A Lady's Guide to Kiss A Rake: Misadventures of the heart (20 page)

“I’m nothing like you. You enjoy torturing people and inflicting pain on others.”

“And you don’t?” he asked with an evil smile. “You torture people Lady Josephine, you just hide behind your methods.”

“I do not know what you mean,” Jo whispered in confusion, pain making her dizzy.

“Hope, Lady Josephine. I’m talking about hope. You torture people with hope, which I might add, is the worst kind of torture. Do you truly believe you help them? You retreat back to your big mansion, eat an eight course meal and live in luxury, safely tucked away in your Mayfair bed. Those people return to their meager belongings and rotten food in their rat-infested homes, believing in a future that will never come to pass.” He leaned closer to her, until his mouth was at her ear, “That is torture Lady Josephine. It causes pain. It might be a different kind and even a different pain than what I inflict, but it still is what it is.”

“Not true.”

Cartwright straightened. “Oh come now Lady Josephine, of course it is. Just because you decide to call a rose a flower, does not mean it won’t have thorns. You see, my lady, you and I are much more alike than you think.”

“You’re an evil bastard, Cartwright,” Belle spat. “You do not know the first thing about what we do.”

“Ah, Lady Belle, I know far more than you would imagine. You are, however, still going to die, painfully, at my hands and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”

“Westfield will come for us.”

“Westfield?” Cartwright said, laughing. “Westfield doesn’t know the difference between left and right, do you honestly believe he can outsmart me?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jo interrupted. “I’m not afraid to die and you will never break my spirit.”

He moved so fast she had no time to perceive his intent before a fiery heat ripped through her hand, as he drove his knife straight through her palm. A scream tore through her throat as her whole body trembled in agony. Tears stained her cheeks as the pain worsened with intolerable force. White specks danced before her eyes.

A whisper of a familiar voice tugged at her, her name on his lips. Damien. Regret filled her heart as she thought about leaving him behind. Here, in peace on her cloud of darkness, Jo could admit to herself that she loved him. She loved him more than she’d ever loved anything in her life. What sweet torture it would be when she looked down from her dark cloud, to find that he loved her back.

From a distance she heard shouts and recognized Belle’s voice, cursing obscenities at Cartwright, sobs racking her body. Jo tried to reassure her, but her mouth did not seem to move. Darkness beckoned. She floated upward and upward, then a loud crash and then other voices as well, but Jo drifted on a cloud of blackness, happy to be away from the beautiful man with the cold eyes.

Curses sounded behind Damien, followed by the plodding of footsteps as they rushed after him. Westfield came in beside him, his face as pale as Damien’s, urgency riding them hard.

Four big men filled the hallway, ready to stop their rescue.

“Oh good, company. I’ve been itching for a fight,” James said with in an ominous tone.

The men hesitated for a slight moment, but it was enough for Damien to charge passed them, leaving them for the others.

Another scream tore through the halls and bile rose at the image of what he might find. Damien steeled himself for the worst. He heard the voice of Lady Belle, shouting obscenities at Cartwright. He must be near.

With his resolve steeled he burst through the door, the sight that greeted him stealing his strength and his knees hit the floor with a thud. Westfield burst in moments later and an audible gasp tore from his throat. Derek Shaw also appeared, a pistol aimed straight at Cartwright’s heart. Only then did Damien realize he’d sunken to the floor. The pistol fired, hitting Cartwright in the shoulder.

Westfield grabbed Damien by the jacket, hauling him up and without a word pushed him in the direction of Jo, who lay lifeless on a table, strapped down. The monster had strapped her down. He stumbled in her direction, ignoring the sobs of Lady Belle, as he dragged his feet over to Jo, tears welling at the sight of her bruised and battered body.

With shaky fingers Damien trailed Josephine’s cheek, her skin still wet where his finger traced. He was too late. Cartwright had tortured her. A bloody knife protruded from her palm. Tears flowed freely now and he wiped at the wetness. He’d lost her.

“I’m so sorry, Jo,” he murmured in a hoarse voice against her lifeless lips.

