Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

The night sky overflowed with stars that winked down at him, and Phillip paused to look up at them, a small smile curving his lips. Fyre loved looking at the stars.

He had plans to take her out for a night picnic so they could look at the constellations. His smile grew larger as his thoughts drifted to her. She was everything to him and he hated being apart from her.

Marrying her fast was on his mind. He wanted to have the right to say she was his wife, his countess. Have the right to kiss her when he wanted and the privilege of sleeping beside her every single night.

A final glance up and he got back on the trail of the person he followed. He had been working with Archer and Zander to follow Cara and find out who she was meeting. That left Damon and Kolby keeping an eye on Fyre.

Right now, he had taken over the tail from Archer on a guy who didn’t look all that intelligent, but they weren’t about to count anyone out. The one he followed had received a note from Cara and left. There had been no reading it, so Archer figured he was just the messenger between Cara and the one she was working with.

Something that would make sense as they hadn’t seen Cara with people other than the ones she was cheating on Elonne with, but all of those guys gave her money then went back to their lives and wives.

He had learned a lot of hiding places on the island he hadn’t known about before. Phillip hated that this was keeping him from Fyre, but he was pleased she understood. Not only that, she was on board with him catching whomever. As well as undermine what that person wanted to do here.

The one thing he had noticed from Fyre however, was that she had gotten quieter since their picnic. She had sent a message she would not be able to come tonight and work on his books, as she was watching her nephews and niece.

While he didn’t like that, he knew it was what they had been after. The break they had been hoping for. And why he was out here now, picking up from Archer.

The man he currently trailed slowed and looked around himself more than once before he ducked into the trees a bit more, and when Phillip followed, he saw there was a small shack there.

Moving with more stealth than he’d known he had in him, Phillip paused by the one window that barely let out the light of the lantern inside. It had been covered by some material but he tried to see in.

“What did she say?” a low, gravelly voice asked. Did he know it? He wasn’t positive.

“She never speaks to me, sir. Just hands me the note.” This voice was thin and reedy but also one he didn’t recognize.

“Give it to me then. I cannot be seen here with you.”

The voice was familiar but he couldn’t see either of the speakers to make a viable identification. Nor could he pull the name from his memory.

“Get moving. I will leave after you.”

The man he had been following muttered but left. Phillip watched him from the shadows. Part of him wanted to go after that man, but he had to find out who the one who stayed behind was. So he waited.

And waited.

About fifteen minutes later, the light went out, but he heard nothing. Moving slowly and with caution, he opened the door but didn’t see anything. At all. He dug in his pocket for a match and lit it. The small flare of light was enough for him to know that there was no one in the small building.

What the fuck? Not even evidence that anyone had been here.

He had to come back during the day to see what he could find. Backtracking, he returned home in a foul mood. Zander was there and Phillip gave the man a nod as he walked by him into the study to pour himself a drink. After swallowing it, he poured another for himself and one for Zander, who joined him.

“Hate to say it, boss, but you look pissed.”

Handing over the drink, Phillip grunted. “I am.” Another drink, not the entire glass this time. “I followed that asshole with the message to a shack and he went in, heard him talking to someone. Then the one I followed left. I waited a bit and the light went out. No one left that shack and when I stepped in, it was empty.”

Zander leaned against the wall, feet hooked at the ankles as he tapped a finger along the glass he held. “Where is this building?”

Giving him a basic idea, Phillip waited for Zander to say something more.

“Pirates used to run around here, there is a good chance that floor opened into a tunnel that took him somewhere else.” A shoulder shrug. “Or…”

Phillip exhaled. “I know, that messenger is not the messenger at all but the one behind it and he is playing Cara as well. And he was putting on a show in case someone, like me, followed him.” Phillip placed his glass down and sank into his chair with a heavy sigh.

Zander nodded.

Silence stretched between them for a moment and Phillip opened his eyes to pin a look on the man in there with him. “What are you not telling me, Zander?”

“I did not want to make things worse.”

“What? Did I lose more workers? Someone else drop out of this coalition I am trying to get running?”

“It has to do with your woman.”

His feet hit the floor as he was suddenly completely alert and focused on Zander. “What about her?”

“I ran into Kolby on my way here. He told me that she had a run-in with Caulfield on the road.”

Anger burned in his blood. “Why the fuck did no one tell me?”

Zander just held his gaze until Phillip gestured for him to continue. “Her brother showed up with the children and she left with them.”

“So it was today.” Did that mollify him? Not in the least. The thought of Caulfield around her pushed him toward rage.

“I do not know all the words of the discussion but I know that she was not happy with whatever he said to her. No, Kolby did not hear it either, as he would have had to have exposed himself to do so.”

“Fuck. Why can this man not just get a damn clue and stay out of her life?” He slammed the rest of his drink and wanted another. However, he refrained. Becoming drunk wouldn’t do a damn thing except give him a headache.

Kolby didn’t speak, allowing him a few moments to get his shit back together. When he had, Phillip sighed and rubbed his temples. Losing his temper at the man who was telling him things he needed to know was not productive at all. Damon and his brothers were doing all they could to help him and keep his woman safe.

