Ascension (8 page)

His eyes narrowed on her. The muscle in his jaw ticked in spite of his casual stance. He entered the room and sat next to her. He immediately began picking at the food on her plate.

“Help yourself.”

He smiled, though the expression didn’t touch his eyes.

“You are angry with me again?” She already knew the answer.

“Yes.”

That one word descended on her as if it were an anvil. Why couldn’t he leave her in peace for one exhausted evening? She needed to calm her mind and then sleep. She did not need to have a battle of wits with her soon-to-be-erstwhile fiancé. “Would you care to tell me why?”

He didn’t speak as he finished off her food. He leaned back and watched her for longer than was comfortable.

She squirmed and had to force herself to remain still under his scrutiny. “If you do not wish to tell me why you are angry, then you may as well go home, Gabriel. I’m not in the mood for games.”

His mouth lifted on one side into a smirk. She did not care for the expression one bit. “I think my irritation with you is caused not by you as much as by what your actions have caused me to do.”

“What have you done?” Her voice lowered with concern. Her heart beat faster.

He shook his head. “We are getting ahead of ourselves.”

She watched him.

He reclined, but the muscle in his jaw ticked and his stared never moved from her eyes. There was a ferocity in his gaze, which she would never have expected from Gabriel.

Her instincts told her to tread carefully.

“I have taken note of your servants.”

Her mind reeled. What was he playing at? “Have you?”

“Indeed. How long has your maid been with you?”

“Since I was a girl.”

He leaned forward frowning. “No. When you were a girl, you had an old gray-haired maid named Dorothy. I remember her very well. We used to play pranks on her and vex her quite regularly.”

The memories of playing with Gabriel as a child or those of her beloved Dorothy brought her a bubble of joy. “Dorothy retired a few years ago. Claire was the downstairs maid and I promoted her. Why do you ask?”

“She seems loyal and very familiar.”

“Why should my staff not be loyal to me?”

He nodded. “The butler is quite young.”

“Faust has proven himself a very good butler.”

“I’m sure he has. When did he begin working for you?”

“Why do you not just ask me what you want to know, Gabriel? Stop interrogating me. I am not a criminal.” Now she was angry. How dare he try to obtain information in such a way?

The laugh that erupted from Gabriel’s lips grated with distaste. “Believe me, Bella, if I thought there was the slightest chance that you would answer my questions, I would ask you directly.”

“For goodness sake, what do you want to know about Faust?” She was tired. Maybe if she answered his questions, he would go away.

“How long has he worked for you?”

“Three and a half years.”

“So he was hired just after your abduction?”

She didn’t like where the conversation was going. Why did he ask so many questions? She tried to think of a way to change subject. “What of it? The old butler was ailing. Father pensioned him, and I hired Faust.”

“You hired the butler, not your mother of father?”

“They were busy.”

“Do you have an answer for everything, Bella?” He stood and paced the room.

“I do not know what you want me to say. You want answers and then when you get them you berate me for having them.” Her voice was rising as frustration muddled her good sense.

“I want you to say that Faust is a big strong man and you hired him to protect you after you were abducted. I want you to say that you were afraid and needed protection,” he shouted.

She calmed herself as much as possible. She couldn’t let him make her unstable and force her to do something she’d regret. “Fine, that is true. He is a capable bodyguard as well as butler. Are you satisfied?”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “Hardly, but it is a start.”

Belinda tried to change the subject since the conversation flagged. She took a sip of her cooling tea. “Shall I call for more tea?”

“Who is Reece Foxjohn?”

Her tea slipped from her fingers and clattered in the saucer. She eased the china into the saucer before looking up at Gabriel. “Who?”

He studied her, watched her every move. What was he looking for? “Do not play with me, Bella. I am in no mood. You were with a man named Reece Foxjohn tonight.”

“Do not be ridiculous.” She raised her voice hoping she sounded outraged.