“She’s not dead,” a voice croaked. “She’s not dead.”

But Damien refused to listen, his attention focused on the peaceful expression on Jo’s face. James, who’d been frozen at the door until Belle’s words penetrated, came up beside him, hitting Damien over the head with a resounding slap.

“She’s not dead, you dolt,” he snapped and flinched at the sight of the knife still embedded in the palm of her hand.

“You need to remove that,” he said to Damien, slapping him again.

“Hit me again and I will beat you to a pulp.” But still Damien felt for the throb of a pulse, not quite believing the man.

The gentle thud of her heart beat caused him to straighten, his eyes alive with relief and fire. Her pulse was faint, but there.

“Good. You’re back. We need to remove that knife.”

Damien balked at the sight, the image now somehow more unbearable.

“I’ll do it.”

All eyes turned to Craven, his voice hard and certain. James nodded and stepped aside, leaving Damien at Jo’s side. Westfield had successfully gotten Lady Belle free and was tending to her wounds in silence. Of Cartwright there was no sight.

“St. Aldwyn?”

With a curt nod Damien stepped aside, watching as Craven’s hand gripped the hilt of the knife in a tight grip. In one smooth motion and without warning he ripped it out, causing Jo to whimper in pain.

Damien’s eyes never left her as he gathered her into his arms while Craven tore a piece of his shirt to wrap her wound.

“She needs a doctor.”

Damien nodded. “I’ll take her home, you take care of the monster.”

“Oh don’t you worry,” Derek said, “he will wish he was dead once we’re through with him.”

With a nod Damien carried Jo out of the room, Westfield following on his heels with Belle. Josephine lived. Now all that remained was convince her he would be the best husband in Britain and would never fail her again. He did not wish to continue on his journey without her by his side.

Even if she hated him, he did not care. His arms tightening around her, he dropped his head against hers. “I love you, Josephine,” he whispered in her hair and placed a small kiss on the tip of nose. By now her brother would be livid and broken out of the pantry. So Damien would have some explaining to do, but no one would take her from him again.

Chapter 20

Four days later

“I cannot believe the two of you did all that behind my back.”

Jo lay in her bed, her back propped up against the wall. She had awoken only an hour ago to find Evelyn seated beside her, holding her hand. According to Evelyn, Belle refused to go home until Jo gained consciousness and remained in the room adjacent to hers. In fact, the entire Middleton clan had moved in, much to her brother’s annoyance. 

Damien hadn’t come to see her yet, but Jo took comfort in her dream where he sat beside her, asleep in the chair Evelyn now occupied. What a wonderful dream, one that had warmed her heart. 

“I’m sorry.”

Evelyn sighed, trading places with the chair to take a seat on the bed alongside Jo. “I nearly died when Grey told me what happened and demanded to know if I was part of it. He did not believe me when I said no. The deranged man almost took me over his knee!”

Jo flinched when she tried to laugh. “Do not make me laugh, it hurts.”

“As well it should. Not only is there nothing to laugh about, you almost died!”

“I am very much aware of that. How is my brother?”

Evelyn blanched. “He walks around bellowing at everyone.  He even threatened to stuff whoever dares enter his home. As far as I know, the only ones allowed are myself and the Middletons, as we weren’t involved,” Evelyn said with a pointed stare.

“Damien?”

“Oh, he is here, you needn’t worry about that. He never left. I imagine he’s resting in the room across from yours. I dragged him from your side to be alone with you. He’s not left your side since he brought you home.”

“So I haven’t imagined it?”

Evelyn shook her head.

“But my brother?”

“So far St. Aldwyn has managed to elude your brother but refuses to leave you alone in the same house as that grizzly. His words, mind you, and he never leaves you alone for long. No doubt, he will barge through the door in a moment or two.”

Jo’s heart melted at the news. “What of Belle?”

“Furious, frustrated and cursing like a sailor.”

She chuckled at the news and glanced down at her injured hand, wondering if she would ever be the same again.

