All Her Men (The Queen's Men Book 1)

by Brina Cary

  “Will, do ye have a bottle of yer caffeine pills in yer bag of tricks?” The sounds of Will rifling through the small bag made hope surge through him. He took the bottle of caffeine pills Will produced and shook out three. Tearing his shirt, he hoped it would work. Jacob wasn’t a doctor. The only thing he knew was that caffeine could help open up her lungs, he just had to find a way to get it into her system.

  Rolling the three pills up into his shirt, he placed it upon the ground. Standing up, he carefully stomped on them with his boot, almost losing his balance in the process. He picked the bundle up and unwound it, then opened her mouth and poured it in. He used mouth to mouth in an attempt to get as much of the powder in her as he could.

  “Will, I need…” Without a further word, Will handed him the small taser he kept. As the small device entered his field of vision he whispered, “Amelia, I am truly so verra sorry for what I am about to do. I do it out of love though.”

  Sitting back he popped the panel off the back of the device. Riffling through its innards he adjusted it to the lowest voltage and placed it against her chest, just below her clavicle. He needed her to breathe in the crushed pills. It was only a theory that it might work, but anything was better than watching her die. He’d rather try and be wrong than live with the knowledge that he had let her go without a fight. Wincing, he pressed the button.

  The reward was a deeper inhalation of breath and the possibility that they had more time together. As he continued to pray he turned towards Darren. “I cannae carry her.”

  Nothing more was needed to be said as Darren understood his words and picked her up. Jacob moved as quickly as he could behind them, never losing sight of her hand as it dangled beside them. If he had anything to say about it there would be a wedding ring on it soon. He would stake his claim in front of the entire country and keep her safe from harm ever again.

  As they neared the entrance he pressed the microphone and whispered, “We have Amelia. Exit in sight. She needs a medic.” An SUV was ready nearby, with a doctor and medical supplies in it. They had been prepared for her to need care, but Jacob’s heart hurt at the thought of how much care she would need. They exited before him. As he neared the entrance something grazed his calf. Pain seared upwards. His hands went out as he crashed to the ground. A raspy voice sounded from behind him.

  “Did you really think I would let you leave with her alive?”

  As Jacob rolled over onto his rear, he grimaced. “Marcus, ‘tis not yer fight.”

  “You made it my fight!”

  Jacob watched as Marcus neared him, with a sneer on his face. This was a long time coming. There was no way for it to end well. No way at all.

  “Get up!”

  He would get up and he would end this. For once and all, he would end it.

  Chapter 36

  As Jacob stood up he took comfort in the fact that Amelia would never know just how deadly he could be. That she would never see the damage he wrought upon Marcus — and he intended to do a lot of damage. However, only if he had to. He just hoped that his legs would hold. The pill Chris had given him seemed to do wonders to block out the pain from the damage. He just needed it to hold a little longer. Long enough to make Marcus realize his mistakes, and just maybe, if possible, save him. While he wanted to hurt him for hurting Amelia, he still wanted to save him. They were brothers after all.

  “Marcus, this ‘tis a mistake.” He held out his hand in front of him, hoping to seem as non-threatening as possible.

  His opponent pulled a knife. “No, it’s not. It’s actually a plot that’s been in the making for so many years now. Did he ever tell you why I accepted the contract? Well… before I killed him?”

  “Nay, he dinnae.”

  “Oh, good. Then let me tell you.” Advancing forward, he grinned. “He killed my mother and father. Not directly of course, but he’s the reason they’re dead. It’s quite ironic really. You see, he’s the reason that he took me in. I wasn’t like the rest of you — there by chance. I was there because he brought about the deaths of my parents and felt guilty.” He snarled the last word. Hate echoing on his speech.

  Marcus had lost it. That was the only way to explain it. Brandir had never been in Africa. There had never been a reason for him to have been. “Marcus, I think someone has lied to ye.”

  “No! Someone has lied to you! I know the truth and it’s time for revenge to come full circle!”

  “Marcus! Think about it! What would Brandir have to gain from murderin’ yer family? Truly, what?” This was madness! Brandir would never have done such a thing. “Who did this to ye? Who lied to ye?”

