He wrenched his lips away from hers with enough force that she collapsed against the firm back of the sofa.
“Where is my father?” she asked, wishing for the first time that Father was near. She’d rather deal with his anger than Jamie’s vile touch.
Jamie blinked back the cloud of desire. “Have you missed us?”
“How could I not?” She threw the words mockingly at him. Jamie was more a child to Father than Georgina had ever been—or ever wanted to be. They were both sick and twisted in their machinations. “You’ve always been so very devoted and loving to me.”
“Finally, I hear the truth from your lips.”
Georgina gasped and shoved Jamie backward. Her gaze flew to the door. “Adam!”
He stood there, a towering golden god, more powerful than the avenging archangel Gabriel, a pistol trained on Jamie’s black-blooded heart.
Then Adam’s words registered.
And hope died in her breast.
*
Georgina clambered to her feet, taking a step toward him. “Adam!”
His gun didn’t waver from the man who’d held him captive, who’d beaten and bloodied him. He moved his gaze from Hunter to his wife, and for one endless moment, swore her eyes radiated love, joy in seeing him, and something odd—relief.
Adam tightened his grip on the pistol to keep from tossing her over his shoulder and storming off like a conquering lord from long ago. The male part of him, blinded by hot jealousy, said be damned with how Georgina felt about Jamie. It mattered not at all when faced with his hungering love for her.
Except Adam had spent the better part of the past month reconciling himself to the truth about his wife’s loyalties. He forced himself to look away from Georgina. No, it was better to look at the snake Hunter who held his wife’s heart.
“We meet again, Hunter,” Adam drawled.
Hunter made a move to open the front of his jacket.
Adam waved his gun. “I don’t think that’s a good idea…but then, perhaps it is. I’d like nothing better than to shoot you through your heart.”
The other man paled. “P-please.” His badly shaking hands fell uselessly to his sides.
Energized by the terror etched on Hunter’s face, Adam lowered the pistol, pointing the barrel at the front flap of Hunter’s breeches. “Do you know, every day you held me captive I would spend my time imagining all the ways I would eventually kill you? Some days I decided I would do it quickly, so I could rid the earth of your evil.” Adam dropped his voice to a near whisper, relishing the way Hunter’s body quaked. “Most days, though, I decided I would take my time and make your death a slow, painful one.”
Like a cornered rat, Hunter’s gaze flitted between Adam’s pistol and the door.
Adam grinned. “Are we expecting company, Hunter? Is it perhaps my dear father-in-law who you expect to step through the doors and rescue you?” His gaze landed on his wife. Her soulful, brown eyes made wide circles in her face and her skin had the same deathly pallor as Hunter’s.
You made me fall in love with you and you broke my heart, Georgina.
His grip tightened on the pistol. He’d not utter those words aloud and give Hunter any bit of victory in these final moments.
Georgina moved toward him, but Hunter captured her wrist, pulling her to his side. “Surely Georgina means enough to you that you’d let me live?” Hunter wheedled.
Georgina made a move to free herself from his grip. “Adam, I love you,” she rasped. “Do not listen to him!” She looked at him with pleading eyes.
God, how he wanted to believe her. Wanted to trust her words.
Then Hunter pulled her sweet buttocks against the vee of his thighs, and leaned down close so his lips fairly brushed her ear. “You would abandon me to save yourself, Georgina?” His voice broke. “After all we’ve shared, you would betray me, too?” He looked at Adam, pain reflected in his eyes. “Do you know Georgina can sing? She has sung to me every day since we met. She has a voice like an angel.”
Adam winced as he remembered waltzing her around his small prison. He’d once thought the very same thing about sweet, harmless Georgina.
Georgina swatted at Hunter’s hand. “You lie,” she cried, her face contorted with rage, quashing all memories of the innocent young maid who’d come to Adam’s rooms and cared for him.
Hunter continued. “She would cook for me. She knew my favorite dish was lamb and every night would—”
Adam held his hand up. He couldn’t take anymore. Not if he were to retain any semblance of his sanity. Georgina’s willingness to transfer her affections from Hunter drove her betrayal home like a nail through his heart.
For the first time in a very long time, Adam didn’t want to kill Hunter. Instead, he felt a remarkable kinship with this man who loved Georgina too. He, like Hunter, knew what it was to love a woman so self-serving she’d say and do anything to achieve her goals…and her father’s goals.
Adam lowered his pistol. “Get out,” he commanded hoarsely.
Hunter’s eyes went wide.
He waved his gun. “Before I change my mind. You two are deserving of the Crown’s punishment, however it will not be at my hands.”
Right or wrong, I love you too much, Georgina, to turn you and your lover over.
He’d sooner wrap the noose about his own neck than watch anyone do that to her, even if that was what his deceitful wife had coming.
Hunter reacted first. He took Georgina by the arm and pulled her toward the doorway, beating a hasty retreat around Adam.
Georgina dug her heels in. She gave her curls a frantic shake. “Adam, y-you—”
He jerked his chin toward the door. “Go!” he barked.
Go! Before I change my mind, kill Hunter, and take you with me.
Hunter leaned down and whispered something close to her ear.
As if she’d stared the mythical Medusa in the eyes, Georgina went motionless. A small, quivering smile turned her lips. “Goodbye,” she said hoarsely then walked out beside Hunter, Adam’s bruised and bloodied heart going right out the door with them.
Chapter 27
Adam stepped out of the warehouse and squinted into the last vestiges of the setting sun. He pulled his watch fob out and consulted the time. Funny, it felt like he’d spent eternity in the bowels of hell, when it had been but a thirty-minute exchange.
He scanned the busy surroundings, searching for his coach. It sat motionless across the street, waiting for him, but Adam turned on his heel and walked away. He needed to walk. With a heavy tread, he made the long trek down the street, his pace slow. He concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other, because if he didn’t, he would go mad at the loss of Georgina.