Wicked Deception Read Online Free PDF

never
recall his friend volunteering anything of his past. He had to do
something. For her; the woman they both loved. He couldn’t be with
her, but he’d be damned if she would be alone.
    “ Get your miserable ass up
out of that bed and pack, Nicholas,” Gabriel snarled and reached
out and ripped the coverlet off of him. “You will get on the
fastest ship you can find in the harbor and you will go to her. Do
you hear me? If I have to kick you all the way to Ireland myself; I
will! With any luck, you can arrive in time to see your child
born.”
    Nicholas clawed at the coverlet with a
scowl. Gabriel flung it away and tossed it on the floor, his dark
eyes meeting his with a distinct gentleness in them, despite his
angry words. Nicholas was shaking in anger. He gave him a murderous
look as he kicked off the sheets and flung himself out of bed. He
wrenched open the armoire and started shrugging into
clothes.
    “ We’ll discuss a fitting end
to Lord Rudd upon your return. I don’t want to discuss it again
until you’ve told Catherine everything, do you hear?”Gabriel asked
as he stood in the middle of the room, making sure he did as he
asked. “I’ve had to listen to her fretting over you for months and
you can imagine how that bored me,” he went on quietly from the
door. “I suggest you hurry back. I’m not feeling as hesitant as you
when you went out looking for them.”
    Gabriel turned on his heel and stalked
from the room. Nicholas stared after him and finished washing up
and dressing. He stuffed whatever he needed into a valise. His
hands shook as he splashed more cold water onto his face, staring
at his gaunt reflection in the wash stand mirror before he turned
to leave.
    ~ ~ ~
    Gabriel watched Nicholas board the
frigate bound for Dublin with a look of relief later that day. He
tapped the roof of his coach with his walking stick. His dark eyes
narrowed in fury. He shouted out directions to his driver; his
expression thunderous as the coach moved away from the
docks.
    He arrived at the brothel before three
in the afternoon, knowing the inhabitants slept. He used his key to
let himself in. The place was quiet. He saw few servants on his way
to the kitchens. His hands shook as he tried every key on the ring
until he found one that fit the cellar door.
    Gabriel opened it with trepidation,
squinting down the stairs. He fetched a lamp and went down. He held
it aloft and stared at the dozen cages against the wall; saw the
piteous faces of the children within. A low growl of rage escaped
him. He turned and ran up the stairs, shouting until the servants
arrived in the kitchens.
    They looked shocked to see His Lordship
standing in their midst looking like he would kill someone. He
ordered every child taken out of the cellars immediately. The local
doctor was sent for. He waited until the doctor examined every
child.
    The doctor beamed as he ruffled a
child’s hair. He listened in relish to the Earl upbraid the
servants for doing nothing to help the children. He promptly
dismissed them all. After they were all examined, the doctor took
him aside.
    “ They are merely hungry, my
lord,” the doctor confided as he met his troubled look.
    Gabriel heard this with relief. He paid
the doctor a hefty sum for his time. He looked for the woman he
left in charge of the brothel after Yvetta ran off. He went
upstairs, throwing open doors. He finally found Constance. She was
asleep between two men in the legendary blue room.
    One look at his angry countenance and
the lovely brunette slid away from the bed. She donned a robe,
eyeing him worriedly as she tiptoed out of the room, careful to not
wake the two customers who snored loudly within. She met him at the
end of the hall near the stairs.
    “ Unless you want to find
yourself tossed out of here on your pretty ass, I suggest you take
in no more children, Constance,” Gabriel warned, seeing her flinch
from his condemning stare. “I want you to provide me with a list of
our