Unending Devotion (Michigan Brides #1)(15)

He moved one step closer, and the stench of the alcohol on his breath filled the space between them. He’d likely already been out at the taverns long enough to drink too much but would continue with the drinking as long as he was conscious. So why was he back at the hotel?

“Ran out of money,” he said too softly, as if he’d seen the direction of her thoughts. “The night’s still young, and I aim to get my fill of women.” His eyes glistened with brittle lust.

A man like Jimmy Neil didn’t deserve a response, not even the briefest acknowledgment that she’d heard his lurid words. She turned her head and pushed past him in the narrow stairwell.

But before she could get by, his arm shot out and blocked her path.

“Where you goin’ so fast?”

“Get out of my way.” She shoved his arm, but it didn’t budge. She tried to duck under it, but he stuck out his knee.

He leaned into her. The sickly heat and sourness of his breath fanned her neck. “Maybe I don’t need to go back out, not when I can have a little spitfire right here, right now.”

She stifled a shudder and the shiver of fear that accompanied it. She might have broken free of him last time, but he was drunk now, and there was no telling what he was capable of doing.

Better for her to play it safe.

She spun and tried to retreat the way she’d come, but his other hand slapped against the wall, trapping her into an awkward prison within the confines of his arms.

“You ain’t goin’ nowhere except up to my room with me.” He pushed himself against her in such a carnal way that she couldn’t keep from crying out in alarm.

His hand cut off her cry, covering her mouth and smothering any chance she had at calling for help. A rush of fear turned her blood to ice.

For an instant Daisy’s sweet face flitted into her mind. Was this the way men treated her sister? How could she possibly withstand such abuse day after day?

As if seeing the fright in Lily’s eyes, his gap-toothed smile widened. “It’s always more fun when there’s some scratchin’ and clawin’.”

His hand against her mouth and nose was beginning to suffocate her. She swung her head, struggling to break free and jerked up her knee, trying to connect it with his tender spot. But he was pressed too close, and he only strengthened his grip.

She tried to scream and then bite him. But she was quickly losing strength in the dizzying wave that rushed over her.

Suddenly his smile froze and fear flitted across his face.

“Let go of her. Now. Or I’ll shove this knife in all the way.” Connell’s voice was low and menacing.

Slowly Jimmy’s grip loosened.

She caught a glimpse of Connell, one step down, his face a mask of calm fury.

Relief swelled with such force it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

With a renewed burst of energy, she freed her mouth from Jimmy’s grip. She sucked in a deep breath and then bit into his hand, digging her teeth into his flesh.

He cursed and released the pressure against her. The slackened hold was just enough for her to break away from him.

She scrambled up the steps, tripping and slipping, her heart racing too fast for her feet to keep up. It wasn’t until she reached the top that she finally stopped and glanced over her shoulder.

Connell shoved Jimmy down the steps. “Go on. Get out of here.” He held out a hunting knife and pointed it at Jimmy.

Jimmy half fell, half stumbled to the landing.

“And don’t come back,” Connell called.

Jimmy’s eyes flashed with threats of hatred and the promise of retaliation.

“I’ll have Vera clean out your room and put your bag outside.”

Jimmy struggled to his feet. In a matter of seconds he was gone, and all that remained was the lingering odor of whiskey.

Connell straightened and looked up at her, his face full of concern. “Are you okay?” Somehow his knife had disappeared, almost as if it hadn’t existed.

She swallowed the last traces of her fear and nodded.

He put a hand on the rail and took a step toward her.

With trembling fingers she brushed the loose curls from her face. There was a small part of her that wanted him to come to her, to reassure her. But there was another part of her that warned her against trusting him. After all, other than a few brief encounters, she barely knew him.

As if sensing her thoughts, he didn’t make a move to draw any nearer. “I’ll make sure Jimmy doesn’t come back.”

“Good.”

“Even so, if I were you, I’d make sure I slept with my door locked every night.”

“I do.” But was a locked door enough to keep her safe?

Connell shifted, started to say something, and then released a gust of breath.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, praying she really would be.

For a long moment, he didn’t respond. Instead, his questioning gaze penetrated her.

Somehow she managed to say good-night and walk to her room without shaking. But once inside, she crawled into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and shook uncontrollably.

She couldn’t rid herself of the memory of Jimmy’s body pressed against hers. And the thought of how close she’d come to ending up defiled . . . like Daisy.

Oh, Daisy. Her heart cried with all the torment of the past months. What had gone wrong? Why had her sister done the unthinkable?