AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He gave his head a quick jerk as a fresh wave of irritation washed over him. He hated that she’d even offered.
While he’d loved her help, it was his job to take care of her, or at least he wanted it to be, not the other way around. “Emily, not only would I never take you from your brother, if I ever could marry you, I’d provide for you.” Ace glanced back at the baron, who still trailed behind him. As a man who’d do anything to protect his sisters, he could never steal another man’s sister away.
She fell silent but she nodded her understanding but her eyes looked sad.
“You do understand, don’t you?”
“I do,” she cast her gaze to the ground. “It’s part of what I find so wonderful about you.”
He stopped, looking down to smile at her but a cluster of people caught his notice. The park was quiet and the group of men stood off to the side, staring directly at Ace and Emily. And their clothes…
He scrunched his brows as one of them raised a pistol.
He only had a moment to react but he jerked Emily against his front, twisting to shield her as the noise of the shot and the lead ball whizzed past him at the same moment.
A burning sting ripped through his arm and he ducked his head to cover Emily more.
“Ace,” Boxby yelled from just behind.
Ace didn’t need to hear more and without a thought, he dropped them both to the ground, covering Emily with his body.
The smell of burning hair filled his nostrils. Somehow, the second ball had singed his hat, knocking it from his head and burning his hair.
Emily screamed under him, burrowing deep into his chest as he wrapped her in his arms.
He needed to get her out of here, bring her to safety.
Boxby fired a return shot, scattering the men long enough for Ace to roll forward and pull out his own weapon. “Get behind me!” he yelled to Emily. He didn’t have long to pack the powder and fill it with lead, but he needed to be ready to return fire.
The third man fired, but the ball flew wide. With a roar he rose and started after them, drawing out his short sword.
But they’d already dispersed and he skidded to a stop, not wanting to leave Emily. He looked back, her frightened eyes staring at his right side. The color had drained from her face. “Ace?”
He looked down to see blood pouring down his arm. Damn. He’d been shot.
Emily couldn’t quite process all that had just happened.
Ace had saved her life.
And he’d been hurt as a consequence.
She rose, her knees knocking together as she stood, moving toward him. “Ace?” she repeated uselessly, her trembling hands reaching for him. “You’re bleeding.”
“I’ll be all right.” And then he pulled her against his front, moving them both toward the bushes. “Let’s move to the cover of the trees.”
“I’m fine,” she answered, the shaking of her voice belying her words. “It’s you who is injured.”
He glanced down at his arm. “It’s only a flesh wound. I can already tell.”
Boxby came next to them, pushing them both toward the trees. “Normally, I’d send you to fetch the carriage, but with the injury, I think it best you stay put with Emily while I find one of our vehicles.”
Ace nodded. “I’ll not argue that.”
She squeezed his other arm, fear still pumping through her as he wrapped an arm about her and shuttled her off toward the cover of the trees.
“What was that?” she asked the moment they’d reached a cluster of plants and were hidden from view.
He didn’t answer, his gaze scanning the park about them.
