Lady Alexandra's Lover (Sex and the Season 3)

“Madam, this man is producing obscene material.”

“Is that really any of your business? Let the law take care of him.”

“The law won’t. It falls to me.” Ryland shot Osborne in the head.

Ally gasped. Agony threaded throughout her body. Good riddance, but seeing someone killed unnerved her even more. Evan and Sophie could have met a similar fate previously if Ryland and the woman hadn’t gotten spooked and left the scene. Ally’s skin chilled.

The man called Ryland paced around the room while the other two helped Ally to her feet. Ryland might feel that violence against women was wrong, but he had arranged Sophie’s kidnapping. Granted, he had not hurt Sophie in any way, and someone—perhaps the woman?—had alerted the constables. Still, Ryland had scared the hell out of Sophie and the rest of them. Ally had best not reveal her true identity, or he would take her.

What to do? She was badly battered. She had been beaten this badly and worse by her father and survived. She would survive this time. All she needed were some headache powders and her bed. In a few days, she would be good as new.

Ryland was clearly crazy. She didn’t know about the other two, but if they were in league with him, she didn’t hold out much hope for them. She had to find a way to get away from them. Right now they seemed concerned with helping her, and oddly, she wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad.

The whirring of the presses below still buzzed in her ears. No one would come for her. Likely no one had heard the shot fired by Ryland.

“Find a cabbie and get her home,” Ryland said. “I need to stay here and take care of this body.”

The two men helped Ally descend the narrow staircase and took her out the back way.

Darkness had fallen, and now that her fear and adrenaline had subsided, the pain permeated her body. Her strong will had kept her numb during the beating. She hadn’t endured punishment of this magnitude in several years.

However, it had been a small price to pay to keep Osborne from raping her.

And what of Ryland, her unlikely savior? He had probably saved her life. Osborne might have beaten her to death. Should she be grateful? Bewilderment cluttered her mind. The images in front of her appeared normal, distorted, and then normal again.

The two men deposited Ally into a hansom cab. Ally managed to give the cabbie the address of the Brighton townhome, and then she lay back, each bump in the road jarring her body, pain radiating through her.

After only a few moments, the cabbie nudged her. “My lady, we have arrived.”

She must have dozed off. The cabbie helped her to the door and knocked.

Woods opened the door and gasped. “Lady Alexandra! What happened?”

“She’s in pretty bad shape, I’m afraid,” the cabbie said. “Two men got her in my cab.”

Ally opened her mouth, but couldn’t speak.

“Thank you,” Woods said. “Wait a moment please, and I’ll see that you’re compensated.”

“Not to worry, mate. The men paid me for my services. Just take care of the young lady. Good night.”

Woods helped Ally up the stairs and to her chamber.

“I’ll find a maid to attend to you, my lady.”

Alexandra fell onto her bed.

* * *

Ally woke, shivering. Sunlight streamed through her window. Her whole body throbbed. She groaned.

“Ally?”

Ally turned her head, each minute change of position excruciating. Sophie sat in a chair next to her bed, holding her hand.

“Sophie?” Ally’s voice cracked.

“Oh, Ally, I’ve been so worried. Don’t try to talk too much.”