by Aliyah Burke
Dear Lord, he was considering this again. “I will not put you in danger. There will be no more discussion—”
“Hear me out,” she interrupted.
He arched a brow.
“Fact one. I am already in danger. Fact two. I will be until this person is caught or killed. Fact three. If we are searching for him I cannot get into trouble because I will be with you.” She grinned, an action which lit up her entire face. “Besides, if we are traveling together would that not help if they are looking for a single bachelor?”
Shite. She was really good.
Chapter Six
We head back to London tomorrow. Najja and her family joined us for the evening meal. Pug and I played chess after. He is rapidly coming into his own as a young man. He will be highly sought after once he is full grown. He is heading for Eton and I will not see him for a long while. I am saddened by this for he never fails to bring a smile to my face.
~From the private journal of Josephine Adrys
Jo hid her smile. Seriously, after so many years of learning how to—for lack of a better word—manipulate her father she knew how to work a man if she so chose. Especially one who claimed it was for her own protection. However, protection was not what she wanted from Trystan. For the time being, though, she had to take it.
She honestly wanted to help him find and capture the person who had hurt him so bad. In addition, she knew she could. A man who referred to himself as The Alchemist had to think highly of himself.
“Jo.”
She blinked and refocused on the handsome viscount at her table. “It makes sense, Trystan. If you think about it you will see I am right.”
He stared at her and the room suddenly felt too confining. Those blue eyes of his saw so much; she wondered if she could do this without exposing to him her deepest heart’s desire.
“Let me understand what you are proposing.” He rested his elbows on the table and danged the spoon from long fingers. Fingers she fantasized all too much about roaming over her body. Her naked body. “You are suggesting that the two of us travel together.”
So much suggestion backlit his statement she shivered. How could he not feel the sparking passion between them? With a sniff, she ate a bit of her oatmeal. “I am not sure how protecting someone usually works, but do we not have to travel together? Besides,” she continued, playing her final card. “You do things where you lie all the time to accomplish your mission. Pretending to travel with me should be no different.”
His eyes burned with fire. “So you want to pretend to be my wife. Share a room with me? Every single night?”
More than he could ever begin to fathom. She ate the final bite and slowly drew the spoon from between her lips. “Um, no. Husband and wife should love and respect one another. You may be good but I do not see you pulling that off. I thought we could pose as brother and sister.”
He swallowed and her eyes followed the motion of his throat. “Brother and sister.”
“Yes. It will be perfect. You fit the role of my much older brother.” She blinked innocently at him. “We would not need a chaperone nor would we have to share a room.”
She pinched her leg with her free hand to keep the laughter contained. His expression was such it reminded her of someone who had smelled something foul. He shoved away from the table, glared at her, and walked away muttering under his breath.
Although he kept his distance, she knew he was always near as she cleaned up from the meal. In her room, she sat on the bed and stared at her portmanteau. It remained open yet full of her few items. A few dresses, some undergarments, gloves, cloak, and a few other things. She reached out and touched the silver and pearl inlayed hairbrush and comb set. A gift from her mother when they had first returned to England.
“Mama,” she whispered, touching them one more time.
“Are you ready?”
Blinking away her unwanted tears, she sucked on her lower lip before pushing to her feet. “Yes.” She closed the bag and grabbed the handles. “Where are we going?”
“To town to get you a horse.”
“Callum will give me one.”
A tic appeared in his jaw. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he is my friend.” There was disbelief in his features.
“And your friends always kiss you like he did this morning?”
Her smile was brittle. “Not necessary for you to play the obnoxious big brother now. We should go.”
She never made it through the door. He moved so flawlessly and without any effort, she did not know what to think.
“Always be aware of your surroundings, Jo.”
She shoved her bag into his chest. “And how many London misses do you know who are?” He glowered down at her yet she felt no fear. “I am always aware. Now might we go get me a horse?”
His stallion—who was not as mean as Trystan claimed—walked sedately behind them as they made their way down the dirt road. She smiled as Callum’s large home came into view.
She hastened up the steps and reached out to knock. Trystan had repositioned himself at her side by the time the butler opened the door. The older gentleman had softened a bit toward her.
“Miss Jo,” he said with a hint of a smile.
“May I speak to Callum, please?”
“Of course.” He opened the door and she walked in, Trystan on her heels. She could feel his tension increase. “I will inform him.”
