“And who are you?”

Her mouth went dry, both at being so swiftly disarmed and the woman’s sudden proximity. The chill emanating from the impressive body somehow managed to heat Vic to her core, as their eyes locked. “I’m Vic.”

“Vic?”

“Toria.” She sighed and collected herself. “Victoria. Victoria Charlotte Algernon Penchant, if you must.”

Lady Regina arched an eyebrow coolly.

The lack of reception rubbed Vic raw once more. Why had she entered into a battle of wills and arousal with this stranger in her own home? Was her sense of self so weak?

She belonged here.

This woman did not.

Honestly, those were among the few things she knew for certain, and still her voice lacked conviction as she cleared her throat and added, “If you don’t remove yourself from my living room immediately, I won’t hesitate to contact the proper authorities.”

A flash of something dark sparked in the woman’s eyes, and the corner of her tight lips gave a little twitch. “Living room?”

Odd that she’d homed in on that word instead of, immediately or authorities. Still, Vic made use of the brief upper hand to attempt a withdrawal to a more suitable distance, but as she stepped back, the woman’s hand tightened around her own, and, by extension, the rapier.

Vic’s eyes flicked quickly to the place where strong fingers held hers captive, then back to the woman, and the last of her poise faltered. Her heart hammered in her chest as a fight-or-flight instinct took hold of her senses. The other woman must have seen it as well, because in the rush of fear, they both reacted in the same way.

“Security!” they called simultaneously, and with equal force, but before Vic could fully register the coincidence, several people ran in from opposing doorways.

To her right, and to her relief, a few familiar faces of her estate staff appeared, but behind the woman who’d yet to release her, another stranger sprinted into the room, followed by the house steward, James.

“Your Ladyship?” He lowered his head, then catching sight of the rapier, snapped his eyes up once more. “Are you quite all right, ma’am?”

“Yes,” both she and Regina answered in unison again. They stared at each other for another long, tense second before the corner of Regina’s pressed lips curled up slightly.

“For the love of God,” the woman with James called out, in a distinctly American accent. “Cut. End scene. Break. Whatever the hell your safe word is, Sophia, I’m using it right now.”

The woman snorted and cracked only the smuggest of smiles before she slowly released Vic’s hand and stepped back. “Sophia?” Vic asked. It was the only thing she could manage to process amid the piles of mounting questions. “You introduced yourself as Regina.”