  “Shut up! I can’t do this anymore! I want this over! My family deserves better! They didn’t deserve to die!”

  “Marcus, they dinnae deserve to die. No one does. But it cannae be changed.”

  “No, but I can get revenge…”

  Throwing his arms up in exasperation, he screamed, “Revenge? Revenge? There ‘tis no reason fer revenge! Why can ye not see that?” As he turned from Marcus he felt as if he had failed Brandir. He had failed to keep them together. He had just assumed that Marcus had turned on them. He never considered that there might be something that caused Marcus to turn. Losing Marcus, one of his brothers, had been painful. Something that he hated to dwell on. “We lost ye, Marcus. We lost ye and never ken the reason of it. Now, to find out ye thought Brandir a murderer… ‘Tis too much to bear.”

  “Well, you’re going to do more than bear it.” As he lunged forward with the knife, Jacob finally understood. He tripped over his own feet as he tried to move out of the way of the blade. With a hiss of pain, he felt the knife slice his stomach through his shirt.

  Marcus couldn’t be reasoned with. He needed to be stopped and then Jacob could save him. If he just happened to break some things in the process, then that would be payback for Amelia.

  Anticipating the next arch of the swing, he moved to the right. Marcus swung it back. The look on his face was hatred, pure hatred. “Ye might not listen to me, Marcus, but there ‘tis things ye dinnae know. Someone pulls yer strings and I bet it’s MacMillan.”

  “He told me the truth!”

  “Did he now? Did he tell ye that Brandir cannae have killed yer family and been on a different continent, settling a feud in Brussels, at the same time?”

  Marcus slowed to a stop, his right eyebrow furrowed in confusion.

  “Brandir loved us all…”

  “No! Brandir loved you. He didn’t love us all. He tore us from those that truly loved us. He took us!”

  “Marcus,” Jacob took a deep breath, “if ye really believe that, then what are ye waiting fer? Get on with killing me!” He waved his hand dismissively. Marcus charged at him. As they both fell to the ground, Jacob struggled to knock the knife from Marcus’ grasp.

  “ARGH!”

  A gunshot fired in the ground near their feet. They both stopped.

  “Are you boys about done?” Jacob turned to look the SNP Leader. “Dear Lord, you’re both so stupid.” He gestured towards Marcus. “This one here thinks Brandir killed his kin.” Then he gestured towards Jacob. “And you think that you can protect her.”

  “Is Jacob telling the truth?”

  “Of course he is, you dimwit! Do you know how long it took to plan this? I thought you would figure it out, but you never did. How ridiculous are you?”

  “Jacob, I…”

  “Never mind, Marcus. Focus on the problem.” It was a big problem indeed. The man aimed the gun back and forth between Marcus and Jacob, as if he couldn’t decide who to shoot first.

  “If you had just let me kill her at Parliament then this would be done.” Thomas’ eyes were wide, his expression manic-like.

  “Parliament?” Jacob narrowed his eyes in confusion. What did Parliament have to do with it?

  “I thought I had gotten so lucky when I learned she had asthma. Just a hint of a trigger upon the air in the room and that would be the end of that. However, it didn’t work
! You and your ridiculous rules!” He swung the gun back to Marcus, causing Jacob to turn back to him as well. “Don’t even think of going for it. I swear I will kill you. I swear! How many times must I say it before someone takes me seriously!”

  Jacob had always taken the threats seriously. He just wished that he had realized that Thomas was the threat. “That ‘tis the thing. Brandir knew you were evil. He wished to protect Scotland — wished to protect Amelia.”

  Thomas pointed the gun back at Jacob. “Are you judging me?” He seemed shocked, as if he didn’t expect to be judged by anyone.

  “I dinnae judge anyone. I have my own secrets… My own crimes.”

  “Jakey, I’m sorry at what I’ve done,” Marcus whispered to him.

  Jacob felt sorry for him, but this wasn’t the time nor the place for feeling sorry for a misguided individual. “We will deal with that later, Marcus.”

  A voice on the wind shouted Jacob’s name.

