FightforLove

by Samantha Kane

  He’d sent some patients to see Thom. He’d frightened all the old ones off, and good riddance to them all, the rotten bastards. But he couldn’t have Thom sitting around in that office all day with nothing to do but brood. So he sent some of the girls around, and today he’d sent one of the warehouse workers with a broken arm. He wondered how Thom dealt with that. He knew that men with injuries threw him off, took him back to the war. Maybe he should see only women. Could a doctor do that? He hadn’t seemed to mind Carrie, though he’d been a bit upset about the baby. Dev forced himself not to think about that. Funny, the one thing Thom didn’t mind drove Dev to drink. Poor Jenny, she’d deserved better. She’d been his only family, the only one he remembered, at least. With her death, she’d condemned him to this life. She’d have died all over again to know that.

  He stood and paced his office and finally stared out the grimy window to the street. The weather was growing slightly warmer. March should come in like a lion soon. Normally spring was his favorite time of year. This year it would be a cold and lonely spring. He rather thought he’d hate it from now on.

  There was a commotion at the bottom of the stairs and he heard shouting. He turned to the office door just before it flew open and Rufus came in pulling a bedraggled Clarence behind him. Clarence looked as if he’d been in a fight, his clothes disarranged, and a bruise forming on his cheek. Dev’s heart nearly stopped. “Thom?” he choked out.

  “They took him,” Clarence said, out of breath. “Came in at the end of the day. There were no patients left. We both fought but it was no use. They dragged him out. Sent me with a message.”

  “What?” he growled between clenched teeth as Clarence stopped to take a breath.

  “Said he wants you in exchange. Kruger. He wants you. You have until morning.” Clarence sat down and covered his face with his hands. “I couldn’t stop them. I’m sorry.”

  Dev just stared at him for a minute, his mind disordered. “Kitty?” he whispered.

  “Shit,” Rufus bit out. “I didn’t think.”

  Dev raced out the door.

  Kitty dragged herself up the stairs to her flat. She hadn’t seen Thom come home. The last two days he’d stopped in at the shop and waited for her. Something must have come up. She hoped it wasn’t serious. She’d momentarily considered staying and working until he was done, but she didn’t have the heart for it. Damn Devlin and his stubborn pride. He was already trying to pull away from her and Thom, she knew it. This business with Kruger probably had him running scared. He’d be more convinced than ever that he was no good for them. He could be such an idiot sometimes.

  She heard a step on the stairs behind her and turned, expecting to see Thom. Instead, Hastings stared at her solemnly.

  “Oh, what is it?” she asked peevishly. If it were anyone but him she’d have welcomed the company.

  “Just checking in,” he said. “Any visitors today?”

  “Weren’t you watching me like the worst sort of criminal?” she snapped.

  His sigh was very put upon. “You know I’m being forced to do this, and yet you still direct your anger at me. Go yell at Sir Barnabas until he’s as heartily sick of you as I am, and perhaps he’ll let me leave.”

  “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she said, knowing she was being irrational. But she did enjoy a good row with Hastings. “Well, just for that, I won’t. Ha.”

  “So, then,” he said with false cheer. “It looks as if everything is normal here. Check.” He turned to go back down, but something made her speak up.

  “Actually, there is something you could do,” she said hesitantly. Hastings stopped and looked back up with a brow quirked in inquiry. “Thom isn’t home yet. He didn’t send a note or anything. It’s unusual.”

  Hastings gaze sharpened. “Do you want me to go check his office?”

  She nodded. “If you would. Please.”

  “All right. But you have to promise to stay in the flat, lock the door, and don’t let anyone in. I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight. Sir Barnabas fears the wrath of Lady Randall should anything happen to you.”

  Kitty gave him a weak smile. “Kate can be very ferocious.”

  Hastings didn’t move. “I’m waiting for you to go in,” he told her with exaggerated patience.

  “Oh, yes,” she said. She hurried up the last few steps. “I’m inside,” she called out, closing the door. “I’m locking it!” She heard his footsteps fade away and leaned against the door, biting the thumb tip of her glove. She had a bad feeling, which was never good.

  A few minutes later she heard footsteps pounding up the stairs outside and there came a furious pounding on the door. “Kitty!” Devlin called out. He sounded frantic. “Kitty, damn it!”

