by Bobbi Smith
Philip nodded and then followed Slater's lead through the window and into the darkened room. They made their way quickly through the maze of furniture to the hall door. Philip was on edge. It seemed every sound was magnified a thousand times. His heartbeat was thundering in his ears and his breathing sounded loud-harsh and rasping. He wondered how Slater could remain so cool under such dangerous circumstances.
Though Philip thought Slater confident, it was far from the truth. Slater was tense too. He was very aware of the kind of men with whom they were dealing. Human life meant nothing to them, and the nagging fear hounded him that they might be too late to save Jordan and Nick. Still, Slater knew he could do no less than his best to try to rescue them.
Motioning for Philip to stay back, Slater pressed himself tightly against the wall as he crept toward the door. He glanced out into the shadowed hall to check for signs of activity and discovered to his relief that it was deserted. Knowing that time was of the essence, he boldly led the way out of the parlor and down the hall to the closed study door.
"Stay here and keep watch for me," he whispered, and then drew his gun, gesturing for Philip to do the same. Armed and ready, he slammed the door open and charged into the room alone to confront Julian at his desk.
Julian was shocked by the intrusion and started to go for his gun, but Slater was too fast for him. Looming before him, he aimed his pistol straight at his heart.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Kirkwood," Slater threatened in a voice that left no doubt about his intentions.
Julian could tell by the menacing glint in his eyes that he was serious. He judiciously brought both hands into full view on the desktop. "MacKenzie... this is a pleasant surprise."
"Where are they?" he demanded, not wanting to waste time.
"Who?"
"You're well aware who I mean. I'm here for Jordan and Nick."
"They're not here."
Slater showed him the letter. "Somehow I find I don't believe you. Now, are you going to take me to them or am I going to take you and this house apart by myself, piece by piece? It doesn't matter to me which you choose. Either way, I'll find them. Which one will it be?"
Julian wanted to stall for time, but he knew he wouldn't be getting any help from Luther. He'd heard him disappear upstairs to the private room, and he knew he wouldn't be back down until sometime the following day. His servants, too, had retired for the night, and their quarters were in a separate building at the back of the house. The only thing he could hope to do was try to convince MacKenzie that he was cooperating fully and then distract him so he could go for his own gun.
"It seems I have very little choice in the matter, doesn't it? I'll take you to them..." he acquiesced.
"That's a very wise decision on your part, Kirkwood. Let's go." He waved Julian in the direction of the hall.
In one smooth, deceptive motion, Julian rose to his feet, and at the same time grabbed a sheaf of papers off his desktop and heaved them at Slater. He'd hoped to catch him off guard and give himself time enough to get his own gun, but he hadn't counted on Slater's lightning-fast reflexes or expert marksmanship.
Years of working undercover had taught Slater to be constantly on the alert for the unexpected. As the other man reached in his desk drawer for his gun, Slater fired. His bullet slammed into Julian's chest. He collapsed to the floor, dead, his own pistol falling from his lifeless hand. Slater ran to his side to make sure he was dead, then picked up the gun to take along with him, just in case.
The sound of the shot brought Philip into the room at a run, his gun ready. He was immensely re lieved to find that Slater was unharmed. "Thank God you're all right!"
"Come on, we've run out of time. There's no telling who heard the shot. We've got to search the house and fast!"
Slater charged into the hall and up the staircase with Philip close on his heels. They systematically began searching each of the multitude of rooms on the second floor. It surprised Slater that there was no immediate rush of servants to check on Kirkwood, but he was glad for the reprieve.
Slater couldn't help but wonder where Radcliffe was, though. Surely, if he'd heard the shot, he would have come out to check. He felt almost certain that the other man wasn't in the house, but he didn't want to voice his opinion and worry Philip needlessly until they'd finished searching. They approached the last room, and Slater knew they were on to something when he heard a thumping inside and found the door was locked. Luckily, the key was in the lock. Slater quietly unlocked the door and cautiously pushed it open.
