Broken Promise (The Broken Ones Book 3) (24 page)

Raythe had stood and moved closer to the
door. When he caught her eye, he tipped his head, indicating it was time to go.

Hale grimaced and looked down at her.
You
need to leave now.

Do you know them? Are they of your pack?

No.

She wasn't sure what to make of his
short reply. "I have to go back now," she told her boys. Her words
only waivered a little. Raising her chin, she tried not to make an issue of it.
"We'll keep in touch, and I'll see you again as soon as I can."

They all rose and she gave Bo a secret
look.
Did you bring it?

He grunted and kicked one of their old
packs over to her from its hidden place under the table.
I hope that's good enough.
Going through your clothes was not what I expected to do today.

His annoyance made her laugh out loud,
and she gave him another tight hug before bending and giving Garen a squeeze as
well. Slipping an arm through the pack's straps she paused and then gave Hale
an awkward hug as well. It was the least she could do.

When she reached Raythe, his eyes
narrowed as he saw the pack. "What is that?"

"Clothes." She didn't protest when
he took it from her as they walked out the door. Her thoughts remained with her
boys. She looked back once and gave them a brave smile before they disappeared
from sight.

Silas flipped up her hood and took her
pack as Raythe once again put his arm around her.

A sputter from her other side made her
turn. She couldn't help laugh as she watched a red-faced Silas quickly stuff
some of her underclothes back into the pack.

Chapter 21

The Unexpected

Her mirth did not last long before a
deep melancholy settled over her shoulders. Roan's men took her on a roundabout
way home once more, so the long walk gave her plenty of time to think too much.

She missed her boys. She missed Kei, even
with his constant quiet presence within her. Most of all, she missed Prince.
Too easily she could invent his inclusion to their conversations, his stern
looks, his lectures and advice. Perhaps a quiet smile just for her.

A growing urge to see him again, to hear
his voice, grew within her. Perhaps Roan could give her a stronger dose of riath,
just this once, so she could dream of him again.

The thought brought her up short and
only Raythe's arm around her kept her upright as she tripped.
"Sorry," she muttered, as they continued on again.

Shaking such stupid thoughts away, she
clutched her cloak more tightly around her. She had to get better so she could
go home.

By the time they returned to the house, she'd
managed to panic and calm herself again more than once. Keeping her chin up, she
ignored all the other men as the two Were escorted her back to Roan's room.
Taking her pack from Silas, she turned and stopped once in the door.

Thank you for today,
she said to
both, and then closed the door on their startled faces.

You are welcome,
they chorused a
moment later, voices laced with confusion and surprise.

Roan hadn't yet returned. She took the
time to quickly go through what Bo had packed at her request. Her own
underclothes, a nightdress, a few shirts and a pair of pants, and tucked at the
bottom, her new second belt of small throwing knives. Grinning, she left the
nightdress out and tucked everything else under the bed.

She busied herself hanging up the cloak,
putting the nightdress in the bathroom and cleaning up. Hopefully Roan would
return soon…and with dinner. The sun had been setting as she'd returned, and
her stomach rumbled. It'd been a while since she'd done so much walking and her
legs ached.

Her entire ordeal had taken its toll on
her physically. She'd not be wasting any more time and would focus on getting
back into shape and practicing again. Spring might still be three months away,
but time tended to go by much too fast.

Rubbing her hands together absently, she
suddenly looked down at them and grimaced. A vague twitchy feeling ran through
her fingers.

Looking toward the door, she wondered if
Roan would return soon. She hated being dependent on him. How would she
physically get better if these episodes continued every few days?

By the time Roan came through the door she'd
fallen into a foul mood. Luckily he brought a tray of food. Setting it on his
desk, he motioned for her to bring a chair over.

"Good evening to you," she
snapped, dragging over the closest heavy chair.

His eyebrows rose as he sat. "I'd
thought to find you in a better mood. My men tell me your meeting went well
enough."

Sitting as well, she leaned back and
crossed her arms. "Did you know Bo was alive when we made our
bargain?"

