Tempting Danger: Sinclair and Raven series

by Vella, Wendy

  They were still in darkness, but wherever they were heading would bring them out into the gray light of a London dawn soon enough.

  Alice had lost sight of the boats up ahead, but could hear the occasional murmur in the distance.

  Her shoulders began to ache, but she had to keep going with her feeble attempts, for Nicholas’s sake. Was he suffering? Had they hurt him? Thoughts churned around and around inside her head.

  Relief filled her with renewed strength as the tunnel began to get lighter, but with that came fear of exposure. Even in the weak dawn light she could be detected. Lifting the oars, she let the boat drift.

  Reaching the entrance, she saw no sign of the other boats, so she nudged hers through it. Looking around, Alice had no idea where they were, but the area was less populated with buildings and people. But as she didn’t know London well, that did not mean a great deal. Searching for the other boats again, she saw them heading through the mists for the bank opposite.

  Torn between following and staying out of sight, she watched from the shadows as the two boats stopped. Two men got out of the first boat. Then she saw Nicholas. He was hauled roughly out of the bottom and thrown on the bank in a heap. Alice felt the wonderful heat of rage fill her as she watched his treatment. It gave her strength.

  No one looked her way as they dragged him up the bank and disappeared. Alice dug the oars into the water and tried to get moving, the current assisting her once more. That, and anger renewed her clumsy efforts. Eventually she bumped into the bank on the other side. Stumbling out, she stood, bracing her hands on her knees and taking in large lungfuls of air.

  She had to find Nicholas.

  Hurrying up the bank, she stepped onto the narrow road. There were a few buildings, sheds and warehouses, but no sign of Nicholas or the men. Panic filled her. Making her way to one of the buildings, she hid in its shadows and listened. Nicholas must be close; he had to be. She could not contemplate losing him now she’d come so far.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  His head hurt, his mouth was raw from the gag, and his wrists were bleeding, but the only thought consuming Nicholas was of Alice. For some reason, he felt she was in danger.

  Something had been niggling at him. Yes, his situation was less than ideal, but the fear inside him was solely focused on her.

  What risk had she taken? There was little doubting she was capable of that and more. His blood ran cold just thinking of the scenarios he’d already found her in.

  He told himself over and over again that he was being foolish. Alice was still warm and safe in her bed... please God, he hoped so.

  “Inside.”

  He was thrust through the door of a narrow building, then forced up some stairs. Another door was opened at the top and he was pushed hard in the back, forcing him forward and down to his knees. The anger that had been riding him since this had begun grew.

  Nicholas had realized something about himself while these men had walked him through those sewers and then forced him into the bottom of that boat. He wanted to live... in fact, he wanted to live very much. Once, he’d not cared overly about his life, but that had changed, and now he wanted all of it. Life, love, and yes, children with Alice Sinclair. And I am going to have it, he vowed silently.

  The gag was finally removed, and he inhaled deeply, enjoying the rush of air against his lips.

  “Why have you captured me?”

  Two men stood before him. Brothers was Nicholas’s guess, as they looked identical. Brown hair and eyes, short, solid builds, and not someone a person would like to meet in a dark alley alone.

  “We’ve been paid handsomely to take care of you.”

  “Lord Braeburn is paying you, I presume?”

  They neither agreed nor disagreed, just sneered down at him. Nicholas didn’t like people sneering at him; it angered him more.

  “So, he lost at cards to me in a fair game, and then sent you to kill me because of it? The man has always been a sniveling coward. He can’t even do his dirty work himself.”

  “It’s true, he’s not a man I can respect,” one of the men said. “There’s that business with the bairns, after all. I’ve never been happy about that.”

  “Shut up, Ted.”

  “It’s true. It’s not right.”

  “I said, shut up!”

  The man called Ted clamped his lips into a line.

  “What will you do with me now?”

  “You’re staying here till it’s dark, then you’re going on a long journey.”

  “I’ll pay you more if you release me.”

  “I’m paying them handsomely, Braithwaite, and I can assure you that they may not be loyal to that fool Braeburn, but they are to me.”

  Nicholas was shocked to see who entered the room behind the men.

  “Captain Young?”

  “The very one.”

  Gone was the amiable look; in its place was a mocking sneer.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Very likely, because unlike Braeburn, I have a card face. I masterminded this entire operation. We’ve earned a considerable amount of money over the last two years. You have put a stop to that, but we shall start again somewhere else.”

  “Why?” Nicholas asked him. “What possible reason could you have to torture these poor parents?”

  “Money, of course. Fourth son, you understand, perpetually short in the pockets. This opportunity allowed me to change that.”

  “Bastard! You are sick and depraved to do such things to those people.” Nicholas advanced on the man, but without his hands he could to nothing against the boot that he took to his stomach.

  “Braeburn wanted you harmed and I have to say I was happy to oblige as you have caused me considerable trouble. First with thwarting my money making enterprise, and then my matrimonial prospects.” The man’s smile was smug. “Think about this while you prepare to meet your maker, my lord. I will be there to help your grieving beloved, Miss Sinclair, when she learns of your demise. I can now marry her and get my hands on her money. After all, she is a tasty wee morsel.”

