Protection

Chapter Seventeen

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   Love, Morgan <3

Swallowing hard, Alex tested the reality of the stabbing metal pressed uncomfortably against his temple. His heart was pounding in his throat. His fingers shook. And he hadn't been so afraid in a long time. It was as painful as a strike to his stomach.

   "Where is she?"

She? Which she?

His mind told him what she. The she that had soft but hot glowing green eyes, who fainted at the most inopportune moments, and who apparently attracted danger.

   "Where is she?" It was a man's voice- cruel and wavering, bearing a strong French accent.

Alex closed his eyes for a millisecond. An arm curled around his throat and began to tighten. What to say? What to do?

   "I swear," the man hissed venomously, "I'll blow your brains all over this place."

Give me strength.

In a flash of lightning, Alex snapped his hand up, and squeezed the man's wrist until the pistol landed in the snow, and a dreadful popping noise screeched from the wrist.

   A cry of pain came from him- the man- and Alex swung about, grabbing him by the arm and wrenching it painfully behind his back. There was a struggle, kicking and cursing and hard breathing.

When finally, he was beneath Alex in the snow, and anger began to subside, thoughts came rushing up into his brain.

   "Who are you?" Alex growled.

"Aller à l'enfer!" he spat, breathing hard, glaring up at his captor with red hot rage- it colored his cheeks, his eyes bulged. Alex was surprised- this man might have been able to take him down in a flash. He was svelte, but he seemed like perhaps he would have been strong. Then Alex saw his hollow cheeks. He saw the ugly scar that marred an otherwise hansdome face.

"Who are you looking for?"

 ''Non," he resisted. "Dead- she is dead to me."

Surprise took him. Alex had no idea who this man was. One minute before, he had been asking about Alayna. Now- she was dead to him? Who could it have been?

  "Alayna Bordreaux. Are you looking for Alayna?" Somehow, reading the man's eyes, he knew that this man did not wish to cause her harm.

"I am sorry, Monsieur," he said in broken English. Alex stood up. "It has been very long since I heard that name."

   "Who are you?" Alexander Pembroke persisted.

"It does not matter- I only ask, is she well?" Desperation lurked in the man's eyes, and he searched the dark ones staring down at him.

"Yes. She is well."

Convincing the woman to turn Alayna over was rather difficult.

At first, she thought of Alex, and knew that turning his ward in would hurt him. She began to weigh the possibilites, if it could be something overlooked, if he would try and kill her. Or if he would love again.

   "What will you give me?" she queried carefully.

"Opportunity to start over again, Madame. A new home and a new name. A new identity."

"What about...him?"

The greedy man's eyes glimmered with spectacular, carnal anticipation. "We will take him off your hands, Madame. As I said. A chance to start over."

She thought of all the pain he had caused her, thought of moments when she had loved him and when she had hated him- and she decided after many, many long moments that her hatred completely and entirely drowned her love for him.

   When she woke, Ellie was curled about her neck, soft little body warm, limp with slumber.

And Alayna smiled sweetly to herself. She loved her puppy- and wondered if Sterling would let her keep Ellie. Surely he would. A man could not say that a woman could have what she wanted and then deny her favorite pet.

A memory came forward.

"And when this is over, Adrien," she had whispered in the prison at the beginning, "promise me that we shall have a pretty house and a dog."

"Just a house and a dog?" He had grinned, wrapping his arms closer around her.

"Children of course," she had said. And she had thought to herself then- she would be pleased to have his children and be their mother and be his wife.

She astonished herself by thinking that, now, since she was engaged to marry Sterling, she would give birth to his children. And she would be his wife.

From the window, she saw that the sky was gray and that it was snowing. Amid her sadness, she was somewhat relieved. She had a bit of a headache and did not want to see very many people. Snow would keep them away for a day or two, with their congratulating and their oohs and ahhs and their fawning. She could hardly stand the thought.

 For several moments, she kept snuggled up in bed, not moving, cuddling Ellie, and thought breathlessly. Of Alex.

   Why, oh, why had she kissed him? Yes, at first, he had kissed her- but then, she had kissed him back, and had felt refreshed and alive when she did it. But it left her full of regret. She had never been one to simply give kisses away. Ever. Adrien had been her first kiss, and her thousand kisses after that. And Alex had one of those kisses, that should have belonged to Adrien or soon to Sterling.    

 Sterling. She hoped more than anything he had meant what he had said. She was tired of being afraid. And maybe he really, truly would take her away, after he knew why she was so adamant about getting away. Not because London was dreary. Not because the people were rude or cold. Because of fear.

    Soon enough, Ellie stretched her small bones, and waggled and seemed to smile at her mother.

"Good morning, sunshine," Alayna cooed, and held Ellie close to her face, enjoying the fading puppy breath.

   Swift, warm, wet licks painted her cheeks and she laughed.

"We had better take you outside before you make a mess. Yes, we had better," she cooed, and rubbed the sandy-velvet ears.

    She held the pup to her chest, and got out of bed. Her snowy white nightrail flowed around her legs, letting the cold bristle on her smooth-skinned legs.

    After pulling her floral pink wrapper over her sleeping attire, she called for a maid, and had her take the puppy outside to piddle around for a minute.

   In the meantime, she would wash her face and comb her hair. It couldn't be more than seven a.m., she thought, and decided that she would ready herself for the day, and have breakfast with Alex. If anyone tried to come and see her, despite the snow, she would beg off on a headache. She didn't want to see anyone- not when she was supposed to be madly in love with her fiance.

    When the handmaid came in to her chamber to help her dress, Alayna asked her where Lord Pembroke was.

   Confused, the girl replied, "Lord Pembroke sent a note from...from Miss Burns' home. I wasn't supposed to say where he spent the night, b-"

   "That scoundrel!" she cried. "That- that rat!" She then called him every bad name she could recall the peasants calling the aristos during the Revolution. Her cheeks flamed and she clenched her fists.

   "Please, my lady," the girl began to fret, "please don't tell him- I mustn't lose my position." And Alayna thought, If Alex hadn't wanted me to know, she would lose her position. No, I cannot let that happen.

Alayna looked at her, wrath fading a little. She softened, and swallowed her anger back. "No. No, no, no," she said quickly, shakily. "I shan't utter a word. But tell no one- no one of his whereabouts." She gritted her teeth. "If he doesn't take care for his reputation, then I suppose I shall have to do it myself!"