She smiled. “Thank you. We will wait here.”
“Very good, miss.”
He strode away and she sighed, glancing around the house. The few times she had been here, she found herself admiring it even more. Footsteps echoed across the floor and she pivoted to see Callum striding toward them. It did not escape her attention how Trystan moved himself between her and Callum.
“Jo, what a lovely surprise.” He skirted around her bodyguard and took her hand, bent over, and kissed it. “What can I do for you?”
“I need to borrow a horse.”
He glanced between her and Trystan. “What kind of trouble are you in?”
“The less you know the better,” Trystan said and repositioned himself between them forcing Callum to finally release her hand. He did so with a wink.
“I would not bet on it, Lord Wilkes.”
She was shocked to realize Callum knew who he was until she recalled she had called Tryst by his full name when he first arrived. Her friend readjusted so she was between the men. He held out his arm and she took it, ignoring the rumble she heard from Trystan.
“We will sit in my office and discuss.”
She was used to him wanting to talk in his office. He spent much of his time there. It was odd in a way to be walking with him and Trystan behind. A small smile lifted her lips. In his office, she took her seat by the window and watched as each man sat on a side of her.
“Are you leaving, Jo?” Callum focused on her.
“I have to,” she said softly. “I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me.”
“Think nothing of it. After our first night I have found you a delight to be around.”
“Your first night? Are you saying he…took advantage of you, Jo?” Trystan growled, rising from his seat.
“He did no such thing.” Her face flushed with embarrassment. “My relationship with Callum is none of your business.”
He glared at her. “You have no idea. Look at you, Jo. Calling a strange man by his first name, alone in his house with him—obviously familiar with it. What would your parents think?”
“Are you her brother?” Callum asked in a snotty tone.
“You know damn well I am not her brother.”
“And her father you are not, so who are you then to demand such things.”
Jo watched them avidly. Two opposites. Trystan appeared calm but she knew he was anything but. He was good at hiding his emotions and feelings but she had learned to read him. Callum on the other hand was smugly calm. Arrogantly so. She saw—and recognized—t
he superior air surrounding him.
“I am in charge of her welfare until her parents return.”
“She is not a school girl.” Callum inspected his short, clean nails.
“Nor is she a chit to trifle with.”
“Can we, perhaps, return our attention to the matter at hand?” she interjected, peering between the two of them.
Both men glanced at her. Callum gave her a smile, which brought a blush to her cheeks. From the corner of her eyes, she watched a new scowl flash across Trystan’s face. His eyes narrowed slightly but he made no forward movement toward Callum.
“A horse?” Callum put his gaze on her yet she could not help feel that his attention was more upon Trystan. “Where close are you going that requires a horse? You know I always have room here for you.”
“It is quite a distance.”
Callum frowned. Again more at the other man in the room than her. “You would make her ride a horse a good distance?”
“Make her?” She jumped to her feet, hands on hips.
“Sit down, Jo.” Trystan gave the order in a voice she—quite frankly—was tired of hearing.
Callum gestured to her. “Not what I meant, Jo. I mean as opposed to a carriage. You should not have to ride on a horse to wherever he is taking you. You know you can stay here, Jo. You do not have to leave.”
“Yes, she does.” Trystan sounded matter-of-fact. “She is accompanying me.”
She never looked at Trystan, merely continued to watch Callum. There was nothing major Callum did which made her inhale sharply. It was subtle, smooth, and unnoticeable. The air crackled with tension and danger. Although the look on his face had not changed, he had. This was no longer the Callum she knew. This man was dangerous. Turning her head, she noticed the same coiled power in Trystan. All it would take would be the wrong word, or a sudden sound, and she knew these two men would be in a fight that would end only when one was dead.
She cleared her throat with delicate caution. While neither moved, she knew their attention had at least partially shifted to her. “Thank you, Callum, but I gave my word I would accompany him.”
“You are sure?” This time he looked at her. His brown eyes bore into her.
She was touched. He was honestly concerned for her. “Yes, I am. May I take you up on the carriage offer?”
He flicked his gaze briefly to Trystan. “Of course.” He rose smoothly from his seat and stopped by her side. She took his offered hand and got to her own feet. Hand on his arm they made their way to the door, bypassing Trystan who still looked ready to eat steel. He followed.
