“Look at you. Maybe tales of your courage are warranted. But you don't get your way. Not this time.”
“You won’t get yours either,” Wesley said. “If you’re going to do something, do it.”
“You really are Lord Knightly,” the groom whispered.
The highwayman rolled his eyes. “God, do you know how much I’ve had to listen to this shite? Like you've got some special abilities, rescuing people, doing this, doing that. You got a magic cock too? They've heard of you all the way to London, I bet, but I know the truth. You’re nothing but a red-blooded man, and there's the proof right there.” He pointed the pistol at Wesley's bandaged head.
“Well, I did survive a mace to the head. That's pretty impressive by anyone's standards.”
Gerard shrugged.
“What happened to the other bandits? They run off?” Wesley wanted to know.
“The others are dead.”
“You deserve no less for kidnapping my wife. Did you already fire that gun?” Wesley asked.
“Nothing spooks cattle like a gunshot,” Gerard replied.
“So, you’ve only one shot left?”
Gerard narrowed his eyes. “I only need one.”
“Unless you miss.”
“The lad was kind enough to give me his gun.” He pulled it from his waistband and caulked it. “Now I've got three shots. Do you have three lives?”
Wesley cocked his head to the side. “After getting hit with the mace. I think I used one, maybe two. I’ve got seven left.”
“You’re no cat. Can you dodge three bullets?”
Wesley moved away from the coach. “Only one way to find out.”
The highwayman smirked and raised both guns at Wesley.
The shot went off, but the only pain Wesley felt was the crunch of bone and bodies as he tackled Gerard and they hit the ground. Wesley tucked his chin to his chest and started swinging, his fists connecting with any part of the highwayman as fast as possible. But thank God he wasn't alone.
The groom kicked the guns away and joined the fray. The carriage door opened, and occupants spilled out and surrounded them. Wesley held his forearm under the highwayman's chin. The man's eyes rolled back in his head until he went limp. Finally, Wesley let go and sat up, but he still straddled the man. They began to applaud him.
“We’ll need something to bind him until we reach the next village,” Wesley said, breathing hard, and ignoring the stars that floated in his vision.
The groom complied at once.
“And you,” he pointed to the coachman.
“I get paid to transport people, not risk my life.”
Wesley shook his head. He stood up and Willa launched into his arms, peppering his face with kisses, then holding his head to examine his bandage.
“Are you mad?”
“I’m madly in love with you.” He buried his face in her hair and breathed deep. He hadn’t been scared until this moment.
“It seems so,” she said, trembling in his hold.
“It also seems I'm famous.” He pulled back and grinned at her.
“You just lost another life,” Willa said.