  She yanked open the door after tossing her bonnet on the sofa. “Devlin O’Shaughnessy!” she said sharply. “What is the meaning of this?”

  Devlin dragged her into his arms and buried his face in her shoulder. “Thank God,” he said brokenly. “You’re all right.”

  Kitty forgot her anger. “Devlin, what’s wrong?” she asked, frightened. “Tell me.”

  Devlin just tightened his arms around her and pressed his cheek to her hair, his ragged breaths blowing against her ear.

  “Devlin, tell me right now,” she said, her voice growing shrill. She fisted her hands in the back of his jacket and held him just as tightly as he held her. “What’s happened?”

  Devlin took two steps into the room, forcing her back and then let her go. He shut the door behind him. “They took him. Kruger took Thom.”

  Kitty backed up a few more steps, her heart racing, her mind filled with images of what they might do to him, to her sweet and gentle Thom. “No,” she whispered, her hand on her heart. It actually hurt, as if it had been torn asunder.

  “He wants me,” Devlin told her earnestly. He was talking very fast. She noticed he had no hat or coat. He was perspiring. He must have run all the way here. For her. “If I go to him, they’ll let Thom go. He wants to trade.”

  “No,” she said again. “There has to be another way.” She ran for the door, intent on running after Hastings.

  Devlin yanked her back. “No,” he barked. “You can’t leave. Don’t. They might be coming for you too.”

  It was just as Sir Barnabas had predicted. They’d used Devlin’s weaknesses against him. Only it wasn’t Kitty they’d taken. But she’d given them the idea. A sob broke free. “Devlin, we’ve got to get help. I’ll go to Sir Barnabas.”

  Devlin looked at her strangely. “Sir Barnabas James?”

  She nodded. “Daniel’s friend, at the Home Office. He’ll help.” Devlin just looked at her as if she were mad. “This is my fault!” she cried out.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said harshly. “This is my fault and you know it. It’s who I am. It’s what I do.” He spun away and put both hands on his hips as he paced in frustration. “I thought a clean break with you would keep you both safe.”

  “I went to see Bleecker,” she confessed in a whisper.

  Devlin turned slowly around to face her. “You did what?” he asked, disbelief and confusion in his voice.

  “I thought I could get you out of this life,” she told desperately. “I thought to offer him your territory. For a price. Then we could go away, the three of us.” She fell onto the sofa with a sob. “But I never did. Sir Barnabas had someone watching me and he dragged me out before I talked to Bleecker, but not before he saw me there. Sir Barnabas said I’d just exposed your weakness, that they knew I was unguarded now. So he kept a man on me. I just sent him to Thom’s office to check on him because he was late.”

  “God damn it!” Devlin yelled. “What were you thinking? He could have taken you yesterday. Could have done…God knows what.”

  “What he’s doing to Thom?” Kitty said, crying hard now, barely able to say the words. “I did it. I showed them the way.”

  The door crashed open then and Devlin wasted no time throwing himself on the int
ruder. It took a moment for Kitty to realize it was Hastings. The two men had a death grip on one another’s throats, both of their faces turning red.

  “Stop!” Kitty cried. She rushed over but Devlin spun around so that she couldn’t reach Hastings, or more likely so he couldn’t reach her. Hastings punched Devlin in the side with his free hand, but Devlin barely registered the hit. He grabbed Hastings’ shoulder and forced him down and then kneed him in the chest. Hastings fell to the floor dragging Devlin with him, both choking. “It’s Hastings!” she said, frantically tugging on Devlin’s coat. “The man from the Home Office! He’s not here to hurt me. Devlin let go. Hastings, stop it!”

  Hastings let go of Devlin’s throat and tried to pull his hand off. Devlin was breathing hard. He slowly let go of Hastings, and the other man fell over, coughing.

  “The two of you!” Kitty yelled. “I could kill you myself! You’re wasting time.”

  “What’s going on?” Hastings croaked.

  “Kruger’s got Thom,” Kitty said.

  Hastings nodded. “I knew something was wrong. That’s why I came back so quickly. His office was in shambles. A fight.”

  “He wants to trade. Me for Thom,” Devlin said. “You watch Kitty.”

