Page 83 of Greed: The Savage
Bloody hell. He was getting soft.
When had his reflexes ever been this slow? What mystifying power did Addien hold over him?
Addien took her small fists and shoved hard, knocking him back onto his arse.
Delilah called through the panel. “Lord Dynevor’s looking for you. Your appointment for today’s been moved up.”
Of all the bloody times. With his and Addien’s business not even near conclusion.
Pale as parchment, Addien scrambled to dress. “Oh my God,” she mouthed.
Knock-knock-knock.
Quickly, he shed his trousers from yesterday in favor of the clean ones Deliah brought earlier.
“I-I’ll be but a moment,” Addien said. Her voice contained an edge of panic.
“Addien.” He kept his voice low. “You needn’t—”
The glare she put on him would’ve scorched the skin off another man. “Don’t you even say it.” Addien grabbed a cotton chemise and the first dress her fingers touched in her armoire.
Thornwick pulled his trousers into place. He resolved to adorn her in the finest lawn linen Belgium had to offer.
“Addien?” Delilah’s voice came muffled like she pressed her mouth against the oak.
Addien cursed. “I am nearly ready!” she said, her voice pitchy.
“The earl ain’t looking for you, Addien.”
The marked hesitation in Delilah’s reply stopped Addien.
Her gown donned, gaping as it had at their first assignment—was that truly just days ago?
While he strode to the front to open the door a crack to greet Delilah, he felt Addien’s stare following him.
“I’ll be down shortly,” he murmured. Pushing the door shut with a faint click, he faced Addien.
Bloody hell. First his blundered proposal. And now this.
By the horror on her face, this impending discussion was another one which required greater consideration.
She hadn’t said with words whether or not she accepted.
Knock, knock, knock.
When she turned back, he knew what he was going to see. Nothing, however, could have properly prepared him for the wariness in Addien’s eyes. “Why is Delilah asking for you?”
“Addien…”
“I asked you a question, Malric!”
It was better to have out with it. “You have the day off.”
It was best to begin with “you have a day off” and not “until further notice,” or as Thornwick ultimately intended—forever.
Addien cocked her head at a cute angle. “Why would I needa day—?”
Surely she wasn’t this obtuse!
