Gladiator Heart (36 page)

“What good would it do?” she asked, keeping her feet planted where she stood. “You don’t know where he is to deliver it, and I’ll never tell you where to find him.”

Gaius smiled triumphantly. “I know exactly where he is. I saw you outside the tavern this afternoon.”

Valeria sucked in a shocked breath. He’d been following her? How dare he!

“He won’t believe I don’t love him,” she insisted, hoping to dissuade Gaius. “He’d know I was lying.”

“Then you’d better do all you can to make him believe your words are true.”

She focused all her hatred and hostility at Gaius. “Nothing you can do will make me write that message.”

“I’ll give you a choice, my dear. Write the message, or I’ll have him apprehended and turned over to the Emperor’s legions when they return. You do know what Rome does to traitors, don’t you?”

Gods, no
.

She couldn’t let Tristan be captured. Not when she had the power to save him from what would surely be a painful death.

“How do I know you won’t do that anyway? I have no reason to trust you.”

“I could have done it by now.” He smiled, baring his perfect white teeth. “But this seems a better revenge. He’ll live the rest of his life knowing you chose me over him.”

“It would be a lie.” Tristan would never believe she’d choose Gaius. He knew the secrets of her heart.

“He won’t know it’s a lie if you’re convincing.”

“I can’t do that to him.”

“Do you want him to die?”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, never.”

“Then you will write the message.”

Valeria was left with two dismal options. Refuse to write the message and see Tristan killed, or write the message, and kill him herself.

Tristan couldn’t imagine what was taking Valeria so long. She’d been gone over an hour and it was getting late. He’d thought they’d be well out of the city by this time. He’d taken some of the money from Vorenus and he and Angus had purchased three horses and some warm clothes and food. Everything was ready for their departure. They only waited for Valeria.

He and Angus sat at a table in the tavern. Angus kept sending anxious glances at the door as they listened to talk that the legions had sent word they were returning to the city with General Octavian to restore order. Time was definitely running out.

“It’s a fine time for you to decide to trust a Roman,” Angus said, looking down into his mug of ale.

“She’ll be here.” Tristan knew she’d walk in that door any moment.

“Maybe she changed her mind,” Angus carefully suggested. “Are you certain she loves you enough to leave with you?”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.” Why was Angus planting this doubt in his mind?

He didn’t know Valeria the way Tristan did. He hadn’t held her in his arms and looked into her eyes as he made love to her. She’d promised to love him, and only him, for the rest of her life. And he believed her heart was true.

“There’s a message for you.” Vorenus came up to their table, with a young boy behind him.

The boy held out a scroll of parchment, and Tristan accepted it, not able to read it and afraid to learn what it said.

But he did open it. He recognized Valeria’s perfect feminine script scrawled across the parchment. Why would she send him a message at the final hour?

Why wasn’t she here?

“I can’t read it,” he grunted, losing his patience.

“Shall I?” Vorenus offered, as he extended his hand for the scroll.

Resigned to hear what she had to say, Tristan nodded and handed the scroll to Vorenus. The man scanned it briefly and the features of his face dropped. When he looked at Tristan, his eyes held all the answers he needed.

She wasn’t coming.

“Tristan,” Vorenus began, the parchment trembling in his shaking hands. “I have decided not to go with you. I want to stay in Rome. I do not love you and cannot marry a man so below my station. It would degrade me to be your wife. Gaius Cato has agreed to still marry me in spite of our relationship, and I realize that he is the man I truly love. He can give me the life I deserve. Please do not try to stop me, for there is nothing you can say that will change my mind. I never want to see you again.”

Vorenus issued a displeased grunt when he finished reading the message.

Angus slid his mug away from him. “Fuck.”

Tristan hung his head as the shock set in. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest, thrown to the ground, and stomped on until it was dead. Valeria didn’t love him. Some part of him had feared she would end up breaking his heart, but he hadn’t expected her to lay such a brutal blow. Had she planned this whole embarrassment with Gaius? Had they laughed about it, plotting what they would do to break him while they shared a bed behind his back?

