'Twas the closest he'd come to declaring his feelings for her. Hope blossomed within her. Hewascapable of love; surely with time he would come to return her feelings.
"As you are to me," she said. Then, looking to the clock, she sighed with frustration. "Dash it all, Ihaveto go, but can we talk more about this tomorrow night?"
He hesitated. "For your safety, perhaps it would be better to postpone—"
"Oh no. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I took great pains to convince Lisbett to let me stay over at my friend Charity's tomorrow night." Rising on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his scarred cheek, and the large, ferocious lord of The Underworld actuallytrembledat her touch.
He rasped, "Allnight?"
"Yes," she said. "And who knows when I'll have another opportunity like this one?"
His answer was a slow, wicked smile. "Then we will have to make the most of it."
26
The next morning,Gavin faced Finian O'Brien in the sumptuous office of The Emerald Club. A pair of armed men flanked either side of O'Brien's ornately carved chair, and Gavin had his own men outside, ready to act at a moment's notice. Tension crackled as palpably as the logs in the fireplace.
"'Twas horrible what happened to Lyon," Finian said in his high, nasal tone. "Such an unfortunate way to go, with one's vices exposed for all the world to see."
The hair rose on Gavin's nape at the hint of smugness. "'Twas a cowardly act to kill a man who could not fight back."
Finian stroked his thin moustache. "Cowardly? Yes, I suppose. But effective." His teeth flashed. "Though one oughtn't speak ill of the dead, Lyon will not be missed, will he? The fellow pissed on just about everyone—yourself included, Mr. Hunt."
"I didn't kill him," Gavin said evenly.
"I would never suggest such a thing. We are friends, after all." Finian fingered the emerald stick pin in his fussy cravat. "Friends do not accuse friends of murder."
Water was easier to pin down than the slippery bastard. Gavin decided to switch tactics.
"With Lyon gone, there's more for the rest of us, eh?" he said lightly.
Finian grinned and tipped his glass. "I'll drink to that."
"Speaking of business, there's a matter I want to speak to you about. Concerns a fellow by the name of Paul Fines. I think you know him."
"Might ring a bell."
Lying bastard. Finian's memory was legendary. He could recite the name, address, and background story of every cove who owed him money. Gavin didn't buy for an instant that the other man didn't recall Fines.
Gavin still could not believe what he was about to do. He'd told himself that bailing Fines out of trouble was part of his plan for revenge, yet who was he fooling? The truth was he'd been swayed by Percy's distress. By the need to soothe and protect her.
I love you.'Twas the first time he'd heard those words. They'd hit him like pellets of sunshine, dissolving the dank chill in his soul. At moments, he could almost let himself believe that she'd meant what she said… Well, he'd have his proof soon. If Percy truly had such strong feelings for him, she'd surrender to him tonight. He would make her his, get the bloody wager over with… and perhaps even tell her about Morgan.
If she loved him, wouldn't she take his side? For his part, he wouldn't give her cause to regret him and was proving it that very moment by bargaining with a damned cutthroat for her brother's life.
He kept his tone casual. "The thing of it is, Fines owes me a load of blunt. I aim to collect it, and I don't intend to wait in line to get my due."
"Ah, now I have it. Blond fellow with an appetite for hazard." Finian's smile had a razor's edge. "Owes me a hundred quid."
Gavin reached into his pockets, causing Finian's men to twitch. He withdrew his wallet and counted out banknotes on the desk. "Two hundred pounds," he said, "and my thanks for barring Fines from further play."
"I pride myself on running a hospitable establishment," Finian said mournfully. "Who am I to cut a cove off?"
Narrowing his eyes, Gavin added another note to the pile. "I am certain you can make an exception in this case."
"The cull must owe you quite a sum." With a satisfied smile, Finian reached for the money. "Ah well, there's no getting blood from a stone, is there? I will leave you to get what you can from the gent."
"My thanks," Gavin said.