The light from the hall was just bright enough to enable him to see Nick.
"Nick!" He holstered his gun and rushed inside. "Philip, light the lamp so I can see something!" Slater dropped to his knees beside his friend and worked at the gag and the ropes.
"What the hell is he doing here with you?" Nick demanded with open hostility the minute the gag had been removed.
"He's been helping me find you and Jordan. Where is she? Do you know where they've taken her?"
"What do you mean `taken her'? She went with the bastard of her own free will," Nick sneered as Slater untied his wrists. Nick began untying his own ankles, eager to be out of there.
"Like hell she did!" Philip countered angrily, coming to stand near them.
"Go find her yourself, then, if you don't believe me. You'll see how much she's fighting Radcliffe, and you'll be in for one big surprise. You've already been replaced," Nick told him sarcastically, his bitterness fueling his anger. He got to his feet and faced Philip squarely. "They may not appreciate your interrupting them, though. They could hardly wait to get out of here so they could be together..."
"You stupid bastard!" Philip lunged for Nick, ready to beat him within an inch of his life.
Nick was ready for him. The turmoil of his emotions had him ready to hit out at anything or anyone that gave him cause. At that moment, there was nothing he would have liked better than to throttle Philip.
Only Slater's quick thinking prevented a major fracas. "Stop it! Both of you!" he ordered, throwing himself between them. "There's a lot you don't know, Nick, and it's time you found out."
Nick gave his friend a skeptical look. "Found out what? That Jordan is the owner of the Sea Demon? That's she involved not only with Montgomery here, but also Luther Radcliffe?"
"You're damned right she's involved with me!" Philip retorted furiously, still longing to hit Nick for all the heartache he'd caused Jordan. "She's my sister!"
The change of expression on Nick's face would have been ludicrous if the situation had not been so serious. "Your sister...?"
"It's too complicated to go into just now. You'll have to trust me on this, Nick. They blackmailed Jor dan into coming here by threatening your life," Slater explained.
"She came here to save you," Philip told him scathingly. "She loves you enough to sacrifice herself to a man like Radcliffe! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"She loves me?" Nick repeated, astounded.
"Why else would she come here and give herself to the man she ran away from months ago? She's loved you for a long time, but you were too blind to see it."
"I thought she loved you..." he replied lamely in his own defense. "Damn! It was all an act..."
"What was?"
"The way Radcliffe was treating her-and the way she was responding. It was almost as if she was his own personal property...
"Of course it was an act. She hates the man! We've got to find her!" Philip insisted. "The man's a fiend. If he hurts her-"
"If he's hurt her, I'll kill him..." Nick vowed, his visage grim with a terrible resolve. "Give me a gun..."
Slater handed him Julian's weapon. "How long has it been? Do you have any idea where he took her?"
"It's been less than half an hour," he answered, starting from the room. "I heard them move off down the hall, but not toward the front staircase. They went this way..."
Philip and Slater chased after him as he sprinted toward the steps
to the third floor.
Luther had been toying with Jordan, playing upon her fears to make her cower with terror before him. His sole purpose in finding her had been to conquer her and break her spirit completely. He wanted her bent to his will. He wanted her groveling before him, begging for his favors. Only then would he feel she'd paid for her attack on him.
Jordan watched as Luther approached the bed wearing only his pants. She kept her features totally blank, but it was becoming more and more difficult to do. She found his nearness and his touch so revolting that it was next to impossible to appear unaffected. Time was running out. She knew it wouldn't be too much longer before he got tired of tormenting her and actually took her, and she wondered if she would live through it.
"Well, Jordan, have you come round to my way of thinking yet?"
"I'll never want you, Luther! Never! You may be able to take my body by force, but I'll never be willing!"
"Ali, ever defiant, ever stubborn, ever foolish..." He sat down beside her on the bed and reached out to caress her. "You know, sometimes you speak before you think. Have you forgotten that I hold your husband?"
