Page 53 of Trapped with the Earl of Sin

“No,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. “This cannot be happening.”

Edwin’s footsteps grew louder, closer. She pressed herself against the wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps. There was no escape. She was trapped. Her eyes darted around, searching for any possible way out, but there was none. The walls closed in, suffocating her with their cold indifference.

“Game over, Susanna,” Edwin’s voice was right behind her now, dripping with satisfaction. “You have lost.”

She turned to face him, her body trembling with fear and exhaustion. “Why, Edwin? Why are you doing this?”

His eyes gleamed with a twisted light. “Because Mary is mine. And you will not stop me from having her. Ever. You tried… you even tried back when I was coming to visit your home, and it is time for you to realize that you will never win.”

He lunged at her, and she screamed, throwing her hands up to protect herself. But just as his hands closed around her throat, the world around her shattered.

Susanna jolted awake, her body drenched in sweat, her heart racing. She was back in the room, the physician and Mary hovering over her, their faces etched with concern.

“Susanna, it is alright. You are safe now.” Mary’s voice was soothing, her hand warm on Susanna’s forehead. “You are going to be fine. It is just a flesh wound, just as I said earlier.”

The dream still clung to her, a dark, lingering presence that refused to fade. She could still feel Edwin’s grip on her, hear his laughter echoing in her mind.

“He was chasing me,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “I could not get away.”

Mary’s eyes were filled with sympathy and determination. “You are safe now, Susanna. We will not let him hurt you again. I promise.”

Susanna nodded, but the fear still gnawed at her insides. Edwin was still out there, and the nightmare had felt all too real. She knew she had to be strong, not just for herself, but for Mary and everyone she loved. They had to stop Edwin, once and for all. And this time, she would not let him catch her.

“Martin is going to find Edwin, and we are going to put an end to this. I am sure we have nothing to worry about.”

But that did not ease Susanna’s worries. She was concerned about Martin too. He was the one Edwin was shooting at. It seemed like he had started targeting Luke, but it was Martin who the bullet was supposed to hit.

What if another bullet hit Martin and she was not there to save him this time?

“Come on,” Mary declared as she tucked her hands underneath Susanna. “The physician is going to help me get you into bed now.”

With gentle care, Mary and the physician lifted Susanna and guided her to the bed. Each movement sent sharp pains through her arm, but she gritted her teeth and bore it. Once she was settled, the physician checked her bandages, ensuring they were secure and clean.

“You need rest,” the physician said firmly. “Sleep will help you heal faster. That is just a flesh wound, as your sister thought, but it will not heal without proper rest.”

Susanna wanted to argue, to insist she stay awake and help plan what to do next, but her body betrayed her. Exhaustion pulled at her, and she could barely keep her eyes open. She looked at Mary, who sat beside her, holding her hand.

“Please be careful, Mary,” she murmured. “Edwin is truly the most dangerous man that I have ever met. He will not stop until he gets what he wants. I do not want you anywhere near him. I do not want him to hurt you.”

“We will be careful,” Mary assured her. “You just focus on getting better. We need you strong. Remember, it is going to be my wedding soon, and I need you there with me. I need you to be there as Luke and I say our vows.”

Susanna wanted to smile. She could not wait for the wedding now. She could not wait to celebrate her sister’s love.

Mary deserved this more than anyone in the world, and Susanna wasnotabout to let her down. She would make sure that she recovered. She would do whatever it was that Mary needed her to do. If that meant recovering from a gunshot wound, then that was no problem. Anything for Mary.

“I will be there,” Susanna murmured, her eyelids heavy. “I promise you, Mary, I will be there for you.”

As she drifted off, the remnants of the nightmare still lingered, but Mary’s presence was a comfort. She let herself sink into the darkness, hoping for a dreamless sleep this time.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Martin tore through the hallways, his mind a whirlwind of panic and determination. Edwin had to be stopped. The thought of him out there, armed and dangerous, filled him with dread. He could not let Edwin hurt anyone else, he could not let Edwin do any more damage. He had already acted like a crazy person in his attempt to stop the wedding from taking place. There was no telling what he would do next.

As he rounded a corner, he nearly collided with Luke, who was hurrying towards him, his face etched with concern. “Martin! What’s going on? I heard that there was a gunshot.”

“Luke, thank God!” Martin gasped, grabbing Luke’s arm to steady himself. “It is Edwin. He has lost it. He tried to shoot me, but Susanna… she took the bullet.”

“She did what?”

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