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Hergargledscreamsbanginto me like a deadly blow to the chest. Gently pressing into Midnight’s side and spine, I nudge him forward toward the sound. Whoever or whatever made her scream will have to answer to me. If she screams, if she’s afraid and horrified, it’ll be because of me, no one else.
Yelling her name, I hope she’ll keep making noise to assure me she’s safe. I shake my head at that. Of course, she won’t. She doesn’t want me to find her. But the lack of sounds breeds concern. Am I too late? My heart crashes, and I try to convince myself that my concern over her safety has everything to do with someone killing her before I can. She’s my property. Whether she lives or dies is up to me. And if a single hair on her head is harmed, the perpetrator will be punished. Especially because they’ve wandered onto my property and messed with my possession.
The mansion and the entire vegetation region surrounding it belongs to me. Usually, it doesn’t bother me if travellers journey through the forest on their way to their destination. The forest is grand enough for them to not happen upon my mansion. But when they’ve decided to take what doesn’t belong to them, well, that’s when everything changes.
I hear my men gathering from a distance, but I’m closer to her. I move a lot faster. I’ll reach her before my men do. Lantern in hand, I keep my eyes peeled for movement. Whoever or whatever scared her has gone still.
“Olivia!!” I yell again.
No answer. For sard’s sake! Gripping the reins, my fingers dig into my palms. My eyes are focused on one spot, guided by the memory of her cry. Bloody hell, I’m hoping she’s still there when Midnight seems to pick up her scent on the wind. His hooves quicken, and he charges through the leafy trees where I see six men holding guns at me. Blimey.
“Whoa whoa, you can be on your way. I’m just looking for a girl,” I say, raising my hands. “Have you seen her?” I ask.
“Ah, you mean this bitch?” A bulky, red-skinned man pulls her out from behind them and pushes her to the ground. She’s muddy and scarred. Her hair has leaves sticking out of it, and I can’t be certain in the dim lantern light, but there seems to be blood on her hands. The air escaping my nostrils whistles as my breath steams up. My voice grows deeper as I slowly bring my hand to my pistol.
“Hand her over. She’s mine,” I say.
One small-faced man with a surprisingly heavy voice steps forward. “Ah, so you’re the kidnapper she was running from. Tough luck she has, doesn’t she? Doesn’t sound like she wants much to do with you.” He grins.
“It doesn’t matter to me what she wants. She’s mine. And I’m commanding you to hand her over now,” I say.
The group of men laugh. “Oh, you’re commanding us, are you? And why should we listen to you?”
“Because this is my property, and you’re trespassing,” I say.
“So? You’re outnumbered. What’re you gonna do? Shoot us?” The small-faced man grins. “Look, we’ll make you a deal. We’ll leave your property, and we won’t kill you, but she’s coming with us, aren’t you, love?” He steps forward and grabs her face before bending to attempt to kiss her.
I want to jump from the horse and wring his neck but until my men gather, it wouldn’t be smart of me to attempt anything so sudden, at least not so obviously. They’re all confident with their weapons, and I’m certain they’re not afraid to use them. Pressing my teeth into my top lip, I growl beneath my breath before exhaling.
She pulls her face from his grasp, and he slaps her. She spits at him. “I’m not yours.” She glares at the man. “Or yours!” She turns toward me. I try to silence her with my eyes, staring into her soul, but she gets to her feet. “Both of you want to kill me or use me, anyway, but I’m not coming with either of you unless I’m dead, so go ahead and kill me now,” she says, widening her arms.
Silly girl!
“Or!” I interrupt, silencing her as she spins around to stare daggers at me. When we get out of this alive, she’ll be punished for her disrespect. “I’ll make you an even better deal,” I say to the men. “We’ll fight for her, without weapons,” I say, raising my pistol above my head. “If any of you win, you’ve earned her. If I win, she comes with me.”
Horses breathe heavily behind the trees, and I know that my men have found me. However, no one else seems to notice. Especially Olivia who runs as soon as the six men and I toss our weapons aside.
“Grab her,” I command when she disappears into the trees. The six men jump and turn to see her being carried back out toward us. Lantern lights highlight themselves, and three of my men walk out between me and my opponents, grabbing all the weapons before any of the men can move forward. “Don’t worry, they won’t interrupt our fight, won’t they, lads?” I ask, imitating the men’s accents.
“No, we won’t, sir,” they echo.
I smile before raising my fists. “Well, come on. Let’s see what you’ve got.” As I circle the first opponent, studying his movements, I smirk at him. “So, I’m guessing you don’t know who I am, do you? Else you wouldn’t have sought to challenge me,” I say.
“What? Are ye someone important?” my opponent asks.
“Some may think so,” I say. “But I guess we haven’t had the honour because you haven’t had the need to borrow money from me, I assume. Good for you. It would’ve been good for you if we hadn’t met at all. But well, here we are. Come on, aren’t you going to throw? What are you waiting for?” I ask.
“I don’t care who ye are. I ain’ scared of you,” he says.
“Ah, but you should be.” I smile. From the side of my eyes, I see Olivia struggling against the men holding her still. Perhaps my opponent has spotted my attention is otherwise engaged, but he swings. I can feel his fist move along the wind before it comes close to my face, and I duck. “All right, now we’re in business, aren’t we?” I grin.
It’s like a dance between us. I have no intention to swing yet, only to tire him out. I must save my energy for the rest of them. So, I continue to mock him and make him angry, dodging his swings until I can see him rocking on his feet.
“You know, you can all just give up. Admit defeat and continue your journey,” I offer.
“No. I was just about to get a taste of tha’ sweet quim before ye showed up and ruined it. Be a shame for a beauty like that to never know what it’s like to be sexed by a real man. I’m guessing ye were such a bad lover, ye scared the girl away,” he says.
My eyes widen, and pressure builds behind them. They jump with the blood pulsing through my body. That’s it. I swing, knocking him right out. I’m about to jump on him and indulge in battering him when another man runs at me. What did that bitch mean by, he was ‘about to get a taste?’ Were there others before him? Did they all sex her? Did this cocksucker, swinging at me, sully her body with his rank odour and filthy fingernails? Did his rotten mouth touch her?
