Romance Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Hidden Away ❯ Finality ( Chapter 17 )

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Chapter 17
Finality

 

 

Naomi involuntarily gasped as he tightened his hold on her. With a deep inhalation of her smell, his chuckle turned over to his voice, “Don't you dare run from me again, woman,” he said, growling in her ear. He began dragging her backwards, and he nearly had her in the nearest bedroom when Minna and Margaret came around the corner from the main hallway. At seeing what was happening, they knew what had kept Lancey and quickly halted their steps.

 

“Land-sakes! It be Cokrain `imself!” Minna exclaimed, and wrinkled hand on her chest. Cokrain's head shot up from Naomi's shoulder when he heard the intrusion.

 

“What did you do to Lancey, Cokrain?” Margaret boldly demanded of him. He stood in the bedroom's doorway with Naomi in his arms and slowly smiled.

 

“I'm not quite sure. The poor man I hit about the head could be dead for all I know. I simply hit him and he collapsed. Not my fault he can't take a simple bump on the head,” he answered her indifferently.

 

“He's okay, Margaret. He's only unconscious,” Naomi enlightened her breathlessly from Cokrain's arms, knowing that she must be terrified for him. Cokrain wrapped his other arm around her again, this time holding her at her chest and trapping her arms where they were holding her bodice in place. He spoke low in her ear where only she could hear him.

 

“Do not speak out of line, Naomi, or I shall not be merciful to you for running from me in the first place, thus putting me in a difficult position. I am seriously risking my reputation for you.”

 

“Oh, I'm so sorry, did I inconvenience you?” Naomi purred hatefully, unsure exactly why she felt the need to poke at a mad animal, “You sure sound awful mad.”

 

“Marge, go an' get yer brother!” Minna yelled to Margaret, interrupting the exchange. She looked straight into Cokrain's violet eyes with her own angry blue eyes, “Let `er go ye devil! Ye'll be sorry if'n ye don't!” Minna shouted at the top of her lungs, her face ruddy and her graying hair flying from its braid.

 

At Minna's yelling, he shifted his eyes to look up from Naomi's shoulder and glared at her, “I highly doubt that, old woman. I will enjoy getting rid of Breagan and Jake immensely. And I suppose I could sell you two women off to somebody. After which I will have the prize that I have sought after for two years,” he said, squeezing Naomi tighter reflexively.

 

“The `prize' will not stay quiet,” Naomi ground out quietly next to his face, ignoring his earlier threat, “Neither will she let you get rid of or sell anyone.”

 

“What dus `e mean by that, lass? An' why dus `e call ye `prize'?” Minna asked carefully, thoroughly disgusted with the word used in such a context.

 

“I will tell you what I mean by it. And I call her that because she is my prize. I earned her for doing something that directly caused her plight in the first place,” Cokrain said to the foolishly brave woman standing in his way, “Still confused?” He would take great pleasure in revealing his little secret to them, “Well then why don't I clarify a few things then, hm? I started that fire which killed her parents, in turn sending her to her greedy uncle who just happened to owe me for starting that fire. You see…he owed my father, but my father died, so I collected. Rufus begged my father, you see, and promised a hefty payment for the service. I was seventeen summers at the time, and my father found it necessary to teach me the tricks of his trade, therefore giving me the task of actually starting the fire. When I went to collect from Rufus two years ago, I saw Naomi, here,” he looked down at her as he paused, then continued, “hanging laundry outside the hovel that her uncle had moved them to. She didn't even know that she was being observed, and she stretched ever so enticingly,” he said with emphasis, “My problem of what to demand of the old beggar was instantly solved. You see, I had to have her for myself; Rufus wasn't worthy of having such beauty amongst him,” he explained haughtily. Before he could continue his self-imposed love, Naomi took advantage of his ever increasingly relaxed grasp; result from her stillness as he retold his story. She suddenly shook herself loose, nearly tripping on her gown in the process. Now temporarily free from him, she took off toward the relative safety of Minna.

 

“Naomi, jus' run! I'll be steyin' right'ere,” Minna yelled at her.

