The Runner's Enticement (Men of Circumstance Book 2)

by Addie Jo Ryleigh

  “I would say I’m sorry and take back tonight if I could, but I’d be lying.” The darkness failed to cloak his grin. “If I recall correctly, you get rather peevish when I’m not honest.” He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. “Anna, love, please tell me if I should be apologizing.”

  Hating that he felt unsure of their lovemaking, she vowed to forget everything, save the two of them. At least until the morning light invaded their sanctuary.

  Snuggling closer, she nibbled the curve of his jaw. “The only thing you need to make amends for is falling asleep. What is the benefit of having my very own rake if he is unconscious?”

  Nate had her flat on her back before the last word left her mouth. Given the hardness pressed against her leg, he was very awake. “You were saying?”

  “I can’t seem to remember.”

  “If I’d known this is all it took to get you to cooperate, I’d have enticed you into bed days ago.”

  Now it was her turn to be a little wicked. “I believe you did. Oh, and let us not forget the couch in the drawing room and the wall in the library.”

  Instead of him continuing their naughty banter, he lowered his forehead to hers and proved yet again why she was powerless to resist him. “Only you have the power to make me so reckless. I’m afraid, Anna, that you quite possibly own me.”

  Desiring something more equal, she whispered against his lips. “How about we share each other?”

  Chapter 32

  When Grant returned with Foxmoore late the next evening, Nate was still puzzling over what needed to be done. The night spent in Anna’s bed had done little to relax his mind. His body might have reaped the benefits but he hadn’t been able to disengage his thoughts from what awaited.

  “Did you uncover anything?” he asked. Despite Foxmoore being gone only a few days, Nate hoped he’d discovered something useful. Any clue to turn the case around. No matter how trivial.

  “Nothing besides the fact that no one has actually seen the artifacts. Just a new collector boasting about his pieces.” Foxmoore reclined in one of the two chairs in Nate’s bedchamber.

  Which might not be the normal locality for a meeting, but if Nate’s hunch was correct, he couldn’t chance an eavesdropper overhearing any plans.

  It had been hard enough keeping Foxmoore’s return a secret from Brodford and Anna. Nate hated to deceive them, especially Anna, but if he was correct and if someone from inside the house was indeed stealing the items, he wanted to know who before he presented his case.

  As it was, he’d left Anna under Henry’s protection so he could sneak away to meet with the earl. A smile struggled to break the stern line of Nate’s lips as he thought of Anna being subjected to Henry’s company. Or Henry dealing with Anna’s attempt at interrogation.

  But if anyone could hold his tongue, it would be Henry. Nate could place wagers against Anna attempting to pry information from the man.

  “What prompted my immediate return? Has there been a development?” Foxmoore inquired.

  Nate hesitated. Then he reminded himself Foxmoore was once-removed family and could be trusted. “Nothing to report other than a possible way to lure out the thief.”

  Foxmoore raised a brow. “Since I’m sitting here, and not your men, I assume I’ll have a role in your little ploy.”

  “Relax, old man. It isn’t as if I plan to use you as bait. You’re not quite Egyptian enough. I have something a bit more authentic and rare in mind.” Quickly, Nate shared the story of Brodford’s Bes bell, with as much detail as he could recall. The particulars, other than it being priceless, green, and ugly, had slipped Nate’s mind. Luckily, Foxmoore’s hidden knowledge of old things filled any important holes.

  “If the thief is indeed looking for high end items, a newly discovered Bes bell would do the trick,” Foxmoore agreed. “But why the need for me? Surely, you and your men could handle setting a trap. If anything, you could have sent me a letter to spread the word of the bell.”

  Foxmoore had a valid question. One Nate didn’t know how to answer. How did he explain his wish to keep his men in the dark when he didn’t fully understand it himself? Or the itch demanding he go it alone this one time. Either way, his instincts had kept him alive.

