Page 11 of A Rogue to Watch Over Me
He yanked her nearly off her feet, but she coiled her fingers around the bookend’s column-shaped base. His fingers coiled around her wrist, tight as a vise. With a vicious twist, he contorted her arm. She bit back a cry, but the small sound that escaped her only seemed to encourage his cruelty. Slowly, he increased the tension. More and more, nearly to the breaking point.
Pain rippled through her arm. Intense. Relentless.
She heard herself scream as the bookend tumbled to the floor.
Still, he did not ease the cruel pressure. Hauling her close, he stared down at her. His bloodied face sickened her. “I will wring your scrawny neck. Tell me where—”
Heathy’s low growl cut through her captor’s threat. The dog lunged.
With a roar of pain, the intruder staggered backward. “Blasted mongrel.” Frantic to dislodge the dog’s teeth from his shin, the brute let her go. Muttering a string of vile curses, hereached for the gun beneath his jacket. Gaslight gleamed off the barrel of his revolver.
Desperation surged through her. She eyed the bookend near her feet. Could she reach it before he pulled the trigger?
Dear God.She couldn’t take that chance.
“No!” Dragging Heathy into her arms, she put herself between the dog and the gun.
“Move away,” the intruder ordered. “Or I’ll kill—”
A sudden, guttural groan cut through his threat as his knees buckled. He crumpled like a puppet untethered from its strings.
Amelia lifted her gaze to the man who’d claimed he had been sent to protect her. Standing over the assailant, a leather cudgel in his hand, Logan MacLain regarded her with an expression that bore no hint of triumph. Rather, his full mouth betrayed a look of resignation, as if even he had not quite believed the threat was real. Until now.
Her pulse raced as he came to her.
“Are ye well, lass?” His words were a husky brogue.
She nodded, meeting his dark eyes. “How did you know... I needed you?” She asked the first words that came to mind.
“I’d a notion ye might need some help.” His voice was quiet and matter-of-fact as his attention shifted to her unconscious attacker. “From the looks of this bastard, I was right.”
Chapter Four
Apeculiar calmfell over Amelia as she retrieved the intruder’s gun from the spot where it had fallen from his grip. The weapon felt heavy, strangely so. If Logan MacLain had not arrived when he did, everything would have turned out quite differently. The brute who now lay unconscious on the floor might have used the weapon to kill Heathy. A sickening wave of fear washed over her. God only knew what the cruel heathen would have done after that. Likely, he’d have turned the gun on her. She may have died without even knowing why the intruder had come after her.
Pulling in long, steadying breaths, she shored up her courage as best she could. Despite the rapid cadence of her breathing, her hands remained steady as she held the revolver. Rather a miracle, that.
She studied MacLain beneath the veil of her lashes. He’d charged in, ready to play her champion. And in the very nick of time.
She should be grateful. After all, he had likely saved her life.
Pity his well-timed arrival was rather too convenient.
Seeming to sense her apprehension, Heathy stayed by her side. The dog’s attention fixed on her defender with an unwavering stare.
MacLain cast the pup a narrow-eyed glance. “Bloody protective little beast, isn’t he?”
“Heathy doesn’t know if you are a hero or a villain. Truth be told, neither do I.”
“Ye’ll figure it out soon enough.” He went to the window and calmly removed the braided tiebacks from the curtains. “Ye know this man?”
“I’ve never seen him before in my life.”
Turning from the window, MacLain crouched down to secure the attacker’s arms behind his back. He fastened the makeshift bindings with swift, efficient movements. “Not a callus on his hands. He’s not a common ruffian. But ye already knew that, didn’t ye?”
“I had worked that part out.”
“I’ve seen this man lingering about the pub, deep in his cups. Goes by Jack.” MacLain glanced up, meeting her eyes. “So tell me, lass. Why in hell did he come after ye?”