 

“No!” Naomi began to refuse.

 

“Go now, dearie. Ye'll no' change me mind,” Minna said forcefully as she watched Cokrain from the corner of her eye. She shoved Naomi in the direction of the main hallway and immediately stepped in front of Cokrain as he started charging at them. Minna knew she wouldn't be able to hold him off for long, and that she could likely end up seriously hurt by him, but she could buy Naomi enough time to find Breagan.

 

Cokrain growled at the overly brave woman blocking his path yet again, “You have kept me from her on many occasions, old hag, and you would do well to move out of my way to avoid doing it again. You will be lucky if I don't kill you as I physically move you out of my way,” he threatened her darkly.

 

“Yer daft if ye think I'd move out'a yer way willin'ly ta hurt me lady. Ye'll `ave ta do awey with me first,” Minna countered.

 

“My pleasure,” he purred.

 

 

 

Unable to do much else without getting caught again, Naomi ran to the walkway over the foyer, hoping she could get down the stairs before Cokrain caught up to her. She only had to find Breagan; he would keep her safe. Halfway across the walkway, she was stopped by Hank's appearance at the top of the stairs from the foyer. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned around to see Cokrain standing at the end of the walkway, effectively trapping her over the foyer. At sight of him, Naomi was struck with worry.

 

Where's Minna? She thought frantically. Just as the thought formed, Breagan burst through the front entrance and immediately spied them on the walkway above him, his gaze turning fierce at the state of Naomi's undress. Everyone's heads snapped to the entrance at his arrival in time to see Margaret appear right behind him, her eyes lighting on the group just as quickly. She gasped loudly at the group on the walkway and took note that Minna wasn't with them.

 

“Oh, good. The whole party is here,” Cokrain chimed as if welcoming guests into his home.

 

Breagan went in the direction of the stairs, about to charge his way to Naomi through Hank when Cokrain's voice stopped him.

 

“You've put me through a lot of trouble, Mr. Tyler,” he said congenially to Breagan as if explaining the weather. Breagan watched murderously as Cokrain slowly strolled to Naomi, who stood her ground, even though she had nowhere to go.

 

Naomi was a jumble of emotions that were threatening to burst out of her all at once. When she saw their enemy stroll in her direction, she forcefully made herself stand in place; she remembered that he'd enjoyed her fear. Cokrain stopped in front of her and was pinning her down with those eyes.

 

“Come here, dear,” he said to her in a tone that, if she didn't know better, would have calmed her. When she still didn't move from her spot, he gave her incentive, “I left that plump old woman alive, but I can change that if you do not heed my words, Naomi,” he added impatiently.

 

After a quick look at Breagan, who had his eyes on Cokrain, she tentatively took the step that carried her to his side, putting an emotionless mask on her face. Once next to him, she felt his arm snake around her waist and he pulled her into him roughly. He turned his eyes to Breagan with a triumphant sneer which looked out of place on his perfect face, “Now then…”

 

His sneer died a quick death under Naomi's unexpected fist, which made the both of them fall to the floor of the walkway.

 

Naomi lay there dazed and her hand was on fire from the hit. She hadn't expected to go down with him when she'd hit him. He began struggling to get himself back to his feet while maintaining his hold on her as she lay there. She fought to free herself from his hold on her until he suddenly seemed to float away from her, his hand still fisted around her shift at her shoulder. Naomi was dragged by him for a bit before the material of her shift finally gave way and ripped off where he still had a hold of it, making her fall to the floor once again when he lost his grip on her. She looked up from her spot on the floor to see what happened. Cokrain was still clutching the piece of her torn shift that had come off in his hand as he swung a healthy punch at Jake, who'd come from the back. The punch Cokrain threw connected on his face and Naomi winced when she heard the sound of flesh meeting flesh as Cokrain fought to keep Jake off of him. Jake topped Cokrain by half a foot and the same in width, but Cokrain held his own with his deceptively strong build and agility, getting in a few good punches.

