Page 155 of The Trouble with Tigers
She stared, unblinking, at James.
“Kitty,” Zeke began, sounding desperate to his own ears—but he didn’t care.
She held up her free hand, silencing him. “You’ll kill Collin if I do marry you, Garrick.” Twisting her arm from James’s grasp, she fisted up her skirts and started toward Zeke.
“No!” James cried. In a flash, he rounded on Kitty, crooking one arm around her neck, the other around her waist.
Zeke’s blood turned to ice in an instant.
James held a knife to kitty’s throat. It glinted in the shafts of light pouring in through the tall stained glass windows. He shifted backwards, glancing between Zeke and the priest with wild eyes. “Stay back.”
Kitty wrestled against his hold, trying to wedge her arms free as her slippered feet tried in vain to dig in to the polished floor boards.
“Kitty, don’t fight him.” Zeke’s voice cracked. He held his breath, transfixed by the short blade. If she continued to struggle, she would get herself killed right before his eyes.
For once, she obeyed.
“Oh, dear,” the priest murmured.
“Move,” James commanded Zeke. “Far into the pew, or I’ll slice her throat, I swear.”
Zeke lifted his hands and backed into the first row he reached.
“I win, Thurgood,” James bellowed and, with his quarry in tow, headed for the church doors.
Zeke wanted to roar as bloodlust practically blinded him. Instead he forced himself to speak in a calm, deliberate tone. “James, the game is up. You’re a wanted man. Leave Kitty out of this. She’ll only hold you back.”
He laughed like a crazy man. “Wanted? For what? Manhandling my soon-to-be wife?”
No. I’ll handle that infraction on my own.“Try attempted murder. We found Hastings. Or didn’t you wonder how I knew where to look for you? Bad luck by the way. It looks like he’ll survive.” For Kitty’s sake, Zeke hoped he so.
Kitty’s eyes bulged as she took in Zeke’s words. She struggled anew—then winced as James’ blade nicked her skin.
“Stupid wench, now see what you’ve made me do,” James ground out.
Zeke gripped the backs of the benches on either side of him so hard he wondered that the wood didn’t splinter in his bare hands. “I’ll kill you,” he said in a low voice.
“You won’t find me, Thurgoood.” James passed the last pew. A few more steps and he’d round the partition. Once he reached the church doors, he’d escape.
James paused, flicked a glance over his shoulder into the narthex, then shot a smug look of triumph at Zeke. With a furious looking Kitty in tow, he disappeared.
His throat so tight he couldn’t have swallowed a drop of spit, Zeke leaped into the aisle, then charged, his boots slamming into the floor panels like guns exploding.
A very female, bloodcurdling scream drowned out the noise. Then came a loud crash and one agonized wail, in rapid succession.
“Kitty!” He heard his own anguished cry as he dove around the partition into the church entrance. He skidded to a screeching halt, nearly plowing into Kitty in the process.
She stood, chest heaving, staring down at her cousin.
James lay in a heap at her feet. Shards of potter's clay littered the area, with pieces clinging to his hair and clothing. He appeared…wet?
The door to the church swung open. Caden appeared in the doorway just as the priest joined the fray.
“Did I miss anything?” A broad grin split Caden’s face. “Lady, you are a sight for sore eyes.” He swung her into his arms, holding her so her feet dangled off the ground.
Kitty gave a little cry and wrapped her arms around Caden’s neck. The next thing Zeke knew she was sobbing into the front of his brother’s shirt. He didn’t know what he wanted to do first.Kill James if he wasn’t already dead, punch his brother, or kiss away every track of every tear Kitty cried.
Behind him the priest spoke. “Is that the holy water urn?”