  Hastings shook his head. “I’ve got to report to Sir Barnabas. It’s happening sooner than he planned. Don’t do anything stupid. We’ll handle this.” He disappeared out the door.

  Devlin gave Kitty the evil eye. “I don’t want to know what else you’ve been up to,” he said. “I’m going to Kruger. Now.”

  Kitty grabbed his arm and held on tight. “Devlin, you know he’ll kill you. I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t.” She was begging. “Please don’t do this. There has to be another way.”

  “Would you rather they kill him?” he asked harshly.

  Kitty cried harder, shaking her head. If Thom wasn’t dead already…she couldn’t even make herself imagine what they might be doing to him.

  Rufus appeared in the doorway, several men behind him. “Were they here?” he asked, looking at the door hanging oddly on its hinges.

  “No,” Devlin said. He buttoned his jacket. “I’m going to Kruger’s. You stay here with Kitty. I’m still not sure they won’t come here, too.”

  “Going to Kruger’s?” Rufus asked in disbelief. “Are you mad, man? You’ll be dead before you make it through the door, and so will the doctor. What good will you be to anyone then?”

  “I have to,” Devlin said, looking at Kitty as he spoke. She could barely see him through her tears. She wanted to stop him, but he was right. What else could they do? Thom couldn’t last long under Kruger’s brutal thumb.

  She threw herself in his arms. “Be careful,” she whispered. “And come back. With Thom. I’ll be furious if you don’t.”

  Devlin chuckled as he hugged her tightly. “I know you will.” He leaned back and looked at her as he cupped her cheek. “Don’t cry, Kitten. I’ll bring him home.” He kissed her and she clung to him, but when he pulled back she let him go. She always had to let him go, no matter how much she didn’t want to.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Dev walked into Kruger’s warehouse with his hands out to his sides. No one had stopped him on his way in. They’d just silently watched him, as if they’d been expecting him. There were a few sneers in his direction, but not many. Even now, they were still afraid of him. He found that useful information rather than something to be proud of. Depending on what condition Thom was in, he might be able to use their fear.

  “Ah, O’Shaughnessy,” Kruger said in his distinctive Cockney tones with a satisfied smile. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” He was leaning against the wall by the office, the open warehouse behind him.

  As Dev’s eyes adjusted to the gloom inside he searched for Thom. He wasn’t hard to find. They had him strung up by his hands in the warehouse. Dev could see him right over Kruger’s shoulder. His feet were still on the ground, but the rope kept his arms stretched taut above him. He wore no jacket or waistcoat, and his shirt was torn and bloody. He couldn’t see Thom’s face, his head lolled, chin against his chest. Dev swallowed his panic. “You know why I’m here,” he growled at Kruger, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of begging but fully prepared to do so if need be.

  He couldn’t keep his eyes off Thom, though he tried. The sight of him was a punch to the gut. If he’d just move his head, holler, do something. But he just hung there. Dev could feel the fear singing in his veins, tensing his muscles. He wanted to hit someone, do some damage of some kind, make them hurt, anything. But he stood there, defenseless, waiting. He’d do anything to get Thom free. Anything.

  Kruger sauntered into his line of vision, cutting off his view of Thom. He was a big bastard, broad-shouldered, thick-waisted, with huge hands, rough and hard. And bloody. They were bloody now. The sight of it, knowing it was Thom’s blood, made Dev’s vision waver with fury, but he locked his muscles tight and stood there. Kruger pulled a handkerchief out of the pocket of his frayed tweed jacket and made a show of wiping off his hands. He liked to pretend to be the country squire, but he looked every inch a thug. His hair was so thin as to be nonexistent on top. He brushed a few long, greasy strands over his baldpate to disguise it. He looked like a buffoon, but Dev knew the truth. He was hard and ruthless as hell.

  “Why don’t you tell me what you want?” Kruger said, all benevolent and jovial. He was going to make Dev beg, then.

  “I’ve agreed to your bargain,” Dev said, making it clear he was here at Kruger’s order. “Me for the doctor.”

  Kruger’s smile was full of chipped-tooth malice. “Ah, I see. Would you care to see him?” he asked nonchalantly, waving a hand over his shoulder in Thom’s general direction. “He was a bit uncooperative, but he saw the error of his ways when I explained it to him.”

