The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies) by Michaels, Maddison (short books to read TXT) 📕

to him and wrapped her arms around his chest. “I’m so scared for her, Sebastian. You will save her, won’t you?”

He briefly hugged his sister back and returned her to her feet. All he could do was nod his head, his throat suddenly tight with the thought that Livie was in danger. And the man threatening her was someone he had been betrayed by. Clint, that goddamn son of a bitch, was going to pay for such a betrayal.

The Dragon Duchess strode over to him, her wrinkled hands reaching out and gripping his like a vise. “You will save my goddaughter, Sebastian Colver. Do you understand me? You will bring our Livie home to us, alive and safe.”

“I will,” he managed to grind out.

“And when you do find her,” the duchess said, her voice filled with steel, “you will punish the man who dared to take her, do you hear me? You punish him and then you make certain that the bastards can never hurt her ever again. Live up to your reputation and do whatever you need to, to make that happen.”

“He will never see another dawn, Lady Calder. I promise you that,” Seb pledged. “Not another damn dawn.”

Chapter Forty-Seven

They’d been walking in the dark woods for what seemed like half an hour, with only the moon’s light to guide them. Livie had stumbled many times, but thankfully Clint had let her keep her cane, at least for now, while they walked, which had helped prevent too many falls.

He’d kept his pistol trained on her, walking a few meters behind her the whole way, patient as she navigated the uneven terrain with her bad leg.

“You know Sebastian will kill you for betraying him and taking me. There’s still time to just leave me and flee the country.”

“Do you think I care about death?” the young man scoffed. “Vengeance has been feeding me since I was a boy, and vengeance I will have, for God is on my side.”

His tone had turned venomous, and there was pure hatred in his voice, which took Livie by surprise.

“I didn’t take you for a religious fanatic,” Livie said, taking a moment to navigate across a fallen branch as they kept trudging forward presumably to the hunting lodge.

“You don’t know me well enough to know what I am or am not.”

“No, I don’t suppose I do.” Livie paused for a second. “Doesn’t God preach forgiveness, though?”

Clint scoffed. “What about an eye for an eye?”

“Isn’t that what Sebastian was doing in response to the crimes your father committed upon his mother?”

“Don’t justify his actions!” Clint screamed, waving his gun wildly at her. “His mother was a whore. She deserved what she got. And so will you, now that you’ve become Sebastian’s whore.” His gaze ran up and down the length of her body. “I could tell when I arrived you’d given yourself to him. Tell me, what does it feel like to be the Bastard of Baker Street’s harlot?”

He walked up to her and with his free hand pushed back some of her stray hair that was dangling against her face, his cold and surprisingly strong fingers brushing against her skin. Livie jerked her head away from him, at which he laughed.

“You are spirited, I’ll grant you that. Perhaps that’s why he had to have you. He does so enjoy a challenge, which I know well enough, having worked with him for the past year, observing him and analyzing his every move.” He turned her around and pushed her slightly forward. “I must say I’m greatly anticipating taking over his empire.”

“Even if you were to kill Sebastian, Lance and Rowan will never let you get away with it.” The thought of Sebastian dead was gut-wrenching, and even just voicing it made her flinch in pain.

“I know that,” he assured her. “I plan to get rid of them, too. But I need to get rid of Colver first before I turn my sights to the lesser fish in the pool.” He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the dial. “What do you think of my plan? Brilliant, is it not?”

Livie was silent for a moment. She’d never felt such loathing toward another person. “A master stroke of lunacy, rather than brilliance, I would think.” Livie knew she might be pushing him in saying such a thing, but she needed to do something to try to rattle him. Him calm and composed she instinctively knew would be worse than him upset and making mistakes.

For a moment, Clint stood there staring at her, his jaw clenching tightly. “Well, it is disappointing you think that. I had hoped you were more of a visionary than you obviously are. That you could understand my need for revenge after the atrocities he committed upon my father, to then take over the empire he’s built when you, too, are seeking revenge for your friend’s death.”

“I am seeking justice, not revenge. Your father raped and killed Sebastian’s mother,” Livie replied. “As far as I’m concerned, Sebastian did all women a favor when he ensured that vile excuse for a man couldn’t touch another woman ever again.”

In a blink, the young man leaned forward and slapped her hard across the face. “You bitch!” he screamed. “You fucking whore! You will pay for your blind devotion to that bastard!”

“What do you think Sebastian will do to you when he arrives?” Livie proudly lifted her chin. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him how terrified she truly was. “He’s stronger than you. He’s smarter than you. And he has more experience than you.” Perhaps if she could scare him with what he was going to be facing, she just might be able to ram some common sense into the man’s head or scare him senseless with the thought of facing the Bastard of Baker Street. “You won’t stand a chance against him. He is going to rip you to shreds for your treachery.”

“Do you really think I’m alone