Chapter 5

Audriana backed up until her bare heels hit the cold, wet stone of the fountain. There was nowhere left to go.

"Get away from me, Eston," she ordered, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Eston laughed. It was an ugly, wet sound. He swung one crutch out and hooked the rubber-padded curve of it around her waist, yanking her off balance. As she stumbled toward him, his free hand shot out and grabbed her bare shoulder, his fingers digging painfully into her skin. "You think you're so smart, playing hard to get? You just wanted his money!"

Bile rose in Audriana's throat. She twisted her body violently, bringing her right hand up and smashing the heel of her shoe directly into Eston's chest.

Eston grunted in pain, but the alcohol numbed him. He ripped the shoe from her hand and flung it sideways. The heel skipped across the stone and plopped into the fountain water. He grabbed both of her wrists, pinning them against her sides.

He leaned down, trying to force his mouth onto hers. Audriana snapped her head to the side. His wet lips dragged across her cheek, leaving a trail of disgusting saliva.

Audriana brought her knee up, driving it hard into his stomach.

Eston's crutches clattered to the ground. His hands let go of her wrists. He collapsed forward, his palms barely catching the edge of the fountain to keep his face from smashing into the stone. He gasped for air, but one hand still clawed up, seizing her wrist again.

Audriana opened her mouth to scream.

Before a sound could escape her lips, a massive hand shot out from the darkness. Long, thick fingers wrapped around the back of Eston's collar.

With a terrifying surge of brute strength, the hand yanked Eston backward. He was ripped off his feet. His braced leg twisted at an unnatural angle and his crutches spun away as he crashed heavily onto the manicured grass.

Ellwood stepped into the moonlight. His face was a mask of pure, murderous fury. The air around him felt thick enough to choke on.

Audriana's legs gave out. She slid down the side of the fountain, her breathing erratic.

Ellwood closed the distance in two strides. He dropped to his knees and pulled her tightly against his chest. The familiar, clean scent of cedarwood hit her senses. The tension in her body snapped. Hot tears flooded her eyes, spilling down her cheeks.

Ellwood felt her shaking. The muscles in his arms bunched. He stripped off his suit jacket and wrapped it tightly around her bare shoulders.

Eston groaned, rolling onto his side. He looked up, squinting through the pain. "Uncle... she seduced me..."

Ellwood let go of Audriana. He stood up slowly. The sound of his leather shoes crushing the grass was the only noise in the garden.

He didn't say a word. He walked over to Eston, pulled his foot back, and kicked him squarely in the face.

The sickening crunch of bone breaking echoed loudly. Eston screamed, clutching his shattered nose as blood poured through his fingers.

Ellwood lifted his foot and pressed the sole of his shoe down hard on Eston's chest, pinning him to the dirt.

He leaned down. His voice was a demonic whisper. "You touch what is mine, and you die."

Eston sobbed, his body convulsing in terror. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Flashlight beams cut through the darkness. Three estate security guards ran over, freezing in horror when they saw the scene.

Ellwood slowly turned his head to look at them. "Drag this garbage to Frances's room. Tell her to leash her dog."

The guards nodded frantically, grabbing Eston by the arms and dragging him away into the shadows. One of them scooped up the abandoned crutches and hurried after the others.

The garden fell silent again.

Ellwood walked back to Audriana. He crouched down. He pulled a clean white handkerchief from his pocket. With rough but controlled movements, he wiped the side of her face where Eston had touched her. He rubbed the skin until it turned pink, erasing every trace of the other man.

He stopped, his dark eyes locking onto her red, tear-filled ones.

Audriana thought he was going to yell at her for causing a scene. Instead, he slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms.

She gasped, her hands instinctively grabbing his broad shoulders.

"We are going home," he muttered against her hair.

He carried her through a side gate, avoiding the main ballroom, and walked straight to a waiting black Lincoln parked in the rear driveway.

The driver opened the door. Ellwood placed her gently on the leather seat and climbed in beside her. The privacy partition immediately rolled up, sealing them in a quiet, dark box.

Audriana pulled his jacket tighter around herself. She looked at his sharp profile in the dim light. "Thank you," she whispered.

Ellwood didn't look at her. He picked up a bottle of water, opened it, and handed it to her. "You are my wife. Protecting you is my obligation."