  If Nate had learned anything as a Runner, it was to not ignore the tingling in his gut. “I’m not involving my men. This will stay between you and me.”

  Foxmoore pinned him with a steady regard. The man clearly wanted more of an explanation.

  In a reversed situation, Nate would want the same. It would take a hell of a lot more for Nate to trust someone’s word. Though he and Foxmoore shared a familial tie, that didn’t mean an unquestionable bond stretched between them. He would leave that to Foxmoore and Gabe. Nate had never poached his brother’s intimates. Probably because he figured members of the upper crust wouldn’t be as welcoming as Gabe. Though he had a feeling Foxmoore didn’t fall into the same category as the general nobility.

  Unable to stall any longer, Nate sighed. “My men are more than capable of doing what I’ve planned. But for the time being, I’d like this kept cloak and dagger.” He shifted under Foxmoore’s continued scrutiny. “Things aren’t adding up and I would like to see what develops. With so many eyes on the estate, it should have been damned near impossible for someone to enter and steal the amulet.”

  “Unless someone from within walked out with it.”

  Foxmoore proved perceptive and for that Nate was grateful. He didn’t have the time to explain the situation to a dullard. Then again, if Foxmoore had indeed been a dolt, Nate never would have brought him into his confidence.

  “Exactly. I’d understand items continuing to go missing if my men had blundered, but that isn’t the case. We’ve done everything right except for actually catching the thief.” Nate’s thoughts drifted to Anna’s mysterious male visitor. With the threat of Jarvis, her connection to the unexplained man had failed to be Nate’s most pressing mystery to solve. He felt fairly confident the man had nothing to do with the thefts. Not with Anna being his connection to the estate.

  Until he learned more, it would be one more item he kept to himself. “Everyone coming and leaving the estate has been accounted for.”

  Still reclined in the chair, Foxmoore appeared more relaxed than his quick thinking suggested. “I’m assuming that since the most likely culprit would be a servant, you’d like to apprehend the responsible party before sounding the alarm and possibly getting the wrong person accused.”

  “Capturing the actual criminal would prevent any unnecessary accusations.”

  “What of The Viper? Doesn’t he still propose a risk? The best time to be ferreting out a thief might not be when you have a killer on your heels.”

  Nate was beginning to think Foxmoore and Lawson had some distant ancestors in common. They both had an annoying tendency to question Nate’s motives.

  “I could be waiting forever for Jarvis to show his face. If he ever does. The Viper coming after me isn’t a foregone conclusion.” Nate ignored the voice in the back of his head reminding him of The Viper’s final threat before his men had hauled him off. Not to mention the blackmailer’s promise. “There has been no sighting of the man from here to London. Hell, he could have used his escape as a chance to flee the country.”

  At the doubtful look Foxmoore cast, Nate couldn’t help the twinge in his chest that echoed the sentiment. Nonetheless, Lawson had sent Nate to do a job and he’d be damned before he didn’t see it through. He’d just have to play it right and have his men kept the estate protected from Jarvis while leaving an opening for the thief to take the bait.

  “If my plan has any merit, it should only take a night or two for it to yield results.”

  “You do know if I go along with this and something should happen to you while you have your back turned on The Viper’s thre
at, your brother—and probably my sister—will do the same to me, if not worse.”

  Nate tossed Foxmoore a smirk. “You have nothing to worry about, my brother is a duke . . . he has men to do that sort of thing for him.” Then he sobered. “Have you heard from Gabe since he learned of my position on the force?”

  A weight had fallen on Nate’s chest knowing Gabe had been briefed on his history with Jarvis . . . and it had yet to lift. Nate’s occupation might not be a secret from the world, but it wasn’t something he openly shared with the upper class, unless assigned to a case where it became unavoidable.

  Thankfully, there weren’t many nobles who needed his exact abilities, allowing him to keep his profession from his brother. Not that Nate worried Gabe wouldn’t approve. He resisted because Gabe would approve and wouldn’t be ashamed for all and sundry to know his bastard brother held a lowly position.

