collar of his shirt and waistcoat dappled pink with his trickling blood. “I can arrange it so that you never have to work again. Don’t do anything foolish.”

William kicked him, and Michael tensed from the pain of the blow in both his back and where the knife was still at his neck. Michael tried to twist free, his gaze meeting hers again. The frantic quality of his stare, and the shimmer in his eyes froze her blood. It appeared by the way the man was holding his arm that he could snap it without too much leverage.

“I think I’ll have me your woman, and then I’ll have me your coat. Mine’s all bloody, and then I’ll have me your money too.” Bertie grabbed her and threw her onto the blanket.

“Don’t move, now. If I have to chase ya again, I’ll stick your man.” His laughter showed a mouthful of rotting teeth and bloody gums. Bile rose in her throat.

Reena sat up, looking at the man, her body leaning in the direction of the trees and freedom. His eyes moved from her to Michael and back. “Your lady needs a real man. Don’t she, William?”

“Sure does.” William laughed and pulled higher on Michael’s arm.

Michael grunted, and Reena shifted her body toward him, but dared not move with the knife pressing into his throat.

“Please. Leave her alone. You can have whatever you want,” Michael said.

“There’s the trouble, ain’t it boy-o? We want your lady.” He sneered at Reena. “I got me somethin’ to show ya girlie. Somethin’ your gonna like.” Nausea welled again as he unbuttoned his torn trousers, moving with deliberate slowness, coming toward her as he did. She bit back a cry and wondered if she should try to run again. She’d heard of rape being a fate worse than death. If that were true, she should run. But if she ran, they would kill Michael. What if Emily came to find them and was hurt by these men or even raped or killed herself?

Perhaps she should yell as loud as she could and tell them to get away? Maybe she should scream for them to come, the coachman would surely have a gun? Would they even be close enough to hear if she did? Perhaps she should make him angry enough to kill her now, but if she did, what would happen to Michael? If he lived, he would be scarred forever by her murder, but wouldn’t that be the same if she were raped? And what if Joshua found out that she was sullied and was disgusted by the thought and never wanted to see her again? Would she even want to see him, knowing that he knew the awful truth?

Her mind flew through questions and thoughts, partly because she was terrified, but mostly to take her mind off the greasy man that was still coming toward her, teeth bared, knife in hand. Her eyes slid to the knife as he popped the last button on his breeches. Then she saw him. She had never seen a living man naked before. The hard long shaft of his manhood stood against his dirty body, looking filthy as the rest of him. But there was a frightening power in the rigid length.

Reena scuttled back, trying not to cry out. This disgusting man wanted her, and she was sure he would not be alone in this. She would be ruined after all, but not by her own choice and not by a handsome man that made her tingle.

She could hear Michael cursing and threatening the men, but it seemed from somewhere far away, in another time, another world. In her world right now, there was only this man with his menacing grin, his long knife, and his dirty manhood. She found herself pleading without even realizing it.

“Please don’t. Please. No.” Her voice was soft, as if coming from a great distance and not from herself.

She shook her head at the sound of her words and the contemptuous sound of William repeating them in a sarcastic mimicry. In an instant, anger filled the void terror had left behind, and her jaw clenched.

Bertie was above her now, smirking. She lay on her back, arms outstretched in defense. Even if it meant that before this night was over, she would be murdered in a most painful and gruesome way, she would fight. She wouldn’t—no—couldn’t let this happen.

Reaching behind, she pushed up with her hands and scuttled back, watching Bertie’s shining eyes while he advanced. He tossed his knife in the sand not far from her. He was toying with her, like a cat playing with a mouse before making the kill. Letting her run just a little, knowing that he could fall on her at any moment.

“Ya don’t got the stamina to please this fine lady. Your gonna go second.” Bertie laughed.

“I’ll please her right good. She’ll be fair screaming her head off when I’m done with her.” William’s chin notched high.

She struck out at Bertie, scratching and clawing at the air as he leaned toward her.

“Real tiger, ain’t she?” William chuckled.

“Come on, Tiger. You’re gonna love this.” Bertie grabbed at her flailing arms.

Click
.

The loud noise filled the clearing and everything stopped. Reena lay on her side, half on the beautiful white blanket, one wrist held secure by Bertie, the other pushing at his chest.

At the edge of the clearing stood Jerrold, the coachman, a rifle braced against his shoulder. Behind him, Emily held a pistol with a resolute grip. The five people stared at each other for a moment. Then Bertie’s gaze lowered to the knife he’d dropped stuck in the sand.

“Don’t even think about it, palie. You move one bleedin’ inch, and I’ll make sure you can’t piss standin’ ever again.” Jerrold’s voice was steady, and the rifle never wavered.

Reena didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until she let it out.

“We was only having fun.” Bertie’s eyes never left the rifle. “Ya can’t blame us for that.”

Bertie stood, dragging Reena up with him. He put her in front of him like a shield.

“Don’t ya be trying to shoot me mate, now, else I might have to take me grief out on the lad,” William said from somewhere behind her.

The coachman remained steadfast and so did Emily.

“Release both of them and leave with your hides intact.” Emily’s eyes flashed steel. “You try anything funny, and I’ll shoot you both on principle.”

Reena tried and failed to stop the tremors that shook her body. Bertie began to back toward the forest where William stood, restraining Michael. Bertie’s path dragged her to within a foot of his discarded knife, but the blade was still too far away for either of them to make a dash for it.

“Not too close to him, then. If you get her near him, I’ll put a hole in his head and then in yours,” Emily warned.

Bertie paused, looking over his shoulder at where William held Michael, his knife slackening some as his gaze swung from Bertie to the guns and back again. She knew that a plan was forming, and she had to stop this now. Moving quickly, Reena stomped back hard on his foot, sending her elbow into his side with all her might. He gasped, his grip easing for a second and that was enough. She jerked free and ran toward the water, giving her rescuers a clear shot.

A shot rang out. Rustling and snapping sounds emanated from the woods behind her. Reena whirled to see the attackers had gone and rushed to Michael’s side. “Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.” As she knelt beside him, she realized the chanted words came from her own lips. Michael lay on the dank ground, his head turned away from her. Her breathing was hard and uneven as she gingerly touched him. “Michael?”

With great care she turned him on his back, praying that her rash action hadn’t cost him his life. He uttered a soft moan, and she nearly collapsed atop him. “Michael! I thought they had killed you.” She leaned her head on his chest. “Oh, thank God.”

His arms went around her, and he held her to him for a moment, before she remembered they weren’t alone. She drew back and gave him room to sit up. A thin cut was visible, running the length of his neck. He rubbed his shoulder where they had twisted it, but he appeared to be well enough.

“Are you all right, Reena?” His voice was soft and steady, but his eyes were wild.

“Yes, Emily and Jerrold saved our lives.” Her lip trembled.

Michael reached out, hugging her tight once more and whispering how sorry he was in her ear.