 

With Cokrain otherwise occupied, Breagan stormed the rest of the way up the stairs. Hank wisely stepped aside when he saw Breagan approaching, but still got a sock in the face hard enough to knock him out. He sank to the floor with drool already dripping from his mouth.

 

“Naomi, come over here,” he said to her quickly as he continued up the staircase to aid his father. They had split from each other before coming inside the house, Jake taking the service stairs to intervene from the back. She stood up and scrambled to go toward where he was at the top of the stairs when she felt a hand grab at her hair from behind her, getting hold of a healthy fistful. It stopped her in her tracks, and she again stumbled to the floor, but she was freed shortly when Breagan reached them in the middle of the walkway, and ran a punch into Cokrain, freeing his hand from her hair.

 

Margaret seemed to appear out of nowhere to pull Naomi away from the tussle, which ended shortly with Cokrain now facing two very angry Tylers. When Cokrain had finally been subdued, Jake grabbed hold of him and Breagan went to check on Minna and Lancey. Naomi stood next to Margaret when Jake came forward to pass them while holding Cokrain as tightly as possible with both arms. Cokrain was smiling that evil smile and watched her with his purple orbs when he and Jake passed them.

 

“As long as I'm alive, you are mine, Naomi Foster,” his voice slid smoothly to her, under toned with a growl of madness. With the promise, he jerked his head back toward Jake, hitting him in the throat hard enough for him to let loose of him and Jake fell to the ground grasping his neck.

 

Naomi watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of her, glued to her spot when he calmly, slowly walked to her and grabbed her head, pulling her in to him. She could feel the sweat on him from his fight, and he had a cut on his jaw. She jerked back when she realized what he was doing, but he had a good hold of her, so it didn't do her any good. As he pulled her in, she grabbed a hold of his hair on the back of his head to try stopping his advance.

 

Margaret came out of her momentary shock and finally yelled for Breagan, moving in to try and pry Cokrain off of Naomi. He swatted at her like she was a fly, sending her into the railing. Cokrain got his kiss from Naomi right before Breagan came storming at him, roughly sending him over the banister of the walkway. He landed with a thud on his back, the fall knocking the wind out of his lungs.

 

Breagan returned after throwing him over to see if she was okay, and gently kissed away Cokrain's taste for her. He backed away after a second to check on his father and sister. Naomi was quick to see for herself that Jake was okay when she was freed. She breathed a sigh of relief to find that he was okay, just mad as a hornet having a hard time catching his breath. Standing up, she looked over to see Margaret was okay as well. She moved to look over the banister and was shocked to see Cokrain still laying there, staring back at her with fear on his face. She knitted her brows until she came to the realization that he couldn't move.

 

He looked back at her in a state of shock and denial. After his fall, he was about to race back up there and finalize the matter, but quickly found that his body wouldn't respond to his commands. As he watched Naomi, Breagan appeared next to her to look down at him, and possessively wrapped his arms around her to rest on her abdomen. Naomi held Breagan's hands over her womb with her own hands as they looked down at him.

 

“Wha-?” he croaked before his violet eyes closed and he seeped into unconsciousness.

 

 

 

 

“Are you sure you feel okay, Minna?” Naomi asked again as they sat in one of the guest rooms at the manor in Washington. Minna had been put up in one room, and Lancey had been put in another.

 

“I'm tellin' ye, I feel fine. I's only a back on me `ead. Jus' no' use'ta bein waited on is all. Yer th' one `oo should be restin', dearie,” Minna said accusingly. Naomi looked at her innocently.

 

“Whatever do you mean? It wasn't as bad as I had expected it to be, facing him again,” Naomi tried.

 

“Don' go tryin' ta act like ye don' know what I be talkin' about, lass. Ye kept it frum me longer `n' ana other lass could'a. I'll give ye that,” Minna praised.

 

“Yes, I had no idea until Minna told me. You were never sick, so I couldn't tell,” said Margaret, who was sitting on the other bed in the large guest room, grinning ear to ear.

