The Possessive Lord's Contract Wife

The carriage returned to the estate, where James was held within its confines until the time came for him to be sent to the court.

Zayne remained with Damien, taking the ride to Camille’s home.

This time, Zayne knew he couldn’t get in Damien’s way, and he wouldn’t. If it were him, he wouldn’t want anyone interfering either.

He gazed out the window at the fading light painting the horizon. "The sky looks beautiful at this hour. I wonder if the women are seeing it," he murmured.

Damien sat opposite, arms folded, gaze fixed on the scenery outside.

"I know what you are doing and why you are doing it," Damien said at last, his voice low. "But all I want at the moment is silence."

"Very well," Zayne agreed, forcing himself to look back at the view. He couldn’t think of any other way to offer Damien peace. "I will be silent, but I want to bring to your attention that we might not be able to get by the gates."

"Their home sits on my land, and I will give them good reason to come out," Damien answered.

Zayne worried about Damien’s plans, but out of loyalty, he would follow through, even if it meant danger.

’I need to keep myself safe as well’, Zayne thought.

It would be unfortunate if news reached Iris’s ears that he had been injured.

’But how would she react? Would she weep for me, or curse me for my recklessness? You sly bastard,’ Zayne thought, eager to see Iris’s response.

The ride continued in silence with both men lost in their thoughts.

They arrived at the gates, and as Zayne had predicted, they weren’t granted entry.

Zayne remained seated, watching Damien step out to speak to the guards. He half-expected a gun to be raised, but Damien only spoke.

One guard ran back towards the front door.

Zayne stepped out of the carriage. "What did you say to him?"

"I said I urgently need to speak to my aunt. They’re behaving oddly," Damien replied, his eyes narrowing on the guard who lingered. "Like they are hiding something."

Zayne stepped forward, studying the man’s face. "Well, he is trying his best to avoid our eyes. Do you think that bastard got to your aunt? Perhaps he found out she met with you."

"Perhaps," Damien muttered, reaching into his coat to draw his gun. "Open the gates, or it will be your blood splattered over them. If I go in there and find my aunt harmed, I will come back for you and make your body unrecognisable."

"I say we shoot him where he won’t die, but he’ll be writhing in pain before he passes," Zayne suggested, adding to Damien’s coldness.

The guard froze, fear etched across his face. Both men had it wrong, but he soon moved to open the gates.

Damien kept his gun aimed until the gates swung wide, only lowering his hand when his coachman stepped forward to take his place.

"Watch our backs," Damien ordered.

Zayne obeyed, scanning the men behind them. "You’re right. Something is amiss here. We should have stormed the gates instead of sending the guard to announce us. We could be walking into an ambush."

"You can turn back," Damien said, his stride unbroken. "This isn’t your fight."

"When have I ever backed down from a fight you were in?" Zayne retorted. "It’s dangerous, but if I leave your side, you have a better chance of being injured. We go straight for Hayden, then find your aunt and the children." He paused, listening to the silence. "It is awfully quiet."

Just as Damien reached the door, the guard returned, eyes wide with shock. He hadn’t expected them.

"She is waiting for you in her chamber," the guard stammered.

Damien and Zayne exchanged a look.

They had expected Hayden to be the one awaiting them.

"Is her husband at home?" Zayne asked.

"Yes. We have sent for the doctor, but he has not come yet."

"The doctor?" Zayne frowned. "What did she do?"

The thought unsettled him as Camille might not be the victim after all.

Still, it was a bad sign that Camille hadn’t come out to meet them.

Damien and Zayne rushed up the stairs, still well aware of their surroundings.

Damien reached the chamber door first, pushing it open.

They walked into the sight of Hayden lying still on the floor, while Camille sat on the bed, biting her nails, her face pale with dread.

Another man stood in the chamber, stepping forward to shield her.

"Are you well?" Damien asked, concerned only about Camille for now.

"I am well, but you must go. It is for good reason that I don’t want you here. A doctor will come to see him. He isn’t dead," Camille said, peering down at Hayden. "Just unconscious."

"He is the one who ordered their deaths," Damien said, stepping forward.

Camille lowered her gaze to her lap. "I suspected as much. To think I bore children with someone who hurt my brother. I feel disgusted with myself."

Camille’s voice trembled. "I know you wish to kill him, but this is my fight to end. I’m not going to kill him just yet. I’ll keep him away under the private care of a doctor. Just as he wanted to do to me."

"He should die," Damien said, wanting to see Hayden hang.

"You are not the only one who lost someone you cared for," Camille interrupted, her voice sharp with pain. "He was my brother. I adored your mother. I shall end this in my own way. Death is always too easy."

Camille rose from the bed, her posture poised despite her trembling hands. "One shot will end his life, but it would be far better for him to live in hell."

She looked down at Hayden’s body. "Very few servants know what occurred here. They shall soon hear that he tried to attack me, and I was forced to defend myself by calling for my guard. That is why he lies like this. You should leave now, as your presence will make this story difficult to sell."

"He should die," Damien repeated.

"Damien, he will die in due time, but my plans are the best way for none of us to be arrested. I cannot leave my children, and you cannot leave your siblings. Zayne, you must take him now before the doctor comes. It will be as though he were never here," Camille instructed the pair.

Zayne reached for Damien’s hand, gripping it firmly. "We should go. Even though he is guilty, the court won’t allow you to get away with taking justice into your own hands. We must go."

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