  Dev fisted his hands at his sides. “The deal only stands if the doctor is alive.”

  Kruger made a point of looking behind Dev. He went so far as to stroll up to the door outside and peer through it. “It doesn’t look as if you’ve brought anyone with you,” he said, turning back to Dev with a shrug. “So I think any deal I want stands.” His vicious jackals laughed as if this was the greatest joke.

  Dev ignored them all and walked over to Thom. No one stopped him. When he reached him he tried not to touch him. He didn’t think Kruger really knew what Thom meant to him. Maybe he hadn’t known either, until today. But what was happening here hurt as much as if it were Kitty hanging there before him. “Thom,” he whispered harshly. “Thom, it’s Dev. Wake up.”

  Nothing. No response. He stepped closer and tipped Thom’s head back with a hand on his forehead. His bloody nose and swollen left cheek and eye infuriated Dev. “Thom?” he asked quietly. He brushed Thom’s hair off his forehead tenderly. “Come on, Thom.”

  Thom’s eyes fluttered open, the left bloodshot and a mere slit due to the swelling. He smiled slightly and then winced. “Hullo, Dev,” he said. “Fancy meeting you here.”

  Dev chuckled, nearly lightheaded with relief. “I know,” he said quietly. “You’ve really got to be more careful about your friends.”

  Thom was frowning, which produced another wince. “Shouldn’t have come,” he mumbled.

  “Can you walk out of here?” Dev asked.

  “Now why would he want to do that?” Kruger asked from behind Dev. “The fun is just beginning.”

  Dev quickly stepped away and let go of Thom. He’d been so intent on him he hadn’t heard Kruger approach.

  “Oh, look boys, at the tender reunion.” Kruger narrowed at his eyes at Dev in disgust. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me you were fucking him. ‘You’re dicked in the nob,’ I says to them. ‘Devlin O’Shaughnessy ain’t no backgammon player. He might be having a buttered bun, what with the doctor there with his girl, but he ain’t no fribble. Look at him!’ But I was wrong.” He turned to the men standing back, watching like the jackals they were, anticipating a bloody show. “I apologize,” K
ruger said to them. “You were right. He’s hankering for him now! Just look at them.” He turned and sneered at Dev. “Disgusting.”

  “Let him go,” Dev demanded. “You wanted a trade. Here I am.”

  “And now that you’re here, who’s going to make me let him go?” Kruger asked incredulously. He brayed with laughter. “Your little puss? I don’t think so.” He smoothed his hair across his head. “Might have to pay her a visit myself to impart the sad tidings.” He rubbed his hands together. “Woman used to two men between her thighs won’t want to be alone for long.”

  Dev lunged for him in a blind rage. He never made it. Instantly at least five men threw themselves on top of him. He struggled, but it was no use. “Let him go,” he demanded of Kruger again as they hauled him over next to Thom. His heart was thundering in his chest so loudly he was surprised everyone couldn’t hear it. “Everyone knows you offered the deal. If you back out now, when I came here in good faith, it will ruin your name on the streets. No one will deal with you if you can’t be relied on to keep a straight deal.”

  “They’ll deal with me,” Kruger said angrily. “Because after they see what I do to you two they’ll be too afraid not to. And once they find out what you two were doing, they won’t care.”

  “My people will retaliate,” Dev told him desperately. “It will be war in the streets.”

  “Listen to him,” said Kruger. “’My people will retaliate,’” he mocked in a singsong, high-pitched voice. “Thinks he’s a nob now, can you believe it?” He turned back to Dev. “Fucking the high-and-mighty doctor here has given you ideas above your station, friend. You ought to be thanking me for saving you from the heartache to come.”

  They tied Dev’s hands together around a hook hanging from the high ceiling and hauled him up. They didn’t give him the grace of leaving his feet touching the ground. His shoulders screamed in pain as they jerked him up, but he remained silent, gritting his teeth. He had no idea how he was going to get them out of this. He’d been a fool to think Kruger would keep the bargain. But he’d really thought that making the deal so public would have forced him to. Nobody around here dared go back on a deal. It was an unwritten code among thieves.