 

Naomi sighed happily. The jig was up, “I knew you would find out soon enough, so I didn't want to bother ruining the realization for you,” Naomi said in a way of a weak apology, “Besides, Breagan and I needed some time to have the knowledge to ourselves,” she concluded to the both of them.

 

“I'm just happy that this is all over with now,” Margaret sighed, rubbing her forehead.

 

“Yes, now we c'n `ave a weddin'!” Minna said with glee, sitting up to squeeze the newest members of the Tyler family in a hug.

 

Naomi smiled softly when Minna let go of her to chatter with Margaret about her plans for the wedding.

 

She would never forget the way Cokrain had looked at her after his fall. His eyes were devoid of any of the cold furor that she had come to fear as the authorities wheeled him out of the Hamdell Estate. He'd had a defeated air around him and he hadn't said another word. His fall from the walkway had severed his spinal cord, paralyzing him from the chest down. He was now in a criminal hospital and would stay there for the rest of his life, being hand fed by someone. His estate had been auctioned off and his underground reputation was now out in the open for all of society to see.

 

When Naomi heard that his servants were looking for work, she had begged Breagan to take on Chloe, who had been so kind to her when she had first arrived at Cokrain's house. Chloe had accepted the offer immediately, pleased to see how well Naomi's situation had turned out.

 

As if thoughts of her had conjured her to the room, Chloe knocked on the open door of the room. Naomi ceased her reflecting when Chloe announced that some lunch had been served downstairs.

 

“Yours'll be brought up to ya, I think. That bump on yer head looks like a doozy,” she said to Minna, coming further into the room.

 

“It looks worse th'n it feels. I's been a week, I'll be gettin' up t'day whether ye like it'r not,” Minna looked at the other women in the room, daring them to argue with her.

 

They had all learned already that arguing with the woman was pointless. She always won.

 

The four women joined the men, who also received Minna's don't-you-dare-tell-me-to-go-lay-down look once they got to the dining room. Naomi sat flanked on either side by Breagan and Minna. She sat quietly in her seat as conversations from the full table of house members flowed around her. Breagan was involved in a conversation with Lancey, who had also come downstairs for lunch that day. He was looking much better, even if his head still looked lopsided from the bump on his head. Minna, Jake, and Margaret were engrossed in wedding plans. The wedding was to take place in another week. They had all decided on a small ceremony in the parlor of the house.

 

“Breagan, did'na ye have somethin' to run by yer father tonight?” Minna prompted Breagan with a smirk, interrupting the flow of conversations around the table. Breagan looked at Minna with a frown, wondering what he might have forgotten mentioning to his father. At seeing Minna's unmistakable smirk, it hit him. She knew about the baby. Breagan shook his head. She enjoyed knowing about something that Jake didn't, and it was oh, so obvious.

 

“What did you need, Breagan?” Jake asked, completely oblivious…until he saw the smug look Minna was wearing. She knew something he didn't know. Jake looked back at his son, hoping this meant what he thought it did, “Son, you have something to tell me?” He prompted.

 

“Yes, we do,” he said, looking over at Naomi's rather pink face, then back to his father, “Your first grandchild should be born in the first months of the new year,” he confirmed.

 

Jake calculated dates in his head. This was currently the middle of June…that meant she was roughly a month along. He glowered over at Minna, “How long have you known this, Minna? I can't believe you didn't let me in on it, you traitor! You should have told me she had been living here in the first place, instead of making me figure it out after…what, a week? They would already be married, woman!” he accused her jovially.

 

“Calm yerself down, sir. I onl' figured it this week, after I noticed we been runnin' out'a apples an' milk vera oft'n lately. An' don't call me traitor, ye ol' goat, I only gave `er time ta settle in `afore I let ye see `er livin' `ere. An' I put'er in th' room nex'ta his, didn' I? Ye'd `ave run `er off, anaway, ye know,” Minna explained her actions.

 

“To baby Tyler!” cheered Lancey from his seat across the table, interrupting Jake and Minna's staring contest. He lifted his glass, and they all followed suit, toasting to the coming baby.