Rescued By the Scot

by Laura A. Barnes

  “Are you calm?” Thorn asked.

  Maxwell nodded his head in the affirmative. Thorn loosened his hold but didn’t release him entirely. Thorn then spoke words in command of the situation which made Zane see reason.

  “Mallory is only preparing you for what scene you may walk into. We comprehend the violence Shears is capable of. We want you to have a clear mind when you board his ship. Your only mission is to bring Skye to safety. You must leave your emotions on this deck. So, if you want to have a go around, we will stand in line for you to beat out your frustrations. When you step aboard Shears's deck, you must have the mind of a soldier not of a gentleman seeking revenge. Do you understand?”

  Maxwell shook off his hold, he walked to the edge of the deck, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He heeded Thorn’s words and knew he spoke the truth. His emotions didn’t matter. Maybe that was part of the problem. He hadn’t admitted to himself the depth of his feelings for her. Perhaps she meant more to him than he allowed himself to see. It appeared she sunk deeper into his heart than he realized. The only issue he focused on was her betrayal, but she didn’t betray him, she made sure of his safety. She put her life on the line, so he could be free. He turned towards his friends as his enlightenment came into focus.

  “She tried to save me?” he questioned.

  “Yes,” Mallory answered.

  “Why?”

  “I think you already realize the answer to that my friend,” Thorn implied.

  Maxwell laughed at the irony of the situation. What a fool she was. For him.

  “Well, let us move this plan into action. Because if I know her like I think I do, she will spite him. And when she seeks her revenge, I want to be there to rescue her.”

  Thorn shouted directions to his crew. The ship went into action preparing to overtake Shears. The crew gathered their weapons and took their places. Maxwell made his way to his cabin to prepare. When he entered he was taken back by Raina LeClair. She was awaiting him in a chair, sitting with her legs crossed. Another lady in his life he took advantage of for his own means. They worked as allies for a time, but when it came to her safety he had betrayed her for information. Information he didn’t even obtain. He thought he would view anger in her eyes, but he only saw amusement. He wearily strode into the room and sat across from her. As he waited for her to speak, staring as she laughed at him. He glared at her. What was so amusing?

  “The mighty Maxwell has fallen, what a sight to behold. Has the love bug took a bite out of your arse?”

  “Get to your point LeClair.”

  “Mallory.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “My name is, Lady Mallory. Charles has made an honest spy out of me.”

  Maxwell rose and bowed to her, “May I offer you my sincerest congratulations, My Lady?”

  “You may, and I want to thank you.”

  “May I inquire for what, Lady Mallory?”

  “Well if it wasn’t for you, I would never have met Charles. I must thank Shears too, for he made it possible. Our coming together, that is.”

  “I will pass your message along to him when I rescue MacKinnon.”

  Raina didn’t answer to his reply, instead she continued to scrutinize him. He grasped she perceived more than he wanted anybody to see. Her perception was what made her so successful; to detect what others did not. He knew she saw his vulnerability.

  “What do you want Raina?”

  “I want to go with you.”

  Maxwell laughed, “No way, Mallory will kill me.”

  Raina laughed, “He wants to kill you, regardless. Your long withstanding friendships and Ivy are the only two reasons that don’t land you at death door with those two gents.”

  Maxwell went soft at the mention of Ivy. He owed her his life, in more ways than one. He knew he betrayed their friendship the most above all others. He also knew she would understand better than the others, on his reasons for his actions.

  “How is Ivy?”

  “She is well, recovering, but well.”

  “I am glad for her happiness.”

  “Well now that we have the sweetness out of the way, let us discuss our plan.”

  “There is no us to my plan,” he emphasized.

