Chapter 24

"You know, Elizabeth, I'm really very hurt that you never told me about Tom Baker," Andrew said casually. "You were all alone because Lucky here wanted to take your sister to the dance instead, right? That was a bad decision on his part. I mean if only he'd taken you.... Isn't life funny that way?"

"You don't know anything about my past. Lucky saved me." Elizabeth spat, struggling against him.

"Is that how you see it? You wouldn't have been in the park had it not been for him that evening. Well, he did come looking for you, didn't he? Too bad he was too late."

"You'll never be half the man that Lucky is," she said, freeing one hand to slap him.

Andrew went deathly still. "That was a mistake." Without warning, his fist sent her reeling backward. Elizabeth covered her face with a trembling hand, determined not to give way to fear and stared him down wordlessly.

The rage building up in Lucky overrode his pain. Struggling against the pulpit, he managed to drag it with him towards the pair. "Is that what makes you feel like a man? Terrorizing a woman? Can't fight me fairly so you're going to go after her?"

"Listen to our hero," Andrew said mockingly. "Sacrificing himself so you don't get any more hurt. Now that's true love." Andrew violently grabbed Elizabeth by the arm and pulled her over to one of the upholstered chairs he'd obviously dragged down from the stage. It took him mere minutes to overpower her and tie her to the chair.

Casually he walked over to a black bag in the corner, pulling out both a taser and a pistol. "Lucky, Lucky, Lucky. I can see I underestimated you. I won't do it again," he replied coldly before pistol-whipping Lucky. Elizabeth cried out in fear. "I could taser you again, but then you'd be unable to witness what I'm going to do to her."

Lucky resolutely looked up at Andrew before spitting on his feet. Andrew kicked Lucky in the ribs, and Lucky bit back a curse. "Shall I share my plan with her?" Andrew laughed before turning to face Elizabeth again. "You do know that Lucky's never forgiven himself for not getting there in time to save you, right? And really he shouldn't have. He's such a noble man that I bet the only way he could get past it was to promise himself that he would never let it happen again." Andrew paused to look down at Lucky in disgust. "Unfortunately he has no control over that."

Elizabeth blocked out Andrew's voice, willing Lucky to meet her eyes. Clearly, he was in agony, struggling to hang onto consciousness. When he did raise his eyes to meet hers, she gasped at the regret and self-contempt that were present. "I love you," she whispered, and he mouthed it back.

Andrew grabbed Lucky's hair to raise Lucky's eyes to his own. Leaning closer, he whispered, "How do you think it's going to feel to be here and not be able to save her? Being feet away from her as she screams for you and all you can do is watch as I take her." Without waiting for a response, he used the butt of the gun to hit Lucky in the back of the head one last time.

Elizabeth felt the tears racing down her face as Andrew walked back over to her. The sight of Lucky beaten, slumped over, barely conscious almost broke her. Sucking back a sob, she told herself that now was not the time for that. If they were going to get out of here alive, she couldn't break now. She froze as Andrew wiped away her tears with one hand before sliding his fingers down to grasp her chin firmly. Leaning down over her, he kissed her harshly holding her face hostage as he pushed his way into her mouth. She bit down hard, causing him to draw back with a curse. Elizabeth stared at him defiantly.

"It's going to be like that, huh?" Andrew asked crisply. Fisting her hair in one of his hands, he leaned over again and kissed her again, this time using his other hand to grope her. He hadn't tied her feet, so she brought her right knee up swiftly, hitting her mark exactly. Andrew stumbled back, gasping for breath. Elizabeth struggled against her bonds, feeling them loosen slightly.

Andrew stalked back towards her angrily. Grabbing her hair again, he forced her face closer to his. "You're going to regret that." Reaching behind her with one hand, he released the main knot causing the ropes to come free behind her.

"Fight Elizabeth! Don't stop fighting him," Lucky groaned out from his spot behind them.

Elizabeth and Andrew struggled momentarily, but Andrew quickly gained the upper hand. Pinning her arms to her side with one hand, he pulled a couple of pins out of her hair and fingered the falling tendrils casually. "I'd really hoped that you would enjoy this as much as me." Suddenly, his hand slid out of her hair, and he used his free hand to aggressively pull her right leg up closer to him, bringing them both to the floor.

As she struggled beneath him, Andrew slid one hand up her dress, hitching it up towards her waist. He used his other hand to hold her wrists above her head. "This is going to hurt you more than it does me." He kissed her again, bruising her mouth with his own. Elizabeth continued to fight even as she felt his hand slid further up her hip towards her waist. Leaning into her ear, he whispered one phrase, "Not a word."

Elizabeth froze. But not for the reason he thought. She spotted the gun he'd dropped beside her before he'd untied her from the chair. It was just within reach if she could get him to let go of her hands.

Forcing herself to go still as his hand roamed her body, she closed her eyes and tried to appear compliant. If he thought for a moment that she was too afraid to fight him anymore, he would let go of her hands so he could better hold her. Just one moment that was all she'd need.

Lucky couldn't look away. His brain screamed at him to avert his eyes, and yet he couldn't. He wanted to tear his arms off if it meant stopping Haydn. He had promised himself that she would never have to face this again, and having to watch it happen without being able to get to her was his worst nightmare come alive. Because he knew how deeply this affected her, would affect her. He didn't have the energy to struggle, forcing himself to breathe normally took almost all of his concentration. He froze at the same moment she did. What had Andrew said? Why did she stop fighting? Internally, he screamed for her to fight the bastard. She couldn't give up now. She had to fight! Lucky couldn't breathe. He felt his vision blur. His insides burn. Whether it was because of his injury or because of the feelings running through him, Lucky wasn't sure.

Tearing his eyes away as Andrew pulled off Elizabeth's nylons, Lucky saw it. His service revolver. It was laying to the side with his keys and jacket. Andrew might have planned some things well, but he hadn't counted on Lucky's ability to pick locks. Lucky's eyes widened as he noticed one of Elizabeth's hair pins just out of his reach. He remembered Andrew flinging a couple of them to the ground as he'd pulled Elizabeth's hair down.

Lucky wasn't sure what providence had caused this bobby pin to fall in its unlikely resting place, but he was grateful for it. Trying to bite back a groan, he slid his hands towards it slowly. If he could get the handcuffs open, he'd only need three seconds.

Working the pin into his right hand, he blinked the tears of pain away as he worked the lock. Meanwhile he debated the best plan of action, mapping out the possible outcomes. He prayed she wouldn't give up. He would get to her, somehow. Lucky knew well enough that he couldn't overpower Andrew right now, but if he could manage to get to his revolver without notice, he could get a shot off at least wounding Andrew without harm to Elizabeth.

Andrew let go of Elizabeth's wrists to unzip his pants, and Lucky felt the lock almost give way.

Elizabeth forced herself to lie still for one minute more even as her stomach rolled in revulsion. Opening her eyes, she saw it, as close as she remembered. She tensed for a second before shooting her hand out to grab it.

Everything went still for a moment.

And then a shot rang out in the silence.