But being near him for just a minute, feeling the heat of his body so close to hers, inhaling his clove and cherry scent, brought it all back in a rush of bruising clarity. Her skin tingled from hot to icy cold, and every dream she’d ever had of him came bursting through the dam of her carefully erected defenses. Defenses obviously as brittle as a stone through a spider’s web.
He shifted and Evie held her breath, waiting for…what? She didn’t know. For something to happen.
This was ridiculous. She couldn’t do this. She didn’t want to be around Lord Fielding. But wait, Belle worked in France. Evie took a slow, deep breath, and relaxed her stiff shoulders. She quit gripping her hands together and flexed her sore fingers. Her thought had always been to join Belle on her adventures in France. Perhaps if she could just get through the initiation process, she wouldn’t have to think of Lord Fielding again.
Elder’s words began to slowly wend their way through the fog of her despair. She threw her head back when her code name was mentioned and began to listen in earnest.
“And Falcon will assist.”
Lord Fielding sat forward, a sound of protest rumbling up his throat, but he bit back whatever he was about to say as Elder held up his hand. “She and your sister were childhood friends, Rogue. This is the perfect solution.”
What solution? Evie pursed her lips, wishing she had been paying better attention. Lord Fielding was already distracting her from her first mission. How could she ever be a successful spy in this condition? The first chance she got, she would speak to Belle, er, Siren and Elder about missions in France. She found she quite liked Paris.
Lord Fielding shook his head. “This involves my family and is something I can handle alone, Elder.”
Elder assessed Jeremy with narrowed eyes. Evie got the feeling the man was calculating and weighing things in his mind. Then, coming to some sort of conclusion, Elder sighed. “You and Montague aren’t close, Rogue. Didn’t you once tell me you avoided the man as much as possible? Your sudden interest may seem oddly suspicious. The decision stands.” He held up his hand again in anticipation of Lord Fielding’s further protest. “But if we can think of some way to have the two of you work together without arousing suspicion, I would be willing to concede that.”
Slowly, Lord Fielding turned to her. Evie couldn’t decide if she wanted to throw her arms around him or bash him over the head with a rock. And why did the scoundrel have to smell so nice? His eyes searched hers, and her insides turned to porridge. She parted her lips, and the hot-cold tingles migrated up and down her body. Nothing mattered but him and this moment. Somewhere in the cold, damp cave, water dripped a constant staccato. Evie shivered, certain that what happened in the next few seconds would seal her fate forever.
Holding her breath, she waited for Jeremy to stop staring so intently. Did he know how much it unnerved her? His eyes continued to delve into hers, assessing some internal workings as Elder had just done minutes ago. Evie couldn’t tear her gaze from him. And in that very instant, she knew she would always love him. No matter what she did with her life, she would never stop loving Jeremy Longwell, Lord Fielding.
“Is she ready for this, Siren?” Elder asked.
Evie tore her eyes from Lord Fielding and glanced to her aunt. A small smile lurked at the corners of Belle’s mouth. “Yes, she is ready.”
“Then it is decided. Falcon will seduce Lord Montague to extract—”
Even though Belle had warned her of missions like this, Evie felt sick with those words. However, it was not her voice that interrupted Elder.
“No!” Jeremy slashed his hand through the air. “I forbid this.”
Elder lifted his brows, a silent command for Lord Fielding to explain his protest as a rumble went through the other Guardians.
Lord Fielding rose from his chair and went to the center of the room. “This lady and I actually have a contract for marriage. I forbid her to be defiled in such a foul manner.”
Evie gasped as chatter broke out. The Guardians spoke with one another about what this meant to the mission and to two of its members. Her head swam and she pressed her fingers to her temples. She would not be able to take much more of this. Lord Fielding was using the marriage contract drawn up by their fathers—the very contract Lord Fielding had insisted six years ago was non-binding—to keep her from fulfilling her mission? Never mind she found seducing Lord Montague most distasteful, she found spending the rest of her life pining over Lord Fielding even more so.