  “If I dinnae answer, they will kill ye.”

  “Fine. This isn’t over,” Thomas snarled.

  “Not yet, but it will be,” Marcus whispered.

  Jacob turned his head slightly to see what Marcus was talking about. As he opened his mouth he realized what Marcus’ plan was. There was no time to stop him. There was no time to pray. There was only enough time to hope that Amelia was far away on the route to the hospital before the explosions started. Marcus had always been good at bombs. That was his specialty, his gift.

  Chapter 37

  Tears fell softly onto the pillow beneath her head. Her heart and soul ached. He had remembered everything. Everything that they had. Everything he meant to her. Everything she believed that she had meant to him. However, he had pretended that none of it had ever existed. That she had not existed.

  Maybe it was time for her to go back home. Scotland could find another Queen. Someone better suited for the throne. Someone that could handle the pain that came with it. She could not. It hurt too much.

  The sound of the door squeaking open brought her out of her thoughts. Quickly she wiped her eyes to hide the tears. “I’m fine, so there’s no need to check on me.”

  “Aye, but there is.”

  Jacob. Why had he come? He had already proved that everything was a farce. Just to keep her in Scotland until they didn’t need her anymore. Her back went rigid. Was he there to gloat? About how he had never really loved her. That it was all made up?

  “Lass, ye have to ken.”

  She closed her eyes, it hurt too much to hear his voice. It was too hard to listen to whatever he might say. “Leave me, please.”

  His footsteps came closer instead of further away. She felt the bed dip as he sat down. “I cannae leave ye, Amelia.” It seemed he was hell bent on ignoring her wishes as he crawled in the bed behind her and rested a hand on her side. “I dinnae want to leave ye.”

  He pulled her to him, but she didn’t fight him off. She was too weak to deny him. Too weak to pull away. His arms were comforting as they wrapped around her. Soothing, despite the pain that they were destined to bring.

  “Lass, I was wrong. ‘Twas a simple attempt to protect ye. Please dinnae think I dinnae love ye. Amelia, I love ye more than the breath in my verra body. I can no more live without ye than breath air under water.”

  A sob tore from her throat. “Why?”

  “Why do I leave ye?”

  “Why are you still torturing me? You knew me, but acted like you forgot! You toyed with me and you’re still doing it! Why?”

  “Lass, I swear on my honor that I am not—”

  “No! No more lies! I don’t want to hear anything else! My father. My own father, asked you to stay with me. You decided the easiest way to do that was to profess love. That’s unforgivable.” She took a breath, wheezy cackles sounding in her lungs. “I just want to sleep.”

  “Verra well, lass. Sleep fer now, but ken that no man shall profess love to a lass that he dinnae love. Scots dinnae tell such lies. Sleep, Amelia. We shall discuss this when ye wake,”

  That was what he thought. She could sleep for a week from the stress of the asthma attack, her wounds from torture, and the pain medicines. The emotional drama of his lies just fueled her overwhelming desire to break away from the world and sleep. He could stay if he wanted, but he could not make her forgive him. No, that he could never do.

  As they spooned in the small hospital bed, guards outside the door, she closed her eyes. The dreams would come soon, and she expected they would not be pleasant. As her breathing began to even out, despite the slight hiccup from the residual wheezes that plagued her she whispered, “Besides only a bastard would tase a woman he proclaimed to love.”

  A breathy laugh sounded next to her ear. “Och my dear Amelia, ‘twas all I could think of at the time.”

  “It still hurts.”

  “Close yer eyes and sleep. Tomorrow will be better.”

  Somehow she doubted that. Even with everything they had been through since the bombing she still felt as if there were worse things to come. However, as he hummed a light song she felt at peace. She began to hope that just maybe, tomorrow would be the first sunny day that they had seen in so long.

  Chapter 38

  As she was wheeled out of the hospital her breath caught. A sea of people greeted her. They parted to allow her to pass unharmed and were completely silent. Holding up a hand to bring the nurse to a halt she whispered, “Why are they all here?”

  Jacob, Will, and Darren who had been walking besides her chair stopped as well. Possibly scanning the crowd for any potential threats.

