“There.” Drake pulled the horse to a halt and motioned ahead. “That’s the carriage Red described.”

Knight nodded. “They must be in the church.”

Tension twisted like a knife in Drake’s gut. “We could be too late.”

Shaking his head, Knight dismounted and tethered his horse to a rickety farm gate. “If he has forced her hand, the marriage will not be legal.”

Drake followed suit, touching the pistol in his belt for reassurance as they trudged as silently as possible toward the church. “If he has forced her hand, I’ll damn well kill him. Either way, she shall not be married to him.”

Knight eyed the empty seat up front. Two horses waited patiently. “There’s no driver.”

“Could be in the church. A witness perhaps?”

Knight pressed a finger to his lips and they made their way around the carriage to peer inside.

Empty, Drake mouthed to Knight. Which meant John and his man would be in the church. With Knight at his side, he had no doubt they could win a fight easily enough, but John had an advantage—he had Julianna.

Drawing the pistol from his belt, Drake loaded it with shot and Knight did the same. They made their way around to the front of the church. There were no side doors that could be seen so they would have to enter via the front. He shared a look with Knight. The same determination flickered across his usually inexpressive face that fired in Drake’s belly. They would get Julianna back unharmed and Slade would pay.

A hand to the door, Drake readied himself.

The door swung open and Drake stumbled backward. A blur of fabric and wild dark curls barreled into him.

“Oof.” He took the slight weight of Julianna with a step back and gripped her arms.

“Drake?” She sagged against him and glanced back. “He’s in there, hurry!”

Drake noted her bound hands and filthy state with a bitter tang in his mouth. He urged her behind his back and faced the doors as Slade hastened out of the door, clutching a hand to his nose. Blood dripped between his fingers.

He skimmed his gaze over Drake. “So the pirate has arrived. I underestimated you.”

Drake shrugged. “It happens.” He indicated with his pistol for Slade to move away from the church.

Slade kept a wary eye on the weapon and on Knight, whose stone-like expression revealed little. But Drake knew underneath the man would be seething at the state of Julianna. Especially now a bruise formed on her forehead and Drake could see blood there—likely Slade’s blood. Drake could not decide whether to be proud of her or horrified that she’d had to fight the man off.

A man barreled out of the church, waving a book. “Now, see here, this is a house of God...” The vicar stopped at the sight of Knight and Drake, their pistols aimed at John. The redness in his cheeks quickly paled. He held up both his hands. “I had no wish to partake in this. I was not informed the lady was unwilling,” he protested.

Another man wearing livery followed the vicar, his eyes widening. “I’m not paid enough for this,” the driver declared, hastening away from the church as fast as his legs could carry him.

Drake smirked as the man stumbled away. Apparently Slade’s staff were not that loyal. But as Drake turned, he realized his mistake. Slade used the distraction to barrel into Drake. He tumbled backward, his pistol falling from his hand. Before Knight could find a decent opportunity to let off a shot, Slade had hauled Julianna down to the ground with him and unsheathed a dagger.

Drake froze as sunlight glinted off the blade. Slade eased himself off the ground, hauling Julianna with him. Horror shone in her eyes when the blade touched her neck.

Slade glanced at the carriage and moved backward. “Touch that pistol and I’ll slice her neck,” he warned Drake.

Knight kept his pistol trained on Slade, but the man kept himself tucked behind Julianna, using her as a human shield. Even if he wasn’t using her for protection, Drake was aware it would be too dangerous to shoot while Julianna was near him. Pistols were nowhere near as accurate as rifles and the chance was Julianna would be harmed.

Keeping Julianna’s gaze held, Drake eased himself slowly to his feet, his hands raised. John had gone through all of this to get Julianna and while he did not doubt the man would do what he needed to escape, he’d be reluctant to hurt her. He had to take advantage of that reluctance somehow. He had to get Julianna free of him.

“Stop moving,” Slade cautioned, “or I’ll kill her.” He took another step back.

Drake darted forward but froze at the sound of Julianna’s whimper. He spied a spot of blood on her neck and curled his fists tightly.

“Lower your weapon,” Slade demanded.

Drake shared a look with Knight. While he had a knife to her neck, there was little they could do.

Slade backed away slowly, inching toward the carriage. He tugged Julianna’s arms up behind her back and Drake saw her wince. “Stay back or I break her arm,” Slade threatened, releasing her arm long enough to push open the carriage door before grabbing it again.

The gap between them had increased but if Slade was intending to get away without a driver, he’d have to release her. Drake bunched his muscles and glanced Knight’s way again. They were ready. As soon as he let her loose, they’d grab her.

As soon as Slade pushed her into the carriage and shoved the door shut, Drake raced forward. Slade bounded up into the driver’s seat and whipped the reins to get the carriage moving. Julianna shoved open the door, but the carriage had already started moving and she tumbled back, out of Drake’s view. Pain speared his weak leg and he stumbled as he reached the carriage. He reached out to grab the door, still open and swinging with the movement, but missed it by a hair’s breadth.

“The horses,” Knight shouted, catching up with him.

Drake sucked in a breath. The carriage picked up speed, careening recklessly along the bumpy road. He spied Julianna at the door and willed her to stay in the carriage. If she jumped now, she risked going under the wheels.

He mounted his horse quickly. “You try to stop the carriage, I’ll grab Julianna.”