On shaking legs, Evie stood. The room went instantly quiet. She turned to Elder, all eyes on her. “The contract drawn up by our fathers has already been publicly declared void by this man.” She nodded toward Lord Fielding. “Therefore, I am not bound to him. And since I am above my twenty-first year, have a small but comfortable inheritance left to me by my mother, I no longer need my brother’s guardianship.” She pursed her lips. “Not that Ash could use his role as guardian to stop me from doing anything.” Straightening her spine, Evie continued. “Elder, I accept the terms of this mission without reservation.”
Lord Fielding whipped his head around. Then tension in the air grew tight between them, like a bow drawn to its capacity. Everyone strained to catch every word. “No, you will not!”
Throwing her shoulders back, Evie turned to Elder. “Sir? Do I have the ability to accept for myself?”
“No, Evie, you do not!”
Several gasps went through the Guardians. Lord Fielding had not only used her real name, he was preventing her from accepting a mission, breaking two rules at once. Evie knew she had the ability to accept or deny missions without the interference from anyone. They were supposed to be equals, both male and female, titled and untitled.
Evie stepped around the table to stand before Lord Fielding. She lifted her head all the way back to look him in the eye. “You, my lord, have absolutely no right to stand here and direct my actions. When you declared our marriage contract void, you gave up any such rights over me forever.” She folded her arms. “Now stand aside and let me perform the mission I just accepted without further ineffectual objection from you.”
God, her heart was knocking something fierce behind her breastbone. Evie stood her ground, though, refusing to scamper away like a frightened field mouse. She would do whatever it took to get Lord Fielding out of her heart, even if it meant ripping him out herself.
He stared down at her, beautiful as an archangel. His green-gold eyes delving deep into hers. “No,” he said simply.
Evie turned to Elder, whose dark brows were raised, trying to reason why Lord Fielding acted the way he did. She could hardly explain it herself, other than believe he wanted to settle this mission himself. He had been working on this case for years. Perhaps, he couldn’t stand any assistance, especially assistance from a young novice who had gained more valuable information in minutes than he had in years. Put in that light, his objection made perfect sense.
Elder sat in his chair with a sigh, probably coming to the same conclusion. “Rogue, one of the reasons we chose Falcon is because you broke your betrothal to her. She is free to do this mission.”
Lord Fielding turned, drawing his brows slowly. “You are mistaken, Elder.”
“Explain, Rogue.”
Evie clasped her hands together. How long had she dreamed to hear an explanation? How many lonely nights had she fantasized about Jeremy knocking on her door and telling her the broken betrothal had been a terrible mistake? How ironic she now didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say. Or so, she was fervently trying to convince her clamoring heart was the case.
As Lord Fielding opened his mouth to speak, five heavy bangs thundered from the thick iron door and echoed around the room. Everyone turned to see who would dare interrupt a meeting. Elder nodded to Ghost to see who was at the door.
All eyes watched Ghost slide open the small window at eyelevel and take a message. With lips set in a grim line, Ghost delivered the note to Elder and resumed his seat.
El
der broke the seal, read the note, then sighed as he refolded the parchment. Everyone watched him, and Evie wondered if he were going to relay what was said in the message. Finally, after gaining a bit of composure he did.
In solemn tones, Elder spoke. “Dragon and Blade have been taken by Viper’s men.” He held up his hand when several Guardians began to throw questions at him. “We do not know where they are held, only that they are still alive.” Elder picked up the note and read it again. “We should get more information about them soon,” he said in a bleak tone.
Evie did not know Dragon or Blade, but from the worried looks on many of the faces around the table, she knew they were well liked. She also knew there was a possibility the men could divulge information with a certain amount of incentive. Belle had once said the right torture tactics made all the difference. Find the right method and something could slip out, even unintentionally. That meant Belle and all the other Guardians were in grave danger.
With a deep breath, Evie took a step forward. “It seems I must begin at once. With your leave, Elder?”