Never trust a Roman.

Fury exploded in him. If he wasn’t in such a hurry to leave the city, he’d find her and choke the life right out of her. Every last treacherous bit. How could he have thought for one moment she’d love someone like him? A man who had nothing to offer but his heart.

Better he found out now, before it was too late.

Vorenus handed the scroll to him. He crumpled it in his hand and threw it to the ground in disgust. When he raised his head, he was met with a worried gaze from Angus.

“What are you going to do?”

Tristan ground his jaw as he took a few moments to think. Something about the message didn’t feel right. It wasn’t Valeria. It didn’t even sound like her.

“Let’s have another round.” Vorenus motioned to the serving girl. “No better cure for heartache than getting pissed.”

“What say you?” Angus persisted..

Valeria had to be in love Tristan. He’d seen the emotion in her eyes, and the eyes didn’t lie.

Tristan scrubbed a hand through his short hair. “I’m thinking.”

“Is it possible she didn’t write that message?” Angus asked.

“She wrote it,” Tristan said. “I recognize the handwriting.”

Angus ran through all the possible scenarios in his mind. “Suppose someone forced her to write the message.”

Tristan glanced up from his mug. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. She never would have agreed to leave with me if she didn’t want to go.”

Vorenus chuckled heartily. “A happy ending then?”

Tristan flew up from the table. “That message is all Gaius Cato’s doing. She could be in trouble. I’ve got to go after her.”

She had to love him as she’d promised.

Angus downed the rest of his ale and jumped to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”

“No.” Tristan’s refusal was firm.

“What?” Angus asked, confused. “Why not?”

“You, my friend, must get out of the city before the legions return,” Tristan explained. “I’ll get Valeria, and we won’t be far behind you.”

“You can’t do it alone.”

“He won’t.” Vorenus stepped in, his hands on his hips. “I’ll help him rescue the girl.”

Angus wondered if the drunken tavern owner wouldn’t be more of a hindrance than a help.

“Don’t worry, my friend.” Tristan clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I can take care of myself. I don’t know where I’ll end up, but I want to know you’re back home bedding all the pretty young ladies and keeping the Romans out of our lands.”

Angus liked the sound of that future. But he didn’t think he could enjoy his home without Tristan there. “I’ll wait in Gaul for you to catch up,” he said. “Then we’ll return home together.”

Tristan extended his arm, and the two of them locked hands, giving a firm shake. “Brothers.”

“Brothers,” Angus returned.

He hated to leave Tristan, but with the legions returning, they couldn’t risk the chance of being captured. Angus prayed the Gods were listening, because he wanted to see his friend arrive in Gaul, with Valeria proudly at his side.

Valeria wept until she’d shed every last one of her tears. She lay on the bed in the darkness, not having the energy to get up and light one of the oil lamps after night had fallen. Gaius had locked her in the room and would not allow her to see Lucia or Rufus. By now Tristan had received her message and believed she did not love him. He had to be far from Rome, and it killed her to think he’d spend the rest of his life hating her and thinking her a liar.

Tristan.

Her aching heart called out to her love. If only she could explain everything to him. Did he still have so little trust in her that he wouldn’t even think to question the message? The words hadn’t been her own. Gaius had recited what he wanted her to write, and she’d prayed the whole time that Tristan would see through the words and know they were false.

She’d effectively sealed her fate by writing the damned message, but what choice did she have? She would not let Tristan die. She could live the rest of her life without him, knowing he was free, but to see him dead would be unbearable. She loved him more than life itself, and without him, she wouldn’t have the will to go on living.

Why did the Gods want her to suffer?

She heard the key turning in the lock and her door opened. Gaius stood in the doorway, watching her as she lay in bed. His features were muted by the darkness, but his green eyes glowed with an unholy light. She turned on her side and faced her back to him. Valeria feared Gaius, and didn’t want to show him any sign of weakness.

“Your man was seen leaving the city,” he said. “We’re rid of the Pict scum.”

Good
. At least with Tristan safely away from Rome there was nothing Gaius could do to harm him.

