Page 27 of Undoubtedly Reckless (Rebel by Night #2)

Smuggler’s Rest

Gunfire echoed throughout the morning. Elmo reached for her and Sabina wrenched the knife free of her skirts. Letting loose a cry that released all the years of fear and frustration from her soul, Sabina slashed out. With enormous satisfaction, Sabina saw that she had cut Elmo’s arm to the bone.

Sabina darted to the desk and snatched up the satchel hanging from the chair. She swept her mother’s jewels into the satchel and slung it across her body. Grasping the heavy bust, Sabina gasped when Elmo’s body crashed into hers.

She swung the bust at Elmo’s head, only managing a glancing blow but it was enough to gain some distance. With a mighty heave, Sabina slung the bust at the window. The window shattered and allowed Sabina her first glimpse of the battle outside.

For a moment, she could not move. She had never seen troops fighting before. The chaos of red, green, and blue uniforms was dizzying and she did not know what to do. There was violence and shouting, all through a haze of gunpowder.

Sabina stared at the French uniforms, confused, and then she was fighting for her life. Elmo dragged her away from the windows just as the door of the study was kicked open and a tumble of fighting men fell through. A roar rushed over her as rough men fought through the mercenaries hired by Elmo.

Sabina snapped her head back, catching Elmo in the chin and staggering him. Sabina wrenched free of her uncle’s grasp and slashed down. In shock, Sabina stared at the knife protruding from Elmo’s chest.

A sword drove into Elmo’s gut. Sabina could do nothing but watch as the sword stabbed up and into Elmo’s heart. Her world crystallized in that moment. He was done. Elmo was going to die. The man who had destroyed her life would never touch her again.

The wielder of the sword then caught her close and she fought madly.

“Sabina, God’s sake!”

he yelled.

It was Roland, Sabina realized, and clung to him desperately. Around them, Roland’s compatriots finished off the mercenaries. She was standing among dead bodies. It did not matter. Elmo was gone. She was free.

“You’re here? How are you here?”

Sabina cried.

“I came for you. I would go to the ends of the earth for you.”

Roland kissed her briefly, so briefly. Sabina clung to him, overwhelmed.

“Roland, please, let us leave.”

“No more worries, Sabina. I am here,”

Roland assured her.

“No more worries? There is fighting outside, Roland.”

“We’re on an island populated by privateers and English soldiers, there is always fighting. I lived here for ten years.”

Roland nodded at a redheaded man, who shouted orders and ushered them out of the residence. Sabina saw bodies littered all about the premises as she made her way with Roland.

At the rear of the residence, Roland took a filthy coat from Remy to throw about Sabina’s shoulders. He shielded Sabina with his body as they left the house into the madness of the streets.

“What is this? Why are French soldiers here?”

Sabina asked.

“They invaded Jersey.”

“You had the French invade Jersey? For me?”

“No, love, they were going to invade anyway. I tagged along,”

Roland said. They had stopped in an alley. “Listen to me. That was a very brave thing you did at the docks. I thank you and am once more in your debt. Never, ever do that again,”

Roland said seriously. Sabina let out a harsh cry, trying not to weep as they avoided the armed clashes.

Part of Sabina noted that this invasion was half-hearted at best. Even taken by surprise, red-coated soldiers more than held their own against their attackers.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,”

Sabina said as they made their way through. “I only wanted you safe.”

“My love, my love, never apologize. I love you, and all is well.”

“Is it? We just killed a man.”

“We killed more than that,”

Remy noted and quieted at a hard look from Roland.

“None of that matters now,”

Roland said, his hands tangled in her sable hair. Sabina sobbed and pulled his face down for a kiss.

“While that is entertaining, we need to go to ground until this dies down,”

Oliver said, scanning the alleys. “The crew has Ariadne at our private docks. Meet me there tomorrow?”

“Yes, let us leave at high tide,”

Roland recommended.

“And the lady?”

Remy asked.

“She stays with me,”

Roland said firmly. “Oh, Remy.”

“I’ll find your brother and strange boy who lives with you,”

Remy said.

Another explosion rocked the street and they rapidly said their goodbyes.