"No," she answered in a hushed voice.
"I thought not." His touch turned from gentle to harsh, biting into her tender flesh and causing her to whimper and squirm. "As I told you before, I don't care if you're willing or not. It doesn't matter to me at all. All that's important is that I own you body and soul. Do you like it when I touch you this way?"
"No!" she cried, unable to hide her agony any longer.
"Good," he said with a smile, increasing the pressure of his hands, wanting to hear her scream out loud and beg him to stop. "It's never been my intention to pleasure you. I only want to please myself, and hurting you pleases me very much..." His eyes were glazed with sadistic excitement. "Do you know how long I've waited for this moment?"
"No..." Jordan could only manage a tight whisper. He was being so hurtful that she tried to dodge away from his hands, but the bonds at her wrists kept her pinioned to the bed. She brought her knees up in an effort to shield herself, but the action drew his immediate ire.
"You will lie perfectly still, do you understand me?" He stood up and drew his belt from his belt loops. Doubling it up, he struck her with it on her thighs.
Jordan tried to keep from screaming, but his lashing was so painful she couldn't prevent the cry of pain that escaped her. She realized then that he was a madman and that there could be no reasoning with him.
Defeat seared her soul. There was no use in fighting. There was no one to come to her rescue. Philip would have no idea where to look for her. Since she'd left him that note, he would think she'd gone off on her own somewhere.. .he might not even worry. And Nick would leave here believing she was happy with Luther. There would be no one to care if she lived or died. She was totally alone, completely helpless.. .Tears slipped from her eyes and trailed down her cheeks.
Luther saw the tears and tasted victory. He'd beaten her. Now he would slake his lust on her defenseless body. Now he would know the glory of possessing her fully. His body was hot and throbbing and ready. He cast the belt aside and reached down to unfasten his pants.
Nick had just reached the top of the steps when he heard a very faint cry coming from the room at the end of the hall. It sounded like Jordan, and his jaw clenched in anger. Murder was on his mind as he raced toward the room. He crashed against the door with all his might, breaking through on the first try.
Luther had been just about to drop his pants when the door to the room was smashed open. Shocked by the interruption, he turned to find Nick barging into the room.
Nick paused only long enough to see Jordan naked, tied to the bed. That one quick look told him all he needed to know.
"Nick!" Jordan cried his name out loud. She couldn't believe he'd come after her!
Enraged by Luther's attack on Jordan, Nick was beyond rational thought. He tossed his gun aside and bodily tackled the amoral opportunist who stood over her. Bloodlust filled Nick. A red haze colored his vision. He wanted to kill Radcliffe with his bare hands. He wanted to choke the life from him and beat him beyond recognition. He had no other thought in his mind than to kill.
Nick's assault knocked Luther to the floor. Having the element of surprise on his side, Nick had the immediate advantage over him. They grappled together, but Nick's fury gave him superior power. He took him by the throat, both of his hands closing around his neck with lethal force.
Philip and Slater came running into the room to help.
"Take care of your sister," Slater told Philip, before going to Nick's aid.
Philip hurried to the bed, and after locating the key on the nightstand, quickly unfastened the shackles.
"Thank God you came!" Jordan sobbed as she threw her arms around her brother's neck and buried her face against his shoulder.
Philip held her close, grabbing up a sheet and wrapping it around her as best he could. "I was so worried..."
Luther's face was turning purple and Nick took pure animalistic delight in his suffering.
"Nick!" Slater came to him. "Nick, stop now! Don't kill him! Don't sink as low as he is!"
"Get away from me, Slater!" Nick's voice didn't even sound like him as he warned his friend away.
"Nick! Jordan needs you! Go to her. Leave Radcliffe to me..."
For the first time since entering the room, Nick's sanity returned. He loosened his hold on Luther as he glanced toward his wife. She was huddled on the bed with her brother, wrapped only in a sheet. Nick dropped his hands from Luther's neck as he slowly got to his feet. Luther began to choke and cough as air once again made its way down his bruised throat.