He rubbed his jaw and ran his fingers through his hair. The action pulled the locks free from the tie leaving them falling around his face. The tie tumbled to the plush carpet while Gabriel paced stiffly across the room. He stopped gripping the back of an overstuffed chair. “You are a terrible liar, Bella.”

“Actually I’m an excellent liar, you somehow…” She decided not to finish the thought that admitted her falsehood.

He smirked. “I know you.”

“It is irrelevant.”

“I suppose it is. Let’s get back to that thing that I have done that I’m not entirely proud of.”

She sat forward. “Yes?”

Gabriel was the most honorable man she’d ever known. What was the cause of his shame and how did it involve Reece?”

“I followed you.”

Her heart leapt into her throat. What was he talking about? Suddenly the empty pit of her stomach roiled with dread. “When? Why?”

“You would not tell me where you were going or where you had been. I had to find out.” He said it as if that were enough explanation for his behavior.

Her initial shock ebbed as anger took its place. “I think you should leave now, Gabriel.”

He claimed to know her so well and yet he did not note the rage welling up inside of her. Most people and demons would likely back down when they saw her becoming angry. Even Reece with all his joking, knew when he pushed her too far. Her youthful temper had evolved into something else since the time of her abduction. Something she controlled with moderate success.

“I’m not leaving. I followed you and I know who you were with.” His eyes burned with his own rage.

This might turn out all right. She could live with the fact that he had betrayed her trust by following her. The outcome of the evening might be worth it in the long run. “Then you saw me with Foxjohn. You know he is my lover.”

Oddly, he smiled. “I watched you leave this house. You walked, hooded, to a carriage with insignia I do not know. You got in. I assume Foxjohn was inside with you. And while I’m not entirely comfortable with you risking my name by behaving in such a way—”

“Your name!” She leaped from the chair. Her hand twitched and it took all of her restraint to keep from pulling the knife from under her skirt. “I think your own behavior puts your honor in much more jeopardy, my lord. You betrayed my trust by following me. You are dangerously close to being something other than a gentleman.”

His eyes narrowed. “I admit that it is not the most gentlemanly thing I have ever done, but it is also not the least. You forget I have been a soldier, Bella. I have done unspeakable things.”

“Are you trying to frighten me? It will not work.” She moved sideways for a better angle.

“I know you do not have any other lover than me, Bella. I want to know what you do at night besides meet strange men and kill others in cold blood.”

Her heart stopped and pushed into her throat. “What are you talking about? I do not—”

“I saw you.”

“You do not know what you saw.” Her mind reeled.

His face turned red and his fists clenched and unclenched. “I saw the woman I love and who is mine by signed contract, kill a man on a Southwark street and just leave him lying in the gutter. A couple of thugs came and cleaned up your mess. You showed no remorse at all for burying your knife in that poor man’s gut.”

Belinda’s stomach flipped as if she’d eaten an eel. She’d put the entire organization at risk. “You do not know what you’re talking about.”

“I know what I saw.”

That was two nights before. He’d followed her more than once. Rage burned inside her, but at the same time, the fact that he hadn’t abandoned her even after believing she’d killed a man in cold blood was remarkable. He’d come for her since then, held her in the garden and followed her again. “Why are you still here, if this is what you think of me, Gabriel?”

The fire in his eyes dimmed and the hard line of his lips softened. “Because I do not want to believe it. Tell me what’s happening. Make me understand.”

She was trapped. How could she have been so foolish? She leaped onto the low coffee table, reached down, pulled the knife from under her skirt and came down on her other leg in front of Gabriel. She stopped with the point of her blade just under his jaw. “I do not have to explain myself to you.”

He stood his ground. “So now you’re going to kill me in cold blood too?”

Kill him? Kill Gabriel? Obviously she couldn’t do it and he knew it too. “Why can you not just accept that Reece and I are lovers and leave me alone?”

With no apparent regard for the knife at his throat, he smiled. “Because I know you are not. You are still mine, Bella.”

She pressed the knife and drew a bead of blood from his neck. “I do not belong to anyone.”