“I’ve sent my fastest men after him. They’ll kill him once they catch him.”

She prayed they would never find him. Tristan belonged in the north with his people. He deserved a long, happy life.

“We’re to be wed the day after tomorrow.”

Valeria shoved her fist into her mouth to keep from screaming. Behind her, the bed dipped under his weight as Gaius sat down. He reached for her and turned her over on her back.

“Will you welcome your husband into your arms?”

“Not until we are wed.” And even then she’d refuse.

“I was hoping to find you more agreeable.” He ran his hands roughly over her body, then clamped them over her breasts.

“Take your hands off me.” Valeria struggled to get away.

He gripped her shoulders and pinned her down on the bed. “I’ll do whatever I please.”

“I’ll scream,” she threatened.

She’d scream loud enough for the entire city to hear how much she despised Gaius.

“There may be people around to hear you, but once we return to my home, you can scream all you like. No one will care. Least of all me.”

She grated her teeth and told him, “
Get out
.”

“Do not give me orders,” he fumed, his body tensing. “You are the one who will learn to obey.”

Valeria held her breath as he hovered over her in the darkness. He tangled his hands in her hair and crushed his mouth down on hers, thrusting his tongue inside. She kicked and struggled. How long before Gaius erased the memory of Tristan’s touch?

“I can be a loving man,” he whispered against her lips. “Let me show you.”

“I’ve readied a room for you.” Lucia appeared in the doorway like a saving angel. “Shall I see you settled in for the night?”

Gaius was reluctant to pull away from Valeria, but he did as he must. It wouldn’t do to have the city spreading rumors about his character. He’d been a gentleman for this long, he could wait two more days. He’d spend the time planning exactly what he was going to do with her once they were wed.

Valeria took a deep, calming breath as Gaius left her room. He closed and locked the door behind him. Her only goal was to get out of there. He’d posted one of his men outside her door, but he had to open it some time. If she made a loud enough fuss, pretended some kind of injury, he would have to open the door to make sure she was all right. That’s when she’d escape.

Let the Gods try and get in her way.

“Would you hurry up?” Tristan paused mid-step to wait for Vorenus.

Again.

The man stopped to converse with almost every person they passed by on the way to Lucia’s villa. Especially the females. At this rate, they’d never reach the villa.

“My good man,” Vorenus all but slurred his words as he stumbled over to Tristan and draped his arm around his shoulders. “When are you going to learn to slow down and appreciate life?”

Tristan threw off his arm and increased his brisk pace. Bringing the tavern owner along had been a mistake. Did he take anything seriously?

Vorenus sobered some and kept pace beside him. “What are you going to do once you get there? Storm in through the front door and rescue her?”

“I don’t know.” Tristan would figure out a plan when he got there.

“Turn here.” Vorenus steered him around a corner and down a narrow, darkened street.

They stopped beside a high stone wall.

Vorenus peered around the corner, then looked back to Tristan. “There’s one man posted at the servants’ entrance.”

“Then we take him,” Tristan said.

Vorenus flung the sides of his cape back over his shoulders and rested a hand on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist. “Shall I go first?”

“I’ll go.” Tristan drew his sword and took the lead, cautiously approaching the guard stationed at the door.

“Who goes there?” The guard was nothing but a young man who scarcely had enough whiskers on his soft face to grow a beard.

“Step aside, boy,” Tristan barked the order. “I do not wish to harm you.”

The boy held up his sword with a shaking hand. “No one but Gaius Cato is allowed passage through this door.” His voice cracked on a high note, while his gaze strayed anxiously to Vorenus.

Tristan swung his sword and gave the boy’s sword a mock blow, almost knocking it out of his unsteady hand.

He gripped the hilt with both hands and took a wide stance. “Do you challenge me?”

Tristan snorted a laugh. “I’d sooner challenge a doxy whore than the likes of you.”

The boy’s expression turned serious. “If you don’t leave—”

“I’m not leaving until I get what I’ve come for.”

“I have orders—”