.
“I believe I’m off for home,” Emma said from her place on the other side of the carriage. “I’ll see you in the morning, dear.”
Alex mindlessly nodded as she left Emma’s carriage, not even paying attention to anyone who was on the street.
She was nearly at the door when she felt herself being pushed to the ground, her only saving grace being her hands, which came out and prevented her face from becoming bloodied. But pain still shot through her arms and left her breathless. Or perhaps it was the body that landed on her that did the trick.
From somewhere overhead, she heard a loud explosion and felt something fall upon her.
She was then gathered up in strong arms and hauled up the stairs and into the house just as screaming erupted on the street and inside of Chris’ home, the screams belonging to Rose and the few female staff members that Chris employed.
There was cursing coming from whomever held her.
Alex looked up and saw Reuben come into the room. She was nearly thrown into Reuben’s arms and had to spin around and see who her manhandler had been.
Blood left her features and trickled from her limbs as it all went to her heart and set it at a hard pace.
Justin looked like she’d never seen him before, large with anger and his veins in his neck thickening with power. His eyes were wild with rage.
That look took her mind off her own pains.
“Did you see him?” Reuben asked Justin.
“Yes.” The word seemed to have been crafted with venom. “Protect her,” he commanded. Then without another word, Justin was racing through the door and out of sight.
“Alex.” Rose came into view and reached for her, but then pulled her hands back and placed them over her mouth as she gasped. “Oh, you’re bleeding.”
Alex looked down at herself and then at her arms. They’d been cut in her fall. Staring at the bruises made her recall their pain, but still it was muted under the thundering of her heart and confusion. “At least I can wear long gloves at the ball,” she said in an effort to make the moment light.
Reuben turned to the footman. “Get water and supplies and bring them to her room. She needs to be cleaned.”
The footman ran from the room.
Reuben helped Alex toward the stairs. They were on the second landing when she finally asked, “What happened?”
And why had Justin looked at her that way? As though he planned to commit murder with his bare hands.
“Someone shot at you,” Reuben said.
Rose gasped at the words, and it took Alex another long moment to comprehend what was being said. “Someone… shot at me?”
In her room, Reuben placed her gently in a chair and knelt down to look at her wounds. His already hard eyes seemed to harden even more.
Rose stood at Alex’s side with tears spilling down her eyes.
“Rose,” Alex said with a smile, “I’m all right. It’s only a few scratches.”
Rose bit the lip that had given her her name and whispered, “Alex, someone wants you dead.”
That seemed to trigger a reaction in Alex, and she found herself struggling to breathe for a moment as reality set in.
Someone had shot at her.
Justin had been there. How?
And so had Emma.
“Is Emma all right?” she asked.
“Her carriage was gone before the gun went off.” Reuben removed her last glove just as the footman arrived with what Reuben had asked for. “We’re lucky that Justin saw fit to follow you home.”
Rose shook her head slowly. “When I saw him leap from his horse and sprint toward you, I thought it was something out of one of your romantic tales, but then he tackled you.”
She imagined the scene just as Rose said it. Justin jumping from the back of his handsome stead. Justin throwing her to the ground.
And then that furious look that he’d worn downstairs.
He’d been upset because she’d almost been shot.
She shivered at the thought.
Reuben grunted. “Better he threw her to the ground than offer her a parting kiss.”
Those words made her shiver again at the thought that she’d nearly been killed.
Reuben placed a cool wet cloth to Alex’s arm and began to wash the blood away. She jumped slightly at the pressure, but didn’t pull away. It wasn’t the first time her blood had been shed. Growing up in a home with more than a dozen children, accidents were bound to happen.
Her brother turned to the footman. “Have someone send word to Chris and Nash.”
“It’s already been done,” the footman said.
“Where is Nash?” Alex asked.
“Still assisting at the toy store in your absence,” Rose told her. “Though I suspect he’s there to look for anyone suspicious. They’re still looking for whoever harmed Alicia.”
“Had we known you’d be in danger as well, we’d have never allowed you to leave the house.” Reuben placed the cloth on her skin again, but this time it was not water. The smell of brandy hit her before it stung her flesh. The feeling stole her breath, and she braced her hand in the one that Reuben held.
Their eyes met, and he smiled at her, obviously proud that she’d neither fainted from the sight nor the pain.
“Do you think it safe here for her?” Rose asked.
Reuben frowned. “It will be since I don’t plan to leave her side again.”
They heard hard footsteps come from the hall and then Justin filled the doorway. He was still upset, but the rage must have left him during the chase. “He got away.”
Reuben nodded. “I suspected he would.” He didn’t even bother to question what Justin was doing in her doorway.
“If I’d moved quicker,” Justin began, but was cut off by Reuben.
“Getting Alex inside the house was more important. We didn’t know if someone else was out there waiting for her.”
Alex's stomach fell, but her eyes remained on Justin. His hair and coat were rumpled, which only made her wonder at the fright she must have looked. Feeling self-conscious, she wanted to pull away and hide her scarred arms from him but knew better than to do so. It would only upset Reuben, and then he’d grab her arms again to finish the work.
Justin stayed by the door as though knowing he was not allowed in her space. “How are you feeling?”
“Alive.” Her voice quavered, and she pressed her lips together.
Pain became etched on his face, and she saw the longing in his eyes to cross the room to her.
He took a step, but then stopped as more voices floated from the hall.
Justin moved to lean against her wall just as Chris and Nash appeared, one right on the heels of the other.
“What happened?” Chris asked.