“The doctor said your hand will be fine, that you were lucky. But you have nightmares,” Evelyn whispered softly. “It’s one of the reasons St. Aldwyn refuses to leave your side for long. It gets worse when he is away and better once you hear his voice.”

Jo’s cheeks reddened.

“How long have I been unconscious and what happened to Cartwright?” Jo asked with sudden worry.

“It’s been four days. You should have woken up days ago, but the doctor said we must give you time. He said you’d wake up when you were ready, it’s what put your brother in such a grizzly mood.”

“And Cartwright?” Jo insisted.

“The horrid man is gone.”

A breath of relief left her lungs. It was truly over, then. The knowledge somehow made the pain worth it.

“Do you love him?” Evelyn asked her, her voice light and gentle.

Jo nodded.

“You should tell him that. The poor man has been dreading to face you. He says you will send him away once you wake up, given your last encounter.”

“He told you?” Jo asked surprised.

“No, but you should have,” her friend reprimanded her again. “Be that as it may, I only know the bits and pieces he mutters when he believes no one is about.”

Damn. Evelyn had probably discovered more than she’d let on. She wanted to ask if Damien had muttered anything else, like words of love? Dare she hope he loved her? It seemed so impossible for a notorious rake like him to fall in love with someone as ordinary as her. But even if he loved her, Damien was used to loads of women and their attentions.

“What if he becomes bored with me and strays?”

“To stray would mean St. Aldwyn failed at being a husband. The mere suggestion would never sit well with him.”

Jo chuckled. No, it would not.

Belle’s earlier words of taking a risk came back, testing the merit in her mind.

“How did you find the courage to take a chance with Grey?” Jo asked.

A small smile twitched on Evelyn’s lips before she replied, “I don’t think I did, to be honest. I allowed Grey to talk me into taking a chance, but it always felt to me as though he just took the lead and I followed. Even after we married I was still afraid. He saw my fear of course, and every day he makes certain I know how much he loves me.”

Jo smiled. “It seems so easy.”

Evelyn shook her head. “The risk or even allowing him to talk me into taking a chance was the easy part. The hard part is trusting him not to hurt me. Looking back now, I believe that’s why I always ran away. I did not trust him not to fail me in some way.” Evelyn touched her hand. “Perhaps that is why you are reluctant to let Damien into your life. You don’t trust what crackles between the two of you will last. You don’t trust him to stay.”

A shadow filled the doorway, drawing their attention to the figure that appeared.

“Is that true?” Damien whispered.

Jo devoured the sight of him. She wanted to touch him, breathe in his scent. But the uncertainty she caught in his gaze gave her pause. How much had he heard?

He stepped into the room, his gaze a silent demand for Evelyn to leave. Jo wanted to protest when her friend scrambled from the bed, but it seemed she did not have any choice in the matter. She recognized the determination in Damien’s eyes. He would not leave until they discussed what happened.

“I’ll be back later,” Evelyn said as she rose to leave. Jo nodded and watched the door shut, leaving her alone in the room with the man she loved. The look he shot her heated her blood. 

“Josephine.”

Her name rolled off his tongue with a purr, all his emotions poured out in that one syllable. Relief, love, happiness, determination and hurt. Did she not trust him to be faithful? His chest ached that she believed that of him, though he could hardly blame her. He’d always been a rake. Until he’d met her.

“Is it true?” he asked again, taking another step toward her. His eyes missed nothing, taking note of the strain around her eyes and the tired look upon her face.

Her eyes met his. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her gaze holding his.

Damien nodded. He moved to her side, pulling up the chair. His face rested on his hands as he regarded her with brooding globes. Exotic eyes stared back, waiting for him to say what he’d come to say. In a tired gesture he rubbed his hands over his eyes.

“When I found you, strapped on a table, Cartwright standing over you, I thought you were dead. My whole world crumbled to shards of nothingness in that moment.” Anguish, raw and open weaved into his words. 

“Damien—”

“No, let me finish,” Damien interrupted, taking her hand in his. “You lay on that table bruised and sliced up, a bloody knife stuck through your hand and I wanted to die, right alongside you.” He shuddered when her hand connected with him.

