Page 66 of Vengeance Becomes Her

Rhiannon swung her hips a bit more than usual as she crossed the room, coming up behind him and leaning on his other shoulder. “Well, looks like you’ve been busy.” Their lips were just inches apart and their eyes locked. She could feel the tension bracketing through his body. She straightened, pushing his hair back as she rose to her full height and looked pointedly at the other woman.

“He’s good now.” She gave her a closed-lip smile and waited patiently for her totake the hint.

The woman’s eyes roved over Rhiannon’s equally voluptuous body. When they finally made eye contact again, the woman decided it was a good idea to roll her eyes and smirk. She turned to leave but Rhiannon had had enough today. Her arm shot out, gripping the woman’s shoulder. “You’re lucky I’ve already held a man at knifepoint today or I’d wipe that smirk off your face. Have a good rest of your day.” She gave her shoulder a sharp squeeze before releasing her.

She didn’t usually fight with other women. There were enough men putting them down as it was, but this one had her riled up. Jealousy curled through her stomach and coated her skin. She was slightly ashamed of herself but what was done was done.

Tristain let out a chuckle, bringing her attention back to why she was here. She leaned back down, sliding both arms around his shoulders as she leaned close to his smirking face. “Something funny?”

The knowing look he gave her made her roll her eyes in response, but she had to laugh at herself.

His breath was warm with whisky and his tone light, but his eyes were blazing flames as they set on her. “Are you jealous?”

Rhiannon scoffed, her mouth dropping open. “Of course not, I’m just trying to keep you focused. If you remember, we’re here for a reason, and that reason isn’t getting rich off cards or seducing beautiful—if not obnoxious—women.”

She stood up once again, lacing her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. She snapped her wrist, forcing him to look up at her. “Understand?” She had to admit she liked looking down at his wide smile and fire-bright eyes as he nodded eagerly, that knowing smirk never leaving his face. She shook her head and released his hair. “Hurry up.”

He winked and refocused on his last hand. When she moved to go back outside, he looped an arm around her thigh and joined his hands back around his fan of cards, forcing her to remain locked at his side. He rested his head gently against the cushion of her plump leg as if the comfort were natural. She hated to admit that it sent a flush of warmth through her, and not just the sentimental kind.

After he won—again—he shook hands with the man who’d congratulated him earlier and said his goodbyes to his new friends, the mystery woman wisely nowhere to be seen. They walked out the doors and back into thechilling wind.

“So, I’m assuming you found something out then?” Tristain pulled his cloak closer to his body, blocking out as much wind as possible.

“I did. I think I got a name for who we came here looking for. All I have is a first name, so we still need to figure out where to find her.” She let out a ragged sigh. “There are some women who are staying at the inn who know where she is, but I don’t think they’re going to be thrilled to talk to me or give me any information. So, that means you’ll need to lay some of your charm on them.”

It was his turn to sigh. He ran his hand down his face. “Rhiannon, what did you do now? Please tell me you didn’t stab someone else while I was gone. We can’t be leaving a trail of bodies everywhere we go.” He grabbed her wrist pulling her out of the flow of street traffic. Her back was now against a hard wrought iron fence. He planted his left hand next to her face, pinning their bodies close together. He tilted his head expectantly waiting for her explanation.

Guilt and then irritation flared within her one after the other as she pressed her hands on his chest, maintaining the little space between them. “First of all, I don’t need to be scolded like a child. Second of all, no I didn’t stab anyone. I may have pulled my dagger once, but it wasn’t on these women.” She glared at him, driving her point home. “I accidentally spilled my coffee on one of them who happened to be a wretched woman. I tried to apologize but she was unnecessarily nasty, so, understandably, I had to put her in her place.” She shrugged, batting her long lashes in innocence.

His head dropped down, not quite hiding his smile. He shook his head back and forth as a light rumble of laughter slipped past his lips. “You truly are something, Rhi. I can’t say I blame you, though.”

The affection laced in those three letters had her arching into him, her hands moving up and down his chest of their own volition. When his head tilted back up to hers, orange flecks had flamed to life in pools of liquid obsidian. She found herself envious of the clouds of their breath that mingled freely without the complication sitting heavy between them. It pulsed and ached in the inch of space that kept them apart—so much so, that she had the sudden urge to kiss him. But when she brushed against his lips, he pushed himself back off the wall, opening the distance between them.

“For someone who doesn’t want to do this,” he gestured between them, “you sure are trying your hardest to make it happen.”

He started walking away, forcing her to gather herself before stomping behind him. She was flustered and freezing, annoyed with herself for missing his warmth.

When they made it back up to the room, Tristain freshened up, but when Rhiannon slipped her boots back on to head down for dinner, he held out his palm, halting her.

“If I’m going to have any success at charming information out of them, then we’ll have to keep you far away. Wouldn’t want you tainting my natural charisma with your… attitude.”

Her mouth popped open to argue but he was right given how things had gone that morning. He mussed her head before heading out the door too quickly for her to retaliate.

As the door swung closed, she called after him. “You better bring me back something warm and delicious.” His laughter echoing through the stairway was her confirmation thathe’d heard her.

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