Fred Came Back

Chapter One

The bells chimed over London. The smog rose heavily, and a full moon glistened high above the tallest steeples of the city. Darcy Debooba noticed none of it while at the same time, thanked the Heavens for all of it. Tonight was the perfect night to break a criminal out of jail.

But not just any criminal.

No.

Certainly not any lowlife who slept amongst the rats and piss of the rancid cells in the under-bowels of society. Frederick was far more than a normal fellow. He was a cad, a reprobate, a rake but above all, he was still…the wretched key to her new life.

It was true. She simply could not bear the thought of leaving him to rot amongst the gutters when she knew deep in her heart that he was capable of atoning for so, so much more. And because of this fact, she felt a life sentence in a London jail cell was simply far too trivial for a man like him.

He was going to pay for his crimes with the currency of his intellect, his wit, and his elusive, "special skills". She needed his talents in order for her plans to succeed. Therefore, she had already made up her mind. He would be there for her. He would serve her. And he would do so by any means necessary.

After a loathsome month of dread, planning and many, many shed tears, she was utterly proud of herself for being able to stand before him now. Looking down into his jail cell with her chin held high despite the circumstances, she wore her best impassive face as she repeated the words she had just told him.

"Indeed. Tis' true, Frederick. I am breaking you out. Tonight. Right now."

The beautiful man with gleaming golden locks looked up at her through the iron bars of the dingy cell, wearing the same incredulous scowl he always bore before he had lost his memories. His bright blue eyes sparkled with an underlying intensity that reminded her briefly of the night they had spent together all those weeks ago on the real Lord Grey's estate.

She blinked twice, flicking her gaze away from those gorgeous, cerulean pools of seduction. Now was not the time to be dwelling on false…lingering…lies.

"You are one diabolical bitch, Debooba. I give you my praise. Although, I still cannot fathom how exactly you plan on committing such a crime, my dear." He retorted in a vanilla voice of silken mockery. Darcy bit back a blith insult that was dancing on the tip of her tongue as she pivoted and cast a subtle glance down the stone hall lined with torches.

"The same way you've committed a bevy of crimes yourself, you odious man. With your merry band of thieves."

With a quick flick of her gloved hand, she whistled once, signaling a cluster of shadows to emerge from the darkness. Jack followed her gaze, his scowl falling into an expression of dumbfounded curiosity. Sitting up straight and erect on the cold, wet ground of the cell, he craned his neck forward to catch a glimpse of the men dashing closer, all wearing the telltale garments of guards.

"Evening, Jack!" One of the swarthy fellows replied loudly with over-enthusiasm. Several hushes, followed by a resounding slap and a grunt silenced the bloke promptly as Jack suddenly beheld his old gang.

"What the–," He snapped just as Jim Bob, a portly fellow and one of the more ballsy of the group dashed forward flashing a ring of keys in front of his cell before hastily unlocking the wrought-iron door, "How on earth did you get in here?!"

Darcy rolled her eyes as the door was slid open by two others, "Through the jolly entrance." She replied while Jim Bob rushed inside the cell, unlatching the angelic man's ankles from the chain connected to the wall.

Jack stood up, soothing his cold fingers over each wrist where the chain cuffs had dug into his skin the worst. Darcy eyed him with disdain, her lips drawn in a firm- at least that's what she thought, definitely not plump or pouty-line. His sharp, blue eyes lifted to hers and for an infinitesimal second, she swore she saw a flicker of warmth within the frigidity of his gaze. To her own disdain, her heart leapt and fell in one clean swoop from that fleeting look.