“Nothing’s happening,” Lilah whispered, stamping her feet a bit to warm them up.
Lucy leaned forward, craning her neck around the corner of the building, and took another look before ducking back. “It looks like they are almost done unloading. Come on,” she said, pulling Lilah up. “We need to be ready to move.”
Finn had been directing where each crate went as it came off the wagons. The vast majority of the crates had been loaded into the warehouse that Lucy assumed belonged to Philip. But a small number of crates had been loaded onto a separate wagon. While each of the other wagons was accompanied by a driver and one other man, this wagon had four men. That must be the one with the special cargo.
Lucy watched while Finn finished up with the man in charge of the shipment and marched over to the overly guarded wagon. He jumped up beside the driver and they were off.
“Let’s go,” Lucy said, hurrying over to where her horse sat waiting.
Lilah’s face puckered, but she gamely clambered onto the horse behind Lucy. Lucy had learned that Lilah hated horses and hadn’t been too pleased to find they’d be riding one. But it was much easier to quietly follow someone on a single horse than it would have been in a carriage. Lucy would have preferred to go on foot, but she had no idea how far they’d be traveling and she wanted a means of quick escape if it became necessary.
She kept her distance from the wagon, ensuring her horse was hidden within the trees that lined the road. If Finn had been alone, she wouldn’t have worried so much. But the four thugs accompanying him were bad news, and if Lucy could avoid a confrontation with them, she would. Especially with Lilah clinging to her back. Lucy could handle herself, but she didn’t want to put her friend in any more danger than she already had.
They followed the wagon for some time before Lucy became aware that they were nearing Philip’s property. After a few more minutes, the wagon stopped at a dilapidated gate that marked the boundary of the property. Finn hopped down and opened it and waved the wagon through. Lucy waited until the wagon had rumbled around the bend in the road and then rode up to the fence line and climbed off the horse.
“We’ll have to go on foot from here,” she told Lilah as she helped her down.
“What about the horse?”
“We’ll leave her tied up here. I don’t think they’ll be going far. They’ll keep the cargo out of sight of the house, so there must be a place at the back of the property where they are going to unload the cargo.”
Lilah froze, her whole body going rigid. “The old slave quarters are back here.”
“Does anyone use them anymore?”
Lilah shook her head. “Folks think they’re haunted, won’t go near them. There was a bad fire there during the war. Most of them burned down. Killed several slaves.”
The pain in Lilah’s voice tore at Lucy’s heart. “Oh, Lilah, I’m so sorry.”
“Weren’t your fault,” she said with her good old Southern logic. “Mr. Halford never bothered to clear them out and since he no longer runs his cotton plantation, he don’t have need of ’em. The house servants have rooms in the attics.”
“Well, it sounds like the perfect place for hiding secret cargo.”
“I reckon it is. Maybe it’s better if we wait a spell though. There’s no sense in us bustin’ in there with all them men hangin’ around. It’d be safer for sure if we wait ’til they all leave.”
“Perhaps, but we can’t know for certain where they are taking the cargo or even if it’s really illegal. If we are going to defeat Philip, we need solid evidence, and we aren’t going to find that hiding out in our bedrooms. We need to see what they have and where they are putting it.”
Lilah took a deep breath and blew it out. “All right, then. Let’s go.”
Lucy took her by the hand and led the way through the trees and brush, following the trail the wagon had taken. After several minutes, a group of shacks came into view. The structures were arranged in a large half circle, like a small village surrounding a communal square. All of the buildings showed signs of the fire. Some were nothing but piles of burned timber and rubble. Others had been gutted by the flames, though the walls, or some of them, had been left standing. Only two were still in relatively decent condition, though they had also been scorched.
It was into one of these that Finn’s men had unloaded the crates from the wagon. By the time Lucy and Lilah crouched down behind the back wall, the wagon stood empty in front of the shack. Lucy carefully peeked through the remains of a window. Finn stood near the door of the structure, apparently giving instructions to three of the men. They all nodded at whatever he said and then he turned and left. He either had a horse waiting that they hadn’t seen or had taken one of the wagon horses because a few moments later, Lucy heard the distinct sound of hooves riding away.
She looked around the interior one last time. The remnants of the previous occupants were still there. A broken table and a couple chairs sat in one corner. Various piles of rubble and unidentifiable bits of household items were scattered here and there. The crates, however, were nowhere to be seen. And neither was the fourth man.
A shiver of unease crawled up Lucy’s spine. She grabbed Lilah’s hand to run. But when they turned to flee, they came face-to-face with the missing thug…and his gun, which was aimed right at their heads.
“Evenin’,” he said.
Lucy slowly raised her hands, but Lilah gasped and opened her mouth to scream.
The man cocked the gun. “None of that now, ya hear?”
Lilah’s mouth snapped shut with a whimper, but she nodded her head.
“Come on.” He gestured with the gun, directing them around to the front of the shack.