Roland ushered Sabina through a maze of alleys and streets, avoiding the battle between French and British forces. After an eternity, they finally came to a humble home.

After being greeted by a round-faced matron, they were ushered to a spare but comfortable upper room, which seemed to double as storage. In rapid succession, the bed in the corner was readied, washing water and a tray of food was brought up, and the matron instructed them to leave their washing and tray outside the door.

The gunfire had ceased. Sabina chanced a look out the window and started.

There, above the musket smoke over Jersey, was a double rainbow, the larger bow brighter and mirrored to the smaller, fainter bow. The last time she had seen such was when she left York.

Without warning, Sabina began to sob.

****

Roland wrapped her in a close hold and thought his knees would buckle now that she was in his arms. Only sheer will kept him from collapsing into a heap. His arms tightened around his weeping lover. How dear and fragile she was. She was safe now, though. She was not hurt. There had been a very real chance she could have been hurt.

“Now you cry?”

Roland chuckled unsteadily. “I saw you giving them hell, sweetheart. Why are you crying now?”

She could only shake her head and weep harder.

Roland pulled her tightly to him and cradled her on the bed. Eventually, she cried herself out. Her sobs became less violent and faded into quiet little hiccups.

Roland tucked her head under his neck and buried his nose in her hair, closing his eyes as he breathed in the warm, spicy scent of her. His beautiful, strong girl had been taken away from him. He was not amused.

“Will you stop getting kidnapped now?”

Roland murmured, attempting humor.

Sabina seemed not to hear him. She wrapped her arms around him and kept her face in his neck. He would hold her as long as it took, cocooning her from the harshness of the world.

“Lenoir and Isolde?”

Sabina suddenly remembered.

“Safe and undiscovered. For all society knows, the duke’s sisters have a cold. Your charges are safe,”

Roland assured her. Sabina buried her face in his chest.

“Thank you,”

Sabina finally said. “For coming for me.”

“Always. You look beautiful,”

he said, fingering the dress. Sabina looked down and started violently.

“Oh, God. This is my mother’s dress. Get it off me,”

Sabina insisted. He obliged and went to work on the stays. The dress was of a much older style and he had to touch Sabina. She was trembling and he tried to hurry. Then Sabina yanked his head down and kissed him desperately.

His lover needed a different comfort from him. He needed her this way too, to reaffirm her safety. With a rip, he managed to get some skirts loose and they fell to the floor in a cloud.

Sabina slung off the pearls and he wrapped it around his wrist for safekeeping. Then she was loosening the fall of his breeches and taking him in hand. Roland groaned and laid her back on the bed.

Scrambling, Sabina managed to hook a toe on the waist of his breeches and in turn pushed and tugged his pants off. She seemed to take pride in her dexterity before he ground his cock against her wet heat and she went cross-eyed.

He reached down to stroke her and noted her jerk when the pearls around his wrist ran across her nether lips. Later, he promised himself as he petted her gently and stroked her with pearl-clad fingers.

“The dress?”

“Shut up,”

Sabina said and hitched her hips to get his cock in place.

She kissed him seriously and took his face in her hands.

“I want your cock inside me.

I love the feel of your thick staff pushing inside of me.

This is what I want, this invasion by your sex.

You should make love to me every day, every way, until we’re both sweating and dying.

And I’d still want you more, I’d still want you to turn me around and work me over again until I scream for you to stop.

But don’t stop, don’t you ever stop loving me.

Don’t listen if I ask you to slow down or let me rest. Just keep fucking me.”

Sabina kissed Roland deeply and he groaned loudly as he gave her what she begged for.

His hands on her hips, Roland thrust inside her with such force that he saw stars as she screamed with joy.

His tongue mimicked his movements, thrusting in and out of her pussy as rapidly as she worked his cock.

Roland quickly shoved his arms under her thighs, elevating her hips to his thrusts.

Her feet flapped helplessly in the air as he plunged deep into her softness.

His hands gripped her hips beneath her thighs as he worked his sex into her.

He was dripping sweat all over her, could feel the hot dampness of her body as his limbs moved with hers.