At his nod, she turned toward the door. But a hand reached out, his grip warm and firm on her upper arm. Evie could feel the heat of Lord Fielding’s touch clear down to her toes. “I won’t let you do this,” he said softly.
Evie shook his hand away. “You have no choice, Rogue. None whatsoever.”
Chapter 5
This amount of fury hadn’t raged through Jeremy’s veins in a very long time. It heated his face and brought a stinging stitch to his chest. Didn’t Evie understand the dangers here? Viper and his minions took great pleasure in bringing pain to others, and if she was discovered to be working with the Guardians, there was no telling what would be done to her. He shivered, remembering Giselle’s mangled body after it had been pulled from the filthy water.
Jeremy drew in a slow breath, forcing his hand to remain at his side. How could he make Evie understand she would be in the greatest danger of them all? In the very Nest? He couldn’t allow anything to happen to her.
With her sherry-brown eyes glowing in anger, she spun away from him and stormed toward the door. Metal screeched and she slipped out. Even enraged, Jeremy thought her the most beautiful creature he had ever seen; and never had he met anyone with so much courage. Not even the most highly seasoned Guardians would have taken on this assignment.
He still had to convince her not to do this.
Jeremy turned to Elder. “Permission to leave.”
Gray eyes stared into his for several heartbeats, then narrowed. “You will not interfere with Falcon’s decision, Rogue. We need her. Now more than ever. Two lives depend on it.” Then he waved his hand. “Dismissed.”
Jeremy, the highest-ranking aristocrat in the Guardians, merely nodded at the command and hurried to catch up with Evie. He dashed from the room, and up the stairs, finding her on the landing, about to turn to the next flight of stairs. Perfect. No one would hear them.
She spun around when she heard him behind her, and the nearest torch flickered, making her shadow dance on the stone wall. “Go away, Rogue. You are not changing my mind.”
Stepping up on the landing, Jeremy slipped around her and blocked her way up the steps. He turned and towered over her. He hadn’t realized she was so small. Yet, although he crowded her, she refused to step back. She merely held her head up and glared at him. God, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to reach down, pull her to his chest, and settle his lips over hers. They were soft and pink, the bottom lip slightly fuller than the top, just as he liked it.
He remembered her honey-mint taste, and he moved closer, wanting another sample.
She still didn’t step back, just crossed her arms and lifted a brow at him. “Either leave or let me pass.”
His chest was less than an inch from her crossed arms. He could smell her lavender vanilla fragrance rising up to greet him. The urge to pull her to him grew stronger with each passing second. Slowly he shook his head. “I am not leaving until we talk.”
“There is nothing to discuss,” she said and tried to move around him.
Jeremy reached out and settled his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs grazing the silky skin exposed at her neck, sending sparks down his arms. “You’re not leaving, either.”
She bent her head slightly forward. The light from the torch glistened red-gold through her wavy dark hair. She had the sides pulled up with ruby encrusted combs and they sparkled in the low, flickering flame light. He wondered what she was thinking.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced back up. Jeremy was startled to see the tears glazing her eyes. This strong, brave girl. How could she have tears?
“The day you broke our betrothal, Lord Fielding, is the day you no longer had any say in my actions.”
His right thumb caressed her cheek, and he spoke softly, his anger having evaporated as soon as he saw her distress. “I had to break the betrothal,” Jeremy whispered, not really intending on divulging that to her. But he couldn’t take the words back now.
He could see her fitting the pieces together and the widening of her eyes when she did understand. Jeremy nodded. “The Guardians rarely recruit heirs to a title, but I have a certain ability they needed.”
She tried pulling away. “I am certain I do not wish to hear anything of your abilities, Rogue.”
Jeremy bit back a smile as he kept her from slipping past him. “I assure you, it’s not what you think.”