Knight nodded and urged his horse on. They caught up with the carriage quickly, wind and dust whipping about them.

“Drake!” Julianna stood in the open doorway, a hand extended.

He reached for her, but her fingers slipped through his. He cursed under his breath. Even if he grabbed her, he’d still risk dropping her and killing her. He moved the horse as close as he dare while Knight kept pace with the front of the vehicle.

With one swift leap, he went from the horse to the side of the carriage. His foot slipped on the muddied step and Julianna snatched his shirt, hauling him into the confines of the carriage.

Drake righted himself and pulled Julianna to her feet. “I’ve got you,” he panted.

She nodded and pressed herself against him. As much as he wanted to relish the feel of her safe in his arms, they still needed to escape the carriage. The vehicle rocked and swayed, and an ominous crack shuddered through it.

Julianna’s gaze met his. He knew she understood what could happen. John was driving so recklessly on ill-used roads that the carriage risked falling apart. If a wheel went, at this speed, they could well be killed in the ensuing crash.

Drake peered out of the open door. Knight was having little luck persuading the horses to slow. They had to get out.

“Do you trust me?” He gripped Julianna’s face.

She nodded.

“Good.” He gripped her arms.

“Drake?” He felt her quiver.

He jumped, using the momentum to fling her clear of the carriage, straight into the bushes at the roadside. He saw her land before the ground came up to greet him. He grunted, pain bursting through his side, then his arm, and his head as he rolled for what seemed like an eternity. When he finally came to a stop, his head whirled and every inch of him ached.

But thoughts of Julianna forced him to push up to his feet. Unsteadily, he peered around. She slammed into his chest before he could steady himself.

“Oh God, are you well? I thought you were dead. Oh God, Drake.” Tears tracked down her cheeks.

“I’m well.” He winced when she wrapped her arms around him. “Save from a broken rib or two.”

“Oh Lord.” She pulled back, remorse etched on her face.

Drake peered up the lane. The carriage along with Slade and Knight had disappeared around the corner. Taking Julianna’s hand, he led her along the lane, gritting his teeth as his side stabbed with pain.

They came upon the carriage, on its side, a wheel buckled. Knight had already dismounted and moved toward the vehicle with his pistol in hand. Drake eased Julianna behind him.

Knight pointed his pistol at John as he crawled away from the wreckage. Slade glared up at them both while he gripped his side and dragged in rasping breaths.

“I’ll kill you all,” he spat.

Julianna gripped Drake’s arm and he pressed her against his chest. “You’re safe now.” She trembled against him and her breaths came as rapidly as his. “He cannot hurt you.”

“What shall you do with him?” she asked.

“When Red gets here, we’ll have him taken to Truro. He can face the magistrates there,” Knight said to Drake.

“What of the vicar?” Julianna asked. “He tried to marry us even though he knew I was unwilling.”

“Let Red deal with it,” said Knight. “He’ll know what to do with him.”

Drake nodded and gave a pained grin. “He’ll probably find a nice hot country for him to go speak the word of God.”

Slade rolled his eyes and swiped his dusty hands against his breeches. “If you are quite done planning our fate, perhaps we can discuss business? I can tell you are a man of the world. Surely a woman cannot be worth more than say....one hundred pounds to you.”

Drake smirked. “I have no need of your coin.” He nodded to Knight. “Watch him.” He turned to Julianna, maneuvering her around so that he could untie her wrists.

A crack rang through the air. Julianna spun around, her eyes wide with horror. Heat lanced through Drake’s side. He turned to see the valet, smoking pistol in hand. Knight returned fire and hit the man hard in the shoulder. Face pale, the valet gripped his shoulder and staggered. Knight raced forward and knocked the man into the ground.

Julianna’s warning shout brought his attention back to Slade. The dagger in hand, the man barreled toward them. Drake pushed Julianna out of the way, sending her tumbling back onto the grass. The heat in his side had turned into fiery pain and he could feel blood seeping into his shirt. The world narrowed into nothing but Slade. Drake’s breath grew heavy and loud. He raised his fists.

Blade held aloft, Slade tried to bring it down upon Drake’s chest. With his forearm, Drake blocked the blow and pushed Slade back. His limbs had grown warm and did not quite feel like his own. It didn’t matter, though. Slade had hurt Julianna, and would have done unspeakable things to her no doubt if he’d had the chance. The man needed to pay.

Slade swiped across with the blade, attempting to slash Drake’s midsection. Drake hissed out a hot breath and moved forward, colliding with Slade and sending him crashing into the ground. Drawing back a fist, he launched it into Slade’s face. The knife loosened instantly from the man’s hand.

He hit again, and again, all pain vanishing. His vision narrowed to a pinpoint. All he saw was blood. And death. His breaths came hot and hard.

“Drake!”

The word cut through his mind like a sword. He grew aware of Julianna on the periphery of his vision.

“Drake, do not kill him,” she begged. “Do not let this overtake you.”

He froze, fist lifted. On the ground lay a bloodied and bruised man, just barely alive. Drake sucked in a breath and pushed away from Slade. He was done. Done with fighting, done with being dominated by his past.

Julianna hastened over to him. She gripped his face, but his vision had begun to blur again and not with the need for blood. His limbs had turned cold and he couldn’t feel her touch. He saw tears in her eyes but couldn’t quite fathom them. He had rescued her had he not?

“Drake...”

Darkness took him.