Page 44 of What A Rogue Wants (Lords Of Deception #1)

“I sent a carrier pigeon to tell Ashdon my lead had come up empty, and when I got no response back as to what to do next, I went back to the castle and tower. He was neither place, so I thought he might have come to find you.”

“I haven’t heard from him either. Maybe he’s waiting for me in Kew. I sent a message to him before I left the inn telling him I was going to Lancashire to get Madelaine and bring her to Kew to stand before the king.”

A cry threatened to escape her. She bit down on her cheek and pressed her face into the dirt with horror. He’d never intended to help her. He’d used her and lied to her. He was no better than she was. He was worse.

And to think guilt had been her constant companion since the moment she’d decided to help her father.

A big part of that guilt had been because she was betraying Grey.

Blast him. He’d never loved her. Her mind shrank away from the truth.

She’d thought she’d met a man who really loved her for who she was, or had been, but it was a lie.

Her breathing picked up speed, until fear of alerting the men that she was awake forced her to bite her lip.

She bit hard until the blood came, and she was able to control her breathing once again.

“Shall I go with you to Kew?” Lord Gravenhurst asked.

“No. Go to my parents’ home—that is…I mean Edward’s, now.

If he’s not there, meet me at the tower.

I suspect once the king speaks with Madelaine, that’s where he’ll send her.

I’ll take her there and then we can either search together for my brother, or if we’ve heard from him, we’ll set out to find whoever it is they’re working with. ”

“Do you think she’ll tell you?”

“I mean to try to get the information out of her.” Grey sounded tired and reluctant. Or maybe she just wished that was the way he sounded. She didn’t know what was real and what was false anymore.

“Seduction again, is it?” Lord Gravenhurst’s voice was with filled restrained laughter.

She couldn’t decide who disgusted her more—Lord Gravenhurst or Grey. Grey won since he’d broken her heart.

“Shut up,” Grey snapped. “And get going. I’m worried about Edward.”

“All right.” Shuffling feet alerted Madelaine that Lord Gravenhurst was indeed departing.

Something was dragged across the dirt before whistling through the air and smacking with a thud against what sounded like flesh.

Then a horse’s neigh filled the heavy air, followed by the clopping of horseshoes.

Madelaine stood and waited for Grey to face her. No point even trying to run. His outline was close in a sliver of moonlight. She’d never make it farther than to Abby before he caught her and tied her up again.

After what seemed an eternity, he wheeled around and stared. After a moment, he walked toward her, his boots crushing leaves and breaking twigs as he came near. He stopped before her, his scent flooding her, his heat invading her space. “How long have you been awake?”

A dam of hurt inside her broke. She pulled her hand back and slapped him. In a flash, he slid his hand around her neck. He flipped her onto her back with a thud. He loomed over her, the weight of his body crushing her, his heartbeat drilling into her chest.

“You never loved me,” she said on a half-broken sob.

He cupped her face and squeezed. “Don’t you dare say that.

” His voice shook. “I loved you. I risked everything wanting to believe you. I would’ve broken my Goddamn vow to the king for you.

Forsaken my honor and my family to protect you.

” He released her chin and dragged her up by the arms. When they were both standing he shook her until her teeth rattled in her head.

“I offered you my heart and you offer me lies.”

“You speak of lies!” She wrenched free, shaking from head to toe. “You lied to me, spy !” She flung the accusation at him, too hurt to say anything else.

A guttural cry came from him. He yanked her to him. He dove a hand into her hair and pulled her head back. “That’s right. I’m a spy. Now you know my secret. I work to serve our king while you work to bring him low.”

Despite her determination to stay brave, tears stung her eyes. “I work to save my father. That’s all I strive for.”

“And what of the man who tried to kill me? The same man who no doubt you and your father conspired with to help kill Lord Pearson. What was the plan? Kill all the king’s spies one by one, until there was none of us left to fight against your father’s plan to overthrow the king?”

Madelaine’s shoulders sagged with weariness. “I do not know the man who shot you.”

“Lies,” Grey spat with bitterness.

“I know nothing of any plan. All I know is my father believes the king is going mad, and he did what he thought best when he took the list the king made. Father intended to give it to no one but the prince, and only for the prince to use it for England’s good.”

“Since when is a son stealing a throne from a father good? Tell me, my sweet, what good can come of that?”

“I don’t know.” She pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples. She was so tired, too tired to fight, almost too tired to carry on. “I did what my father bid me. What choice do I have? He’s my father, and I owe him fidelity.”

Grey clamped a hand around her arm like a vise. “Not at the sake of your own integrity.”

She tried to wiggle her arm out of his grasp, but he held tight.

His blunt words drove into her heart and stirred thoughts she’d had herself, but it wasn’t so simple.

“He stood by me for years when my mother tore me down with cruel words and treatment.” She used her free hand to wipe away the inconvenient tears.

“If it wasn’t for me, they’d have never had their last fight, and my mother would be alive.

So you see, I owe him fidelity as my father and as payment for the wrong I’ve done. ”

Grey released her arm at the same time he shoved her away. “Every time you speak, I wish my damned heart would stop speeding up for you, but it speeds and it speeds. Maybe only death will cure me of you.”

Her heart wrenched at the pain in his voice. She reached for him with an unsteady hand.

He pulled back as if her touch was poison and stared at her.

“I welcome an early death if that’s my only release from you.

” He spun on his heel, his shoulders hunching forward.

“No more talking to me unless I ask you a direct question. You’re an excellent actress, and I no longer wish to be a gullible fool.

” He pivoted toward her. “Now wake your friend. We’re leaving for Kew. ”

Unnerved by the fierce anger vibrating in Grey’s voice, Madelaine rushed over to Abby. She kneeled down to shake her, but Abby was already awake. “No need. Your voices woke me.”

Madelaine pressed her hands to her cheeks, an embarrassed flush heating her. “How much did you hear?” she whispered.

“Nearly every word, I suspect. Enough to know he still loves you and enough to know you are a fool. Your father is not the bloody saint you’ve built in your mind.”

“No plotting,” Grey thundered and stormed toward them. Before Madelaine could utter a protest, he shoved her onto the front seat of the carriage and within seconds he deposited Abby into the carriage.

He took the seat beside Madelaine and clicked his tongue at the horses.

As they started to move, the sun crested over the trees and shone the first rays of light down upon them.

The first thing Madelaine noticed was that Grey held the reins so tight his knuckles were white.

She turned her gaze to his face where the muscle in his jaw ticked steadily.

She didn’t know what to say, but she felt she had to say something for her deception, though he’d deceived her as well. “Grey, I—”

“Not. A. Word,” he said, cutting her off. “One word and I’ll pull over and stuff my handkerchief in your mouth and bind it closed. Understand?”

She nodded and clamped her mouth shut.