  Nate had stained Gabe’s world enough; he wouldn’t return his brother’s generosity with further embarrassment.

  Foxmoore broke into Nate’s thoughts. “I assume you haven’t heard from Gabe.” He’d voiced the question Nate had refused to dwell on.

  Nate declined to consider what his brother not getting word to him meant. Had he errored and Gabe was ashamed of his career? Or worse, blamed Nate for possibly unleashing a killer on his family?

  Unable to voice his worries, Nate shook his head.

  “If it aids your concern, I haven’t spoken to him since he learned of your connection to The Viper,” Foxmoore replied.

  I should have asked about Gabe’s reaction to the development days ago. Instead, he'd cowered from the answer. He couldn’t put it off any longer. He needed to know if he would be welcome at Frenton Hall. “Did he do what he probably should have done years ago and curse my existence?”

  Foxmoore rose and strode to Nate’s side by the fireplace. “You know your brother better than that. He’d never turn his back on you. You may share only half the same blood but to Gabe you are full brothers.”

  Nate might merely be three years Foxmoore’s junior and well beyond the man in terms of life’s harsher experiences, but at the moment he felt like an inexperienced youth looking for validation.

  He abandoned the fireplace and crossed to the window. “That may be, but considering I potentially escorted a killer to his door and endangered Elizabeth and the children might be enough to have him rethink his decision to claim me as a brother.”

  Foxmoore’s hand fell heavy on Nate’s shoulder. “You had your reasons for keeping your secrets. He will understand. Knowing Gabe, he probably wasn’t even surprised.”

  Turning from the window, Nate dislodged Foxmoore’s hand—along with their current conversation—before smirking at the man. “By any chance has your seat in parliament taught you how to be still for long periods of time?”

  After Foxmoore had snuck off the estate to hide out at the nearest inn until they could enact the plan, Nate put the first phase into motion. Since the aim was to lure a possible thief from inside the house, there would be no need to spread word of the Bes bell outside the estate. Considering Brodford and Thomas hadn’t stopped talking of the damned find, Nate felt confident the entire staff had heard of Brodford’s latest acquisition.

  Leaving the most delicate element of his scheme, finessing the precious treasure out of Brodford’s clutches, Nate wouldn’t be surprised if the man had taken to sleeping with the priceless item. Nate hardly blamed him. He hadn’t exactly proven very effective in keeping further items from disappearing.

  As Nate approached the parlor he was surprised to see Henry positioned at the door. He’d thought Anna would still be off trying to dig answers from his man.

  “How much trouble did she give you?” Nate questioned.

  Henry smiled with his typical no-nonsense grin. “No more than any inquisitive miss. Though, she is a tad more determined than most.”

  A warm tingle spread in Nate’s chest as he thought of the pixie tigress Anna had turned out to be. “That she is. What did you do to send her fleeing from the drawing room?”

  “Given her mutterings as she stormed from the room, it had something to do with all Runners being a bunch of frustrating beings who had no place among decent people.”

  Nate chuckled, easily picturing Anna in the sort of state Henry described. And vividly imagined the rosy flush that would mask the creaminess of her skin. The flash of light that would be shining in her eyes—tipping the shade to more blue than green—and the adorable scowl that would be pressed against her kissable lips. The thought of such intense emotion written all over her face woke Nate’s arousal, making him wonder why he wasted time with Henry when he could be enjoying her loveliness in all its glory.

  “I’ll stand by from here. Is Thomas with them?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I don’t think I can stomach much more of his dull obsession with Egypt. You can check in with Grant and return to your post. Make sure the men are keeping to the schedule and taking breaks. I don’t want anyone falling asleep while on patrol. With Jarvis being anywhere, it might be a sleep they don’t wake from.”

  Nate hated waxing grim, but he’d regret it more if one of his men fell to the killer.

