“It sounds like gunfire,” Cara confirmed, hurrying over to the bottom of the stairs as she heard yet more shots being fired. She hesitated about going up them. “Do you think it’s Adam and Max?”

  “Who else could it be?” Rosie joined her. “I really hope they put an end to this once and for all, because I am so tired of having members of the Bortkov family thinking they can just abduct us whenever they feel like it.”

  Cara knew the only way that could happen was if James died in the gunfire above. Otherwise, even if he was in prison, he was just going to keep coming for them, if not personally, then through people he paid to act on his behalf.

  Was it wicked of Cara to want him dead?

  The shooting above them seemed to have stopped now. In Adam’s favor? Or James’s? If he’d hurt or killed Adam, she knew she wouldn’t even question the rightness of it, she would just react. It—

  She glanced up sharply as the door at the top of the stairs was unlocked and thrown open. Her relief at the thought of seeing Adam again was short-lived when she saw it was a grim-faced James Langley standing there, a pistol in his hand.

  “So, ladies, which of you shall I shoot first?” James inquired pleasantly as he slowly descended the stairs.

  “How about neither of us,” Cara scorned. This man really did have to be completely insane to even ask that question. As if either of them were going to jump up and down with excitement shouting “Me, me!”

  The fact James was here at all seemed to indicate he’d emerged the victor from the shooting they’d heard. Did that mean Adam was dead?

  Cara really wished she still had the gun Adam had given her earlier. She wouldn’t hesitate to use it on this mocking fool.

  “Well, no, I’m afraid one of you will have to go first,” James reasoned as he pointed the pistol in their general direction.

  “You know, you’re really very like your father, and he was a completely douchebag,” Rosie derided.

  “I’m guessing you’ve decided you want to go first,” Langley bit out coldly, his previous pleasantness completely gone as he descended the last step and came toward them.

  Cara had turned to look at her sister the moment Rosie deliberately antagonized their captor by insulting his father.

  She knew what her sister was doing, but she wasn’t about to let Rosie be the one to get them out of this. Not this time.

  But Rosie seemed to have an altogether different plan as she moved to stand slightly forward and facing Langley, both her hands behind her back. The fingers of one hand were pointing in the direction of the picture frame Rosie had pulled from the crate earlier.

  Because as neither of them had a gun of their own, it was the only weapon available to them?

  Maybe. But it wasn’t a very good one. If Cara didn’t manage to disarm this psycho on the first hit, they were going to have an even angrier man to deal with. One who would probably just pepper the basement indiscriminately with bullets, hoping one of them would hit and kill them.

  Before Cara could make a decision on what she should do, she caught a slight movement at the top of the stairs. Relief swelled in her chest, tears stinging her eyes, when she saw Adam and Max standing there. Adam seemed to assess the situation before pushing his gun into the back of his combat trousers at the same time as he showed her a rolling movement with his finger. Cara took that to mean he wanted her to encourage Langley to keep talking.

  She moved forward to stand beside Rosie, guessing the reason Adam didn’t want to use his gun was in case he hit either her or her sister. “Oh, I think of the two, James is much more of a douche,” she said conversationally. “At least his father rose to be a pakhan in the bratva, whereas James could only hire a few lowlifes to do his dirty work. And not very well at that.”

  “You fucking bitch— What the hell?” James shouted in alarm when a heavy weight landed on his back, knocking him to the ground.

  Cara could only stare, her mouth open wide in horror, as Adam launched himself from the top of the stairs onto the armed man. The force of the fall took both of them down.

  Her breath caught in her throat as Adam and James rolled over and over on the dusty floor, Adam trying to stop James from aiming his gun toward the two women.

  Seconds later, the sound of a single shot resounded around the basement.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “You are in so much trouble once the doctor has finished stitching you back up,” Cara warned. She and Adam were in the medical wing at Kingston Manor, Adam lying down, Cara sitting beside him on the bed, the doctor standing on the other side of him.

  She would never forget the absolute heartbreak of thinking Adam had been shot again earlier when he fell onto his back in that basement, his breathing ragged, the front of his T-shirt covered in far too much blood.

  As it transpired, the blood was a combination of Adam’s from where his stitches had burst open when he jumped and James’s, because he was the one who had been shot in the chest. Fatally.

  Sinclair had been the one to talk to the police and persuade them to come to the estate tomorrow to take all their statements. For now, the policemen had accepted the report given to them by Coleman, the man in charge of the tactical team. He had confirmed Adam had acted in self-defense and that James Langley had been shot during Adam’s attempt to disarm him after he’d threatened to shoot Cara and Rosie.

  All that mattered to Cara now was that she had Adam back safely, James was dead, and the nightmare of his desire for vengeance for his father’s death had died along with him.

  Cara hadn’t felt a moment of remorse for James’s death when it happened, and she didn’t now, several hours later. She stood by her earlier comment to Rosie: James was emotionally damaged and would never have stopped being a danger to all of them.

