“Now my love, give me a kiss, a good one too.”
Clara smiled and leaned in. As her lips brushed his mouth, she grabbed a hold of his hair and yanked. Dolan scowled in pain. Clara jumped up and pulled strips of fabric from her pocket. “Grab him, Abigail.”
Dolan rose and smacked Clara across the face, dazing her for a moment. He grabbed her, and they wrestled, both falling to the floor. Clara landed on top of him, and she did her best to hold him down. Exhaustion took over and eventually he flipped her on her back. She clawed at his arms and face. She caught sight of Abigail fleeing and tried to call out to her, but Dolan had his hands around her neck. She kept clawing at his arms, but his hands only continued to tighten around her throat. She was getting lightheaded. Her thoughts went to Sam. How much she loved him and how she would not get to revel in that love.
“You evil ice princess,” Dolan hissed.
She couldn’t get a breath and black spots started to appear before her eyes. This was it, the end. Suddenly she was released. Dolan had crumbled to the floor. Behind him stood Abigail with a large teapot. Abigail dropped the pot and said, “I am sorry, I left. I had to find something to knock him out.”
Clara shook her head, overwhelmed by Abigail’s heroics. “You saved me. You saved us.”
Abigail smiled with tears in her eyes. “I am glad I stopped him. I don’t want him to hurt anyone ever again.”
“He won’t. We will make sure that he pays for his crimes. Help me tie him up.”
Clara and Abigail tied his arms together and then his feet together. Clara then placed a cloth over his mouth. He opened his eyes as she was finishing up. He glared at her.
She leaned down and said, “You will never hurt anyone again.”
He jerked against his bindings. Clara stood. “We need to leave.”
~
Jack and Sam made their way to the London Dock area. There were too many inns and ships. It would take them forever to go one by one. Sam closed his eyes to control the emotions that wanted to erupt. Rage at Dolan and unbelievable sadness that he may lose Clara.
“Let’s get started. Focus on what we can do at the docks,” Jack said, sensing his emotions.
They dismounted, and as Sam made his way to one of the inns, he spied a man who looked just like Taylor being held at the Den. He stopped and looked Jack’s way, nodding in the direction of the man. Jack studied him and nodded in return.
They slowly made their way to where the man was standing, talking to what society would consider a fallen woman. He was distracted. Behind him was an inn and Sam felt hopeful for the first time. The man glanced up and saw Sam and Jack staring at him. He dismissed the woman and became alert. He put his back to the door.
“Are you really ready to fight for some lord who doesn’t care about you?” Sam asked.
The man smirked at him. “He pays me good.”
“Step aside now and I will pay you more,” Sam said quietly.
The man pulled a knife from his pocket and smirked, “I don’t take jobs from people I don’t know.”
Jack rushed him and grabbed the arm with the knife. They struggled and Sam grabbed him by the back of his coat. He yanked him away from Jack and kneed him in the stomach before throwing him to the ground. Sam looked up to see Devons and Miller rushing to his side with Constable Hurley and a few other men.
“Don’t get up,” Sam bit out.
The man looked around and saw the constable. He scowled and stayed seated. Sam rushed to the inn door and reached to open it just as it was opened from the inside. Clara’s eyes widened at the sight of him.
“Sam!”
He pulled her into his arms. He hadn’t lost her. An emotional sob escaped his lips, and he pulled her close, unable to speak. She reached up and grabbed his face, placing a deep kiss on his lips. As he pulled away, he looked at her own tear-soaked eyes.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
“Never, I would have fought to my last breath to get back to you,” she said.
“Did he hurt you?” he asked.
Clara shook her head. “No, he is tied up.”
Sam didn’t realize Dolan was there. His eyes widened in shock. A moan from inside the inn escaped through the door.
