Bound As His Business-Deal Bride

Gage bundled some more belongings into his pack. He stuffed hers through a punched-out hole in the wall into the cavity space, out of sight.

‘Now’s the time to climb like a tiger’s on your tail, cher,’ he whispered. The sounds of the searchers drifted closer. Men’s hushed voices. Sniggers.

‘Come out, come out, wherever you are.’

Like some sick game. They were hunting and she was the catch of the day. She almost lost her meagre dinner there on the floor, but swallowed down the saliva flooding her mouth. Gage closed the space between them, kissing her again. Not gently this time. His lips were hard and fast against her own, bringing her back to herself. She didn’t want to let him go. Not now, not ever.

‘I’ll get them away from here. Then you run.’

He released her and bent from the waist, clasping his fingers in front of him. She put a foot into his cupped hands, just like when they’d been kids and he’d always helped her into the tree. Gage hoisted her up and she grabbed a rough beam with her bare fingers. Splinters bit into her soft flesh. She clung to the wood, huddled in the darkness as she perched in the old rafters, trying to make herself as small as possible.

She was good at making herself small.

Dim light from the street bled through the dirty, broken windows. Gage gave her a long, last look. Flickers of torchlight came closer. He kissed his fingers and reached them out in her direction.

‘Soon.’

He hoisted his pack and crept away quietly till he was almost out of sight. Then he scuffed his trainers on the floor, deliberately making a noise. He was the decoy, like a mother duck leading hunters away from her ducklings. Eve took a deep breath, trying to steady her anxious heartbeat. She had money in her pocket. When Gage and her father’s men were gone, she’d swing down somehow and make her way to Montgomery. They’d find each other. Marry like they’d planned. It would be fine.

Shouts.

‘There! He’s there!’

The pounding of booted feet. A commotion, scuffling. A cacophony of sound she couldn’t make out.

‘Got him!’

‘Let me go!’

Gage’s voice, like she’d never heard it. He’d always made her feel safe. Now he sounded as terrified as she felt. She gripped the beam under her so tight it cut into her fingers and she closed her eyes, trying to make out the voices over the rain falling on the roof. She hoped he was just acting, playing it up for the men who’d caught him.

‘Where is she?’

Eve froze, stopped breathing, because that voice she knew. Her father. There were a few beats of silence then a thud, a grunt. A swift, sharp crack like a snapping twig. Then Gage’s voice, thick and broken.

‘She’s gone.’

Had they hurt him? Eve’s breathing burst in quick pants. Her head spun as she tried to stay calm. If she fainted and dropped from her hiding place, everything would be lost.

‘She left you?’

‘You’ll never, ever find her. I’ve made sure of it.’

She couldn’t hear her father’s response, only the murmurs of men that became louder and louder. More torchlight, now below her, flicked into the dark corners of the space. She jumped as one man kicked over some dirty crates in his search. He sneezed loudly and she flinched. The disturbed dust tickled her own nose and she held her breath. They couldn’t look up. Not up. Please.

The rain fell heavier now, beating staccato on the roof. Another deluge on the way. She strained to hear over the sound of it, which meant the men below would have to as well.

‘Nothing, boss!’ one of her father’s cronies shouted, before doing a last sweep of the room with his torch. Then they left, drifting out of the space

and away.

Eve dropped her head to the strut in front of her. Burning tears threatened behind her eyelids, stinging the back of her nose as she held them in. She wouldn’t cry, not now. Gage needed her to stay strong. There would be time to fall apart when they were together again.

‘Boy, your grand-daddy was a liar and your daddy’s a thief.’ Her father again, cold and cruel. The tone all too familiar. ‘Now you try to steal my daughter? If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll ruin you and your family. I will destroy everything you love.’

That voice sent icy dread freezing through her veins. She bit her lip to hold back a gasp. The metallic, salty tang of blood flooded her mouth. Hugo Chevalier would do exactly as he’d threatened. What had she done? She shouldn’t have run. She should never have risked Gage or his family.

Someone spat, the sound full of disdain. She huddled closer to the beam but couldn’t see anything. Her hands stung where the splinters had now worked beneath her skin.