Page 91 of Sinister Games

CHAPTER28

RICHARD

Lunging, I caught her in my arms.

“I’ve got you, my love.”

Throwing her arms around my neck, she began to sob.

Shouldering and kicking my way through the crowd, my servants finally realized what was happening and began to push and shove, clearing a path for me. As we neared the hidden servants’ door, a maid threw it open.

“Guard the goddamn door. No one gets through,” I shouted before rushing over the threshold.

The door slammed shut, pitching us into cool darkness.

* * *

Her body trembled violentlyin my grasp.

“Elizabeth?”

No response.

I squeezed her harder, trying to still her quaking limbs.

“Elizabeth!”

Nothing.

“Lizzie!”

She was going into shock. Racing up the stairs, I tilted my shoulders to the side as I navigated the narrow, dusty hallway.

A rabbit warren of hallways and stairs led to countless hidden doors in every chamber of the three-hundred-year-old estate house, allowing servants to come and go about their duties as silent ghosts, never mixing in the main hallways with their employers.

Knowing these paths from my own childhood, I quickly navigated through the darkness till I reached my own bedchamber. Kicking the door open, I cared little as I heard the ancient wood splinter and crack as it slammed against the wall, now dangling limply on only one hinge.

Carrying her still shaking form through the dark bedroom, which was lit only by the glow of the low fire in the fireplace, I entered the bathroom. Reaching into the polished black marble shower, I turned the knob activating the countless showerheads. Waiting for the water to get hot, I stripped off her torn gown, lingerie, and the only shoe that remained on her feet as I kicked off my own shoes.

Clenching my jaw, I saw the red scratch marks on her pale skin and the purple bruise that was already forming on her shoulder. My mark on her ass, showing the intensity of my desire for her was one thing… these were violent marks for violence’s sake. That was unacceptable. There were several cameras in the conservatory. Every man and woman who’d contributed to hurting my Elizabeth would pay… dearly. I would ruin their lives for this.

Even the thought of taking out my rage on those responsible didn’t quell the anger that tightened my chest and made it hard to breathe, for I knew I also had to accept part of the blame.

My arrogance in displaying my prize possession to those rabble almost got her killed.

Never again.

Never again would I share Elizabeth with the world.

Her tangled and matted hair was wrapped tightly around the back clasp of the tapering collar necklace, so I left it on as, holding her in my arms, I stepped into the steam-filled shower, caring little as the water soaked through my tuxedo shirt and slacks.

Showerheads on the ceiling and along the walls rained soothing hot water down onto her poor battered body.

With a gasp, her emerald eyes sprung open. For a moment they were sightless, frantically looking around till they zeroed in on me.

“You bastard!” she screamed as she began to pound at my chest with her small fists. “You left me! You left me to those animals!”

“No! Elizabeth, I swear—”

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