Page 71 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
With sickening dread, Dominic realized the danger too late. George’s finger tightened around the trigger, and in the blink of an eye, the deafening roar of gunfire shattered the stillness of the chamber. Time seemed to slow down as Dominic staggered backward, the force of the impact sending shockwaves of pain coursing through his body. A searing agony tore through him as he collapsed to the ground, his vision swimming in darkness.
He blinked heavily. He knew he had to stay awake. He had to stay alert. He could see that Tim had managed to take down the other ruffian, while Reginald was doing his best trying to get the gun from George. Dominic knew that he had to help. With the last morsels of energy he had left, he rose to his feet. George aimed the pistol in Reginald’s direction. Dominic knew that he would shoot. There was no doubt about it.
He lunged himself at the man, having come to terms that he might receive the second shot. That didn’t matter. He would save Reginald. He had promised Catherine, and that was a promise he had every intention of keeping. He felt as if his sides were on fire, but he pushed through the pain, which became more and more unbearable with each passing moment.
George was focused on Reginald and barely saw Dominic attacking him. That provided Dominic with enough time to subdue the man, get the pistol out of his hands and render him helpless. It all happened in an instant, but Dominic knew that instant could have cost him his entire life. Now, he was the one holding the pistol.
“Are you all right?” he heard Reginald ask.
Dominic just breathing heavily, pressing his sides. His shirt was already soaked with blood, so he knew that he had to stop the bleeding soon. He put pressure on the wound, focusing on George.
“Where are they?” Dominic asked.
George spat at him. “I will never tell!”
Dominic's teeth ground against each other. Without thinking, he approached the man and kicked him with his boot to the stomach. George growled in pain, bending forward and dropping down to his knees.
“The next kick will knock all of your teeth out,” Dominic said through the onslaught of pain. “Then, when I get bored with kicking you, I will use the gun that you used on me, you vile wretch. And I will shoot you in all the places that will allow me to keep you alive for as long as possible, but in the greatest amount of pain you could have ever imagined.
Trust me, right now, I am in no mood for mercy.” He paused again, as the monologue exhausted him. “I will ask you only one more time, George Thompson. Where are your wife and her daughter?”
George seemed to hesitate, but one look in Dominic’s direction assured him that Dominic wasn’t playing. Not even for a single moment.
“Where are they!?” Dominic lifted his boot, but that wasn’t even necessary.
George flinched, shielding himself with his hand. “Don’t!” he shouted. “I’ll tell you where they are.” He paused to lower his hand, swallowing heavily. “They are locked in the cellar of the next house.”
“Is anyone there?” Reginald asked, ready to rush over there, but even he had learned his lesson.
“No,” George shook his head. “It was just the three of us.”
“The key,” Dominic demanded. “You said they were locked. And move your hands slowly.”
George nodded and did as Dominic bid him. He slowly extracted a key out of his pocket, handing it over to Reginald, who grabbed it.
“Let’s go,” Reginald instructed.
Dominic turned to Tim, who had been a silent observer ever since he had taken out the second ruffian, seeing he was not needed. Now he stepped up again.
“Go,” he urged. “The girls are waiting. I will stay here and keep an eye out on these three until we fetch the constables.”
Dominic nodded. “In that case, you’ll need this.” He handed him the gun. Tim took it with a nod of his own.
“Are you sure you can walk like that?” Reginald asked, eyeing Dominic’s wound, which, strangely enough, did not hurt as much.
“I wouldn’t let you go there alone, not after everything that has happened,” Dominic assured him. “Besides, do you know what your sister would do to me if something happened to you?”
His playful retort made all three men chuckle. Dominic quickly glanced at his wound, lifting his hand off of it for a closer look. Fortunately, it seemed that the bullet didn’t actually go through him, but made a deep gash and tore his side, making it incredibly painful, but much less serious if it were the other way around. He sighed with relief, but even that was anguishing.
“Let’s go,” Dominic echoed Reginald’s words, heading towards the door. “You’ve got a future wife and daughter to save, old boy.”
Chapter 35
“Just… be careful, all right?” Dominic advised Reginald as they stood in front of the adjacent house, the one George claimed was where he held Annabel and Rosie.
“Do you think there is someone else here?” Reginald asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Dominic replied honestly, eyeing the front door. “I wouldn’t trust what George Thompson says even if my life depended on it. That is why I’m just reminding you to be cautious. Listen for any strange sounds or shadows. It could be another trap.”
