Chapter 24
Adrian’s vision darkened. Blood pounded in his ears. The Irish bastard had him cornered. It had been checkmate between them the moment O’Leary had taken Samantha. The woman for whom he would lay down his life.
His heart, his love, and his greatest weakness.
A growl tore from his throat. It was followed by the sound of porcelain smashing against the floor as he swept his desk clean with one stroke of his arm. Edward leapt from his chair, alarm widening his eyes. His mouth moved but whatever he said was lost to Adrian’s rage.
There was nothing left to be done. Only one thing would save her.
His heart punched his ribs with added force. “I have to go.”
He was almost at the door when he felt the resistance. Edward was once again trying to stop him. The bloody fool meant well but this was a matter that did not concern him.
Adrian rounded. “What?”
“Where are you going?”
“To fetch my wife.”
“You’re still in your cups.”
“I’m fine.” Certainly well enough to do what had to be done.
“What’s the plan?”
Impatient, Adrian tried to shake Edward off, only for Edward to shove him sideways, away from the door and into the wall. “Unhand me.”
“Not until you tell me what you intend to do.”
“I already said, I’m going to fetch my wife.”
“Which involves doing what, exactly?”
“None of your damn business.” The words were shouted with such force it was surprising the windows held.
Instead of releasing him, Edward snatched the letter and scanned the words. When he looked at Adrian next, his eyes were like flint. “You can’t go through with this.”
“I can and I will,” Adrian argued while eyeing the door. To get to it, he’d have to shove Edward aside.
“No. We’ll find another way. Together.”
“Why the devil would you want to do that? My willingness to submit to O’Leary’s demand should please you beyond compare, Edward.” It was so ridiculously simple. All Adrian had to do was gather his associates and transfer his power — pronounce Finn O’Leary his successor. Effective immediately.
There was no rule against it. The idea was so unthinkable none had been provided.
“You’re right. It should. What you’ve confessed to me today — the things you have done — go against my every moral fiber.
However, I’m glad there’s someone like you to handle the monsters that prey on innocent souls.
The City needs you to make sure men like Clive Newton are punished.
That there is no chance of them escaping what they deserve. ”
“Finn O’Leary can be an equally good enforcer.”
“No. He cannot.”
Adrian stared into Edward’s cool gaze and knew he spoke true. Finn O’Leary had no compassion. He’d killed a man for the sole purpose of making a point. Protecting the weak and safeguarding London would not be his goal. All he wanted was vengeance, and the power this bought him.
After that, he’d let every criminal do as they pleased, as long as it didn’t affect him personally.
An unfortunate dilemma, considering what was at stake.
“I’ll only say this once,” Adrian told Edward darkly. “Get out of my way or face the consequences.”
An indefinable emotion flickered in Edward’s gaze. His hold on Adrian’s arm eased as he released him. Gradually. Adrian’s heartbeats slowed with the knowledge that there would be no further altercation between them.
But then, rather than take a step sideways, Edward positioned himself in front of the door. “I’m not about to let you make this kind of mistake.”
“Edward…” One word of warning, edged with ice.
“You’re not thinking clearly. The brandy—”
Adrian grabbed hold of Edward and tried to shove him aside, but the earl had a sturdier foothold than he’d expected. He didn’t even budge.
“Don’t make me punch you.”
“Would you?”
Adrian drew back his fist. When it came to saving Samantha, he’d wreck every obstacle in his path. Including his closest friend.
Except Edward ducked at the very last second. Adrian’s knuckles connected with solid wood. Pain shot through his forearm. Surprised, he stumbled. And then he was being yanked backward. The motion jolted his brain. Confusion set in. He blinked, and then the world tilted.
* * *
Edward stared down at Adrian’s limp body. Adrian was going to murder him for this, but that was a worry he’d save for later. Right now, he had to act. Especially if knocking his friend out was going to pay off.
First things first. He crossed to the bell pull and gave it a yank. Next, he dragged Adrian away from the door. It took a minute for a maid to arrive. Once she did, he asked her to fetch Elks, who rapped on the door moments later.
Edward granted him entry and watched the color drain from the older man’s face when he saw the state his master was in. “What have you done?”
“Hopefully saved him from himself,” Edward said. “He wasn’t thinking rationally.”
The butler sighed. “I’m not surprised, given the state he was already in when you arrived.”
“We need to prevent him from charging off to save his wife be—”
“That’s what the missive was about?”
“Yes, but—”
“Forgive me, my lord, but you had no business trying to stop him.”
“He was about to sacrifice everything he and his family have accomplished, without considering other options.”
“Even so…” Elks looked like he’d rather be ten thousand miles away when Adrian regained consciousness than face his inevitable wrath.
Sympathizing, Edward told him, “He’s like a brother to me. I only mean to help him as he has helped me in the past. If that can be done — if his wife and valet can both be returned to him without him having to make an unnecessary sacrifice — surely it’s worth trying.”
Elks held Edward’s gaze for a while, then nodded. “All right. Tell me what you need.”
“We have to lock him in a room from which he cannot escape.”
The look on Elk’s face said that he hated this as much as Edward. “I know just the place.”
