Chapter 16 #3
Mr. Grover paused. “It will be hours before I’m able to verify whether or not you have the necessary funds. Until then, I recommend making sure she causes no trouble. More to the point, it wouldn’t be in either of our interests if she tried to escape.”
“So you mean to sedate her?” James asked, biding his time, acutely aware that the door to the room had swung shut. Only he, Mr. Grover, and Henshaw remained.
“It will ensure her compliance and stop her from screaming for help.” Mr. Grover produced a tight smile. “Alerting the rest of the hotel to our proceedings will only complicate matters.”
“Of course.” James moved casually toward the doors leading out to the hallway. “I’m impressed by your foresight, which is a quality most people lack. The ability to anticipate all potential problems is something I value greatly.”
He moved in front of the lock, concealing it with his body while carefully turning the key, even as Mr. Henshaw concurred, “I for one find it most reassuring.”
“Thank you, gentlemen,” said Mr. Grover as he began stuffing the pipe with the potent drug meant for Lady Edwina. “Now if you don’t mind, I really must—”
The door behind James rattled as someone tried opening it and failed.
Henshaw started toward it, brushing past James, who swiftly dropped to a crouch while turning his body. He grabbed Henshaw’s ankles and gave them a backward yank, swooping him right off his feet and sending him head-first into the floor, arms flailing as he attempted to break his fall.
He landed with a thud and a howl of pain.
The door to the room shook with increased persistence while someone called for it to be unlocked.
“What the—”
Intent on using his element of surprise to the best of his abilities, James didn’t pause in response to Mr. Grover’s outburst. Rather, he kept on moving, locating the blade tucked against his wrist and sliding it into his hand even as he proceeded to rise.
The hand holding the dagger rose, too, the arm bending at the elbow, muscles coiling into a spring that was swiftly released with deadly intent. The dagger flew, a lethal projectile spearing the air and finding its mark.
A grunt burst from Grover’s throat. He stared at James, blinked, then turned his gaze toward his left shoulder from which the dagger protruded.
Damn.
James had aimed for his heart. And missed.
He started toward him, intent on giving the vile creature the fitting end he deserved. Only to let out a grunt of his own when the air exploded around him. A hot dart of pain pierced his flesh.
No time to pause and ponder. That would only give Henshaw and Grover another chance to react.
One was clearly a greater threat at present, so he rounded on Henshaw, ignored the discomfort of getting shot, and proceeded to beat the man into the floor on which he lay.
Bone crunched, and blood spattered the carpet.
Something crashed behind James, reminding him of Grover. He had to finish with Henshaw so he could deal with him next. Before Grover removed the dagger and used it on James. Before he turned his wrath on Lady Edwina.
Conscious of every passing second, of the masculine groans and feminine gasps infusing the air around him, of the banging and shouting on the opposite side of the door, James wrapped one hand around Henshaw’s throat and squeezed until the man’s body went limp. He then grabbed his discarded pistol.
A swift inhalation, and James was upright once more, turning and moving forward, his purpose to help Lady Edwina.
Until the scene on the opposite side of the room registered.
He froze, his breath sawing in and out of his chest. Shards of glass were strewn about, winking like diamonds. Mr. Grover lay in a messy sprawl beside the divan Lady Edwina had occupied earlier.
The lady herself sat beside him, the neck from a broken champagne bottle clutched in one hand.
She must have grabbed it and smashed it over his head, but neither that nor the dagger James had thrown should have killed him.
Clearly, she’d been more alert than she had let on, for which he was grateful.
He approached, aware that those trying to enter the room would soon meet with success. Equally aware that Lady Edwina would likely be in shock and in need of processing what had occurred. Yet urgency was of the essence.
As he advanced, he saw that blood stained one of her hands. It was smeared across the skirt of her gown. He shifted his gaze and blinked. His dagger no longer protruded from Grover’s shoulder, but rather from his throat.
Impressed by the lady’s bravery, yet worried about the impact her ordeal would have upon her, he extended his hand toward her and kept his voice gentle while saying, “We need to leave. Now.”
Her head turned, her gaze rising to meet his, and all he could see in that moment was the innocent beauty men had sought to destroy.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice so soft it nearly slayed him.
“Your brother sent me. I’ll explain the rest later, once you’re safe.”
She shook her head. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t, but it’s either me or the men out there.”
As though his words unlocked the door to the room, it burst open, admitting not only the man who’d stood guard, but also numerous guests.