Page 55 of Surrender

“Any man willing to pay that kind of money to bed a whore is always in love with her. How long have you been leading me on, you fucking bitch?”

Before he had a chance to do anything Theo grabbed the wrist of the hand Simpson was using to hold the switchblade, and in the next breath, Genevieve heard the distinct sound of a bone snapping. The switchblade clattered to the floor as agony darkened Simpson’s face before he roared with pained fury.

“You bloody bastard, I’ll kill you for that.”

The moment the man bent to pick up the switchblade from the floor. Theo kicked it out of Freddie’s reach.

“Try it, and I’ll break your other wrist, and then I’ll break your fucking neck.” The calm, menacing threat sounded like ice cracking beneath their feet, and it made Freddie blanch. Theo uttered a primal sound that echoed with cold fury. “Stay away from her, or I won’t hesitate to do both the next time I see you.”

Genevieve had never heard Theo’s voice sound so dark and deadly before. Freddie’s reaction to Theo’s threat sent dread slithering through her blood as Simpson’s gaze narrowed with venomous fury.

“I’m going to kill you, Saltkill, and it’ll be a slow, agonizing death.” The cold promise in Simpson’s voice had no effect on Theo.

“Remember what I said, Simpson.”

With that final statement, Theo turned and grabbed Genevieve by the wrist and tugged her away from the overturned table. Gasping in surprise, she had the presence of mind to protest his rough handling in an effort to maintain her disguise.

“I don’t know who ye think ye are, but no one treats me this way, ye lout.”

“Shut up,” Theo snarled in a voice intended to ensure everyone heard him. “I didn’t pay a thousand pounds to have you sitting on another man’s lap when I’m not here.”

The sound of men choking on their ale and uttering oaths of astonishment filled the air as Theo wound his way through the tables at a quick pace with Genevieve in tow. Stunned into silence, she didn’t protest as he pulled her to a stop at the bar. Pulling several silver coins from his pocket, he dropped them on the bar with an apology to Smitty for any damage he’d caused. He didn’t even wait for the man to respond before he dragged Genevieve out of the pub.

When they were outside the Fox and Hound, Genevieve was forced to stumble after him, still in shock over Theo’s behavior. By the time she’d gathered enough of her wits to protest, he was already pulling her down the alley that led to the waiting carriage. As they passed Teasdale, who’d been waiting to enter the pub after Theo, the agent exclaimed softly at the sight of Genevieve half-running to keep up with Theo’s fast pace.

Theo gave a soft command for the man to follow them as they continued toward the end of the alley and the waiting carriage. The sudden realization that Theo had entered the Fox and Hound, and not Vincent settled an icy blanket panic around her. Where was her brother?

“Vincent,” she choked out in a horrified voice.

“He’s fine. He slipped and cut his hand on his way to meet you and Teasdale. You can give thanks to the almighty that I took his place,” Theo muttered, followed by another statement Genevieve couldn’t hear.

Before she could say anything else, the three of them were in the carriage and riding out of the East End. Silence that one could have cut with a knife filled the interior, as the powerful fury radiating off Theo made even Teasdale remain silent. Like the other field agent, Genevieve knew to wait until the appropriate moment to rain down the fires of hell on Theo’s head. Instead, she glared at him with a fiery anger. Theo seemed oblivious to her outrage, and he stared out the carriage window, his handsome features hard with suppressed fury.

“What the hell happened?” Teasdale finally asked in a soft, hesitant voice, wary of Theo shifting his anger to himself.

“Genevieve’s cover is blown, and probably mine as well,” Theo ground out, his gaze still focused on the view from the carriage window.

“No,” she exclaimed with outrage. “You just signed your death warrant if you return to the East End.”

“I can handle Simpson,” Theo snarled as he fixed his furious gaze on Genevieve. “I think I proved that tonight.”

“If it were just you and him? Yes,” Genevieve snapped and leaned forward until her face was as close to Theo’s as possible. “But Simpson doesn’t work alone. The bastard might even show up at Uncle Sebastian’s import company looking for you.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“How? As I so fondly recall you saying to me several months ago, you were lucky tonight. I thought the bastard was going to kill you when he put that damn switchblade to your throat.”

“Are you telling me Simpson tried to kill you tonight?” Teasdale exclaimed in horror. “What in God’s name did you do?”

“I told him to stay away from Genevieve, and when he pulled his knife on me, I snapped his wrist.” Theo’s soft, rueful reply held a hint of regret as if knowing he’d made a serious mistake, before his voice hardened again. “I then told him I’d kill him if he went anywhere near Genevieve again.”

“Dear God, what a fucking mess.” Genevieve flung herself back into the seat cushions, and she saw Teasdale jerk, and she sighed.

“I apologize, Alfred. Sometimes I forget I’m not in the East End.” The field agent accepted her apology with a nod.

“That won’t be a problem for you in the future,” Theo snapped.

“And why is that, you bawbag?” she asked angrily, resorting to one of Peter’s favorite Scottish insults.