Her Wicked Proposal novel Chapter 72

Darkness. Damn the everlasting black.

Cedric hung from a rafter in the belly of a ship. At least, that was his best guess. The ropes around his wrists chaffed him where they stretched straight above his head. Whoever had strung him up had given him enough slack to have a sure footing on the floor, which was a good thing because the ship kept pitching and rolling.

The briny smell of seawater and aged wood filled his nose. He tried to think clearly. The last thing he remembered was being attacked in his own ballroom by Samir Al Zahrani, whose voice he would recognize anywhere. Then he'd been ganged up on by a number of his men. Then he'd lost consciousness.

Where was Anne? He called out her name, his voice hoarse and his throat dry.

"Ah. Finally awake, Lord Sheridan?" Samir's cool voice taunted from somewhere in front of him.

Cedric jerked on the ropes binding him. "Where is my wife?"

Samir chuckled, the sound a little closer. "She is entertaining my men. Fair-skinned ladies fetch a high price, and she is in need of the practice in satisfying multiple men. I left her screaming like the English whore she is."

Cedric jerked on his wrists, the beam above him creaking slightly.

"You bloody bastard, I'll kill you!" The roar vibrated through his entire body.

"Do be quiet, or I'll have the men bring her down so you might hear her screams yourself. Pity you cannot see. The sight of her body breaking might have blinded you."

Cedric fumed as he clawed at the rope to no avail.

Suddenly something sharp dug into his ribs.

"You once said you had a long line of men ahead of me waiting to kill you, Lord Sheridan. But I've never been one to wait my turn. Besides, I owe you a fate worse than death. I can envision much, but I'm willing to settle with my original promise-my mares returned and your life as a eunuch. I'll give you a few hours to prepare, Lord Sheridan. You might die, if you are lucky." Samir laughed darkly as he dragged the blade's edge down Cedric's body to just above his groin. He didn't cut Cedric, but the intention was clear.

"Now, stay quiet and I might spare your wife a few hours of my men's attention."

Cedric's heart withered inside. Oh, God, Anne, my darling...

A despair like nothing he'd ever felt before overwhelmed him. Loving him had become a death sentence for her. For both of them. They had both found happiness only to have it ripped away. Losing his sight was nothing compared to the crushing bleak truth of what losing Anne would do to him. He slumped in his bonds, giving up. There was no hope. Nothing he could do to save her.

"You are fortunate that my mares were well cared for," Samir continued. "I might grant you death sooner, as a way to express my gratitude."

"This is all about the bloody horses? Did you steal them back as well?"

"Soon. They are being kept in Brighton, waiting to be put on a more reliable transport ship back to my country. This vessel is fine for human cargo, but as we both know, my mares deserve much better."

A scuffle of boots announced someone new had joined them.

"Don't worry. We'll find her," Jonathan said. "You have to take it easy and be careful."

Cedric frowned. "How many are there on this ship?" he asked. The odds were going against them. They were in the ocean on a ship with Al Zahrani and his crew.

Jonathan must have understood the unspoken question.

"Too many to handle on our own. I sent word to Godric before I left port, but I do not know if the message reached him in time, or what he could do for us now that we're at sea."

"Damnation," Cedric growled. "Where the hell is Ashton and that fleet he's always talking about?"

A distant cry from above their heads silenced them.

"Ship off the port bow!"

"What?" Cedric and Jonathan said together. They'd heard the shout, but even still he was too afraid to hope.

"Jonathan, I need your help. We must find the powder room. Lead me to it, and then we find Anne."

He had a plan. It just had to work. He refused to accept any other outcome.