  Raina smiled her secret smile that only women gave men when they would get their way. The only thing gentlemen were blind to notice were the devious expressions in their eyes. They were always too taken with the seductive smiles entrapping their senses. Maxwell stayed immune to those smiles, they plagued him his whole life on every lady he ever met. He saw it coming before they lifted their luscious lips into place. Skye never did though. She never tried to portray anything she was not. Skye had been honest from the start. He was the fool who believed her to be anything but how she presented herself to be. This wasn't the moment nor the lady to ponder on his train of thought. Raina cornered him, he only hoped Mallory forgave him.

  “I see you are concluding, that I am right.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “We will swim to the ship, and I will be the distraction you need to rescue MacKinnon.”

  “What kind of distraction?”

  “One which will aid you, that is all you need to acknowledge.”

  Maxwell sighed his frustration. He knew she was right, she could cause enough of a diversion for him to reach Skye. Mallory would have his head when this rescue mission was complete. If they timed this at the right moment, then Mallory and Thorn would board the ship after he had Skye in his possession, Raina could handle herself. She always could.

  “You are not seeking your revenge on the man. We only rescue Skye, then we leave the ship. Thorn and his men will capture Shears. I must have your promise on this,” Maxwell demanded of Raina.

  Raina rose from her seat and held out her hand. He shook on her promise.

  “Let’s go,” she urged.

  “We need to get closer.”

  “If we get any closer, Shears will spot us, and this plan won’t work.”

  “You only want to leave before Mallory gets wind of you sticking yourself where you don’t belong.”

  “I belong here more than anybody else on this ship. He destroyed my life, so it is only fitting that I am involved in bringing his to an end.”

  “You promised no revenge.”

  Which she hadn’t uttered those words, she shook his hand but had not actually promised him anything. Damn these women in his life. Why could they not make it easy for him? They were all trouble.

  “I met your Skye,” Raina changed the subject.

  “She is not my Skye.”

  “Mmm.”

  “What?”

  “Well she appeared genuinely concerned when you passed out in the cart. I saw the regret in her eyes. Also, the fear for your safety.”

  “All you saw was guilt.”

  “Mmm, you may be right. You must admit it was very clever of her.”

  “Clever of her or of you?”

  “What are you implying Maxwell?”

  “Do not think for one instance I don’t realize where she received that drug. If I am not mistaken, you used the drug on Mallory and me.”

  “Maybe a time or two,” she laughed at her own cleverness.

  Maxwell walked to the door, holding the door open for her to exit, “Shall we?”

  They sneaked to the opposite side of the ship where Thorn and Mallory couldn’t spot them sinking into the North Sea. The water would be bitterly cold, but Shears’s ship stood only a few hundred yards away. For whatever reason he set his anchor along the bank. This made it possible for Thorn to draw his ship in their blind spot. But Maxwell worked alongside this man for years, to realize Shears always had a plan. Every action he took he knew the outcome. Which was why it had been impossible to bring Shears to justice, but today they would. Today Shears’s reign of terror would end.

  Maxwell followed Raina down the rope and plunged into the icy cold sea. As their bodies adjusted to the temperature, Max
well instructed her where to climb aboard Shears’s ship. They set out, Maxwell adjusting his long fast strokes to slow down to her pace. She kept alongside him at a brisk swim. When they reached Shears’s ship Maxwell helped her climb on-board, her chattering teeth and blue cask to her skin, made him regret bringing her along. Mallory was going to kill him for bringing Raina with him to rescue Skye. Maxwell pulled her under a beam as they heard approaching footsteps. He watched as two men came to a halt, a few feet from their hiding spot. He noticed the puddle of water near where they climbed aboard and hoped it would go unnoticed from Shears’s crew.

  “We need to depart, that ship was gaining on us. I tell you it is Thornhill’s ship. He will kill us all.”

  “We need to stop for a quick repair. If not, we will sink. Then it won’t matter if he kills us or not, we will be dead anyway. Plus, the Captain wants to have his sport of fun before we set sail again.”

  “Is he gonna make that bitch squeal?”

  The crewman laughed, “Like a pig in heat.”

  They laughed as they wandered off, their puddle going unnoticed.