“No? You belong to me, and I will always belong to you. I have loved you all my life, Belinda Clayton and I will go on loving you even after you plunge that knife into my throat.”

“Dammit.” His speech took the wind out of her sails.

She retreated, and he grabbed her wrist and took her knife.

She screamed, surprised by his quickness. Strong, yes, but his agility had surprised her.

Now that he had the knife, he might try to force the information from her. He still held her wrist.

She kicked out catching him in the shin and then spun under the arm that held her. He lost his hold on her and his eyes widened.

Her kick had little effect on him beyond surprise. Belinda crouched, ready to attack.

“You want to fight me, Bella?”

“I want you to leave me alone, but you will not do that.”

“I’m a trained soldier. You do not know what you’re asking.”

“I like my chances.”

Her scream must have been loud. The door opened revealing Faust, Tubbs, and Claire.

“Out,” she commanded.

The ladies’ maid, footman, and butler hesitated then backed out of the room closing the door behind them.

He handed her the knife. “I would prefer if you did not try to kill me.”

His calm voice irritated her. She pulled the knife back near her ear and with a flick of her wrist sent it sailing.

He raised one eyebrow as the razor sharp blade whooshed past his head, buried in the portrait of her great uncle, and pierced between the eyes.

Gabriel turned and looked. “You are exceedingly good. Where did you learn such a skill?” He was digging again.

“I have learned a great many skills.”

He bent his knees in a fighting stance. “Are you certain you wish to do this?”

“Actually, I’m tired and I just want to sleep, but you have pushed me too far. If I win, you must agree to leave this house and never trouble me again.” She circled to her right.

“And if I win?” he asked.

“What do you want?”

His grin was wicked.

Her heart tripped.

“If I win, you will tell me everything. I will have the entire truth, Bella.”

“Funny, I thought you would ask for something else.” Her face warmed accompanied by a surprising surge of disappointment. She was sure she’d turned bright pink.

“I do not need to deal for your favors, Bella. Ultimately, you want to give those to me of your own free will. Even if you deny it now.”

His arrogance pushed her rage higher. She took a running start and just when he lifted his arms to protect his face, she slid across the carpet and took his legs out from under him.

He crashed to the floor, and she rolled away immediately getting to her feet. A small table broke his fall and shattered in a million pieces.

He jumped up faster than she expected the big man could have and smiled wide, showing his straight white teeth. “I’m impressed.”

She grunted.

He rushed forward to tackle her.

She jumped on the back of the settee, used it to leap behind him and forced her elbow down into the center of his back.

He stumbled forward, but recovered swiftly, turned and caught her wrists.

She stepped hard on the top of his foot.

He grunted.

She back-fisted him in the nose.

He released her, and she spun away.

He would regroup, and she would have to act fast. Figuring out her enemies fighting patterns was what Belinda did best. Winning, even against the strongest opponent, was only a matter of using leverage and surprise.

He held his injured nose and turned away.

Winning was everything and the taste of victory sweeter than anything. She ran forward, kicked between Gabriel’s legs.

He grabbed her foot before it connected with his groin, pulled, and she landed on her back.

Her head bounced off the thick carpet and the wind rushed from her lungs.

Gabriel straddled her hips and pinned her arms above her head. He leaned down until his mouth grazed her cheek. “I win.”

“Blast.” She hated losing, but his lips sent a shiver of excitement through her body.

He licked her earlobe. “Say it.”

Her stomach did a little flip and moisture built between her legs. Her throat tightened on the words. “You won.”

He stood up and pulled her up with him.

She almost groaned in protest.

“Thank you. You are very impressive, Bella. I am anxious to learn how you became such a fighter.” He didn’t sound horrified by her fighting abilities. He actually sounded proud.

She was a warrior. She never made mistakes in battle, yet he had misled her and gotten the better of her. She had underestimated him.

The shoulder of his expensive jacket was torn and his blouse had pulled loose. Wild hair, damp with sweat stuck out and clung to his angular jaw. He held a handkerchief to his bleeding neck. Dark red blood seeped through the thin white cloth.