“Come home.”Charles punctuated the words with a kick. “And tell everyone,”kick, “you were mistaken, and you’re marrying me.”Kick.
Megan’s teeth ground together because if she allowed her jaw to loosen, she feared she’d give in and do whatever he wanted to make the beating stop. He was wearing her out, and with every kick, the whites of his eyes bulged wider, more spittle flew from his mouth, and she wondered if she’d ever be safe. Even if she got away from him, could she actually keep him away from her? Or would he always come looking?
Staying optimistic in the face of his relentless rage proved challenging, and seeing him now, she didn’t know how she’d ever been fooled into thinking him charming. He was a brute, plain and simple. She must have been willfully oblivious.
A flash of movement in the window caught her attention, and she tried not to react. If someone had found her, she didn’t want to give them away. The top of a dark-haired head appeared, then a bronze forehead, and finally a pair of the most gorgeous dark eyes she’d ever had the pleasure of gazing into.
Tione.He’d come for her.
A wave of relief washed over her. She wasn’t going to die in this ancient shack, and Charles wouldn’t escape justice. With Tione here, it was two on one, and she’d yet to see any sign that Charles was armed—he’d always preferred the hands-on approach—so she liked their odds. But first, she had to make sure Charles didn’t notice him. Her ex was deranged, and she was afraid of what he’d do if cornered.
“Hey,” she called, her voice wavering. “I’m not going home with you, and you know what? You were a terrible boyfriend.”
It worked. He dropped to his knees, grabbed the collar of her shirt, and jerked her toward him. “You want to say that to my face?”
She did. Shereallydid. “I lied when I said my family liked you. They hated you from day one.”
His hand wrapped around her neck in a way that might have been considered loving if he hadn’t done this exact thing once before, and then proceeded to choke her.
“Shut the fuck up. You’re not in charge here.”
She sucked in a deep breath. He wasn’t holding her tightly enough to cut off her air supply yet. “You’re bad in bed,” she choked out. “You’re not funny, and you’re a sexist pig.”
His hands tightened around her neck, crushing her larynx, making her see spots. “Shut. Up.”
The door slammed open and Charles’s whole body jerked in shock, but his hands stayed where they were. Megan shoved her chin down to loosen his grip, and gasped for breath.
“Let her go, or I’ll shoot.” Tione’s voice shook, but from what she could see of him, his hands were steady on the trigger of a shotgun.
Charles tensed, then slowly released his grip on her. Cool air rushed into her lungs, and she coughed.
“You won’t shoot me,” Charles said, and then laughed. He was cracked. Truly cracked. “If you shoot me, you’re going to look like the guilty party.”
Tione didn’t waver. He aimed the rifle directly at Charles’s head. Megan wondered whether he’d ever shot a gun before. Something in the way he held it made her think he wasn’t particularly familiar with them.
“The police are already on the way,” he said, his gaze flicking to Megan and narrowing as he cataloged her injuries. “Why don’t you come in easy? Don’t make this worse for yourself.”
“I don’t believe you.” Charles stood, ignoring her like she no longer mattered. “Do you know who I am?”
Tione’s jaw worked. “You’re an asshole who hurts people weaker than you. A bully.”
“I’m a Wentworth.”
“Maybe that means something in Auckland, but out here, it sure as hell doesn’t.” An ominous click sounded as his finger moved. “Get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head.”
Charles started to obey, and Tione gave his attention to Megan. It was only for a moment, but it was enough for Charles to lunge forward, catching Tione around the waist and knocking him down. The men wrestled for the gun. A shot went off, and she screamed, thrashing against her bindings, trying to break free. The knots around one ankle loosened and she yanked her foot out, not caring as the rope ripped her skin and pain blazed through her limb as circulation returned to the extremities.
Using her free foot, she shuffled around until she had a clear view of the men, then cocked her knee, and rammed her throbbing foot into Charles’ back. He howled, and lashed out at her. Pain surged through her anew, but as she’d hoped, her move gave Tione the chance he needed to pull the rifle clear and drag himself away.
Before he could stand, another shot rang out, and a chunk of wood exploded out of the wall opposite the window. They all ducked for cover as policemen in black outfits stormed the building, forcing Charles to the ground and cuffing him before escorting Tione from the room and talking in low voices that she couldn’t understand.
“Miss Talbot.” A face appeared above hers. A face with ruddy cheeks, wisps of gray hair, and worried eyes. It was the kind policeman who’d taken her statement. Officer Elliot. “You hold still now, little lady,” he said in the tone one might use with a skittish dog. “We’re going to cut you free, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered. Though she’d been full of fight mere minutes ago, all of the energy seemed to have drained from her, and she felt tender and limp. Her ribs ached, her lungs burned, her throat was raw, and every inch of her was battered and bruised. She longed to soak in a warm bath, and then be put to bed by her mother. She wanted to be held, and to be told that everything would be all right.
The policemen finished cutting her leg bindings and she sagged onto the ground. They untied her wrists last, and she winced as the blood flow returned to them, then rubbed at the deep grooves imprinted on her skin. It occurred to her that she should probably get up, but she wasn’t sure her legs would support her weight. Charles had kicked her so many times she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d broken something.
She shifted, testing whether she could sit, and whimpered when a hot lance stabbed her side. A hand landed on her shoulder. Tione? She looked up so fast she almost gave herself whiplash, but it was only Elliot.