  Rage had him staggering to his feet. “You will never get near her! Her family will protect her.” He ran at the man, but it was too late, he’d left the building, taking his men with him, and Nicholas only collided with the door for his troubles.

  “Alice.” He must get to her. He couldn’t let Young touch her. His sweet, lovely Alice. They will keep her safe. He had to keep reminding himself that. Their family would ensure no harm came to her until he returned. As long as she took no risks… but she always took risks.

  He had to escape.

  They’d put him inside a room on the second floor of a building. There were walls and a skylight in the roof, a chair and some crates, but little else.

  He tried the handle. It was locked, of course, but he had to try. Leaning his shoulder into it merely confirmed how solid it was. Pacing across the room and back, he tried to ease the stiffness in his legs and think clearly.

  He must save Alice.

  When he heard the key turn in the lock, he moved back, bracing himself against the wall. Waiting to see Young’s mocking face again.

  “Get in there!”

  Alice came through the door fast with the assistance of a hand on her back. Nicholas met her in the middle of the room, bringing her to a stop against his body. He fought to free himself so he could hold her. He wanted to seek retribution for her treatment at the hands of whoever dared to touch her.

  “Let her go!” Nicholas roared at Captain Young, who stood in the doorway. “It’s me you want, not her.”

  “But she knows where you are. I shall now have to kill you both. Such a shame, as I so wanted her money and the status of her family connections. Perhaps I shall keep sweet little Alice alive longer than you, however.” He laughed, then slammed the door again.

  “Alice? What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Nicholas!” Neither of them could touch the other with their hands tied, but Ni
cholas lowered his head to hers, and for two seconds, acknowledged she was here with him. The infuriating woman he loved with every fiber of his being. Then he stepped back to glare at her.

  “I want an explanation as to why you are here, madam.”

  “There is no time, we must escape.”

  She was filthy and smelled of the sewer. Her hair had come free and hung in black tangles to her waist. Dirt was smeared over her pale cheeks.

  “Tell me you didn’t follow me through those sewers, Alice. That you didn’t take yet more risks tonight when both Wolf and I expressly forbade you from doing so.”

  “All right, I won’t.”

  “Answer the question, Alice.”

  “What was the question? You asked quite a few.”

  She shot him a look, then moved her eyes slightly left. She always did that when she was in the wrong.

  “Alice, now is not the time to test me!”

  “Don’t yell at me.”

  “I will bloody yell at you. Christ, woman. Those men will hurt you. They will kill us both!” Fear had his voice rising. “I thought you safe and warm in your bloody bed, and yet here you stand!”

  “They will not kill you.” The conviction in her words was absolute.

  “Tell me how you came to be here?” he gritted out.

  “I followed you to Bastil’s when I realized that was where you’d gone.”

  Nicholas felt his anger slide into rage as she proceeded to tell him the story of her evening, starting with her belief something was wrong, then visiting his house with Wolf.

  She could have been snatched off the street at any time when she left her house alone. Even now, Alice could be in the clutches of some fiend and he would never have seen her again. The fear spiked his anger.

  “I cannot believe you were reckless enough to follow me to Bastil’s, then here! Why did you not get help from your family!”

  “Stop yelling at me.”

  “I will yell at you when you behave like a fool!” He couldn’t seem to calm down. His insides were like a cauldron of angst, and she was his outlet. “This is not a game!”

  “I know that. I will not apologize. I did what needed to be done.” Her chin lifted, and she looked like an angry urchin.

  “What needed to be done! I could have possibly escaped on my own, but now I must protect you while trying free us both.”

  “I can protect myself.”

  “How?”

  “We just need to stay alive long enough for the others to reach us.” Her voice was subdued now.

  “What others? No one knows we are here, Alice.”

  “They do by now and will be looking for us. The problem is we can’t yell, but we will need to soon, and then Eden will find us. Cam will track us by scent, and Wolf and Dev by our colors.”

  “That is all very well, but how do you propose to get out of here so we can begin to yell?” He hadn’t meant to sneer, but it came out that way.

  “There is no need to be mean. I followed you because... well, because.”

  Her lip trembled.

  “Alice.” He moved closer, but she stepped back out of reach. “My anger is induced by fear, surely you can allow me that much?”

  Unlike his, her hands were tied before her, and he watched as she bent and grabbed a handful of her skirts.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I just remembered I have a knife.”

  “You just remembered?” Nicholas watched as she revealed one pale thigh. Strapped to it was a sheath. She grabbed the handle of the knife in her hands and slid the blade free.

  “Careful, I do not want any of that lovely limb harmed.”

  She did not smile or look at him, instead moving behind him. He felt her sawing through his bindings, and then he was free.

  He took the knife, then did the same for her. When he was done, he handed it back to her, and she placed it back in the sheath, then lowered her skirts.