Examining the plates of food, he didn't
seem concerned at the anger in her voice. "Yes."

"I'm quite certain you were aware I
wasn't exactly awake or thinking clearly at the time either."

"Do you have a point, Arowyn?"

Apparently not. She didn't know why she'd
brought it up. Obviously he'd used her weakness against her to get what he
wanted. With him being a pirate, she didn't know why it angered her so much.

Chewing angrily, she tried to ignore
him…and the urge to get up and pace. The restless feeling drove her crazy, but
at least she wasn't nauseous yet. Knowing it was coming though, she didn't eat
very much.

"You're in quite the foul mood this
evening," he commented. "Eat more," he commanded absently when she
didn't reply.

"When can I see him again?"

He wiped his mouth with a small cloth.
"It wouldn't be a good idea."

"I shouldn't even have to ask your
permission!" She stood abruptly.

"You agreed to our
arrangement."

"Which you seem to be adding to.
You said you'd keep me safe, not keep me locked up here."

"Here is safe."

"We did not have any problems
today," she insisted, glaring at him over the desk. "You've plenty of
hired men if you don't want to follow me around, but I will see my family
again!"

He rose so swiftly she took a step back.

"You are in no position to give me
orders." Though he didn't raise his voice, his tone indicated he'd had
enough of the conversation.

Straightening her shoulders, she jabbed
a finger toward him. "You are not my Captain, or Lord, or anything else."

"Perhaps not," he answered in
a deceptively quiet voice. "Yet I am the one who protects you–"

"I don't need protecting!"

"I disagree. Your human friend can
do little against your current enemies, and you are in no condition to fight,
are you?"

Since he was correct, she could only
silently seethe and clench her fists together.

"I am also the one with the riath,"
he continued. "If you'd like to stay sane, and alive, then you will do as
I say."

"Or what? You'll let me die?"

"I'll throw your troublesome little
arse back out into the streets."

They locked eyes, staring each other
down. The coldness in his left no doubt he was quite serious. Trembling in
anger, she fought to not back down.

It wasn't him she fought, but herself. The
abduction and drugs had left her weak, both physically and mentally. He gave
her little choice. True, with Bo and Garen's help she might survive the Elves,
but not the riath. Not yet.

"Sit down," he ordered.

Her eyes narrowed. "Stop ordering
me around. I'm not one of your men."

"That is quite enough," he
said more loudly.

"No, it's not. I–"

"Enough!" He moved around the
desk, not breaking eye contact. "Do not press me, little girl. You don't
know what I'm capable of."

"Don't threaten me, you rotting
bastard."

His jaw clenched and for the first time she
saw him become truly angry. "Watch your tongue."

She quickly saw she would not win this
battle. As he took another step toward her, she turned on her heel and bolted
to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Clenching her fists together, she
screamed in frustration and anger. Would she ever learn to control her temper
and stop saying such things?

The door flew open, banging against the
wall. As Roan strode in, she stumbled away from his fury.

"Do not run from me. Do not slam my
doors."

He continued to advance on her with each
word and she soon found her back up against the wall.

Her mind spun, trying to think of what
to say to defuse the situation. He kept coming, even when she raised her hands.
They pushed against his chest but he continued forward, despite all her
strength, until he had her pressed tight against the wall. Resting his forearms
to either side of her, he leaned his face close to hers.

Heart racing, she struggled to breathe.
His closeness was in no way sexual, but a total act of intimidation.

"Are you afraid of me?" The
quietness of his voice didn't fool her. The pale eyes boring into hers still
flashed with anger.

Tipping her head up, she fought to keep
her voice even. "No."

"Then you're a foolish girl."

"I am not," she snapped
immediately.

"You cannot fight your way out of
this, now can you?"

Pushing her hands against his chest
again she knew he was right. He didn't budge…at all. He'd trapped her too close
to the wall. Shifting from side to side in what little room she had, he swayed
with her, keeping her blocked in. She couldn't punch, elbow, or kick him.
Likely stomping on his foot would have little effect. There was no way to get
him to back off.

At least not by fighting.

