“You’re a monster!”
“You have no idea what desire does to a man. I have wanted you for years. I tried the proper way first, throwing money and promises at your father. When your father wouldn’t force you to choose me, I had to take matters into my own hands. So, I had Ockham killed. Fortunately, he had a bunch of gambling debts, so it was quick work to buy up his markers and stage his death.”
Marina clutched her arms around herself tighter. Her body trembled, and she only hoped that she would be found, and soon. There was no limit to the man’s madness, and no one she cared for was safe.
“That’s why you know that I’m serious when I tell you I will have the new Ockham killed. I will have any man killed until I have you.”
She clenched her fists, unable to speak.
“Your father came to me before he died and told me he would not allow you to marry me. His conscience was getting the better of him. That’s why I had to stage his little accident and have him killed,” Minto boasted.
She opened her mouth and closed it again, fighting the urge to jump across the carriage and choke the life out of the man. She would if she thought she could overpower him. “You are the reason Papa died?”
“Of course,” he said as calmly as if he were discussing the weather. “He was in my way. I underestimated your brother. I thought he would cower under my pressure, but he had more of a backbone than your father ever did. So here we are.”
“You didn’t just kill Papa. You killed Viscount Sandon, leaving his wife a widow. Do you have no soul or conscience at all?”
He waved her off. “The woman is better off without that fop. She’s free now to do what she pleases. Your mother, too. They should thank me.”
“But not me. I am certainly not free,” she spat back at him.
“You will have a comfortable life, as long as you are a dutiful wife and obey me. You had best remember who you belong to.” He waved his finger at her.
Her hands trembled. If only she and Evan had gone to Gretna themselves last night as they had planned. They could be far away from here.
Instead, she may very well find herself married to the worst man alive in order to keep Evan from being killed. She wouldn’t have believed he would follow through on his threat until she learned of what he had done to hers and Evan’s fathers. He was not only capable but also a madman. There was nothing that would stop him.
She fought the tears that formed. Giving this man the satisfaction of making her cry was more than she could fathom. He was already taking so much from her, he wouldn’t take her strength from her, too.
Marina knew she had to do something. Never would she be the type of woman to just cower and accept her fate. She would fight. She would fight for Evan, for herself, and for the life they deserved to have together. If she had to, she would die fighting for her freedom before she cowered and married this man. At least if she were dead, he’d have no reason to destroy the lives of anyone else she cared about.
She glanced around the carriage, looking for anything that might help her. She noticed the handle of a gun poking out from under a sack that sat next to him. If she could get her hands on the gun, she might have a chance. She stared at it, willing the weapon to be in her hands, thinking of how she would make it so.
Glancing at the man, she noted his gaze locked onto her chest. She crossed her arms, unwilling to sit there and let him ogle her.
“I do so love watching your breasts bounce in the carriage, but I’ll get to have my way with them soon enough.”
She grimaced and looked away from him.
“What am I saying? You don’t have the slightest clue what I’mtalking about. You don’t even know all the pleasures that await us and all the places our hands, mouths, and other things will go. Everything about your body is untouched and perfect.” He licked his lips.
She quickly shifted her eyes away from him. It was better if he believed she was still a virgin. Any notion that contradicted his belief would provoke his anger. She attempted to remove thoughts of Evan and their coupling from her mind, but the heat in her neck and face betrayed her inner turmoil.
His gaze burned into her, and she glanced at him before darting her eyes back to the window. He continued watching her and out of the corner of her eye she saw he had leaned a bit closer.
“Did you let him touch you?” he ground out.
“No.” She knew her cheeks burned red hot, and she clenched her fists.
“Liar,” he spat the word at her.
She made her best attempt to have him off. “I don’t know what you are talking about. You are mad.”
“You little whore. You let him between your legs, didn’t you?”
She jutted her chin forward and looked away from him.
He punched into the seat cushion where he sat, causing her to jump. He remained silent for what felt like an eternity, prompting her to sneak a quick glance in his direction. She saw his face change when he landed on the idea he contemplated.
