Chapter 17 #4
“You mean you’re hunting the bastard who attacked her,” the Earl of Melton said.
“Yes. I can’t allow him to find Genevieve or put anyone else’s life at risk. Simpson’s vowed to kill me, and the only way to keep Genevieve safe is to find the man first.”
“And get yourself killed in the process,” the earl snapped. For the first time since his father had walked into the office, Theo knew the Earl of Melton couldn’t object to his actions.
“If I recall the story correctly, you were shot at several times while rescuing mother from the Marquess of Templeton before the man sent his driver into the house to kill her.”
One eyebrow arched, Theo cast a challenging look at his sire, his silent stoicism daring his father to argue with him. Resignation on his face, the Earl of Melton acknowledged his son was correct with a sharp bob of his head, and didn’t say another word about Theo’s reasons for hunting Simpson.
A soft sound from the opposite end of the alley tugged Theo out of his thoughts, the memory of his conversation with his father forgotten, he turned his head toward the noise. In the darkness, he could just make out a shadowy figure headed his way.
Without thinking twice, Theo reached into his pocket for the brass knuckles he’d been carrying of late. Keeping his eye on the approaching figure, he glanced back at the pub just as a tall, burly figure rounded the corner of the alley and slammed a fist into his cheek.
Stunned, he staggered back and fought off the pain ricocheting through his head.
Still reeling from the blow, Theo almost missed the fist coming toward him a second time.
Sluggishly, he managed to duck before the blow met its mark.
With a quick spin on the balls of his feet, Theo darted to the man’s left and swung his arm as hard as he could.
The crack of a cheekbone shattering filled his ears with satisfaction as his other fist landed a solid punch to the man’s kidney area. Theo jammed his fist up into the man’s chin, and his attacker sank to his knees just like a sack of sugar being thrown onto a pallet.
A second later, the man fell forward, face down into a small puddle of water or something far more revolting, and didn’t move.
Spinning around toward the other figure running toward him, Theo braced himself for another fight.
Just as he was ready to throw a punch, the clouds parted overhead and moonlight illuminated Jamie’s face.
One hand braced against the brick wall, Theo relaxed at the sight of a friendly face. He tried to smile at his cousin, but the effort cost him. With a low oath of pain, he rubbed his painful temple in a gentle movement.
“Damnation, man,” Jamie bit out in a harsh whisper. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“If you’re suggesting I encouraged the bastard, you’re mistaken,” he muttered with irritation as he motioned for Jamie to help him pull the unconscious man deeper into the shadows of the alleyway. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Watching your back at the request of my uncle, the Earl of Melton. Actually, it was more of an order than a request,” Jamie said with a wry twist of his lips. “And you know I’m not about to disobey the Rockwoods patriarch.”
His head still aching, Theo pressed his back into the wall and turned his head toward the Fox and Hound doorway. The door squeaked open, and Theo stiffened as he saw Simpson step out into the street.
“When the fuck did he go into the pub?” he asked, his voice soft as he glanced at Jamie then back to Simpson, who was still standing in the street as if expecting someone. “And who’s he waiting on?”
“He’s probably wondering where his man is…” Jamie nodded toward the man on the ground. “…and why you’ve not been delivered to him yet, trussed up like a bird and helpless, so the man can beat you to death.”
Theo’s gaze flew back to Simpson. The man uttered a foul oath as he looked up and down the street, and Theo realized his cousin was correct.
Simpson had found him first, but had failed to catch his prize.
The man released another curse of frustration, then turned toward Alie Street.
Just as Simpson turned the corner, Theo took a step forward only to have Jamie grab his arm and hold him back.
“Wait,” his cousin murmured. “I thought I saw something.”
“We can’t lose him, Jamie,” Theo muttered with frustration.
“Then I’ll go around the block to follow him.
He can’t have gotten too far ahead.” Jamie bobbed his head toward the shadows that ran along both sides of Mansel Street.
“You wait here for a little longer, I’m sure I saw something move further down the street when Simpson was standing outside the pub.
I want to know if someone else is following the bastard.
Besides, you look like hell at the moment. I think you could use a little rest.”
Jamie’s irreverent grin made Theo direct a baleful glance at his cousin, which only made the man’s smile widen.
Without another word, Jamie raced down the alley, while Theo kept his gaze pinned on the shadows along Mansel Street.
His cousin had been gone almost fifteen minutes, and Theo was about to follow Simpson and Jamie, when he stopped.
Several doors down from the Fox and Hound, he saw something move in the shadows.
A moment later, a man of medium height and build stepped out into the moonlit street and headed in the same direction as Simpson.
“Fuck,” Theo said below his breath.
Jamie had been right. There was someone tracking Simpson. Theo waited until the man was only a few yards from the corner of Mansel and Alie, before he poked his head out of the alleyway to ensure there wasn’t someone else lying in wait to render him unconscious.
Satisfied there weren’t any surprises waiting for him, Theo walked after the man at a leisurely pace, his long stride allowing him to keep the man in his sight.
A few moments later, the man turned onto Alie Street.
Increasing his pace a little, Theo rounded the corner of the intersection of Mansel and Alie.
Tension knotted Theo’s muscles as he stared down the empty street.
The man had disappeared, but a brief second later, Theo saw him walking in the shadows.