My Lady Series Bundle (1-5)

by Anders, Shirl

  Brynmore paced outside the closed door to Drummond's study. He rarely got irritated enough to pace and the fact that he was pacing fueled the anger thrumming inside him. Kit Montoya had just waltzed into their group like a bloody damned angel of vengeance, all cocky as if she had the right to be there.

  "Bloody hell," Brynmore swore out loud. He'd seen instantly that she had Drummond's full backing. He'd never felt himself go from nothing to explosive anger so quickly before. It had taken him inhuman amounts of effort not to bellow the word, "no," over and over. His upheaval had left him mute and straining.

  That had been over an hour ago, and then Kit had been introduced, eyeing him with challenge, but saying nothing. Then he learned how the hell she'd gotten there and insinuated herself into Drummond's plan so swiftly and so thoroughly. Damn, she was amazing. He had to give her that. She'd done the one thing that he'd never thought to do. She'd looked in the chateaus' graveyard and found enough to fill a trunk with bones and personal effects of those murdered by The Order. That evidence had gained her entrance right back into the thick of the Archangels mission. Kit knew her brother was dead now. She had the proof, but instead of returning home in grief she was out for revenge.

  "Fuck." Brynmore slapped the wall and halted his pacing, bowing his head. He tried to tell himself that she could not possibly understand what she was getting herself into.

  "If it were your brother or sister, Bry, think what you would do." Saxon's voice came from behind Brynmore. "Women are not so different from us in that."

  Brynmore nodded, he did not trust himself to speak. Saxon's hand clamped on his shoulder in comfort. "I find myself having to put a brave face on it also, Bry. Once you think it through you will know that you do not have the right to ask her to stay out of harm's way in this. As much as you want to, the best you can hope for is to be beside her and deflect harm as best as you can."

  "Bloody hell, Saxon."

  "I know, Bry, but she will surprise you. She is stronger than you believe."

  Saxon squeezed Brynmore's shoulder, then he turned to go back down the hall. Brynmore took a few more minutes before he entered the study where Drummond and Kit waited for him. It was hard to agree with what Saxon said, but he knew Saxon was right. Kit Montoya was going to destroy her life with or without him, while searching for revenge. He understood as a man, he would do the same and not think twice, but women were so much more deeply affected. Damn it!

  Roughly, Brynmore ran his hand through his unruly auburn hair. "Start out as you intend to go on," he muttered. It was something his Ma used to say. It seemed to him that he needed an angle to all this. "What?" he groused. "Try to be professional, rise above it?" Oh yes, let us just waltz into a den of sexual depravity side by side and he would remain unaffected and professional. "Bloody balls, at least I'll get to fuck her," he growled.

  That was the inevitability. It had to be. He could not deny that he did not want to either, only not like that. Not like it was going to happen. It was too much to think about. Too much to plan and try to find some perspective on. He did not have the time now. Now, he just had to get through this next part to gain time to decide how to go on.

  "The most bloody important thing now," he muttered to himself. "Is to keep it close to the cuff." Brynmore took a few deep breaths. Yes, restraint, hold it in, then think later.

  Brynmore turned, and then he reached for the door handle.

  Kit was listening to Lord Kittridge, still all her senses were tuned to the study door opening and the man she knew entering from behind her. It was more than awareness that ignited her, it was the humming of female interest too. She'd been rather busy in Paris to acknowledge it, perhaps denying it. Earlier though, it had attacked her with full force upon seeing Brynmore again. Something about Lord Brynmore Duneagan attracted her and it appeared she was not going to be able to shrug that off easily.

  "I'm bloody well against this, Drummond. I'll have you know that from the start," Brynmore announced with no preamble. His voice sounded deep and strained as Kit stiffened with challenge, catching sight of Brynmore standing to the side of the chair, beside the one she sat in. So much for wayward attraction, Kit thought. That quickly, Brynmore had provoked her unbending determination!

  "It is not your choice," Kit expelled tightly, not turning her head to look at him.

  "I dinna like being backed into a corner," he replied, his voice holding the edge of his obviously suppressed anger. "You canna, possibly understand what this involves!"

  Kit, whose voice was tinged with reflected anger, announced, "I'm not naive! I can fully imagine what is involved." She turned her gaze to him. "I assure you now that I will do anything that it takes to destroy this evil Order and the man or men who murdered my brother!"

  "Like being a naked sex slave to your master! Copulating with beasts!" Brynmore recited tightly, with defiance glowing deeply in his green eyes. "Having sex with women, or being tied and whipped! Are these some of the things you considered? There are many more!"

  "And together you will both have to choose one sexual fetish that you could not receive full completion of anywhere else, but within The Orders secret hospice," Drummond said slowly, and with emphasis.

  Kit was shocked as the breath of any of her retorts released sharply and she sat with her gaze transfixed on Drummond trying to take it all in. She heard Brynmore make a similar sound to hers. All she could think was that at least she'd not crumbled and made a weak feminine display of dismay, when she heard Brynmore's asserting, "Aye!"

  Kit knew Brynmore was agreeing with Drummond's conclusion and further showing his strength above hers by readily agreeing to the lewd depravities. Quickly, she forced herself to follow. "Yes," she said, surprised that her voice sounded as strong as it did.

  "Your responsibilities are to protect each other's sensibilities as much as you can, as well as gathering information and moving as close to Hellion as you can," Drummond said. "Remember that. I know you will do what you must, however cleverness and clear thinking can sometimes help to elude the worst."

  Kit could only nod. The fact that she was going to do this was not in doubt. She simply had to wrap her mind around the implications.

  "Tis more dangerous going undercover with an inexperienced agent than just allowing me to infiltrate on my own. I know I can do it," Brynmore said, while Kit was thinking he was stubborn to the end.

  "You will never gain entrance without her," Drummond stated simply.

  "As the lover to her, a married woman," Brynmore retorted, with disgust shadowing his tone. Then, he asked, "What happens, Kit, when your husband does find out about this? And he will. What then?"

  "I'm divorcing him." Kit felt embarrassed to say it and admit her failure, however she also felt satisfied to rebut Brynmore's objections so thoroughly.

  "And as to the inexperience, I am sending, Miss Montoya, to Radford for a quick course in undercover spying methods and I believe, Nia, will be of some help also, advising her through her own experience."

  Brynmore held his tongue. He'd already shown more than he cared to about his feelings. He knew Drummond sensed it. Not much got passed Drummond. However, he thought Kit's ire was raised too much for her to discern what he was revealing that he damn well wished he was not.

  He also knew that he could hardly argue against the profit of sending Kit to learn the fundamentals from Radford. Oh, he could argue that it was basically worthless, giving the instruction in such a short amount of time, coupled with complete inexperience. He would be right, but he would also be arguing against Radford's worth. He was boxed in a corner all right. Tied up tighter than the belt holding up his kilt. He did not like it either. It was going to put his hide in more danger and he would have to work on the edge, trying to quick-step both himself and Kit out of the worst depravities.

  If he could . . .

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