  The relief of knowing it was over was immense, but nowhere near as much as knowing that Adam hadn’t been shot a second time. Although the doctor wasn’t too happy with him for ripping out his original stitches.

  Nor was Cara. “I can’t think what the hell you thought you were doing jumping from the top of the stairs like that.”

  He shrugged. “I might have hit you or Rosie if I’d tried to shoot him from there. I’m a good shot, but Darius is the sniper in the family, and he was still at the warehouse.”

  “Which didn’t have any explosives in it,” Cara said thankfully.

  “Which didn’t have any explosives in it,” Adam echoed wryly.

  “Bastard!” Cara muttered. “Not Adam,” she assured the doctor when he looked taken aback by her comment. “The man who did this to him.”

  “No doubt that is a fitting description,” the doctor accepted. “But I think we can both agree Mr. Kingston is also his own worst enemy.” He straightened. “All done.” He nodded his satisfaction, then turned to remove his gloves and wash his hands. “I would advise no further strenuous physical activity for the rest of today and tonight, but we both know how much you heed my advice.” His blue eyes twinkled merrily as Cara blushed and Adam grinned unrepentantly. “That’s what I thought.” He picked up his medical bag. “If you need me again this evening I’m out to dinner.”

  “He won’t,” Cara assured firmly, waiting until the doctor had left and they were alone to speak again. “I thought I’d lost you earlier.” Tears stung her eyes just remembering that hollow feeling inside her when she’d thought Adam was going to die. “Which is why I’m going to tell you right here and now—before anything else happens that might take you away from me and I never have the chance to say it. I love you. You might not feel the same way about me yet,” she rushed on. “But we have time—”

  “I love you so much already, I almost went insane knowing Langley had you in his clutches again,” Adam stated forcefully. “Of what he might do to you before I was able to get to you. My heart stopped beating altogether when I realized he wasn’t one of the men we’d taken prisoner upstairs.” His jaw clenched. “Casper was the one to realize that the building is one of those old London townhouses from the Regency time that had a servants’ staircase from the living quarters on the first floor down into the room at the back of the house that was once the kitchen. Once we realized that, we knew the reason we couldn’t find Langley was because he’d escaped that way down to the basement, where he was keeping the two of you prisoners.”

  Cara smiled. “And then you and Max came to save us.”

  “Thank God.” Adam shuddered. “Although I’m pretty sure that right now, Rosie is suffering the consequences for having left the estate when Max asked her not to,” he added sternly.

  Cara looked up at him through thick lashes. “Does that mean I’m going to suffer too?”

  “I don’t know. Would you like to?”

  She chuckled. “To be honest, I’m really not sure. Rosie says she enjoys being spanked, but I’m reserving judgment.”

  He reached up to cup either side of her face with his large hands. “I love you, Cara. Whatever we do or don’t mutually consent to do together, I will always love you. I love you so much, I really don’t care anymore whether or not I’m good enough or suitable for you. I know to the soul of me that no one could possibly love you as much as I do or protect you the way I will.”

  “By jumping from the top of a staircase and bursting all your stitches?” she choked out.

  “If necessary, yes.”

  The tears escaped hotly down her cheeks. “You love me?”

  He nodded. “With every particle of my being. I have since the moment I saw you again a year ago. Ten years ago, I thought you were the bravest fourteen-year-old I’d ever met. Now I know you’re definitely the bravest twenty-four-year-old I’ve ever met too.” He brushed his lips softly against hers. “I love you so much, Cara.” His dark eyes were ablaze with the emotion as he lifted his head and held her gaze. “Will you marry me? Stay with me forever? Be my wife?”

  “Yes,” she choked. “Oh God, yes!” She threw her arms over Adam’s shoulders and held on tight as he pulled her down onto the bed beside him and claimed her lips with his own.

  Adam was thankful to have a living, breathing Cara in his arms. Knowing she had accepted his marriage proposal too meant he couldn’t stop kissing her and touching her, caressing every inch of her.

  “I saw the doctor on his way out, and he told me he’d advised no more strenuous physical activity for his patient tonight.”

  Adam gave a groan as he lifted his head and turned to look at Sinclair standing in the doorway, the older man’s expression mocking. “It can’t be classed as strenuous if I’m enjoying it.” His arms tightened about Cara as she buried her heated cheeks against his bare chest.

  “I’m sure sumo wrestlers wouldn’t agree with you,” his eldest cousin dismissed. “Or weight lifters. Or—”

  “I get your point.” Adam sighed. “Now, could we have a bit of privacy here, please, as you’re embarrassing my fiancée?”

  “You finally got around to telling her how you feel, hm?” Sinclair chuckled. “Then my advice is that you take this to a more comfortable bed. Other than that, congratulations to both of you.”

  “Thanks,” Adam answered him distractedly. He placed a finger beneath Cara’s chin so he could raise her face up to look at him. “Was that okay, me telling Sinclair you’ve agreed to marry me?”

  Cara didn’t like the underlying note of uncertainty she could hear in Adam’s gruff voice. “It was more that okay,” she assured. “In fact, how do you feel about making it a double wedding next week?”