Nick felt all the fury drain from him. He walked slowly across the room toward the woman he loved, his gaze focused only on her. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he had to say to her, and he wasn't quite sure how to begin. He stopped next to the bed, his eyes meeting hers for the first time without any lies or deceptions between them. Only the light of his love shone in their depths.
"I love you, Jordan," was all he could think to say. It was said with heartfelt simplicity and the utmost sincerity, and it touched her as nothing else would have at that moment.
"Oh, Nick ...I love you, too!" Jordan's tears spilled forth as she began to cry in earnest, but this time her tears were happy ones. She let go of Philip, moving out of the safe haven of his arms and into her husband's protective, adoring embrace.
Nick kissed her softly, then swept her up in his arms and started to carry her from the room. Jordan linked her arms about his neck and rested her head upon his shoulder. There would be time later for questions and answers. All that mattered now was that he loved her and that they were going to be together.
Luther was coming around, and he looked up to see Nick leaving with Jordan. Unable to accept that he'd lost her, he came to his feet with the roar of a maniac.
"She's mine, Kane! She belongs to me!" He went for the gun Nick had discarded earlier, and, getting a hand on it, turned and fired wildly.
The bullet went wide, missing Nick and Jordan by inches as they dove for cover. Slater hadn't expected Luther to try anything, but when he went for the gun, Slater had fired. His shot was accurate and deadly, and Luther joined his partner in death.
"Are you all right?" Slater asked worriedly as he ran to Nick and Jordan. Philip was right behind him.
"Jordan?" Nick looked down at his lovely wife. He had covered her body with his own in his effort to protect her from Luther's shot.
Jordan gazed up at him, fear leaving her eyes to be replaced by shining adoration. "I'm fine, as long as I'm with you..."
"Jordan, let's go home..." Nick said hoarsely.
"You two go ahead," Slater agreed. "Philip and I will call the authorities in and tell them what happened. We'll meet you at Riverwood tomorrow..."
"Make it the day after," Nick said without looking at his friend.
"You'd better take my jacket..." Philip sugge
sted as he quickly stripped it off and handed it to Nick.
"Thanks." Nick slipped it around Jordan, covering her protectively.
"You know Philip's my brother?"
"I know," he answered, smiling tenderly.
She returned his smile. Nick picked her up then and carried her from the room. He wanted to take her away from all the ugliness.
Riverwood was where they needed to be. At Riverwood they would talk and love and start to build a new life together, so that in time true paradise would be theirs forevermore.
Nick cradled his wife in his arms as they lay together in the comfort of their own bed, the terrible events of six months ago forgotten in their bliss.
"Didn't Peri look absolutely beautiful today?" Jordan sighed, thinking of how lovely she'd looked in her wedding dress earlier that morning.
"I don't think I've ever seen her prettier or more excited. I hope they're going to be happy together," Nick answered as he kissed Jordan softly.
Her eyes were glowing as she gazed up at him. "If she loves Philip one-tenth as much as I love you, they should be ecstatic for all eternity. I love you, Dominic Kane..."
"A few months ago I thought I'd never hear you say those words," he murmured, nuzzling the sweetness of her throat.
"A few months ago I thought you never wanted to hear them. I thought you only wanted your freedom. You'd made it so plain to me the first night we met that ours was to be a marriage in name only that I held out little hope of ever winning your love. And then I had to worry about being hunted down as a murderer, too..." Jordan shivered as she remembered those terrible times.
"Easy, love," Nick soothed, "everything's fine now. You'll never have to worry about any of that ever again. Slater, Philip, and I worked with the authorities, and both your names have been cleared of all involvement with the Sea Demon. I want you to put it from your mind now and concentrate on this instead ... I love you more than life itself, and I'll do whatever I have to to keep you safe."
Jordan drew him up to her for a flaming kiss. "I love you that way, too, Nick. When I thought Luther was going to hurt you that night I was so afraid..."