“A man pulled a gun on Alex,” Justin replied. “I managed to get her inside the house before he got away. I went after him but lost him in the alley.”
“Did you get a look at him?” Nash asked.
Justin nodded. “We can take it to the magistrate—”
“Give his description to me,” Nash said. “I’ll find him faster.”
Justin looked at him and then nodded without question.
“He waited until you were here,” Chris said to Alex. “At one point, he must have realized who you were.”
“Maybe at the park,” Alex said. “Michael was there. There was… a disagreement.”
Reuben’s head lifted, and he met her eyes. “Michael approached you?”
Alex nodded. “He said he came by the house earlier. Is that true?” She looked at Chris.
Chris looked at Nash. “Deal with this.”
“Done,” Nash said with a smile.
Alex shook her head. “There is no need for retaliation. The Padmore Darlings were there and they sank verbal knives into his person. I daresay, he’ll think twice before approaching me again.”
“We’ll make sure he thinks a third time,” Chris said. “Until then… you’re probably not safe here.” The last made him grim.
“I told you to rent the house on Grosvenor Square that had the gate,” Nash said in a tone that said they’d had this conversation on more than one occasion.
“Quiet,” Chris said.
Alex frowned. Christmas’ store made a healthy income, but nowhere near what was needed to live next to the wealthiest families of the ton.
Chris spoke again to Alex. “Where did you go after the park?”
“Jus… Lord Chantenny’s townhouse with his sisters. We had tea.” Alex hoped she’d caught her slip in time.
There was the possibility that Chris had missed it, but since Chris missed nothing, he’d clearly let it go. “The man waited for you to leave Lord Chantenny’s house then.”
“Of course, he’d never attack her at the home of an earl,” Reuben said.
“And he obviously hadn’t known I’d followed,” Justin said. “When he saw me, he seemed surprised.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how I missed him if he was following Miss Smith as well.”
“Never mind that,” Reuben said as he stood, done with Alex’s healing wraps. “She can’t stay here. The man doesn’t know who he’s dealing with,” he said, and he appeared to be looking at Chris when he said it.
“And I loath to enlighten him.” Chris sighed and crossed his arms as though in thought.
Alex moved her bandaged arms then gathered them to herself, feeling as though she were missing pieces of information. What was Chris unwilling to share with the criminal? That he was a bastard who’d managed to somehow possess a toy store? “I don’t understand. What—”
Chris turned to Nash. “Can she stay with you?”
Nash shook his head. “My place is not for women like her.”
Alex wasn’t sure she wanted to know what that meant. Still… “Why can’t I—”
“I thought not.” Chris nodded as though he fully understood Nash’s meaning.
Alex looked at Rose, who met her eyes and shrugged a small shoulder before turning back to the discussion.
“I’m still in the market for a home myself,” Reuben said. “I could make a purchase today and move Alex in.”
The thought of spending her time decorating a new home was intriguing. It would give her something to do.
“Don’t rush the decision,” Chris said.
Rose went to Reuben and grabbed his arm. “A house. You mean you’re truly staying?”
Reuben smiled and patted her head affectionately. “I may have been offered a position that will keep me here for a time.”
“What position is that?” Alex asked, her own excitement growing. The family would be together once more.
“She can stay with me.”
She pulled in a breath and turned to look at Justin. He was still by the door with his eyes glued to her, yet the only heat in them still burned with anger. She wanted to lean away but held her place. “Impossible.”
“I agree,” Chris said. “It would ruin her reputation.”
“Not if one of you came along,” Justin said. “And the public wouldn’t question it either way. I made it known she is my ward until her cousin returns to town, and I plan to show her around London.”
“Still…” Alex looked around the room at her brothers, thinking the rest of her statement obvious. However, the eyes that met her seemed to be seeing through her, their minds at work. It was almost as though they agreed with Justin.
She stood. “I can’t.”
“You’d be safe there,” Nash said. “The man wouldn’t attack an earl’s home.”
Alex’s lips trembled. “Well, I know, but—”
“It would be temporary until Nash can find the man and gain answers,” Chris said.
“You’ve not made Alicia leave the orphanage,” she protested, just short of stomping her foot.
“As though anyone can make Alicia do a thing.” Reuben crossed her to her. “I’ll go with you, but the earl is right. His home is the safest place for you. No one would dare try to kill you and cross him at the same time.”
Alex looked at Justin and noticed the anger was slowly abating, clear worry harbored in its place.
He was worried for her.
He’d saved her life, becoming a true hero.
She could not live under the same roof as him and keep to the decisions she made. “I can go to Scotland.” She looked at Nash. “Take me to Scotland. You said you would.”
Nash smiled with a hint of pity. “That was before someone tried to kill you. He’ll not be breathing before I leave this city.” How he could say such a thing with a smile was beyond her. Then he looked at Justin and said, “And just so you know, my lord, I don’t plan to turn him into the authorities.”
“Nash!” Alex shouted.
Rose buried her face in Reuben’s shirt.
Justin’s eyes were still on Alex. “Do what must be done.”
Alex’s lips parted in surprise.
Reuben wrapped an arm around Rose as she stared at Justin. “You could have been a Smith.”
The earl was not offended by the comment, but instead, grinned. Then he started toward Alex.
She felt her legs hit the back of her chair, her knees ready to give under the lightest breeze if it happened to blow through the window, but instead she kept her ground.
“I’ll keep you safe,” Justin told her. “I swear it.”
She knew he would. She had no doubts that physically she’d be all right, yet the part of her that raced and beat against her chest felt vulnerable.