  “We must escape now, Nicholas, before that fiend Captain Young returns. He has fooled everyone.”

  “I know, but I want to hold you first.” He grabbed a handful of her skirt as she tried to step away again, tugging it hard. She fell against him.

  “Stop fighting me, Alice.”

  Suddenly her arms went around his neck and held him in a fierce grip. Her face was pressed into his neck as she sobbed.

  “Knowing those men touched you and could have harmed you in any way terrifies me.” He held her in a fierce grip. “I want you safe always.”

  “I know. B-but I would take those risks again, Nicholas. We are connected now, I feel your p-pain, and distress.”

  “As I do yours.”

  “Really?” She looked at him.

  “Really.”

  “Nicholas, I must tell you something.”

  “What have you done?” He cupped her face.

  “I have done nothing. You sound like Wolf.”

  “Trouble does seem to follow you, my sweet.”

  “I love you, Nicholas.”

  He kissed her softly, pouring everything he felt into that moment.

  “That pleases me greatly. Did you hear my words last night, Alice?”

  “Yes.”

  “They are the truth. I love you also. Every infuriating inch of you.”

  She sniffed as he released her.

  “But now we must get out of here, and the only way is up.”

  She looked at the skylight above them.

  “But how will we get up there?”

  “There are crates, and a chair. We shall try and get you out with those and a lift from me.”

  “I will not leave without you, Nicholas.”

  “You will if I order you to.”

  She folded her arms. “No.”

  “God, you are a trying woman.”

  “I will never change.”

  He barked out a laugh. “And I would wish you to be no other way, my love, but for now, today, will you please follow my orders?”

  “I shall decide as you issue them.”

  They worked together to get the crates in place. He then placed the chair on top.

  “Up you go, and I’ll steady the chair, Alice.”

  She gave him a look but didn’t argue. He helped her onto the first crate, and then the second.

  “Try and stay in the middle of the chair.”

  “I don’t have very good balance. Rowing across that river, I was convinced I’d fall in.”

  “Alice, I don’t want to think about what you did to get to me. I’m aware you are brave for doing so, but I still want to shake you for it.”

  She huffed out a breath but struggled onto the chair.

  “I can see up your skirts.”

  “I can’t believe you said that!”

  “Yes, you can.”

  She looked down at him. “I need to tell you something else, Nicholas.”

  “Do so while you try and open that window.”

  “I doubted you.”

  “When did you doubt me?”

  She grunted as she pushed the window, but it didn’t budge. Damn, his intent had been to get her out of here as fast as he could. Now he’d need to get up there and force that window open, as he was the stronger of the two of them.

  “Come down, love, I will try.”

  Nicholas wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered her to the ground. He then climbed up the crates.

  “I can’t reach the chair, Nicholas.”

  “Go to the door and listen, Alice, unlike you my balance is excellent.”

  “Such an ego,” he heard her mutter.

  She did as he asked, and Nicholas focused on the window. The catch was stuck. He hit it several times with his fist, and it gave.

  “Someone is coming, Nicholas!”

  “Come here.” She ran to him. “Lift your hands.” He grabbed them and pulled her up. “Climb out now.”

  “And you, Nicholas.”

  “And me.” He grabbed her waist and threw her up and through t
he window. “Move back, Alice.”

  Her head disappeared, and he grabbed the frame just as the door behind him opened. Pulling himself up, he climbed through the window onto the roof, slamming it behind him.

  “Run!”

  Alice started to the left. He grabbed her and headed right, toward the river.

  “We need to find a place to hide!” she cried.

  “The river. If we can get to that, there are boats, and they will take us downstream to safety.”

  He thought she said, “dear God, no,” but couldn’t be sure. Nicholas reached the end of the roof and looked down at another building.

  “I will go first, then you, Alice. Do you understand?”

  Her eyes were wide with fear.

  “Alice?”

  “Y-yes.”

  Nicholas jumped, landing on his knees.

  “Now!”

  She didn’t hesitate, just leaped. He grabbed her as she landed, pulling her into his body to break her fall. Her heart thumped hard against his chest.

  “Such a brave girl.” Taking her hand, he ran along the roof to the end. The only way down from there was to jump.

  “We are trapped.”

  “No, I will lower you, then you can drop the last few feet. Bend your knees as you hit the ground, it will lessen the impact.”

  She looked over the edge. “I don’t think I can do that.”

  “Yes, you can, you’re the bravest woman I know.”

  “It’s an act. I’m actually a coward.” Her voice was tight with nerves.

  “We’re all acting, Alice. It’s how we play those roles that makes us different.”

  “Which does nothing to reassure me.” She was moving away from the edge.

  Nicholas grabbed her hands, giving them a shake. “You can do this.”

  She nodded. “But I’m closing my eyes.”

  He dropped to his knees. “Sit beside me.” She did. He took her hands and lowered her over the edge.

  “Open your eyes, Alice.”

  They caught his.

  “I’m letting go now.” It was the hardest thing he’d ever done. She fell and landed with a thud, falling backward onto her bottom.