Lucy’s mind raced. Finn had left but he couldn’t have gone too far. If she screamed, he might hear her. But then what? Lucy hated the thread of distrust that wormed its way into her consciousness, but she had to admit that she wasn’t one hundred percent positive that Finn would get her out of this situation. Or that he could get her out of it even if he wanted to. These were Philip’s men. They might take orders from Finn, but Lucy couldn’t count on their loyalty to him.
Even if she could, she had been caught spying on them. She knew the secret cargo was hidden somewhere nearby. Finn might be forced to do something he might not want to do. Even with her at his back, they were outnumbered. Lucy didn’t count the trembling maid at her side. The last thing she wanted to do was get Lilah hurt.
They were nearing the corner of the building. Around that corner, the other three men waited. If Lucy was going to act, she needed to do it now.
She put her arm around Lilah, acting as though she were comforting the maid. She leaned in as close as she could and whispered, “When I tell you to run, go! Get to the horse as fast as you can and get out of here.”
Before Lilah could respond, Lucy shoved her to the ground and rounded on the man with the gun. She ducked and barreled into him, her shoulder connecting with his gut. Her momentum knocked him off his feet and made his shot go wide.
“Go!” Lucy shouted to Lilah.
Lilah hesitated only a second, but when she heard the shouts of the other men, she took off like a flash, disappearing into the trees.
Lucy grappled with the man on the ground. He’d dropped his gun somewhere, but he had a firm hold on her waist. She reared back as far as she could and slammed her elbow into his nose. He bellowed but he let go.
Lucy sprinted away but was knocked flat when one of the other men launched himself at her, tackling her to the ground. She struggled against his hold, but he had the upper hand. He sat on her, his legs straddled on each side of her thighs keeping her from getting to her feet while he fought to pin her arms to the ground. It didn’t take long. No matter how much fight she had in her, the man outweighed her by a good hundred or more pounds.
During their fight, her hat had fallen away, leaving her braid tumbling down her shoulders.
The man looked down at her, panting heavily in her
face. She could tell the instant he finally registered that she was female. The fury in his eyes transformed into a smug anticipation and the ball of revulsion in her gut churned with a fresh spike of fear.
“Well now. Looky what we’ve got here.”
He stood, hauling her up with him, keeping his beefy hand firmly gripped around her wrists. He wrenched her arms behind her back and marched her past the two men who’d been watching their fight. The third man glared daggers at her, his hand clamped to his bleeding nose. She winked at him. She didn’t know what possessed her, but she couldn’t help herself. He roared and stumbled toward her but one of the other men kicked at him.
“Leave off, Jimmy. You’ll get your shot at her. We need to have us a little talk first.”
Lucy instantly regretted the winking. But damn it all, she was tired of pigheaded men thinking they could do whatever they wanted to her without suffering any consequences.
The men marched her into the shack. One grabbed one of the chairs from the corner and another removed his belt and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He tied her hands behind her with the cloth and then made quick work of binding her to the chair with the belt. When she was secure, the one who seemed to be in charge squatted down in front of her.
“Now then. What’s a pretty little thing like you doing roaming around at this time of night?”
Lucy shrugged as best she could through the belt binding her arms to the chair. “I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d go for a little walk.”
“Humph.” He drew his finger down the front of her shirt, his eyes following the trail before glancing back up to meet her gaze. “That’s an interesting choice of clothing for a lady.”
Lucy repressed her shudder of revulsion. “I didn’t want to ruin any of my dresses.”
The man dragged his hand down her thigh and stopped midway. He leaned forward, squeezing hard enough that Lucy bit her lip to keep from crying out. “Why don’t you just quit the games and tell me what you’re really doing out here.”
Lucy took a shuddering breath. “I told you, I just wanted some a—”
His hand cracked across her face so hard her head snapped back. She tasted blood, but she couldn’t tell if it was coming from her nose or lip.
Fine. They didn’t want to play nice. She had no problem with that.
“Do I need to ask you again, or are you ready to talk now?”
“There’s only one thing I want to say to you,” she said quietly.
“And what’s that?” He leaned in again, matching her quiet tone.
“I don’t want the others to hear.”
He leaned in closer. “Don’t want them to hear what?”
“Go to hell,” she whispered. Then she reared her head back and head-butted him as hard as she could.
The sight of him falling off his chair as his head snapped back on his neck blacked out for a second and bright spots peppered her vision. He grabbed his head and shook it like a dog and then lurched off the floor at her. She brought her knees up against her chest and before he could stop his momentum, she slammed her feet into his gut and kicked off with every ounce of strength she had.
He went flying backward, shaking the entire building when he hit the wall. Another man charged her and she stood as best she could, swinging the chair she was attached to around to crash into him. The bottom of the chair, already flimsy and damaged from the fire, broke off, though her arms were still tied to the top half. At least she could move her legs freely.
The other two men advanced on her. Lucy’s head throbbed and her arms had gone numb from being tied. She staggered back as they came forward. She couldn’t fight them both off. She was rapidly losing steam. They flanked her, one coming on each side. Then one lunged. She dodged him, but swerving out of his range put her too close to the other man. He grabbed her from behind, grasping the edges of the chair back she was still tied to.
