Page 9 of Greed: The Savage (Seven Deadly Sins #7)

“What do I want?” he arched a haughty dark eyebrow.

“You believe I’m trying to limit you again?

” He sounded amused at the prospect. “You don’t have anything I’d ever want.

But before I leverage you any further, I don’t leverage people.

People do what I say when I say it. You, Addien, did not do something as simple as following basic orders from Dynevor, who handed them to myself.

And as such, you don’t serve a purpose here any longer. ”

Her panic mounted. “What do you mean? I have done my assignment!”

She hated the pleading edge in her voice. She hated even more how as she spoke, the idea swept over her that she was desperate enough that she’d throw herself at him. At him. A merciless man. She caught herself before she gripped his shirt sleeves.

“I’ve done my job,” she said. This time with a steadier resolve.

“Oh?” he reposted. “And you’ve taken to studying the book I specifically instructed you to read?”

Together, they looked at the hateful volume she clutched closed. Confusion sent her brow into a full wrinkle.

“What the hell do you think I’m doing down here?” Angry indignation restored her confidence.

Dynevor wouldn’t sack her for doing this.

“Tsk. Tsk.”

He flicked the tip of her nose, and she angrily swatted at his hand.

“The way I saw it, you weren’t conducting your reading and research after hours, but rather having fun at its expense, making an absolute mockery of what Dynevor specifically asked you to do here.”

Addien rocked back on her heels. This was the grievance for which he’d have her tossed out? Not that she hadn’t been doing her work, but rather that she’d not been doing it in the way he wanted.

“The book was getting read,” she said bluntly.

“By others or by yourself?”

Fear.

That muscle at the corner of his eye twitched again and the sight of his palpable agitation strengthened her spirit and her voice.

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat, Malric. So, you don’t like how I’m doing my work? It’s getting done. So why don’t you go mind your bloody business? And why—?”

The remainder of her question cut off on a shuddery gasp as he backed her swiftly against the wall.

Her heart hammered as she fought for breath—the strength and heat of him pressed to her, his broad chest against her narrow one.

Thick, corded muscle where she was slight and fine-boned only sharpened the contrast between them, drawing her unwillingly to the truth of just how powerful, strong, and dangerously male he was.

What was wrong with her, to be left breathlessly aware of him in the one way she least wished—as a flesh-and-blood, desirable man? The fear of that felt far more perilous than the threat of dismissal he’d leveled against her.

“If you think for one moment I’ll allow you to remain in this hell, skirting my orders and miring my name, questioning my honor.”

“Your honor?” she asked, breathless with a heat she mistrusted.

Malric dropped his brow close to hers. So close, they nearly touched. So close, she felt the warm citrus of his breath tinged with brandy belonging to the finest spirits of the finest gentlemen.

It was a heightened reminder of the class difference between them. It should repel. It certainly should not suck her further into whatever mad spell this was.

“I heard you plainly, Addien,” he said in a low, quiet warning.

She swallowed with effort.

His voice dropped to a silky, dangerous growl. “I heard every last word you and your merry band of courtesans had to say.”

His hot, rabid gaze remained fixed on her mouth.

A charge of energy crackled in the air like the fear and dangerous anticipation of having the tip of a steel dagger kiss one’s throat.

That moment where one hovered between death and exquisite life.

Even on that lethal precipice, she still found words slipping past her lips, carried on the softest whisper.

“So, that’s what this is really about, Malric? ”

Anger slashed his eyebrows. Those coal-black arcs dipped to a point.

He released her quick.

She’d gotten to him—at last.

Suddenly empowered, she made a clucking sound with her tongue. “Aww, you got your feelings hurt, did you? You believed I was making light of your assignment.”

The vein at his right temple bulged.

“And you weren’t?” he bit out.

Addien discovered the Marquess of Thornwick had a weakness after all—his honor. It mattered so much, he’d blown his temper and his control in front of her. Armed with that valuable knowledge, she felt empowered.

“You are my superior, Malric,” she hurled, taking a step toward him and then another, “but it does not mean you have any right to me. What I do with my time, who I talk to, what hours I keep.” With every clipped challenge, she stalked him.

Big and broad, Malric stood unyielding, daring her with his size and stare to keep coming.

