Page 110 of Red Captive

“Yes, I do. I don’t know if we can ever get back to where we were. You were like a brother to me. You broke my trust. I’m a shell of who I used to be. I miss her every fucking day.” Hiseyes cloud. “And now, I’m expected to take a mate. I’m being pressured by the Council, and with these factions breathing down my neck, I might have to—” He catches himself and stops talking. “I don’t know where we stand at the moment.” He shakes his head.

I nod. “I know. I’d like a chance to try to earn your trust back. To prove myself.”

“We’ll talk about it,” he says. “Oh, and you might want to know that Jennifer Harris is here. She’ll probably want to see you.”

“Here? Really? Since when?”

No! Fuck! Why is she here?

“She’s in Ice’s office waiting to be delivered to the duke.” He must see the look on my face because he quickly adds. “Your female is safe. She’s fine and quite something.” He smiles. “I can see why you like her so much. She came to the palace demanding an audience with me, brought everyone from The Pit along with her, too. There’s a whole army of them outside demanding you be released. That reminds me. I need to go and address them before we have a riot on our hands.”

“Jen came.” I smile.

“Oh, yes.” He nods. “She came to get you out.”

“I’m glad you trust her. That you don’t buy any of the bullshit Ice was trying to sell you about her. I really hope you’ll allow her to go home, to go back to the Mainland.”

“Wait a minute! I thought you loved her. Why are you sending her back?”

I sigh. “I have to.” Everything in me tightens as I start to explain.

36

Jen

I refuse to allow myself to be used like this. I am going to fight. I know it’ll more than likely be useless, but I’m going to try, anyway. I have to. I’ve never been one to just give up, and I’m not about to start now.

They’ll have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming. The duke is going to have a hellcat on his hands. If that sniveling bastard thinks he can use and abuse me without any comeback, he can think again, dammit. I’ll make his life a living hell. I’ll make him wish he never made this stupid deal with the general.

I stand there huddled behind the coat rack next to the door that leads to Ice’s office. I have an umbrella in my hand. It’s one of those golfing umbrellas, which means that it’s bigger and far more robust than your average implement. I’m poised and ready for action. I’m going to brain that asshole. Ice will still have a headache tomorrow if I have anything to say about it. In fact, I hope I split his head open enough to see his brains.

I stand there a while, resting the umbrella on the floor. I’m on full alert. Except, it takes so long that I consider taking aquick break. But I know how Murphy works. I know he is a complete dickhead. The moment my ass touches the chair, the general will breeze in.

Nope.

I’m waiting.

I don’t care if it takes all damned day.

Half an hour later, my back feels like it is breaking, but the door finally opens. Yes! It’s my chance. I lift the umbrella and start to bring it down with all of my might.

I realize at the last second that the person I’m about to brain is Steel. I try to stop, but there’s so much momentum behind the swing that I can’t.

Everything goes into slow motion. His eyes widen. Just as the umbrella is about to make contact with his skull, he moves to the side, and I simultaneously redirect the momentum, causing the umbrella to swing just past Steel’s ear by a freaking hair. It’s a near miss, but enough to make us both jump.

“Holy fuck, Jen! What was that?”

I drop the umbrella. “I thought you were Ice. Shit! I’m sorry.”

He gathers me into his arms. “Are you okay?” he asks against my head. “You’re a firecracker.” I can hear he’s smiling. “Maybe you didn’t need Natalia to babysit you after all.”

I’m trembling. I nod as we let each other go. “I am okay now…I think. I thought you said it wasn’t babysitting?” I look over his shoulder out into the reception area. There are maskless guards cuffing two who are still in masks. “What’s going on? Please tell me you know all about Ice? About his plans?”

Steel nods. “Yes, we know. We know everything.”

My shoulders sag with relief. Steel pulls me back into his arms again and holds me tight. “You’re safe now,” he tells me, squeezing me tighter.

“What about you?” My voice is muffled against his chest. I can’t take anything for granted.