Read Online The Veiled Heart (The Velvet Basement Book 1) by Elsa Holland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elsa Holland
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possible. The matron laughed and walked past.
Despite the laughter, the comments were more of the same.
They had attended because Lily had paid them to. But there would be very little use of the sheaths.
Eventually, Lily came out.
Worthington hung back while she made her way out of the building, his presence hidden by the girls still in the passageway.
8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Worthington pulled his coat closer as he stalked out of the brothel. It had taken a good few minutes to extricate himself from the corridors filled with women. Outside, the weather had deteriorated. Mist was sinking into the small, grimy passageways that passed as streets, and there was a light rain with the promise of a downpour.
Coming here, even escorted, was not to be considered again. Moreover, not even one of those women was out here to see her on her way safely.
As he rounded the corner of the building and headed toward the street they’d come in on, his breath caught in his chest.
Three men surrounded Lily.
Tension curled through him and he moved fast.
“I will do no such thing.” Her voice was high pitched and indignant.
Fire coursed through him.
He would kill them.
The three men maneuvered around her. His hands curled into iron fists. His heart pounded but his head was clear.
“Hey! You! Step back!”
He was still not close enough.
One reached out to grab Lily’s reticule. She swung at him and he laughed. Another got behind her and lifted her skirt.
This was happening too fast.
Blinding heat flashed through him. Something in his head switched.
He launched himself between her and them. She yelped.
“You!” But her hand shot out and clutched his arm.
A flash of protective need slammed through him.
“Get behind me.”
He guided her to move with him as he rocked from one foot to the other. Anger, burned through him. He would tear them to pieces. He would pound them until they were unrecognizable.
“I was dealing with this.” Her voice was ridiculously indignant, but her fingers on his back told him all he needed to know, she was scared.
“It will be alright, Lily.”
Standing in front of her, her stubborn spirit showing, eased some of the fierce red haze coursing through him. She was all right. And, she wasn’t panicking. That was good.
The men eyed them up.
Both he and Lily were well dressed and her purse was wafting about as she gestured.
His breathing sped up. The stance he took may not have helped him in a boxing match at Oxford but would serve him very well right now. Real fighting. He knew how to do that.
All that banked-up fire and energy bunched in his torso. His arms held tensed and ready.
The men held his gaze then flicked behind him to Lily and hardened. They were not planning on walking away.
“Put your purse away.” It may as well have been a blood red cape waved in front of three bulls.
“I don’t think….”
Irritation flashed through him.
“Now!”
The men pushed forward.
This was it.
He stepped between two. Took a swing and landed it on one man’s chin, knocking him off his feet. Thank God for all those drunken brawls as he wallowed in misery, trying to forget her. Trying to forget that Freddy had her and he didn’t.
The other man swung. Worthington ducked and it grazed his shoulder. As he moved, he saw her; the third man had Lily. Fear spiked through him. He couldn’t help her. Not yet.
She screamed.
Panic raced through his blood.
“Bastard! You bloody bastard! You will not get my purse!”
His muscles clenched. He would get to her. These men were opportunists he just needed to stay focused. Any fight she gave would slow the man down. Give him time to get to her. Men like these were cowards.
He landed the next two punches with full force felling the second man with a jab to the neck. A red haze pushed him on. The first rose and with a series of blows to his kidney and face, and then to the neck, the man went back down and was out.
Worthington turned. He needed to see
Despite the laughter, the comments were more of the same.
They had attended because Lily had paid them to. But there would be very little use of the sheaths.
Eventually, Lily came out.
Worthington hung back while she made her way out of the building, his presence hidden by the girls still in the passageway.
8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Worthington pulled his coat closer as he stalked out of the brothel. It had taken a good few minutes to extricate himself from the corridors filled with women. Outside, the weather had deteriorated. Mist was sinking into the small, grimy passageways that passed as streets, and there was a light rain with the promise of a downpour.
Coming here, even escorted, was not to be considered again. Moreover, not even one of those women was out here to see her on her way safely.
As he rounded the corner of the building and headed toward the street they’d come in on, his breath caught in his chest.
Three men surrounded Lily.
Tension curled through him and he moved fast.
“I will do no such thing.” Her voice was high pitched and indignant.
Fire coursed through him.
He would kill them.
The three men maneuvered around her. His hands curled into iron fists. His heart pounded but his head was clear.
“Hey! You! Step back!”
He was still not close enough.
One reached out to grab Lily’s reticule. She swung at him and he laughed. Another got behind her and lifted her skirt.
This was happening too fast.
Blinding heat flashed through him. Something in his head switched.
He launched himself between her and them. She yelped.
“You!” But her hand shot out and clutched his arm.
A flash of protective need slammed through him.
“Get behind me.”
He guided her to move with him as he rocked from one foot to the other. Anger, burned through him. He would tear them to pieces. He would pound them until they were unrecognizable.
“I was dealing with this.” Her voice was ridiculously indignant, but her fingers on his back told him all he needed to know, she was scared.
“It will be alright, Lily.”
Standing in front of her, her stubborn spirit showing, eased some of the fierce red haze coursing through him. She was all right. And, she wasn’t panicking. That was good.
The men eyed them up.
Both he and Lily were well dressed and her purse was wafting about as she gestured.
His breathing sped up. The stance he took may not have helped him in a boxing match at Oxford but would serve him very well right now. Real fighting. He knew how to do that.
All that banked-up fire and energy bunched in his torso. His arms held tensed and ready.
The men held his gaze then flicked behind him to Lily and hardened. They were not planning on walking away.
“Put your purse away.” It may as well have been a blood red cape waved in front of three bulls.
“I don’t think….”
Irritation flashed through him.
“Now!”
The men pushed forward.
This was it.
He stepped between two. Took a swing and landed it on one man’s chin, knocking him off his feet. Thank God for all those drunken brawls as he wallowed in misery, trying to forget her. Trying to forget that Freddy had her and he didn’t.
The other man swung. Worthington ducked and it grazed his shoulder. As he moved, he saw her; the third man had Lily. Fear spiked through him. He couldn’t help her. Not yet.
She screamed.
Panic raced through his blood.
“Bastard! You bloody bastard! You will not get my purse!”
His muscles clenched. He would get to her. These men were opportunists he just needed to stay focused. Any fight she gave would slow the man down. Give him time to get to her. Men like these were cowards.
He landed the next two punches with full force felling the second man with a jab to the neck. A red haze pushed him on. The first rose and with a series of blows to his kidney and face, and then to the neck, the man went back down and was out.
Worthington turned. He needed to see
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