“I still have nightmares about finding your lifeless body. I don’t think I will ever get over that sight.”

“Oh, Damien. It’s all my fault—”

He shook his head. “No, you saved Lady Constance from that brute; you had the right of it.”

“I’m sorry for what I said to you. I did not mean any of it, I was just so mad.”

He kissed her hand. “I know.”

They stared at each other, savoring the life that flowed within them.

“I’ll take the risk.”

Damien blinked.

“I will follow you to the ends of the earth.”

His eyes widened, “I beg your pardon? You will do what?”

“I’ve decided I’d rather have you as my husband than live what would only be an empty, hollow, and bleak existence without you.”

Damien’s breath hitched. Had he heard her correctly? “Josephine?”

“I love you, you daft man,” she blurted.

The words froze him. His body tense and his eyes alert, he waited for her to continue.

“I did not want to admit it to myself, even now; it still scares me to think about it. But it’s not because I thought you would leave me because you’re not capable of remaining with only one woman, I just couldn’t believe that a man like you would want to stay with me.”

Damien let out a shaky breath. “Josephine—”

“No please, let me explain,” she interrupted, squeezing his hand. “My belief that you would never commit was only an excuse. I told myself that because I was the one who didn’t want to commit to anything permanent, because I was scared of getting hurt. I—”

Damien silenced her with a kiss so tender she moaned into his lips. He broke away only enough to whisper, “I love you Josephine, eternity cannot measure what I feel for you.”

It was the most magical and romantic moment—and it was interrupted by a grizzly, snorting from the doorway.

“It’s about damn time.”

Damien sighed, his forehead pressing against Jo’s before they both glanced to the door. Craven appeared behind the grizzly.

“This isn’t going to work,” Damien said loud enough for them to hear.

“What won’t work?” Craven asked.

Warton scowled. “Who let you in my house anyway? Now that my sister is awake, I can dangle your hide in my trophy room along with the rest of your band of criminals.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Craven objected with a scowl.

Brahm lifted his steely gaze in Craven’s direction. “You’re involved somehow, or else you wouldn’t be here.”

“There is that,” Craven said dryly.

Damien and Jo glanced at each other confounded. The he rose in one swift movement, scooping her up into his arms, causing her to gasp.

He stilled. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she squeaked, glancing at her brother.

“What the hell are you doing?” Warton snapped from the doorway.

Damien shot him a shrewd glance. “I’m taking her home.”

“This is her home.”

“To my home, where she belongs,” Damien corrected.

Her hands wrapped around his neck without protest as he carried her from the bed to where her brother stood scowling at them.

“This isn’t proper.”

Damien raised his eyebrows. “Neither is allowing me to sneak around your home and sleep in your sister’s bedroom for the past four days.”

Warton’s lips actually twitched as he stepped aside. “Just marry her before she makes me an uncle.”

“Brahm!” Josephine gasp, shocked at this new side of her brother.

“That is the plan,” Damien murmured, a smile forming on his lips.

“Wait,” she said as Damien strolled past her brother. “I’m sorry for everything, Brahm, I truly am.”

He waived away her apology. “You have nothing to apologize for. I don’t blame you, I blame everyone else.”

“Why?”

Warton shrugged and Damien started to walk briskly away, suspecting what would come next.

“Because they are men and they should have known better to involve a woman in such affairs.”

At the sight of her shocked outrage Damien quickened his pace, better to keep away from the grizzly, before it turned into another spat. He wanted her alone, in his bed and in his home, where he could watch over her and never let her out of his sight again.

“What nerve!”

“He’s your brother honey, he only feels protective over you.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “Do you believe that because I’m a woman I’m incapable of making rational decisions?”

“No, you will always be my partner, the better half of me. But that doesn’t mean I want you dashing off into the night, rescuing damsels and getting in trouble.”

“I do not—”

“Without me.”

Sweet laughter met his ears and she nuzzled in his warm embrace. “Don’t worry darling, I will always take you with me when I dash into trouble.”

Damien groaned, causing another chuckle. He looked forward to every second of it.