“She was fine, but he could see she was shaken up.”

He ground his jaw. “Did he touch her?”

“No.”

A bit of an easier breath. “How did he know she was shaken up?”

“I cannot speak for my brother, but I would guess because we watch her all the time and have learned this about her.”

That bothered him too, but he was the one who had asked them to keep an eye on her and make sure she stayed safe.

“Did he say anything else?” God, he wanted to go to her place and see her, find out how she was doing. Hold her. Kiss her.

Tell her I love her.

That honest admission shook him for a moment and he sat there, staring at his empty glass.

Kolby cleared his throat and stepped forward. “He didn’t say anything else. If you draw me a map of where you went, I will sneak back and take a look. If there are tunnels I will follow them to see where they end up coming out.”

Phillip nodded and pulled out a sheet of paper to do just that. Kolby didn’t stay long and soon Phillip was by himself in his office. He rang for a maid and, when she walked in, he ordered some food and drink.

Not too long after, flipping idly through his books, he gestured for the newly arrived tray to be placed on the end of his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“Something I can help you with, my lord?”

He looked up to find the maid lingering. He narrowed his eyes as he took in the expression he had seen on many in England who had been looking for a favor from the lord of the house.

“Why are you here?”

“I am here to serve you, my lord.”

“I do not mess with the help. Leave, and if this happens again, you will be out of a job here.”

“You messed with her.” The words were low and overflowing with venom.

Phillip dropped his spoon in his bowl of soup and snapped his gaze back up to her. The ugly expression faded away the moment she noticed he was watching her.

“What did you say?”

The smile on her face was fake, like the simpering flirtation. It wobbled a moment but didn’t fade.

“That I am here to serve you, my lord.”

“No,” he said slowly, drawing out the word. “What you said after that.”

She blinked, her smile still not fading away. “I am sure I do not know what you mean, my lord. Was there something you wanted me to say?” A pause. “Or do?”

He nodded. “There is actually. Can you please go get Mrs. Archer and come back with her.”

A curtsey. “Of course, my lord.”

While she was gone, he took a few deep breaths, not needing to lose his temper. Already so close to the edge, given what Kolby had told him about Caulfield, this wasn’t what he wanted to deal with. Not ever, but especially not now.

He ate a bit of soup while waiting for her to return with the housekeeper. When the knock came, he watched them both enter. The maid now had a reserved expression on her face.

“She said you asked to see me, my lord?”

“Yes.” He leaned back and laced his fingers on the desk. “This maid,” he said, not caring to know her name, “is to be kept away from me and my fiancée. If that means she is let go, fine. However, and I will make a statement to the house after this, I will not put up with anyone saying anything against Miss Parker. She is going to be the woman who is in charge here. She will be my countess.”

Mrs. Archer firmed her mouth and turned to the female beside her. “I will handle this, my lord.”

“Of that, I have no doubt, Mrs. Archer.” He picked up a pen. “That will be all.”

The next time he looked up they were gone, his door closed, and by all accounts he was completely alone. He ate while he went over the books that should have been his time with Fyre tonight.

Despite his frustration at being away from her, it was a late night for him. Even so, he was up early and on his way to her place as the sun crested the horizon. With a brief stop off to Georges, he purchased some morning pastries and continued on his way.

He halted his horse before her home and looked around, knowing that one of the brothers was near, somewhere, watching her, but unable to see them. Phillip swung down and went to the door, where he knocked four times. He knew she had taken the children because of their plan but he wanted to see her.

She opened the door and just like that, his world righted itself. He grinned down at her, loving the look she gave him as well as the view she presented. Her hair had been wrapped in a bright-colored cloth knotted at the side, and it offered him a rare opportunity to see her neck.

“My lord,” she gasped, immediately moving the tails of the cloth to hide the scarring. “What are you doing here?”

Leisurely running his gaze over her, he gave a wink. “I came to see my fiancée. I did not know there was a proper time to do that.”

“I am not ready to go yet, Aunt Fyre. Can we stay…” The little girl who ran up to her aunt looked at him with big brown eyes. “You’se the earl.”

He went down on one knee and nodded. “I am, and I believe you are Isabella.”

Her eyes widened. “You know me?”

“You were at my house for a week. How could I not know such a beautiful young lady’s name?”

She grinned at him and blinked. “I like him, Aunt Fyre. When are you marrying him?”

He chuckled as he regained his feet. “Very good question,” he murmured as he leaned forward to brush his lips against Fyre’s cheek.

Phillip noticed the boys standing back, watching when he put some space between himself and Fyre. He gave them a nod. “Elonne and Carlo, good to see you both again.”

They both stared until Fyre cleared her throat, then they both gave him a bow and said at the same time, “Good morning, my lord.”

“You will be my uncle when you marry my Aunt Fyre, right?” The question came as the little girl slid her hand into his empty one and began bringing him inside the house. “Does this mean you will buy me gifts on my birthday?”

“Bella!”

He tried not to laugh at the shock and embarrassment in Fyre’s tone. Once he was sure he could respond without laughing, he did.

“Of course it does. However, I will have to get your aunt’s permission first.”

