It was not fair that Everley had met her first, and it certainly was not right that she was to be his.
He’d already had enough reason to want Everley out of the picture, but now, with Delilah’s future on the line, his plans had grown far more urgent. He could no longer dig into Everley’s life from the sidelines.
It was time to face him head on.
When the door to the townhouse opened, he tensed again, ready to lunge into action to follow the girl.
It was a footman, carrying a message, no doubt. Rupert watched him go, and a part of him wished he could follow. If he’d had an accomplice here today he would have sent them off to do just that. But he couldn’t be in two places at once, and his priority had to be Delilah. He had to make sure she left here unharmed and that she got home safe. His chest tightened and a feeling he wasn’t quite familiar with crept over him.
Was this…fear?
He’d thought he was immune to such things. After spending years courting danger, it took a great deal to rattle his nerves.
But perhaps that was because it had always been his own life in danger. He’d never had an innocent to worry over.
And entitled brat or not, Delilah was an innocent. She was feisty and smart and unbearably haughty…but she was still an innocent.
And she was his to protect.
Her being involved added a new level of complications to his plans. Now it was no longer so clean cut. He couldn’t just take Everley down, he had to ensure she didn’t get harmed in the process.
And he would take Everley down. It was just a matter of time.
His informant at the docks seemed to think a shipment would be coming soon. Unfortunately, his informant wasn’t close enough to Everley’s men to know any of the details.
Little things like which day and what time.
Frustration had him growling as he moved his neck to ease some of the tension building there.
All afternoon she’d been in there, and now the sun was starting to set. Twilight was setting in and the gray overcast day made it feel later than it was.
And then…sunshine appeared.
He scoffed at his own stupidity as soon as the thought occurred, but there she was. Delilah, looking like a ray of sunshine on this cloudy day as she finally appeared on the steps of the townhouse.
Everley and her stepmother were beside her as the carriage rolled to a stop in front of them.
He watched Delilah climb in and waited for her stepmother to follow, but the perfectly put together blonde took a step back instead as the carriage door was shut.
Delilah was alone.
He eyed the carriage’s departure and Everley’s retreat into his home. Rupert did not even have to stop to decide where his loyalties lie. The moment the door shut behind the stepmother, he was on his horse and following the carriage.
He had an idea where Delilah’s family lived, and so it was with no small amount of alarm that he watched the carriage take a wrong turn. And then another.
They were heading through a neighborhood where a lady like Delilah should never visit, even if she were not alone and unprotected. Ice ran through his veins as he watched the inevitable, as though he’d read the novel and knew each player’s move before it occurred.
Sure enough, the carriage came to a stop just as a group of rogues stepped out of the shadows.
One of them threw open the door, but he did not hear Delilah scream.
But then, she wouldn’t give the knaves that satisfaction.
The driver was long gone by the time Rupert was on top of them, off his horse and throwing punches, his elbow colliding with a jaw before spinning to tear the rogue in the carriage door out of the way.
Delilah cowered in the corner, her face pale as she scrambled back as far as she could go when he entered.
“Get out of here you—you—” Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened in surprise.
“Hello, love,” he said, managing a grin to put her at ease as he reached for her hand. “I’m afraid I’ll need you to come with me.”
She blinked once and then she moved into action, following his lead and not even feigning dismay when he tossed her unceremoniously atop his horse.
The vagabonds had scattered.
They likely weren’t getting paid enough to take a beating. Just to harm an innocent.
Rage had always helped him focus, and right now his whole world came down to one thing. One person.
Delilah.
He had to keep her safe.
Leaping up so he was seated behind her, he urged the horse into action, leaving the carriage where it was in the midst of a bad neighborhood, as onlookers peered out of dingy windows at the commotion.
Neither of them spoke as he rode back toward his home. He helped her down, handing the horse over to a groomsman as he led her inside.
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
He watched her carefully as he instructed a servant to bring refreshments to the parlor, the only room that was lit since he hadn’t been expecting guests.
It wasn’t until the door to the parlor shut behind them that she seemed to come to life.
“Where have you brought me?” Her voice was too high and far sharper than he’d expected.
“To my home.”
She huffed. “This is entirely improper.”
He stared at her in surprise…and possibly some amusement, though he didn’t wish to admit it. He really should not be laughing at a helpless victim.
And if she were to ever act helpless, he would certainly not be fighting laughter. “Would you have preferred that I wait for a chaperone before rescuing you?” he asked mildly.
She blinked and turned to stare at a portrait on the wall. “You live here?”
He looked around as if he might find a friend with whom he could commiserate. He’d brought a lunatic home with him. He’d just saved her life, and somehow