If they had been outside, he would have steamed in the cold.

Sabina held onto his shoulders.

Her hips moved and writhed each time he shoved inside of her.

She was here.

She was safe.

He was never letting her go again.

Her legs came up and locked around his waist, giving her some leverage in which to help the coupling along.

She was soon damp with sweat and their juices.

Her breath came in desperate pants.

His fingers were going to leave bruises on her hips, and he hoped the bruises lasted for days.

“You wreck me completely,”

he breathed into her ear.

And then she came.

Crying out, Sabina tumbled into a hard orgasm.

At the same time, Roland roared as his body rocked convulsively.

His hips moved like pistons between Sabina’s soft thighs.

He came with such force and swore he could feel her womb as he emptied himself inside her.

The juices of their combined efforts dripped down her thighs and slid slickly around their joined sexes.

They tumbled into the sheets, entwined and content.

****

Sabina saw their reflection in the mirror of the cabin. She only noticed the mirror a little while ago, having spent some time distracted by her lover.

They were on Ariadne, making way back to London.

They had gone directly to their cabin and no one was foolish enough to interrupt their reunion.

Most of them were more concerned with departing Jersey.

They had confirmed that the English were handily managing the French and then made sail straightaway.

Sabina and Roland had finally gotten around to removing all clothing and the image they presented now was scandalous.

Sabina lay on her back, bare as the day she was born.

He lay on his stomach, half covering her.

He was still inside of her, and her dusky legs cradled his hips lovingly.

One of his hands cupped her breast and his head was under one of her arms.

Lazily, Sabina stroked her foot up from his thigh to the delicious curve of his bottom.

Her lover had the most wonderful bottom.

She could still see her teeth marks on his pale flesh there.

Certainly, her own bottom bore marks from his mouth.

Sabina never wanted to move or leave this place.

She moaned softly when he gently removed himself from her and rolled to the side.

She curled up at his side and was once again delighted at how well they fit together.

This was bliss.

And she needed to use the facilities.

Sabina sat up with a groan and donned her shift, unsure if she had the courage to walk around in her undergarments.

“In the trunk,”

Roland said, sleepily. He was spread-eagled on the cabin’s bed, taking the majority of it. “You can wear whatever you find.”

Sabina opened the trunk and was enchanted by the array of colors. She saw a Chinese silk banyan, fine shirts of every color, Indian shawls, spices, and incense that she had no name for. She chose a silk banyan for herself.

Roland grinned at the sight of her in his banyan. He had long forgotten the clothing stash he had kept in the cabin. Oliver hadn’t cared to rifle through Roland’s belongings after his departure. “Not too many clothes now,”

Roland said drowsily, and turned onto his side. Sabina winked at him and went behind the screen in the corner to do her business. To her delight, there was fresh water in the pitcher and she could tidy up to her pleasure.

Finishing, Sabina went to sit next to Roland and let herself breathe. She was safe.

“Are there any other men who want to kidnap you? I should like warning. Rest assured, my love, I will defeat them all,”

Roland said lazily, “after we eat.”

Sabina laughed.

“In that case, I shall bring in the tray,”

Sabina said, and did that. She went about setting the small table with the humble contents of the tray, humming to herself. Their exertions had worked their appetite and Sabina could not remember when she had last eaten.

“Sabina,”

Roland said. She turned to him and once again felt as if the sun had broken out from behind rain clouds. She loved this man so. He stood, completely naked, and came to her. “Sabina, will you have me?”

“I just did,”

she said, puzzled. “I will again after we eat.”

Roland caught her hand.

“Not only in bed, Sabina fair. Will you have me as your husband?”

Roland said quietly, laying her hand over his heart.

Sabina stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

“You’re the Viscount Schofield. You need to marry a lady.”

“I am Roland Darewood and I need to marry the woman I love. You, Sabina, are the woman I love. Please, I need to be with you. I need to know you’re safe and warm and content. I can’t keep on as we were. It’s not enough,”

Roland said.

“Roland, I’m not of your class. What kind of life could we have?”

Sabina said.

“A happy one. I have money, Sabina, and I have a family who loves you. I love you. I will take care of us. I even have enough money for your school.”