  Adam’s arms tightened around her. “I would love it. If you’re sure?”

  “Very sure.” Cara could imagine nothing more wonderful than the two of them sharing a wedding day with Rosie and Max.

  She knew the four of them would always share a special bond, forged ten years ago in the midst of death and chaos. Both couples sharing a wedding day would bring that despair and heartbreak full circle to a shared joy and happiness.

  A slow smile tilted her lips as an idea occurred to her. “Do you know the old joke, ‘How do hedgehogs make love’?”

  “Very carefully?”

  “Exactly.” Her smile widened. “I suggest, after we’ve made our way over to the main house, your bedroom in particular, because we need to take care you don’t rip out your stitches again, that we do the same.”

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea, future Mrs. Adam Kingston.”

  Which is exactly what they did.

  Book 3 in the series is also my 275th book!

  Kingston’s Redemption (Kingston Security 3)

  NEWSLETTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

  For news on upcoming releases in the Ruthless Regency Dukes, Kingston Security, Regency Scandal, Russian Dragon Heat, Regency Club Venus, Regency Men in Love, Regency Lovers, Steele Protectors, Regency Sinners, Dragon Hearts, Regency Unlaced, Knight Security, and Alpha Series please sign up to my mailing list/newsletter: http://www.eepurl.com/2rfzz

  * * *

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CaroleMortimerAuthor

  * * *

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/carole_mortimer

  * * *

  Visit my website: www.carolemortimer.co.uk

  * * *

  Or email me at: contact@carolemortimer.co.uk

  * * *

  If you have enjoyed reading Kingston’s Captive, please consider leaving a review of this book with your ebook retailer. Your reviews matter! Thank you.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Carole Mortimer is a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2015, RT Career Achievement Award 2017, RT Pioneer for Romance Award 2014. She was also recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’. Carole has written over 270 contemporary, Regency and paranormal romance novels.

  * * *

  She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!

  OTHER BOOKS BY CAROLE MORTIMER

  NEW Regency Series

  * * *

  The Wager (Ruthless Regency Dukes 1)

  The Mistress (Ruthless Regency Dukes 2)

  * * *

  Kingston Security:

  * * *

  Kingston’s Ransom (Kingston Security 1)

  Kingston’s Captive (Kingston Security 2)

  Kingston’s Redemption (Kingston Security 3)

  * * *

  Regency Scandal:

  * * *

  WANTON (Regency Scandal 1)

  WILD (Regency Scandal 2)

  WAYWARD (Regency Scandal 3)

  SINFUL (Regency Scandal 4)

  Series in now complete

  * * *

  Russian Dragon Heat:

  * * *

  VLADIMIR (Russian Dragon Heat 1)

  VAUGHN (Russian Dragon Heat 2)

  VIKTOR (Russian Dragon Heat 3)

  More books to come in this series.

  * * *

  Regency Club Venus:

  * * *

  Bastian’s Surrender (Regency Club Venus 1)

  Gabriel’s Torment (Regency Club Venus 2)

  Benedict’s Challenge (Regency Club Venus 3)

  Julius’s Passion (Regency Club Venus 4)

  James’s Lady (Regency Club Venus 5)

  Series now complete.

  * * *

  Dance with the Devil Series:

  * * *

  MATTEO (Dance with the Devil 1)

  LEON (Dance with the Devil 2)

  KILLIAN (Dance with the Devil 3)

  JERICHO (Dance with the Devil 4)

  KIERAN (Dance with the Devil 5)

  Series now complete

  * * *

  Regency Men in Love M/M (Written as C A Mortimer)

  * * *

  Hidden Lover (Regency Men in Love 1)

  Hidden Desire (Regency Men in Love 2)

  More books to come in this series.

  * * *

  Regency Lovers Series:

  * * *

  INDECENT (Regency Lovers 1)

  OBSESSION (Regency Lovers 2)

  CRAVING (Regency Lovers 3)

  FORBIDDEN (Regency Lovers 4)

  SURRENDER (Regency Lovers 5)

  SCANDAL (Regency Lovers 6)

  Series complete

  * * *

  Steele Protectors Series:

  * * *

  LOGAN (Steele Protectors 1)

  ATTICUS (Steele Protectors 2)

  BRYCE (Steele Protectors 3)

  ROURKE (Steele Protectors 4)

  HAYDN (Steele Protectors 5) Author’s 250th book

  LUCAN (Steele Protectors 6)

  Series Complete

  * * *

  Dragon Hearts – Contemporary paranormal

  * * *

  Nathaniel (Dragon Hearts 1)

  Deryk (Dragon Hearts 2)

  Bryn (Dragon Hearts 3)

  Dylan (Dragon Hearts 4)

  Grigor (Dragon Hearts 5)

  Garrett (Dragon Hearts 6)

  Aeran & Rhys (Dragon Hearts 7)

  Dragon Reunion (Dragon Hearts 8)

  Series Complete

  * * *

  Regency Sinners Series: