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

by Addie Jo Ryleigh

  Silently she turned on her heel, away from the Runner who’d gone from nemesis to lover. Fleeing to the door, she knew Nate would follow. The possibility that his constant need to be by her side was simply duty-bound nagged the back of her mind.

  Her desire to be with Nate unsettled her. Deep in her heart, she knew she couldn’t have the school and him. Just as she couldn’t have the school and her father. To keep one, she’d have to let down the other.

  “What of you? Any progress with whatever it was you ran off to deal with?” she asked.

  “Still fishing for information, I see.” A step behind her, Anna missed his expression but his words held a smile. Probably even the dimple it usually showcased. The very one I shamelessly licked the night before.

  “Are you saying there is something to catch?”

  This time he did chuckle. “Sweet, I didn’t become one of the best by being outsmarted by a pretty face.”

  She ignored the voice that whispered her very future depended on her being able to outsmart him.

  Since she didn’t want to think about her ultimate duplicity, she changed the subject. “You never speak of your brother. Are you not close?”

  She heard his misstep; her question had taken him by surprise. Other than him being the unacknowledged, illegitimate son of a duke, Anna didn’t know much about Nate’s life. Did his brother feel the same as his father had? It hadn’t seemed so when Nate had spoken of His Grace at the school. Maybe she’d misunderstood.

  No actual destination in mind when she’d left the parlor, and afraid she’d need to apologize for intruding on his personal life, she entered the next room they came upon. A tingle moved through her knowing it was the very library where Nate had done exceptionally wicked things to her. As she thought on it, there weren’t many rooms left were he hadn’t done wicked things to her.

  Her body quickly heating, Anna tucked the thought away, until she could explore it later.

  “Are you done running, Anna?”

  She faced him, puzzled.

  “Your quick detour to the library didn’t give me a chance to answer your question about my brother,” he continued easily. Apparently, she’d worried for naught.

  “My brother and I are close.” Nate’s forehead crinkled. “Or at least we were. At present, there is a small question regarding our relationship.”

  Reminded of his conversation with Foxmoore, she asked, “Does it have anything to do with The Viper and Foxmoore’s news?”

  The corner of his mouth quirked while his eyes remained guarded. “Caught that, did you? You probably won’t understand, but despite being close, Gabe is not aware of my career as a Runner.”

  He was right. She didn’t understand. Why wouldn’t his brother know? How wouldn’t his brother know? From what she’d been told—and after what she’d witnessed—Nate excelled at being a Runner. Wouldn’t his brother be proud?

  “I can see the wheels in your cute little head working, sweet. Your father might not embrace it but he is a welcomed member of the ton. Because of our father, and actions out of my brother’s control, he had to fight for a semi-respectable position among the nobility.”

  “But he is a duke.” She hated to think the worst of her peers, but she knew how the system worked. The higher a person’s rank, the greater his sins could be.

  “Even though Gabe’s title had kept the invitations appearing at his door, he wasn’t much more than a source of gossip. A short time ago Gabe had embraced his role of scoundrel. After falling for Elizabeth and learning the truth surrounding a few episodes in his past, he’d done what he could to change people’s impression of the Duke of Wesbrook. Not because he gave a damn, rather to ensure Elizabeth and his children were accepted.”

  As ridiculous as it sounded, the nobility could be vicious and everything Nate said sounded plausible. “You’re afraid your career combined with your illegitimate status would impede his efforts?”

  “Even though our father never approved, and had probably made Gabe pay in some manner, my brother never treated me like a bastard. I will not return the favor by further sullying the Wesbrook name. Even before Gabe understood he was a better man than our father, I wouldn’t bring him shame.” Strong emotions flickered across his face.

  Anna lost herself in his honesty, wondering if he understood what he’d just revealed. Afraid of losing his brother’s approval, for a good portion of his life Nate had been denied something as simple as acceptance. First from his father, and then the ton as a whole, the very sphere his brother—and only family—inhabited. He might not act it but society’s label had shaped him into the man he’d become. She only wished he could see the man she did.

  “If you worried what your brother and his peers would think of your career, why become a Runner?”

  He regarded her for a moment, his clear eyes locked on her. “Gabe might be comfortable providing for me, but I couldn’t live with myself if I allowed it. I’d already spent half my life depending on the charity of others. My mother had been a maid at Frenton Hall when my father seduced her with pretty words. I suspect even if she hadn’t become with child he would have turned her out once he’d had his fun.”

  Nate’s eyes narrowed until only slices of black-rimmed blue remained. “Disowned by her parents. If not for my aunt and uncle taking her in, she probably wouldn’t have survived. Even with the concocted story that my mother was a widow, she never found decent work, not with having a child to raise. As soon as I could, I started to work odd jobs to help keep food on the table. I might have been young but I knew my aunt and uncle couldn’t continue to provide for my mother and me. Not with their own children to consider.”

  Familiar with the assured man before her, it was hard to picture Nate as a young boy forced to grow up too fast. No child should have to fight so hard for basic needs. Knowing her sympathy wouldn’t be welcomed, she blinked away the tears burning the back of her eyes.

  “You said your mother died of consumption. What of your aunt and uncle? Do you still speak with them?” Her voice cracked over the question.

  He placed the Bes bell on a low table, then drifted to the bookshelf and lazily ran his finger along the volumes propped there. “My aunt and uncle fell sick before my mother. When all was said and done, the illness took the lives of my mother, aunt, uncle, and my youngest cousin. Two other cousins, besides me, survived. That was all.”

  She lost the battle with her tears; they flowed down her cheeks like hot, tiny rivers. Thankfully, his attention remained on the books and she could mourn his family in silence. “What happened to your cousins? Do you still see them?”

  He increased the distance between them. “No. Even the oldest was still six years younger than me. My uncle’s family took them in. I haven’t seen them since the day they rode away from the house.”

  “You’ve never looked for them?”

  He gave a little snort. “I hardly doubt they’d welcome their bastard cousin. Especially one who’d put an unwanted strain on their parents. Something that most likely contributed to their father working too hard and contracting the illness to begin with.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Of course you don’t, princess. You’ve never had to go to bed hungry or worry about how the house would stay warm when there was no money.”

  He didn’t sneer the words, but Anna supposed he could have. Moreover, she was beginning to hate how he called her ‘princess.’ She much preferred the more endearing terms that had rolled off his tongue during these last few days.

  “Even so, it doesn’t mean your cousins would turn you away,” she reasoned. “You’d been raised together. Surely they saw you as more than a burden.”

  He turned back to her and the deep hurt touching each of his features curled around her heart. “I’ve had enough people in my life explaining quite
clearly how worthless and unwanted I am, I’m not about to go looking for it.”

  Fed up with the distance holding them apart, she marched to his side and fought against the impulse to wrap her arms around him. “First of all, you are not worthless. You’ve managed to not only survive but accomplish great things. Despite practically starting from nothing.”

  No longer able to keep from touching him, Anna placed her fingertips alongside his cheek. “Secondly, you are not unwanted.” Her voice dropped. “I want you. Probably more than is wise.”

  He stood silent after her confession and her fingers began to tremble against the stubble sprinkled across his jaw. Would the blasted man not speak? Surely after how they’d explored each other’s bodies, he’d at least admit to wanting her. She had nearly given up on his reply when his arm slid around her waist, pulling her tightly to him.

  “I think I can handle being wanted by you.”

  His head lowered.

  If she allowed the kiss it would mark the end of their conversation. She still had questions left unanswered. Her hand landed heavy in the center of his chest, halting his descent. “I’m being serious, Nate.”

  Instead of flippancy or cockiness, his face held only somber affection. “I know, love.” His other arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her even closer to his chest, giving her no choice but to move her hand or have it squashed between them. “For you, my past is all new. I lived it and have come to terms with it. Despite growing up in the same house, my cousins and I have never been close. Their parents had sheltered them from the hardships of life as best they could. In spite of being welcomed in their home, I always knew I didn’t belong there. That my mother and I were a burden to their family. Even before her death, I’d been saving what money I could to find a home of our own.”

  “Surely it isn’t the same with your brother. You said yourself the two of you are close.”

  Even from his height, the sigh he released brushed her forehead. “Yes, we are. And yes, if given the choice I prefer it to stay that way. But it isn’t my choice alone. Gabe has a decision to make and I’m not as confident as you that he would choose likewise.”

  Having all the answers she needed for the moment—and aware Nate wouldn’t alter his outlook—she lifted herself on her toes and gave in to the kiss he sought. Perhaps actions would prove more successful than words.

  After a few minutes and a kiss that had stolen her breath, Nate eased back. “How about a compromise? I attempt a more positive outlook if you continue to bestow your sweet kisses on me.”

  As if washed away by their embrace, all seriousness had vanished from his face and the confident man she unwisely felt too much for had returned.

  “I think I could live with that bargain.”

  He brushed his lips over hers once more before he released them, keeping his hands on her waist. “A proper lady would have slapped the idea out of my head.” His tone remained light and teasing.

  “Maybe I’m not as proper as you’d thought.”

  “Proper or no, I’m not about to argue. Though I can’t ignore we are in your father’s house and I’m disrespecting all the faith he has placed in me.”

  As endearing as his concern for her father’s feelings was—albeit a tad too late—she wouldn’t allow it. “How very honorable of you, but I’m of age and more than capable of making my own decisions.”

  “Still, you can’t argue we’ve been dishonoring your father. Hell, not only your father. I’ve dishonored you.”

  “I won’t let you talk yourself out what we have shared, Nate. If I’ve been dishonored—which I’m not agreeing is the case—it was by my own choosing.”

  “And your father?”

  “Papa may not like it—mostly because he’ll always see me as his little girl—but he would understand it is my decision.” She slid closer. “Nate, it was my decision. It is also my choice to continue to find more with you.”

  At the mention of ‘more,’ he growled low in his throat before yanking her flush to him. “Why is it I can’t refuse you?”

  “It is your better sense shining through.” As he snorted a half laugh, she added, “Now, will you be joining me in my bed again or will you return to your post outside my door?”

  Surprise flashed across his face. “Figured that out, I see. How is it I’ve managed to elude dangerous men but you somehow have the ability to determine all my moves?”

  She smiled sweetly. “Simple. I’m smarter than you are.”

  A laugh burst from his chest and she fought the urge to glance at the door to make sure no one else had heard. “You might be correct because when I’m around you, I find it hard to think.”

  When he returned to caressing her lips with his kiss, she found she couldn’t think either and frankly, didn’t care.

  Chapter 34

  Two days after Brodford had entrusted him with the bell, Nate knew he couldn’t wait any longer. The trap needed to be sprung that night. He could feel Jarvis breathing down his neck. If he delayed much longer his focus would be split between the killer and the thief. More so than it already was.

  And he couldn’t forget about the blackmailer. Even though the letters might have gone silent, it didn’t mean the person responsible had desisted. Nate doubted sending The Viper to do his dirty work had been the last of the threats. Evil had a tendency to linger.

  “Nate, I don’t believe you are listening to me,” Anna complained from across the room.

  He sent her a smile. “Probably because I wasn’t, sweet. You can hardly blame me. I don’t particularly have any interest in party details.”

  He neglected to mention he had no interest in a gathering that would never happen. He might have lost his edge since meeting Anna but he wasn’t daft enough to place her in greater danger by opening her home to a group of people. Creating a situation where Nate and his men might not be able to protect her from Jarvis.

  When her father had given her a sennight to plan the event, it had been a strategic calculation. Both men had figured if anything transpired with Jarvis, it would most likely happen by then. An unhinged killer would hardly sit idly by if he had his prey in sight. The earl’s impromptu gathering was simply an excuse to keep her from the school—another place Nate felt she wasn’t safe. Little did Anna know the invitations she’d so painstakingly written had never been delivered.

  She scowled from her place on the sofa—a piece of furniture for which he had a deep affection, since he could vividly recall his mouth bringing Anna to orgasm on that very cushion.

  “If I have to suffer through it, so should you.”

  He struggled not to laugh at the absurdity of her claim. She was the society lady, not him. He settled for raising a skeptical brow in her direction.

  “Fine,” she huffed. “You might not be required to lend an ear but considering you’ve affixed yourself to my side, you could at least offer to help.”

  He did laugh at that. “You see, I find it quite impossible to pay attention. Not when my mind keeps wandering to the last time your sweet bottom warmed that seat.”

  Her eyes narrowed for a fraction of a moment before they flew wide as she caught his meaning. Clearly flustered with the reminder of how she’d fell apart against his mouth, Anna returned to her notes. Nate didn’t think she’d be pestering him anytime soon.

  She might have transformed into a bold tigress but she’d always retain a part of the innocent lady he’d first met. And he’d developed ill-advised affections for both. Feelings he would have to address after Jarvis and the thief were dealt with.

  Before he left Anna for good.

  He ignored the clenching of his gut at the thought of never again caressing the smooth curves of her body or battling her willful determination. Hell, he’d admit it—at least to himself—he’d miss all of her.

 
Helpless to change the inevitable, Nate forced his mind to return to the preparation he’d been plotting in his head—tasks that had nothing to do with a dinner party.

  He had already set the plan in motion. Word had been sent to Foxmoore, eliciting his return to the house late in the afternoon. He would then position himself once everyone was occupied with the evening meal. Over the last two days, Nate had doubled his efforts to ensure all the staff knew he carried the Bes bell with him.

  His gaze slid to the small box containing the ugly artifact. It sat on the table before Anna. He could have found a hiding place to keep the bell safe but there wouldn’t be much point to all his planning if the thief couldn’t find the bell to steal it.

  Also, anyone with a lick of sense would suspect something if he left the damn bell sitting next to his bed for anyone to take.

  His plan involved a bit more finesse—he was a skilled detective, after all. Now he only needed an impromptu situation where he’d be forced to leave the bell unattended, while somehow alerting the staff that the bell was unguarded. And not just any room, but abandoned where Foxmoore would be secretly keeping his lookout.

  By tonight Nate hoped to have his answers—good or bad—and he could return his attentions to the killer who most certainly wanted him dead.

  Anna struggled to keep her eyes from returning to the box holding her future. When Nate had placed it on the table beside her, it had been as if the fates were mocking her. She’d actually been relieved Nate hadn’t been listening to the details for her father’s gathering. Her ramblings probably hadn’t made much sense since her focus lingered on the dratted bell. Some days she wished Mr. Thomas hadn’t appeared with the cursed thing.

  In an attempt to prove she wasn’t secretly contemplating grabbing the box and making a run for it, she tried to reengage Nate—ignoring the sensual picture he’d painted for her during her last attempt.