  Maxwell tensed at the words spoken, his anger consuming his body. He had to rescue her. Now. He felt a hand tighten on his arms and look down confused. In all his anger he had forgotten Raina stood with him.

  “We will rescue Skye in time,” she whispered.

  He gulped and nodded at her. They had to. He wouldn’t let Shears lay a hand on her. If he did, he knew he couldn’t stop until the Captain was dead. It didn’t matter anymore why he headed down this path with Shears for information only this man held knowledge on. The information no longer meant anything to him. The only thing which held any meaning to him was her.

  “You need to find Skye and I will start the demise of this vessel.”

  “If I don’t get the chance, I thank you for this and more.”

  “You will get the chance, now go rescue your damsel.”

  Maxwell strode towards the direction of Shears’s torture chamber, his cabin. He turned to tell Raina to be careful, but she had already disappeared into thin air. When he glanced around the deck, there was no presence of her. He realized he didn’t have much time before her destruction began. He ran towards the cabin.

  Zane sensed her scream before he heard it. Right to his core. She let out a blood-curdling shriek, frightening him into place. He froze, knowing she needed him now. He was too afraid of what she endured. He only paused for a second as his emotions rushed to the front of his brain. He closed his eyes, pushing those feelings away as he focused on what he needed to do.

  Raina heard the shriek too. She understood the scream only too well. It was a terror she overheard from many women while in the clutches of Shears. It was the reaction that could break most women. Raina glimpsed the steel in Skye MacKinnon when she met her and recognized the scream to be one of a warrior, not of a beaten woman. Raina laughed at what Shears would receive for his torture.

  Chapter Eleven

  HER SEARCH FOR A weapon came up empty. There was nothing for her to use in defense, only herself. Skye waited for him with no weapons to help her in her aide against him. The only weapon she possessed was the one which never betrayed her. Her mind. He would not destroy her. She would destroy him. She must look out for herself. There would be no Maxwell coming to her rescue. She made sure of that.

  Shears entered the cabin and went to the bar. He grabbed the whiskey, drinking a long swallow of the fiery liquid. As he wiped his mouth on his sleeve, he staggered to the bed bringing the bottle with him. He spotted MacKinnon cowering in the corner. His side burned like hell, taking another drink he hoped the alcohol would subdue the internal flame his body suffered. He realized his time was coming to an end, but before it did, he would have one more taste of a woman.

  The woman who stood before him eluded him for months. He played at her games of innocent virtue. Her guards always stood to protect her, and he could never get close enough. He made sure to get rid of her henchmen this time. Now she was alone. Alone in his room, for him to taste. He leered at her as his thoughts turned to carnal images. He tried to get his lust under control before he took her. There were a few things he wanted to discuss with her before he stripped the clothes from her body and threw her on his bed. Where he would then part her creamy white thighs and slide his cock into heaven. Oh, he realized she would fight him, but that was what he loved the most. The part where he captured a woman against her will. He enjoyed holding them down and plowing into them, destroying what innocence they had remaining. He licked his lips and his cock grew harder in anticipation at bedding the red hair wench.

  “Maxwell is not coming to your rescue.”

  Skye raised her chin, her dignity intact, “I do not need Maxwell or any other man to rescue me.”

  Shears laughed at her brazen words, the wench had moxie. He admired the trait in a man, but on a lady, it only enflamed him to take her with force. Yes, he would enjoy bringing this bitch down. She would make up for every lady he was unable to destroy.

  “Do you know why Maxwell chased me?”

  “You held the red ruby which led to the King’s bastard.”

  “Well I am surprised, you two shared secrets between the sheets. He must have been very virile with you if you shared pillow talk.”

  “What have you done with my brother?” she asked changing the subject. Her time with Maxwell was private and she wouldn’t discuss it with anybody, least of all Shears.

  “Your brother?”

  “Logan MacKinnon.”

  “Oh, that fool. I killed him.”