Moving quickly, she slid her hands up to
his face and pulled. Rising up on her toes bridged the remaining distance
between them as she locked her lips over his.

Closing her eyes, she put everything she
had into kissing him.

The moments ticked by in agonizing
slowness.

He froze…returned her kiss…and then
reared back, pushing himself well away from her.

Smoothing down her dress to hide her
shaking hands, she smiled sweetly up at him. "There is more than one way
to fight," she said softly. "Do the unexpected."

He stared at her for a long moment… and then
laughed. "Well done." Still chuckling, he turned and left, closing
the door behind him.

Leaning back against the wall, she
closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

"I can't believe I just did that,"
she muttered under her breath. Eventually finding some calm, she moved to the
side table to wash her mouth out with soap.

∞ ∞ ∞

Life is never fair.

Aro soon realized she couldn't hide in
the room for long. With her growing twitchiness and discomfort she wanted her
dress off. Though Roan had laughed, he'd also made a hasty retreat. She would
have to do her best to make amends between them. Soon she'd be needing more riath
and didn't want to have to beg for it.

"I can do this," she
whispered, and pulled open the door, striding out purposefully.

Roan stood by shelves holding his
liquor, a small glass in one hand.

She stopped a short distance away by the
corner of his desk and struggled to think of what to say.

Turning slightly, he took another glass
from the shelf, already filled, and held it out to her. "Truce?"

"Do I get to see my family
again?"

A rare, wry grin twisted his lips before
he tilted his head in agreement.

Stepping forward, she accepted the glass
and raised it toward him. "Truce."

They clicked glasses and she downed the
burning amber liquid. Sucking air in through clenched teeth, she blinked
rapidly to clear the tears forming in her eyes.

"I find you very frustrating,"
he said quietly, eyes set on his glass as he twirled the remains of his drink.
"We have both been distrustful of each other for our own reasons." He
paused, but she remained silent, wondering what he was trying to say. "You
are disrespectful and have, at times, quite the temper. Occasionally I forget
you are but a child."

"I'm not a child."

He chuckled at the vehemence in her
voice. "Compared to me, you are. There is still an innocence about you
despite all you've endured. In some things, you are quite innocent
indeed."

She frowned. "What are you talking
about?"

"I had made some assumptions, which
I now believe incorrect." As she stared at him in bewilderment, he
continued, "Your kiss was not one someone who'd had multiple lovers, or
even one, would give."

Oh, that.
Part of her
wondered what she was doing wrong or hadn't learned yet. Shifting from side to
side, she scratched at her wrist and shrugged. At least she didn't blush.

"Though an interesting tactic, it's
not one you can use often. Next time don't get in such a situation. Don't
retreat."

Since he was completely right, she
nodded solemnly. Another thought occurred to her. "Do you have a
mate?" She certainly hoped not. That would make things quite awkward.

"That's a rather personal
question."

Rolling her eyes, she gave him an
exasperated look. She'd just told him her life story.

"Not anymore," he answered
quietly, staring down into his glass.

She'd heard how painful losing one could
be and wished she hadn't asked. The pain of loss etched around his eyes and
mouth made him look older and so dreadfully full of sorrow she wanted to cry.

"I'm sorry," she said
sincerely.

After regarding her for a long moment,
he set his glass down. "Feeling the effects?"

Since she couldn't keep still, and
trying to keep her hands from twitching had started to drive her crazy, she
grimaced and nodded again.

"I've some paperwork to do. Let me
know when you need it."

"I will," she answered
quietly. Though not exactly cold this time, she still couldn't quite get used
to his lack of caring. Maybe she'd spent too much time with her boys. Of
course, he'd apparently lived quite some time, perhaps he was the one with
issues. Maybe the loss of his mate had made him so frigid.

While he worked, she paced, tried to
read, and spoke to her boys, letting them know she'd not be able to talk to
them for a day or so. Eventually she gathered the nerve to ask Roan to undo her
laces. Returning in her own long, simple nightdress got a frown, but he didn't
ask where she'd gotten it. Apparently his men kept him well informed.