Page 39 of A Duchess to Unravel (The Devil’s Masquerade #3)

The man let out a feral snarl as he lunged with the knife, so fast that Alistair felt the slice of his blade against his side as he sidestepped.

He seethed in pain as he clasped both hands together then drove them down to the man’s back, making William crumble to his knees.

The knife fell with a sharp clatter, and Alistair was quick to kick it away.

“You can’t have her!” The man barked, raising his head to glare at Alistair. “She’s mine! You cannot--”

The sickening sound of metal connecting with skull broke through the air as the man’s words stopped mid-sentence.

Alistair watched, shocked, as the man’s eyes suddenly rolled up, his mouth went slack, and he fell like deadweight to the side.

Slowly, Alistair raised his eyes, and saw Theo, standing with a rusted metal pipe in her hands, panting.

Flecks of blood were splattered over her face and down her pretty white nightgown.

Her eyes were wide with fear; her cheeks flushed with heat as she met his eyes and slowly lowered the pipe.

The rage Alistair felt at seeing her covered in blood had him delivering a sharp kick to the unconscious man’s stomach, then he flew to his wife.

“Theo,” he gasped, his deep voice quivering as he placed gentle, trembling hands on either side of her face. “Oh, kitten, what did he do to you?”

Theo slumped into his embrace, his body singing with joy as she so willingly wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I’m quite all right,” she promised, her hands moving over his waist, his chest, up to his neck. “It’s just a bit of paint. And some of his blood. He tried to kiss me and I- I bit him. None of it is mine.”

Alistair let out an exasperated laugh as he pulled her tight to his chest and held her close.

“Of course it is not,” he said, covering her hair with kisses. “My little fighter.”

He kissed her hair, her temple, her forehead- every expanse of skin his lips could reach as he tried to assure himself over and over again that she was all right and not hurt.

“I should have never let you leave,” he groaned, caressing a hand down her mussed hair as he cradled her to his chest. “I was a fool.”

Alistair heard her sniffle, and terrified that he’d said something wrong, he pulled back just enough to look at her face.

“We were both fools,” she cried, “Both too proud to accept that we began to love each other.”

“Shhh,” Alistair coaxed, then placed a soft kiss on her lips. “It does nae matter. What matters is that I found ye, and I am never letting ye go again.”

Theo broke into sobs as he said so, and he felt her wrap herself tightly around him.

“I’m here,” he promised, soothing her as best he could. “I’m here.”

Though nestled in Alistair’s arms, Theo heard movement stir from the floor.

She whirled away from Alistair’s embrace and picked up the pipe again, slamming the end upside William’s head just as he’d started to rise onto his knees.

He fell in heap to the ground once more, letting out a painful groan.

She then looked to Alistair, who looked back at her with pride and affection. Despite her fear, she smiled at him.

“He took me while I was under a sleep tonic,” she explained, waving the pipe toward William. “He would have never been able to take me otherwise.”

“I have no doubt,” Alistair readily replied. “You are the fiercest woman I have ever known.”

Theo’s eyes went soft as she smiled.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Joy broke over Alistair’s handsome face as he smiled back.

“And by God, do I love you,” he answered emphatically.

He extended his hand toward her, wincing. Theo’s brows furrowed as she looked him over, then let out a sob as she saw the growing red stain at his side. Alistair pressed his hand to the wound, then swayed as his face turned ashen.

“I am quite well,” he promised, then fell to his knees hard.

“Alistair!” She yelled, rushing toward him.

She fell to her knees before him, and Alistair let out a grunt as he swayed forward again.

Theo caught him and held his head to her shoulder, calling for help.

Relief poured through her when only moments later her brother and Dominic came running into the factory.

Both of them stilled and gawked at the scene before them.

“Do not just stand there!” She demanded, holding her husband tightly. “He needs help!”

Her command broke both men out of their stunned state, and Tristan pushed gently at Dominic’s arm.

“Go, get him to a surgeon as quickly as you can,” he commanded. “Send for the constable, let him know I’ve found the kidnapper and have him apprehended.”

“There’s a carriage,” Theo said hurriedly, “still hitched to the horses. “Let us get him there. Quickly!”

Dominic moved to her side, ready to help Alistair, but Theo found herself unable to let go of her husband. Dominic gave her a pleading look and placed a gentle hand on her other shoulder.

“You have to let him go so I can help him, Theo,” he said gently.

“I cannot,” she sobbed, her grip on Alistair growing tighter, “I left him once. I will not do so again!”

“And you won’t,” Dominic insisted. “But he’s far too heavy for you to carry. You have to let me take him.”

Theo’s chin wobbled as she clung to Alistair. It took all of her strength to let him go. She let out a sob as Dominic took her spot and lifted Alistair to his feet.

“Get that barricade off of the door and then get in the carriage,” Dominic told her, wrapping one of Alistair’s limp arms around his shoulders.

Theo moved quickly, hauling the heavy beam from the doors. She pushed them opened wide, then went to the carriage. She opened its door just as Dominic brought Alistair to it, and she crawled in first. Together, they got Alistair into the back of the carriage, and lay his head on her lap.

“Hold him tight,” Dominic commanded, “I will be driving fast. Keep a hand pressed to his wound if you can.”

Theo nodded, already doing both, and a moment later, she felt the carriage lurch forward.

“You cannot die,” Theo commanded, looking down at Alistair’s slack features and closed eyes as the carriage raced through the London streets, “Not after everything. I will not allow it. Do you hear me?”

For a moment Alistair’s eyes fluttered open. He looked up at her, a ghost of smile on his blood-stained lips--then he was gone again.