in the words, couldn’t make sense of them. Everything was too chaotic. There was so much dust, and my eyes were full of tears, even though I hadn’t thought I had any left.
I kicked and kicked and kicked. Arms wrapped around me from behind, and I screamed so loud, it hurt my throat.
“Let go, Sassy, let go, sweetheart, I’ve got you,” William said in my ear, gentle, soothing.
I sank back against him, sobbing and blinking, only now realizing Lord Carmichael’s grip on my hair had loosened. William rocked back, pulling me onto his lap and holding me in his arms. I clung to him, selfishly taking in every drop of comfort he offered, even though I knew I didn’t deserve it.
The sound of fighting drew my gaze, and my eyes widened. The two men who had been standing in front of me were dead on the ground, blood stains on their chest. I couldn’t see them very well, they were too far away from me, but I could tell they weren’t moving. Just past them, Clive was rolling around with the man who had been standing behind me.
“Clive!” I whispered his name, jerking forward, but William held me back.
“Stop that, sweetheart. He’s enjoying himself.” William tightened his arms around me. “He’s got quite a bit of anger to work out.”
I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand any of this. How was this possible?
“Well, these guys seem more used to fists than pistols,” William told me, which was when I realized I’d asked the question aloud. “Clive and I got the draw on them, then I shot Carmichael while he was trying to drag you up in front of him as a shield.” His tone gave Carmichael’s title a sardonic twist. “Clive decided to jump on the last henchman and work out some of his issues, instead of shooting him, I suppose.”
“He’s dead?” I twisted around on William’s lap. Deep down, some part of me knew Carmichael was dead, or William wouldn’t be holding me, but I had to see for myself.
William tried to stop me from looking. “Sweetheart, don’t—”
“No, I need to see him,” I whispered, pushing his hand away from my face. “I need to see it for myself, William, or I’ll never believe it. Not deep down.”
He sighed but let me look.
I almost gasped again. I hadn’t realized Carmichael’s body was so close to us, only a few feet away. He was lying on his back, eyes wide open and sightless, staring at the sky. There were two holes in his chest, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Definitely dead.
The sight both unnerved and reassured me. I buried my face in William’s chest, almost wishing I hadn’t looked. Guilt welled at being reassured by a man’s death, even though I knew he wouldn’t have felt an ounce, causing mine or my husbands’ death, had the tables been turned. I didn’t like knowing I was the reason anyone had died.
Muttering a curse low, under his breath, William shifted around, his arms tightening around me as he got to his feet, easily lifting me.
“Clive, stop playing with him,” William barked out the command. “We need to get the Sheriff here.”
A new fear gripped my heart, and I lifted my head again.
“The Sheriff?” The question came out in a worried whisper, my throat too tight to speak any louder. “Aren’t you going to be in trouble for… for…”
Three dead men and one beaten into submission. Clive stood over the man he’d just been brawling with, tying his hands behind his back. If he and William faced any consequences, that would be my fault as well.
Why couldn’t I do anything right?
I was breathing faster, yet couldn’t get enough air, as if an iron band was squeezing my chest so tightly, I couldn’t really get a full breath. William gave me a little shake.
“Breathe, sweetheart. Everything’s going to be fine.”
Closing my eyes, I leaned my head against his shoulder and whimpered. The pounding in my head returned with a vengeance as if someone was hammering on the inside of my skull.
“Sassy? Sassy, what’s wrong?” William sounded panicked.
“My head hurts.” I whimpered again, then everything went dark.
Clive
* * *
“Looks like he hit her good on the back of the head, but she should be fine after a couple day’s rest,” Doc said, packing up his kit. “All her other injuries are minor.”
William and I both breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing for the first time since Sassy had passed out in William’s arms.