  “Yer Majesty, they came to see ye. To ken ye still live. Ye are our queen. ‘Tis our duty to see ye safe. They have been waiting since word was released that ye had been harmed.”

  “Had no one told them that I was fine?”

  “Aye, but they still waited.”

  They were waiting to see her? To know that she was alive and safe like they had been told? They cared that much for her?

  She flipped the handle down to set the breaks on the chair. Jacob was by her side instantly. “Lass, no. Yer too weak.”

  “They deserve for me to be strong. I will walk the rest of the way. Just slowly.” She smiled in an attempt to re-assure him; however, she wasn’t really worried at what he might think. He was still on her shit list after all. She stood, her leg protesting her weight. The stitches pulled. It did not matter though. They needed to see her strength.

  Stepping forward, her people watched with rapt attention. She smiled at them and waved. A sea of smiles broke out in the crowd. Her very soul was touched by them. She stepped further down the pathway, her guards by her sides. A few steps down, she addressed her people.

  “I know the last few weeks have been very trying for everyone. We, as a united country, have lost so many that we love. We have lost more than a country should. People that were supposed to protect the interests of Scotland and the Scottish people, failed. They let you down. They let me down.

  “It’s unfair to tell you that everything will be golden from here on out, because I really don’t know. We were betrayed, and you never really get over that.” She sighed deeply. “What I can tell you though, is that I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to ensure that it never happens again. Right now Scotland is stronger than it’s ever been.

  “We’ve shown the world once again that the Scottish people will not back down from a fight! We’ve shown the world that the Scottish people will unite and rise up from any tyranny that should try to take us down! And we’ve shown that we will protect our own no matter what!” Her voice cracked, breaking from the inflammation that still haunted her.

  “Now, we have choices to make on where we want to go from here. We can either close ourselves off or continue to make Scotland known as a mighty country filled with beauty. It’s your choice, but for me, I’m choosing to show our might, our beauty, and our strength. I’m choosing to open up Scotland, so everyone in the world will love us for who we a
re.

  “We are the same as our ancestors who fought for freedom and for the right to be who they were. Who they were meant to be. We are Scots! We should be proud of this and flaunt it to the world!”

  As cheers erupted from the crowd, Amelia felt her strength wane. Tears were running down her cheeks. Her family had given so much for Scotland, and yet there was still so much more to give.

  She waved once more and continued to the waiting car. It would take her to the Parliament building. Tomorrow she would begin the process of rebuilding the palace. That would be their symbol of strength, and she would personally oversee it.

  As she climbed into the car ,Jacob slid in beside her. Maybe she needed to be strong for herself too. She reached over and lightly grasped his hand. She would forgive his betrayal in time. After all, he had done it to protect her. He would learn though, that she made her own decisions and could protect herself. If he could accept her for that then they had a chance. A small chance, but a chance.

  A sigh escaped her lips. Hell, who was she kidding. They had more than a small chance. He was the only man she had ever loved. No matter what he did, he still held the key to her heart.

  “Jacob,” she whispered.

  “Aye?”

  “I’m thinking ice cream for dinner tonight.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  She nodded and turned away from him, anticipating the events to come.

  Chapter 39

  Jacob stood at the open veranda, lost in things that once were. The past six months had been full of trials. They still had a long way to go. The mastermind was still missing, with no clues as to his potential whereabouts. Marcus was on the run too, attempting to make amends for what he had done. Jacob expected to see him again one day. It wasn’t his fault really. He was just a puppet.

  It was still unclear how Thomas escaped. Chris’ theory was that when the blast went off around them, Thomas managed to get to a vehicle that he had waiting. Jacob hoped that the debris from the blast had caused some damage to the weasel as he ran for it. Marcus had always been good with explosives and it seemed that he had them layered just right to avoid the entrance where he and Jacob were. Maybe he had known more about where they entered than he had let on. Jacob still felt guilty about excluding Marcus as a child… Maybe if they hadn’t then Marcus would have known Brandir wasn’t capable of what Thomas proclaimed. Maybe then those that had perished in the Edinburgh bombing would still be alive… So many what-ifs.