Page 50 of Greed: The Savage
She gave her head a small shake. “I…” Addien turned her palms up, helpless.
“My God, woman—do you think so little of me?”
Had he truly given her cause to think so low of him?
“Never much thought there’d be a time I’d need you to save me from a hanging,” she said slowly, as if it were explanation enough.
That eased some of the earlier sting…but only some.
Her expression darkened again. “Ye can’t save my work at the Devil’s Den though.”
“I did yesterday,” he pointed out.
“This is different. You know it.”
He didn’t know any such thing. Addien—having survived years under Mac Diggory and then having carved out a life on her own—had no reason to trust the world, let alone him.
He kept his voice low. “Dynevor isn’t the kind to see you pay the price for Dunworthy’s despicable actions. Any other nobleman, maybe. But Dynevor? No.”
His reassurances didn’t seem to touch her.
Thornwick heard something unspoken in the silence. He narrowed his eyes. “What?”
Addien paused a beat more, and her next admission came haltingly. “He said Dynevor sent me there for that reason,” she said.
“Who?” Lost, Thornwick shook his head. “What reason?”
“Dunworthy said the Devil’s Den is sending out…” Her cheeks went pink. “Girls like me for men like him.”
The fresh mention of Dunworthy set off fresh rage within Thornwick. He only managed to restrain himself for her benefit. “I’m aware of all club business, Addien. What happened back there—” His fury flashed hot. He had to remind himself to breathe and offer her calm. “That was not sanctioned.”
“Dunworthy claimed Dynevor had new uses for me, and the only reason he gave me work at the club was a pity hire—because he and all the Killorans are known for pity hires. Said I’m too ugly to be one of his finer girls. But I do hold appeal for those lords who want a taste of a girl from the streets.”
I’ll fucking kill him—all over again.
“Diggory used to provide that service,” she said quietly.
Demons lived in her eyes, and he wanted to slay them.
Thornwick was an expert reader of men. Dynevor wasn’t one of the bad sorts. Quite the contrary. His opinion, however, didn’t matter here, only Addien’s. “Do you believe he’s the kind of man who would do that?”
Addien worried her lower lip. “I don’t believe so…”
He caught the unspoken but. “But?”
“The only thing I trust when it comes to men is that they’re capable of anything—especially men in power.” With that cynical testament to her life, she turned to the window.
And the truth was—he didn’t disagree. His own life, his daily deeds, were proof enough.
“Ye seemed to have a good time today,” she murmured, her gaze still fixed outward.
He frowned, not following.
“With the baroness,” she clarified.
His gut clenched. “Oh.” The word felt stupid on his tongue.
While the baroness had draped herself across his lap, he’d been thinking of everything he wanted to dowithandtoAddien Killoran—while she’d been out there with Dunworthy’s hands God knew where, fighting for herself when she should have been safe at his side.