She folded her arms and he couldn’t keep his gaze from straying down to the creamy flesh bulging up out of her gown. He felt a slow, lazy smile spread across his lips. “I believe I have failed to comment on how lovely you look these days, pet.” Lifting his gaze back to hers, he watched the angry sparks shoot right out of her eyes. Much better than seeing the hurt. The hurt he caused her. “Once I read a document, I can recite every word of it.”
Her brows shot up in surprise. When curiosity had completely replaced the anger on her face, he continued. “One of my teachers at Oxford realized what I could do. He was a Guardian and brought me into the fold just after I returned from the Grand Tour. They needed the exact words from a document within a certain earl’s residence. Fortunately, I had just accepted an invitation to the earl’s ball, so gaining entrance was hardly difficult.” Jeremy paused to smile, recalling how easy it was to persuade the earl’s wife to gain him access to the study. “And after a few more successful missions, I finally met Elder and became Rogue.”
“You joined the Guardians before your father died, then.”
Now it was Jeremy’s turn to be surprised. The little bird was, indeed, perceptive. She homed in on something that continued to haunt him to this day: If he hadn’t been away on another mission, seducing yet another man’s wife, his father would still be alive.
“I had just completed my fourth mission when my father died and I learned about the betrothal contract. So, you see, I couldn’t go through with it until I found my father’s…” Jeremy stopped abruptly, unable to believe what he was about to reveal to Evie. He hadn’t told a soul about his secret plans, not even to Elder.
Her eyes lit with questions. “Your father’s what? What were you going to say?”
Jeremy shook his head and let a slow smile curve the edges of his lips. He even leaned down another fraction. That little maneuver never failed to distract the ladies. “Never mind that, pet, just know it was never my intention to cast you off in such a manner.” Just thinking of all she had suffered because of his breaking their betrothal made his stomach twist with guilt. Having to watch the effects of his actions and knowing there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it made him sick with regret. It always had.
Her lips parted and something sprang to her eyes. Jeremy identified it instantly. Hope.
Damn. She would make an awful Guardian. Her expressions were incredibly easy to read. But what made him even more uncomfortable was the warm glow filling his chest. Like sunlight breaking through the dark clouds after a month of rain. She still carried
feelings for him.
Although he had learned that having the identity of a Guardian revealed could bring harm to loved ones, making it necessary to not let anyone close, he could still feel deeply. He just couldn’t show it. Everyone who came in contact with one of Viper’s men was suspected of being a Guardian, and each of them was watched.
Jeremy had been certain for some time he was on that list, he just hadn’t realized Viper was his own brother-in-law. God, that made him furious. He should have realized something was amiss. Anything at all. Montague was mostly a recluse, preferring his gaming hells to mingling in good society, and the man was obviously an expert at hiding his true identity. And now, Jeremy would have to take extra precautions with ensuring his role in the Guardians never came to light. Just as he would have to ensure any feelings he had for anyone never came to light.
“Lord Fielding—”
“Jeremy,” he corrected softly, wanting to kiss her so badly, his mouth watered for her taste.
A smile sprang to her lips, a slight dimple peeked out of her right cheek, and her eyes went soft. It suddenly occurred to him that he had never seen her smile. Well, perhaps at the masquerade, but she had been wearing a mask and he had no idea who she was at the time. Her smile brought about a stunning beauty, transforming her face as surely as losing nearly a stone of weight had transformed her body. Her teeth were white and straight. “Jeremy,” she whispered his name like a caress against his skin, nearly making him shiver. “What’s done is done,” she continued in her husky-sweet voice. “The past cannot be changed. We just have the future. You have chosen your path and now I have chosen mine. As soon as I complete this mission, I will continue on with Siren in France, and our paths will not have to cross again.”
As her words penetrated, Jeremy blinked down at her, struck dumb for several long seconds. He wanted to tighten his hands on her shoulders and give her a good shake. Of all the stubborn, obstinate, mule-headed women he had ever come in contact with, Evie had to top each one. Didn’t she realize what she was doing? Didn’t she know what this mission would entail? Well, he would just have to explain it to her.
Lord Rogue Page 4
