His golden-brown eyes flared at seeing her injuries. The bloody lip. The bruises on her face. The rips and tears to her clothes. A cold rage, an expression like nothing Celia had ever witnessed on another human’s face crossed Gabriel’s features. It was terrifying, and yet, in that moment when her husband might have been the very Devil himself, she was grateful to see him. Even if he learned the truth about her, Celia could not be sorry he had come.

How he’d known she’d be in the stables, Celia did not understand, but he was here now. And that was everything.

“Gabriel,” she choked out, sagging against him in relief. “Thank God.”

“Shhh, mon coeur.” He moved her until she stood behind him, his body shielding hers. “Stay here, Celia. Promise me you will stay right here. No matter what.” When her head moved in a jerky nod, Gabriel gave her a smile and then turned to Bryan.

“Are you ready to die, Bryan Flannigan?” Gabriel’s voice was low, melodic. It was almost soothing, but the violence lacing through it was enough to frighten the strongest of men. “You hurt the woman I love, and I will kill you for touching what is mine. If you are not aware of my reputation, you should know I intend on doing it slowly. I want you to feel the maximum amount of agonizing pain. You will beg me to finish the job before I’m done with you, but those pleas will be in vain.”

“She—” Bryan began to say something while stuffing his cock back into his pants.

Gabriel held up a hand.

“Say her name and the first thing I shall take is your tongue. And although I don’t want to do that because I am anxious to hear your screams in the next few moments, I cannot abide having my wife’s name in your filthy mouth,” Gabriel said calmly.

Picking up a forgotten length of rope from the loft’s floor, Gabriel tossed it at Bryan. “Tie this around your hands.”

Bryan grinned, catching the rope. “Plan on taking me to the bobbies, do ya?”

Gabriel smiled angelically. “Not quite. I know what you’ve done to my wife. Both today and in the past when you were at Darby Meadows. I know you took her innocence and left fear behind in its place. The English penal system in general is not prepared to administer the type of punishment you require. This will be my task and one I take quite seriously. As you will soon discover.”

Assured his instructions had been followed, Gabriel picked up another bit of rope and approached with the pistol aimed at Bryan’s head. “Make one move I don’t like and I will watch a bullet split your head open like a ripe melon.”

Fashioning the second piece of rope into a noose, he looped it around Bryan’s neck and practically dragged him to the hook and pulley system.

The rope was looped around the hook’s curved edge.