Callum ordered a carriage and waited with her outside. “If you ever need anything, Jo.” He lifted her chin so they were eye to eye. “I mean anything at all. You are always welcome and I will do whatever I can to help.” He escorted her to the newly arrived carriage.
“Thank you.” She reached up and brushed her lips along his cheek. “For everything.”
Callum helped her in then turned to Trystan. The men exchanged words and she knew they were not polite ones. She kept her silence when he climbed in and slammed the door behind him. The carriage rolled off and she plucked at some imaginary thread on her skirt.
“Where are we going?”
“Away from your suitor.” The words were so low and rough she almost did not understand them. She refused to let her heart hope he was jealous. “Too bad.”
“Him, Jo? Really?”
“As before, my personal life is no concern of yours.” What did Callum tell you, Trystan?
He grunted and she sighed, turning her attention to the countryside streaming past.
“This is going to be unpleasant without you not speaking to me, Trystan. Is there not something we could discuss to pass the time?”
He leaned back, arms crossed over his wide chest and pinned her with those killer eyes. Her heart thundered in her chest and she struggled to ensure it would not show on her face.
“Why did you run?”
Her nose flared as she blew out in exasperation. “We already went over that.”
“Not to my approval.”
She shook her head, pulled off her gloves, and slapped them on the seat beside her. “You are impossible to please, Trystan. No matter what I say it will never meet your approval.”
“I am not impossible, Jo. I cannot be fooled by beauty and prefer a real answer to evasive ones.”
Now she crossed her arms and stared at him. “Is that so? For a man who claims to not be fooled by beauty, you sure seem to be often. Or are all the wives you sleep with ugly?”
He glowered. “Let it go.”
“Why? You brought it up. So tell me, if you are not fooled by beauty what other reason do you have for your actions?”
He leaned forward. “Why the interest in my sleeping habits?”
She tsked as if not a care at all. “I have no care with what whore you sleep with. I worry because I do not want to find myself suddenly in danger because you are not fooled by beauty yet again.”
Thunderheads brewed in his eyes, darkening them. She blinked owlishly at him. He teetered on the edge of his control, she could see that.
“So?”
“So what?” His question filtered through clenched teeth.
“What is it then?”
“We are not discussing this.”
“Again, you brought it up.” She shrugged and stared out the window.
“I did no such thing.”
“Sure you did.” She hid her smile and faced him. “You mentioned how you were not fooled by beauty. I merely asked what the women—wives—you slept with had to get you there.”
He really did not stand a chance. Not against her. She had not been brought up in the typical fashion and had almost no qualms about asking questions to find an answer, no matter how inappropriate they may be considered.
“Let it go.”
She sighed and gave another half shrug. “Fine.”
The silence that descended was tense. He seemed perfectly content to keep it that way and she hid her exasperation and tried to sleep. There would be plenty of time to discover just how far she could push him before he snapped.
When they stopped for lunch, she walked quietly beside him. She could feel the questioning gaze he continually leveled at her, but she ignored it. Ignored him. He took a private room and she took her food with a smile and ate while she wrote in her journal.
“What are you doing?” He tapped the handle of his knife on the table.
“Writing.” Her pencil skirted along the paper.
“Writing what?”
“Nothing that concerns my brother,” she replied with a sweet smile, closing the book and trying the binding. “I am going to be—”
“You will not venture alone,” he growled, his voice absolute.
“I get some privacy, Tryst. There are some places you do not need to come with me. This would be one of them.” She left before he could say another word. He met her at the carriage and helped her in.
“I am riding for a bit.” He shut the door in her face.
She cursed him and flopped back in the seat. She hated being cooped up in here. Not even a full day and she itched to get out. She dug around for her pad and pencil again. It was not the easiest to do in a traveling carriage, but she took up one full seat and began to sketch and make notes. The sooner they found The Alchemist the sooner she could have her life back. They stopped for the night and he escorted her to her room.
“I will come for you in an hour for dinner.”
“Not hungry. Eat alone.” She shut the door in his face.
“Jo. Jo! Open this door,” he demanded.
She sat on her bed, crossed her legs, and got back to recalling every detail she could about alchemy.
Trystan scowled at the closed door before him. He wanted to kick it down, it made no sense. Why was she mad? If it were not for her, they would press on through the night. He pounded again.
“Is there a problem, sir?”
The man nodded as if he understood. Thankfully, he continued on his way. No doubt off to tell his staff to snoop and gather gossip.