Beyond Repair by Catherine Stein

Author:Catherine Stein [Stein, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: steampunk, steampunk romance, romance, adventure, fantasy, fantasy romance, historical romance, historical fantasy, historical fiction
ISBN: 9781949862379
Publisher: Catherine Stein, LLC
Published: 2022-01-31T05:00:00+00:00

32

The door to the darkened chamber flew open, and one of the goons flung Nora inside. Owen caught her before she could fall, getting only a glimpse of her furious countenance before the slamming door plunged them into darkness.

“Goddammit,” he cursed under his breath. He released Nora the moment she’d found her footing. He’d done this. He’d summoned her here. Right into the jaws of a trap.

The clanks and groans of a machine stirring to life sounded all around him. The floor shuddered beneath their feet.

“An elevator,” Nora observed. “And not the usual steam lift. I think we’re headed down.”

How could she sound so calm? Owen was boiling with rage, wanting nothing better than to plant his fist in his enemy’s face and demand he let Nora go. Whatever complaint he had, whatever incomprehensible sin Owen had committed to infuriate him, she was innocent.

“Owen?” Nora’s groping hand found his arm in the darkness and grabbed hold, her fingers not even circling half of his biceps. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, I’m fine.”

He’d been taken entirely by surprise. By the time he’d realized this wasn’t the sort of place a Pinkerton would choose for a meeting, a thug had his arm twisted painfully behind his back while a second pointed a revolver at his heart. Now he was trapped, and Nora with him.

“You’re trembling,” Nora pointed out.

Owen broke away from her. “You shouldn’t be here,” he growled.

He heard her huff of breath and imagined the look of annoyance on her face. “I came here of my own free will.”

“But I was the fool who asked you to come.” He slammed his fist into the elevator wall, welcoming the sharp burst of pain. “It shouldn’t be like this. This shouldn’t be happening. Why? Why would he do this?”

Nora’s hand brushed his arm again. “Owen? Do you know who’s behind this? I recognized the man upstairs, posing as the doorman, but I can’t place him.”

“I didn’t even look at him when I entered the building,” Owen lamented. “What have I become, to be a man who dismisses a working man so casually?”

Maybe he did deserve this. Maybe he’d become so obsessed with his own concerns he’d hurt someone and not even realized it. Hurt a friend.

Nausea churned in his stomach. The deeper he fell into this trap, the more certain he became of his enemy’s identity. The address. The peculiar elevator. The elaborate set up. All pointed to the same man.

No. No, it can’t be.

The elevator jerked to a halt. Doors slid open in front of them, but beyond was only more darkness. Above them, the hum of machinery continued unabated. Owen stuck a hand out, feeling through the opening and finding nothing. He leaned out and listened.

“Shall we venture out?” Nora asked. “Or remain here? I’m not sure it matters when we can’t see our hands in front of our faces.”

“No,” Owen agreed. He straightened up and smashed his head on the ceiling. “Ow!”

“Owen? Are you okay?”

“What the hell?”

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