  Skye rushed at him with her fists flying. She couldn't reach him because of her leash. Her hands flew in the air but didn’t make contact with him. She knew he lied. Wasn’t he? She would feel pain if Logan died.

  Shears laughed at her petty defense. She still contained spirit but not for long. Shears felt his desire for her taking over but tamped it down. He needed to build it higher, for the sweeter the victory would be for him. The angrier she became, the more his lust grew. When she was beyond grief, he would take her then; the moment his lust turned into hatred. He needed to goad her more. He needed to tell her of Maxwell’s involvement with him. The secret Maxwell didn’t confide to anybody. The secret he knew Maxwell didn’t confess to her, which would cause her total devastation.

  “You lie,” she hissed.

  “Do I? Do I also lie that your Earl Maxwell has been my man the last few months? He works for me. How do you think I sabotaged you and your men?”

  “You continue to lie to me.”

  “Think about it MacKinnon, why did I allow you to take him so easily? I didn’t put up much of an argument on his release to you.”

  “You had no choice.”

  Shears rose from the bed and circled her, “I always have choices my dear.”

  “I am not your dear,” she snarled at him.

  He ran his slimy hand over her cheek, “In a manner of time you will be.”

  “Never,” she spat at him.

  “Think about it ‘my dear’, how do you think we knew when you were coming?”

  “Impossible, he was not aware of my plans.”

  “He didn’t need to be aware of your plans, he only needed to send me a signal on your return to the city. When I learned of your return, I was prepared for you.”

  Skye became silent at this bit of news. Could Shears be correct? How could Maxwell send any news to Shears? She watched him the entire time and when they arrived at her headquarters, he was never left alone. Although, he was alone for a brief time, nobody stayed in her office with him. No, Shears was lying to anger her. That was where she went wrong before, she didn’t trust in Maxwell. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  When she didn’t rise to his bait on Maxwell’s deception, he decided to inform her of more of Maxwell’s involvement with him. Let’s see if she stays calm with this bit of news.

  “So, you know of the King’s bastard child and Maxwell’s search for it.
”

  “Yes, he told me.”

  “Did he also inform you I promised to take him to the child and jewels in exchange for killing Charles Mallory and Raina LeClair?”

  “You continue with more lies.”

  Shears laughed, “I do not. He was desperate, he realized he was running out of time and knew I had knowledge of their whereabouts.”

  “Well the last I heard, Mallory and Raina LeClair still live.”

  “Yes, the bastard double-crossed me,” he snarled.

  Skye laughed, “Your defense of Maxwell being your man is falling flat Captain.”

  “Do you know why he wanted to locate the child?”

  “Because it was his duty to the Crown. It was his mission, to locate and put the child into protective custody.”

  “Duty to the Crown, was that what he led you to believe?”

  “Why else?”

  “He had his own personal agenda.”

  “How was any of it personal?”

  “The child is his sister.”

  “I do not understand.”

  “Maxwell’s involvement in finding the child was because it was his mother’s love child with the King. He needed to find the child to cover up his family’s involvement in this mess. His mother was a slut and cuckold her own husband with the King. If this truth were to be known to the ton, his family would be ruined. His father held a high rank in Parliament and his mother was a do-gooder. His family held a very prestigious position in the aristocracy. So, you see it was in Maxwell’s best interest to locate this child and keep her whereabouts an ultimate secret.”

  “Stop with your lies,” Skye shouted.

  “Am, I? You will have to ask him yourself, he will soon arrive in this cabin any minute to rescue you.”

  “Maxwell was on his way to London, before I even boarded your ship.”

  “Thornhill’s ship has been trailing mine for half a day now. I docked my ship on the bank, so they can catch us. I know Maxwell will come for you. Or is he coming for me? The man is not thinking clearly. He isn't making decisions with his mind but more like with his cock. I can understand why, you are a very pretty package. Especially when you are angry. Well it doesn’t matter anymore. I will take great pleasure in his demise.”