Read Online Her Reluctant Viscount (Rakes and Rogues) by Aliyah Burke - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Aliyah Burke
Tags: Historical Romance
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shiver.
“She was being protected.” His voice raised on that last word as the sai between his legs pressed closer.
“Get up.”
He breathed easier when she removed the weapons. Seconds later, clothes smacked him in the face. Tryst began to move only to pause and look at her. “Do you mind?” He twirled a finger.
“Are you shy? We shared a cabin from here to Africa.”
He knew that. “No, I am not. However, you are my best friend’s wife. I am not getting naked in front of you.”
“That is a smart choice, Tryst, because I would kill you.” Colin glared as he pushed in the room. “Najja, get out and let him dress.”
Brown eyes narrowed in on him but she sheathed her sai and left, leaving him alone with an angry Colin.
“What is going on, Trystan?”
He rose and made haste in dressing. Colin waited and together they headed down the stairs. Following Colin into the receiving room, he hesitated at the sight of black clad legs sticking out from behind a settee.
“What the—”
“Later,” Colin advised. “I do not think she will be patient much longer.”
Tryst glanced at Najja who sat beside her children. Pug and Alexander. Pug glared at him while Alexander slept. Najja was a blank wall but he was not fooled. Hell, he could feel the press of her blades against him, still.
“Who was supposed to be protecting her?” Pug demanded bolting to his feet.
Najja reached out her hand and touched the boy she loved as her own, on the wrist. Pug flashed her a look but sat down, yet still shot daggers at him. It hit him; Pug was in love with Jo. He had seen it when Pug was younger and apparently, the lad’s feelings had not altered.
Trystan rolled his shoulders and walked to pour himself a drink.
“I am losing patience, Trystan.”
Najja’s voice while calm still set off warning bells. She was not a woman to be trifled with. He knew Colin was her restraint but he also knew even that would not work forever. Still, he hesitated and Colin cocked a brow at him.
“The day in the museum when Jo was attacked and her sketchbook stolen it was a result of a design she had seen. A tattoo.”
Najja glanced to Pug and Trystan watched in amazement as they shared a look before Pug rose to his feet and left with Alexander safely in his arms.
“Continue. What did this symbol mean?”
“It belongs to a man who calls himself The Alchemist.” He had honestly thought Colin would have said something to her. “He does what he can to plot against the Crown.”
“And he is after Jo merely because she saw his tattoo?”
He shifted beneath the pressing stare coming from the former assassin. “Yes. We thought The Alchemist was dead. Recently we have learned he is not.” Dawning realization filled her gaze and he swallowed. “I need to find her, Najja.”
“Did you know?”
Tryst blinked only to realize she had directed her question at Colin. He watched his friend nod and the room dropped in temperature. Eyes on Najja, Trystan observed the icy anger fill her gaze and spill over.
“You were using her as bait. Hoping this man would show himself. Yet you, Trystan, were not around so someone else was watching her.”
“Yes.”
She muttered something very unflattering in her native tongue. Her tone vibrated with the force of her anger. She paced and smacked Colin’s hand away when he reached for her. “You are as much to blame for this as he. How could you?”
“Najja listen.”
“I will not. I listened already and you put Jo in danger.” She whirled on Trystan and pressed into his space. “You had better find her, Trystan Wilkes, or the Crown will need more men to protect it. If Jo dies so does everyone who put her in the situation.” Closer still she moved until the toes of their shoes touched. “I will make them pay. You know I can and I will. Your precious Duke of Ramsay will suffer
“She was being protected.” His voice raised on that last word as the sai between his legs pressed closer.
“Get up.”
He breathed easier when she removed the weapons. Seconds later, clothes smacked him in the face. Tryst began to move only to pause and look at her. “Do you mind?” He twirled a finger.
“Are you shy? We shared a cabin from here to Africa.”
He knew that. “No, I am not. However, you are my best friend’s wife. I am not getting naked in front of you.”
“That is a smart choice, Tryst, because I would kill you.” Colin glared as he pushed in the room. “Najja, get out and let him dress.”
Brown eyes narrowed in on him but she sheathed her sai and left, leaving him alone with an angry Colin.
“What is going on, Trystan?”
He rose and made haste in dressing. Colin waited and together they headed down the stairs. Following Colin into the receiving room, he hesitated at the sight of black clad legs sticking out from behind a settee.
“What the—”
“Later,” Colin advised. “I do not think she will be patient much longer.”
Tryst glanced at Najja who sat beside her children. Pug and Alexander. Pug glared at him while Alexander slept. Najja was a blank wall but he was not fooled. Hell, he could feel the press of her blades against him, still.
“Who was supposed to be protecting her?” Pug demanded bolting to his feet.
Najja reached out her hand and touched the boy she loved as her own, on the wrist. Pug flashed her a look but sat down, yet still shot daggers at him. It hit him; Pug was in love with Jo. He had seen it when Pug was younger and apparently, the lad’s feelings had not altered.
Trystan rolled his shoulders and walked to pour himself a drink.
“I am losing patience, Trystan.”
Najja’s voice while calm still set off warning bells. She was not a woman to be trifled with. He knew Colin was her restraint but he also knew even that would not work forever. Still, he hesitated and Colin cocked a brow at him.
“The day in the museum when Jo was attacked and her sketchbook stolen it was a result of a design she had seen. A tattoo.”
Najja glanced to Pug and Trystan watched in amazement as they shared a look before Pug rose to his feet and left with Alexander safely in his arms.
“Continue. What did this symbol mean?”
“It belongs to a man who calls himself The Alchemist.” He had honestly thought Colin would have said something to her. “He does what he can to plot against the Crown.”
“And he is after Jo merely because she saw his tattoo?”
He shifted beneath the pressing stare coming from the former assassin. “Yes. We thought The Alchemist was dead. Recently we have learned he is not.” Dawning realization filled her gaze and he swallowed. “I need to find her, Najja.”
“Did you know?”
Tryst blinked only to realize she had directed her question at Colin. He watched his friend nod and the room dropped in temperature. Eyes on Najja, Trystan observed the icy anger fill her gaze and spill over.
“You were using her as bait. Hoping this man would show himself. Yet you, Trystan, were not around so someone else was watching her.”
“Yes.”
She muttered something very unflattering in her native tongue. Her tone vibrated with the force of her anger. She paced and smacked Colin’s hand away when he reached for her. “You are as much to blame for this as he. How could you?”
“Najja listen.”
“I will not. I listened already and you put Jo in danger.” She whirled on Trystan and pressed into his space. “You had better find her, Trystan Wilkes, or the Crown will need more men to protect it. If Jo dies so does everyone who put her in the situation.” Closer still she moved until the toes of their shoes touched. “I will make them pay. You know I can and I will. Your precious Duke of Ramsay will suffer
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