The other man sneered, hauled back his fist, and slammed it into her face. Lucy dropped to her knees, her head swimming.
“Get back up, bitch!” he shouted, kicking her in the gut.
Lucy groaned and crumpled. It was over. She couldn’t fight them both off. And the third man was rising from where he’d been slumped against the wall. Lucy lay on the floor, her face in a rapidly spreading pool of her own blood, and she waited for them to come at her again.
The man she’d kicked against the wall staggered over. He stood staring down at her, his split lip pulling up in a vicious sneer. “You’re going to regret that, bitch.”
He took off his belt and Lucy swallowed down the bile that threatened to choke her.
“I already do regret it,” she said, forcing more bravado into her voice than she really felt.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ll never get your putrid stink off my boots.”
The man’s face twisted in fury and he brought the belt down, the heavy buckle cracking against her hipbone as the leather of the belt seared into her thighs. Lucy cried out and the man smiled, pursed his lips, and spit on her.
“I haven’t even gotten started yet, you whore. You’re going to be begging me to kill you by the time I’m done with you.”
“I don’t know, Zeke. A flighty little piece like her, dressing up all indecent and flauntin’ herself in those britches. She might just like it. If she don’t like you, I’m bettin’ she’ll be happy to try me on for size.”
They laughed. Lucy closed her eyes against the tears that were building. She wouldn’t let them see her cry.
At first, the sound of the gunshot didn’t register. But when the man holding the belt dropped to the floor, his lifeless eyes staring into hers, she realized she hadn’t dreamed it.
Another shot rang out. Another man fell.
The other two scrambled, one searching the ground for a weapon. The other didn’t bother but ran for one of the burned out windows. He didn’t make it. A third shot echoed through the room and he dropped.
The fourth man lunged for Lucy, trying to drag her in front of him to use as a shield. Lucy went completely limp, forcing the man to hold her dead weight in his sweaty grip. The second she felt his grip slipping, she wrenched around, breaking his hold. She dropped to the ground and scrambled away from him as best she could.
A fourth shot rang out.
And then it was silent but for Lucy’s labored breathing and a woman’s horrified gasps. Lucy’s nose still bled, though it had swollen so much the fluid could barely trickle through the blocked passageways. Her head ached so much she could barely lift it and her arms felt like tiny knives were stabbing her all over.
She glanced up and met Finn’s gaze. For a moment, it felt like time stopped. Her entire world reduced down to him. There was no sound but that of her heart beating, no sight of anything but his face. His beautiful, wonderful face that looked upon her with such anguish she felt her own heart shatter.
Finn sank down to his knees and gently peeled back the hair that stuck to the blood on her face. He didn’t speak, his jaw clenched so tightly she could see the joint popping in and out near his temple. His breath came in short bursts and Lucy had the feeling that if he could, he’d be howling his fury aloud. She knew the feeling.
Finn pulled his knife from his boot and carefully turned her so he could cut the belt from her arms. She hissed as the blood rushed back into her limbs in a river of fire that lapped at her arms and hands. Finn bent to scoop her into his arms. She couldn’t help him at all; her arms were totally useless. He murmured in her ear, soothing words she couldn’t understand. She didn’t need to. He was there. His heart beat steadily beneath her ear. That’s all she needed to hear.
His horse stood waiting outside the door and Finn gently eased her into the saddle. The world tilted for a moment but she hung on as best she could until he climbed up behind her and she was able to settle back against him. He leaned over and took the reins from Lilah, leading the horse she’d clambered up on, then turned their horses back toward town.
&nbs
p; “What about them?” Lucy said. She didn’t particularly care what came of the men they left behind, but Finn had just killed four men. She didn’t want that to come back to hurt him.
“Leave them,” Lilah said. “Ain’t nobody come here no more. They’s enough ghosts to keep dem company here.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Finn said, pressing several kisses into her hair and along her forehead. “Don’t give them another thought. Just rest now. I’ve got you.”
Rest. Nothing sounded better.
Lucy slumped against Finn and closed her eyes.
Chapter Fourteen
Lucy drifted in and out over the next several days, but Finn was always there when she opened her eyes. One morning, Lucy woke to find Finn stretched out beside her in the bed, sound asleep. She carefully turned on her side so she could watch him. Her body was still sore, but she felt much better. After gingerly pressing the sore flesh of her face, she determined that the swelling had greatly reduced, though she was sure she looked a fright.
Finn, on the other hand, looked absolutely mouthwatering. He hadn’t covered his tattoos since he’d brought her home. There had been no need as he hadn’t left her side. She reveled in being able to stare at him, the real him, unimpeded. His mouth parted slightly and his breath moved in and out, making a slight squeaking sound on the exhale. Lucy put her face in her pillow and giggled.
Finn snorted and opened his eyes, looking around the room a moment before his gaze rested on her.
“Good morning,” he said, stretching a bit before he turned on his side to face her. “What’s so funny?”
Lucy smiled up at him. “You squeak when you sleep.”
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do. It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.”
Blood Blade Sisters Series (Entangled Scandalous) Page 53