  Henry gave a quick nod, aware of the danger, and headed for the front door.

  Leaving Nate to execute the most essential part of his plan.

  Chapter 33

  Anna’s residual irritation with Henry spilled over onto Nate as soon as he entered the room. Which she thought fully justified since they were both obstinate Runners who hid things from her. She didn’t know what, but she suspected it involved something other than the missing artifacts. Something she assumed had to do with the killer Foxmoore had spoken of. For the life of her, she couldn’t get anyone to tell her anything. Not even her father.

  Nevertheless, as nonplussed as she’d been with Nate as he interacted with her father, she’d catch glimpses of the man who’d held her during the night. Which only frustrated her further because she found she couldn’t be annoyed with that man at all.

  Eventually, she resigned herself to the fact she had no restraint where Nathaniel Frederickson was concerned. Particularly when he had his naked body tangled with hers.

  “You think you can keep it safe?”

  Her father’s question pulled her from her rather heated thoughts.

  “I know I’ve asked you to put your faith in my abilities before, only to disappoint you, but in this I promise you can trust me. I won’t let the bell out of my sight.”

  Nate’s promise sent a slither of dread down Anna’s back. Getting away from Henry’s stony silence had been only one of the reasons she’d sought her father. Her fortnight was half over. If she didn’t secure the bell soon, she might not have a chance to tempt Mr. Rollins with it. Finding a way to sneak the bell away from her father had proven difficult enough. In Nate’s hands, it would be nearly impossible.

  Still behind his desk, puttering with a mask of another dead pharaoh, her father didn’t appear as if he would answer. Another minute went by before he set the mask down and gave Nate his full regard.

  “You have yet to disappoint me, Frederickson.” Nate opened his mouth to argue, but her father barreled on. “Though more things may have gone missing, I have the utmost faith you will put everything as it should be. I may not be the most sociable of men, but I know enough to determine a man’s character, and I’ve known since we met you have honorable integrity.”

  Anna somehow managed to not choke, thinking of the countless dishonorable things Nate had done to her body. She doubted her father would continue to speak so highly of Nate if he knew everything. Yet, she found no fault with her father’s assessment. Nate was indeed a man of great character and her father wouldn't be wrong putting his trust in him. Anna’s intimate time with Nate had been of her choosing a
nd being of age, the decision had been her absolute right.

  “You honor me, sir,” Nate responded with a humble undertone, clearly uncomfortable with her father’s praise. “Your faith won’t be misplaced. I promise I’m doing what must be done.”

  She scrutinized the strong man standing before the desk, witnessing a side to his demeanor he’d never shown before. He was almost . . . solemn. She’d seen him determined, annoyed, and heart-stopping sensual.

  But never somber.

  Anna remained silent as her father reached into the drawer on the right side of the desk and retrieved the Bes bell, still carefully folded in the protective cloth. He didn’t pause before handing what was probably his most prized possession to Nate.

  She refused to think how deep her betrayal would go if she managed to steal—yes, steal, no point in calling it something it wasn’t—the bell from Nate.

  Just when the guilt threatened to bubble over and change her mind, Clara’s grateful voice whispered in Anna’s head. Without the school, Clara would no longer have a teaching position. Anna couldn’t find it in herself to destroy Clara’s opportunity. Not if she had one last chance to make the threat of Mr. Rollins go away.

  Once he had the bell in his hand, Nate turned to her. So intent on her father when he’d entered, he’d done little more than acknowledge her with his eyes before he’d addressed her father.

  “Any luck with Henry?”

  The way he taunted her, with secrets he then denied her, made Anna long to wipe the smirk off his face. Heaven help her when the only way she could think to erase the offending grin was with her lips.

  A quick glance at her father confirmed he’d returned his attention to the mask. He might be standing before them but she’d wager he hadn’t heard a word they said. Even so, for an unexplained reason, she wanted to keep this oddly arousing bickering with Nate private.