Cold Comfort (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 5)

“I would rather be dead than go anywhere with you,” Emmeline snarled. “If you think I am the kind of woman you can snatch without a whimper you can think again.”

“Emmeline. Get out of here,” Oliver growled.

“No.” She threw him a dismissive glare before she scowled at Smidgley again.

“Ah, so this one is a little feisty,” Smidgley mused.

“God, you vile, loathsome oaf,” Emmeline snorted. “You deserve to be locked up for the rest of your worthless life.”

“I must say your sister was far more malleable,” Smidgley mused, his voice rife with taunting glee.

“That’s because you probably drugged her. That’s what you have to do with all your victims, isn’t it? Otherwise, nobody would ever go anywhere near the likes of you,” Emmeline snorted.

Oliver grinned and looked at her approvingly.

Smidgley’s face turned even more evil.

“If you knew anything about me you would know my association with my sister was never the best. So why would you expect me to give a damn what you think of her, or me? Why would you consider, even for a second, that I should be like her? Just because we are twins, we are supposed to be the same, is that it? It’s an arrogant assumption to make, even for a fool like you.” Emmeline lifted an arrogant brow at the man and waited.

“He is a fool, and arrogant too,” Oliver said with a thoughtful nod.

“There are some friends of mine who would like to meet you,” Smidgley smirked.

Oliver closed his eyes because he knew what Smidgley had lined up for Emmeline.

“She is my wife. Touch her and I will damned well hound you to Hell,” Oliver snarled.

“I am going nowhere with you, Smidgley, so I suggest you kill me now,” Emmeline snorted.

“Get her,” Smidgley ordered the thug closest to her.

Emmeline backed away. Oliver waited until Smidgley had turned his attention to Emmeline and made his move. Using the tight hold that the thug had on him, Oliver lifted both feet off the ground and planted them as hard as he could straight into Smidgley’s stomach. The thug behind him released him when he

realised that he was helping Oliver. Oliver wasted no time slamming a fist into Smidgley’s face. The loud snap of Smidgley’s teeth smacking together was satisfying enough, but to watch Smidgley’s head jerk back, his face a blank mask of surprise at the strength of the onslaught was enough to compel Oliver to keep punching. Stepping back, Oliver slammed a kick into the groin of the approaching thug who had just released him and followed it with a heavy punch to the man’s face. When he fell to his knees, Oliver then rendered him unconscious with a heavy kick to the head seconds before he spun around and landed several more kicks into Smidgley’s stomach.

“Get him,” Smidgley growled with the last of his breath, but got no further before Oliver slammed a boot into the side of his head followed by the butt of the gun that he deftly swept off the floor. He then slammed it forcefully into the thug’s gut before giving him an upper cut to the underside of his jaw. The man slithered silently to the floor beside his boss.

Emmeline could hear the dull thud of fists striking flesh but daren’t take her eyes off the man stalking steadily toward her. She knew that if she did get distracted then she would end up seriously injured or kidnapped just like Caroline despite Oliver’s valiant fighting. It was a terrifying prospect.

Suddenly, Oliver stepped toward her. “Get into the house, Emmeline and lock the door. You have seen where the guns are. Use one if they get in. Go.”

Oliver smirked and went on the attack. He had to trust that Emmeline would do as he asked. The last thing he could do right now was take his eyes off his opponent, even for a second.

Emmeline hesitated. She wanted to go inside but couldn’t just run to safety and leave Oliver facing death. The thug lying beside a recovering Smidgley was also starting to recover and was now glaring evilly at Oliver’s back. It was only a matter of time before he launched another assault only this time, Oliver was distracted by his current attacker.

When the thug beside Smidgley launched to his feet, Emmeline hefted her make-shift club. Unfortunately, her movement captured his attention and he smirked at her. Rather than make his way over to Oliver, he began to stalk toward her. Emmeline braced herself and tightened her hold on her weapon. When the thug was as close as she dared allow him to get, Emmeline hefted her weapon but, rather than swing it as the thug expected, she kicked him as hard as she could, straight in his crotch. The man’s eyes widened. He was temporarily distracted by the pain in his nether regions to pay much attention to what Emmeline was doing next and didn’t even notice when Emmeline swung her weapon mightily at his head. The heavy thunk of the plank hitting the thug made her wince. She stumbled back and watched, eyes wide, as the man fell to his knees clutching his manhood. When he still didn’t topple, Emmeline hefted her plank again and slammed him over the back of his head. She smirked when he fell to the floor unconscious.

When she looked at Smidgley, it was to find him watching her warily. Strangely, his cockiness had vanished completely. For the first time since his arrival in the yard he began to look wary. Emmeline met his stare head-on with a cold disregard that left him in no doubt she would do the same to him if he ventured close enough.

With Oliver still brawling beside her, Emmeline threw Smidgley one last dismissive glance before she turned her attention to the thug trying to punch the man she now knew she loved. Hefting her weapon, she moved around until she was behind the thug, and swung her weapon once more. The thug never knew what hit him. He didn’t even get to blink before his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped to the floor.

Oliver and Emmeline looked at each other over his body. An instant connection began to take form between them. It was so strong that it was almost tangible. It made it clear to them both that they were as one; a unit.

“Together,” Oliver murmured quietly, with a whole new respect for her. While he didn’t expect her to have heard him for a second, he saw her gaze drop to his lips and knew from her nod that she had understood him.

They would fight their enemies together – to the death if need be.

“Together,” she whispered.