* * *
Adrian felt the floor pressing into his left hip and shoulder before he remembered what had occurred. And then it came crashing back into his skull, like a nightmare lying in wait for just the right moment to pounce.
His eyes opened as he drew a breath, and the nightmare worsened.
No.
He glanced around the room he was in. The one beneath the stairs. The same place his father had whipped him when he’d been a boy. Where he’d first known what it meant to kill a man. Where he’d kicked the chair from under Clive Newton’s feet and watched him hang.
Pulse instantly racing, Adrian pushed up into a seated position. He would get out of here, and once he did, he was going to murder Edward.
How dare the man stop him from going to rescue Samantha?
Who the hell did he think he was?
This reckless decision of his was going to get her killed.
Her and Murry both.
O’Leary had been clear. Adrian was to do as instructed or face the consequence.
Closing his mind to the memories this place evoked, Adrian shoved up onto his feet and crossed to the door. If he banged on it loudly enough the servants would hear. Eventually, someone would come and free him.
By the time he heard the key turn in the lock, he was beyond livid. How long had it been? An hour, possibly two?
The door inched open and Edward’s familiar face came into view.
Adrian launched himself at him as soon as he entered the room. “How dare you do this to me? To my wife? You had no right.” He slammed Edward against the doorframe and grabbed him by the throat. “I’ll kill you for this, you—”
“Enough.”
The firm command made Adrian realize that Edward had not come alone. Shoulders hunched, muscles straining with fury, he glanced sideways, to where Moorland, Eldridge, and Kendrick all stood. Together with bloody Wrengate.
Adrian had made his contempt for him clear to Edward, had he not? Yet Edward had chosen to involve him in Adrian’s personal affairs anyway.
He glared at the duke. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Repaying a debt,” Wrengate replied, his arrogant tone making it clear he’d rather be anywhere else. “Marsdale helped search for my brother after he went missing. Unfortunately, I owe him.”
Lord have mercy, it felt like a vein was about to pop in Adrian’s head.
He swung back to Edward. The betrayer. “The message specifically told me to come alone and to be punctual. Otherwise, he’s going to start cutting. One finger here, another one there, for each point I choose to ignore. For every minute I’m late.”
“You’re understandably upset,” Kendrick said, in response to which Adrian sent the imbecilic chief constable a look of disbelief. “However, Marsdale was right to stop you from meeting O’Leary’s demands.”
Ignoring the fool, Adrian tightened his hold on Edward’s throat and leaned in close. “You will pay for this, you bastard.”
Someone grabbed his upper arms and pulled him away from Edward, who started coughing as soon as Adrian let go. He shook himself free and strode to the opposite side of the room. The space was too bloody small to house his violent emotions.
“Adrian, I—”
“You will not speak to me anymore,” Adrian roared as he whirled on his former friend. The man who’d been like a brother — a person he’d trusted. No more. Edward could go to the devil for all he cared.
Eldridge stepped forward, arms slightly outstretched as though he were trying to herd a beast back into its cage. “What do you suppose would have happened if you had done as O’Leary asked?”
“Samantha would have been returned to me. Murry too.”
“Do you honestly believe that’s true?” Kendrick asked. When Adrian only stared at him, he added, “Finn O’Leary is a dangerous thug who will kill if it strikes his fancy. According to Marsdale, he’s seeking revenge for the death of his father. A death you apparently caused.”
Adrian launched himself at Edward once more, this time with every intention of breaking each bone in his body. He was stopped by Wrengate and Moorland. The men restrained him until he stopped fighting, then slowly released him.
“I had to explain the situation,” Edward said with a look of sadness that might have touched Adrian’s heart before this.
Now it just made him want to snuff him from existence.
“You might as well have signed my death warrant,” Adrian growled. “Samantha’s and Murry’s too.”
“I believe you were doing just fine with that on your own,” Eldridge said. “If anything, Marsdale gave you a fighting chance by informing us of what’s happened.”
“No.” He shook his head. “If I bring you lot with me the deal will be off and O’Leary will—”
“Stop.” Kendrick’s voice slammed against him.
“If you were to follow through on his order and go to that meeting alone, what do you imagine the result would be? After you hand O’Leary the keys to your kingdom in front of all your associates, what do you think he will do?
What would you do if you were in his position? ”
Adrian blinked. He hadn’t considered. The only thought filling his head had been: do what needs doing to save Samantha and Murry. No matter what that entailed, he’d do it.
But he saw the trap now as clearly as if he’d laid it himself. “He’ll never let any of us walk away from that meeting alive.”
O’Leary was merely using him to gather all his associates in one place.
For the sole purpose of having them watch his execution.
Oh, he’d give the speech O’Leary asked him to make, transferring power to him.
But once that was done, O’Leary would kill him as a show of strength and to avoid the risk of a coup later.
He’d kill Samantha and Murry too so neither of them posed a threat in the future.
The bastard might come for others as well. Anyone who’d been loyal to Adrian. Especially those who’d known his secrets. Which pretty much included his entire household.
“We’ve a couple of hours to spare until you’re to make your appearance at Seven Dials,” Kendrick said. “To his credit, O’Leary realized you’d need time to send word to all your associates. I recommend you do so at once, after which we’ll help you strategize.”