“You would help me with the school?”

Sabina asked.

“Of course, I was already planning to. It’s important to you.”

“You wouldn’t stop me from teaching?”

“Why would I ever do that? You love teaching. I would want you to teach less when our children are born, but I would never ask you to stop,”

Roland said. Sabina’s eyes widened. Children. She had been so focused on survival that she had not considered the consequences of their actions.

She could be pregnant now. Children. With Roland. Sabina smiled.

“I will still teach,”

Sabina said fiercely.

“I wholeheartedly approve. It is always about you, for me,”

Roland said fiercely. Sabina stared into his sky-blue eyes and almost started crying. He told the truth and she was an ass for doubting him. He had sailed across the sea and fought battles for her.

Sabina looked at their hands, then let him go and went to the satchel she had taken from Elmo’s desk. Sabina handed Roland a sheet of paper.

“What is this?”

“My father’s will, stating that the majority stake of Van Dellen Shipping will go to my husband upon my marriage,”

Sabina said. “My father was Bartel Van Dellen. I am his only heir. In three weeks, I will have five-and-twenty years. I will then inherit these shares in Van Dellen Shipping. They are yours.”

Roland nodded seriously. Then he turned his back to her. Sabina blinked. This was not one of the reactions she had expected. Roland searched for his clothes.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to propose again because you didn’t answer the first time, but I thought I might attempt the question wearing breeches this time,”

Roland explained. “My mother’s ring is with my sister, waiting for you. Aria knew I would propose eventually,”

Roland explained, then took a breath. He dropped to his knees in front of her, having rapidly donned his trousers and nothing else. He took her hands.

“Did you hear what I said?”

Sabina asked.

“You’re the majority shareholder of Van Dellen Shipping. I know. It has no bearing on the current situation. I love you. With all my heart, I truly love you,”

Roland swore.

“I believe you.”

Sabina finally felt the knot in her chest ease. Here was safety. Here was one who would always come for her. “You need not marry me. I would sign these shares over to you anyway. I only wish to be with you.”

“I want to marry you. I cannot live without you. I worry about you constantly. I need you in my bed, by my side.”

“And you will be the majority shareholder of Van Dellen Shipping.”

“To hell with the shares. Keep them. Throw them into the ocean. Sabina Kembrooke. Audrika Van Dellen. Please be my wife. I would be a good husband to you, if you’ll have me,”

Roland said seriously.

She was weeping too hard to answer. It was true. He loved her. All her life, she had only wanted to be safe and cared for again. Here was fulfillment beyond her wildest dreams.

“Roland,”

Sabina put her hand on his face. He had rescued her, sheltered her, cared for her. “I love you.”

Roland surged upward and kissed her fiercely, deeply.

“My point is, Sabina fair,”

Roland emphasized, “that I love you. I humbly request your hand in marriage.”

He took her hand and stroked her cheek, thumbing her tears away. “You needn’t answer immediately. I apologize for the suddenness of my proposal. Please, do take as much time as you need. I am at your disposal.”

His rambling made her cry harder. Sabina knew there was no more reason to cry, but she could not help the tears of joy.

“Yes. Oh crumbs, stop talking and kiss me,”

Sabina smiled and pulled him closer.

“Yes,”

Roland grinned piratically. Then he strode to the door and yanked it open. “Oliver! Get over here and marry us!”

“You don’t know who I am,”

Sabina said, wrapping the banyan closer around her body.

She heard the thudding of many manly footsteps headed their way.

It occurred to Sabina that she was about to be married on a ship crossing the Channel, wearing her shift and barefoot.

“I don’t care. I don’t care if your father was a chimney sweep or your mother was the Whore of Babylon.”

“The Whore of Babylon was an idea, not a person,”

Sabina murmured.

“And that, that level of detail is one of the reasons I love you with every breath in my body,”

Roland hooked an arm around her waist and swung her up off her feet. His joy was infectious. Or perhaps it was her own joy.

“I will make you happy,”

Sabina promised. Roland kissed her as if he could not help himself.

“Sabina, you already do.”