That insolence drove her fury higher. “What I talk about is my business, not yours.” She finished her march all the way up to him.

He curled his harsh upper lip. “Don’t you mean ‘who’?”

She yanked back. He’d heard… He knew the girls had been ribbing her about Roy?

Addien swiftly got herself under control. “Why ain’t I surprised a foine gent like you isn’t a club gossip like the rest of the nobs you keep company with?”

Anger rolled from his honed frame.

“Well, Malric, here’s a tidbit for you. Yer fancy title here?” She gave him a derisive once over. “It don’t mean shite. Yer nothing. Yer no one here. Yer just a man playing with power.”

He went motionless.

She’d gone too far. Feral heat and boundless fury poured from his honed frame.

Addien’s heart pounded in her breast.

He waited until she lifted her eyes to his.

“You may say whatever you may about me, Addien,” he said coolly. “It means less than nothing to me.”

Addien’s mouth went dry.

“I have tolerated you during your time here,” he whispered. “You have challenged me at every turn. You have infuriated me. There is, however, a difference between your shows of spirit and failure to apply yourself to your duties.”

There was an air of finality hanging upon his coolly detached voice that ratcheted the terror in her breast.

Malric dropped his arms and he dropped the death knell. “This afternoon, in a show of pity…” His lips curved like he found it distasteful to just utter that word.

Oh, God. He’s going to cast me out.

“I vouched for you to Dynevor, putting my reputation on the line,” he ground out.

Her throat closed up.

“I provided you with an assignment.”

I cannot breathe.

Malric shook his head in disgust. “And yet again, you failed to comply.”

Malric dropped his arms.

Then he was walking away.

No!

Blind terror crippled her voice, and she stood in a trap of her own obstinance.

When he exited through those kitchen doors, there was not a shadow of a doubt she’d sealed her fate at the Devil’s Den. He was as determined as Satan, trying to convert the innocent into a sinner.

“I was not making light of you,” she called out.

When he didn’t stop, her desperation grew. Addien raised her voice, despising the shaking to it. “You know I wasn’t.”

The daunting lord whipped around.

He said nothing, just waited for her to speak.

“I don’t know how much you heard. Some of it.

All of it.” Addien whipped her hand at the air.

“Regardless, Malric, I also know that however long it was, you wouldn’t have ever heard me speaking ill about you.

” She paused. “The other girls were. And maybe you should stop and think about why they’ve got so many nasty things to say about you. ”

“I really don’t care much.”

Addien edged her chin up. “If you truly meant that, you wouldn’t be here feuding with me and trying to take away my livelihood.”

His furious eyes met Addien’s.

But he did not leave.

Then it hit her.

He wanted something from her, something specific. It wasn’t an apology.

She flared her brows.

He wanted the truth.

“I’m teaching them to read.”

Her revelation left Mauley slack-jawed and silent.

Just how she preferred him.

Addien took in a steadying breath. “I’ve been teaching the girls to read.

This is the time I have for myself. And since you have me reading this rub—” At the narrowing of his eyes, she swiftly caught herself and corrected course.

“ Riveting book for ladies on how to conduct myself properly. The way I see it, I have only two options.”

And she resented that the little freedom she was afforded in life, he’d snatched away. It made her hate him, especially after this morning when she’d seen a new side to him and thought maybe…

She cut herself off from the unwarranted but very real regret of that.

“One.” Addien shoved a finger hard against his chest and winced.

Malric’s warrior-like frame didn’t even budge. His bronzed features, kissed by the sun and gods, remained a stoic mask. She’d, of course, be the only one of them punished by her point.

She jabbed him again and repeated it for good measure.

“ One . I can fulfill your requirements of me while, at the same time, providing my services to the women and children here, or two …” She poked him with a second finger, even harder this time, because to hell with him.

And to hell with her for believing he’d done her a kindness this day.

“I can stop teaching the people here who weren’t all gifted fine tutors and impressive educations to read. ”

“And I will be damned, Malric Mauley, Marquess of Thornwick, I will be damned if I abandon them because you don’t approve of how I’m doing my work.” The vibration of emotion running through her snatched those words from Addien’s chest on a gasp and left her chest heaving.

Feeling more exposed than she’d ever been, having relished his distance and no one else. Knowing that she let people closer than everyone thought, she edged her chin up.