Bella patted the back of the hand she held. “She loves me so she will give it to you.”

“My lord,” Fyre said, drawing his attention once more.

He knew what she wanted. Phillip held up the bag in his left hand. “I was hoping we could have breakfast together. I stopped by Georges’ and he provided some things for all of us.”

“How did you know I was here?” Bella questioned.

“Georges told me that you three were spending time with your aunt.” She didn’t need to know they were following her parents.

Bella nodded. “We saw him yesterday evening.”

Eyes back to Fyre, he lifted his eyebrows. “Yes?”

When the boys took her hands in theirs, hope in those expressions, he knew he had her. And he hoped they stayed on his side.

I may need them.

Fyre knew exactly what Phillip was doing—using her affection for the children to get on her good side. Not that he wasn’t, but still.

He and the boys had moved her table outside and since she hadn’t had enough chairs, they were sitting on stumps. Rather, Phillip was, because he was tall enough to do so and still see over the top.

The pasty was a big hit with the children, yet Fyre kept to herself mostly while they talked to him, asking him all kinds of questions—ones he didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Do you have nephews and nieces like us?” Carlo asked as he popped in the last bite of his food.

“I have a sister but she is unmarried as of the moment, so no nephews or nieces from her, but my best friends are married and have children. I consider them my nephews and nieces.”

“Like me?” Bella insisted, tugging on his sleeve.

He nodded as she climbed onto his lap. “Like you. Keeley is about your age, and I think the two of you would have a lot of fun together.”

“Does she look like me?”

Fyre would love to know how he planned to answer this question.

His gray gaze flicked to her as he smiled. “Yes, she does. Your aunt knows her father, my friend Lucian.”

Okay, he’d shocked her with that answer, and from the smirk on his lips, he had known she had made her assumptions about his friend’s family. He gave her a wink and picked off a bit of his pastry and held it out to her mouth.

That was how they passed the rest of the time, him sharing his food with her while the children carried the conversation.

* * * *

All four of them were in the process of putting her kitchen back together when Cara and Elonne showed up. The air thickened with tension and Fyre hated it, for the children’s sake. Her brother had made his decision and she would get over that loss, but the children did not need to be exposed to such hate and anger.

“We need to go.” Elonne’s words were short and sharp.

It didn’t look like he had gotten any sleep, but she kept her thoughts to herself. She wasn’t responsible for his actions.

Making sure the children only saw her smiles, she hugged them all.

“When can we come see you again, Aunt Fyre?”

She cupped Elonne II’s face. “Soon. I know it has been a while but I will do better about spending time with the lot of you. I miss you all so much.”

He hugged her once more. Making sure they had their things, she waved as they rode away in the back of the wagon that her brother used to go back and forth to the fields he worked, picking up a lot of the workers on the way so they didn’t get exhausted on the longer walk.

As the wagon went out of view, Phillip slid his arm around her, tucking her close. She didn’t fight him on it, just allowed the embrace. He turned her into his chest and rested his chin on her head.

“You cannot just show up early in the morning, my lord. It is not proper.”

“Why not? I missed you and I thought you would like to know what we found out last night.”

He was right about that. She pulled back and went to make them drinks as he sat at the table. She wanted to change clothes but figured he had seen her in this old dress before anyway.

Once the tea was ready, she placed his cup before him, and he held on to her wrist when she went to move back.

“Yes?”

He cupped her cheek with his right hand. “Good morning, Fyre.”

The heat in his gaze melted her resistance. Their lips met and she whimpered as their tongues twined.

“Hi,” she muttered when it ended.

He stroked her skin, encouraging her to get closer. She would have been fine with crawling into his lap and going from there, but she refrained. Somehow.

When she took her seat, he pulled her closer to him and turned so her legs were between his.

“What?” he said when she’d watched him for a while.

“The way you look at me.” Her words were soft.

“How do I look at you, Fyre? Like you are my everything? My world? Because you are.”

Mr. Caulfield’s words echoed in her mind, their grip unrelenting and deep, about how she wasn’t special and this man before her was using her.

Phillip’s words… They were a dream she’d never thought she would hear directed at her. She wanted to believe him so much her heart actually ached.

Especially at the thought of never hearing this man say anything similar again.

Phillip found a way to inch closer to her, surrounding her with his rich scent she loved having around her. “What is going on in your head, baby? Talk to me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

He pulled back slightly and she struggled not to reach out, clasp his shirt and yank him closer once more. All she wanted to do was snuggle up into him.

“What is the ‘this’ you are talking about?”

“Pretending you want to marry me? Are you trying to get the Blacks on the island to trust you more? I am not the best person to do that with, they already think I am different because of my illness, scars, and love of numbers.”

Thunder grew in his gaze but he didn’t say a word. Just watched her.

She forged ahead. “I see you in town, you know. When you come in. Miss Asherford is always near you, no, not right beside but near your vicinity, and you invited her to the party. Yet she isn’t a business owner, or married to one.”

“Finished?”

One word, cold and clipped.

No, she wasn’t.

“No, but if you want to speak, you are the earl. I am nothing in comparison.”

“Stop it,” he snapped. “Right now, Fyre. What the fuck are you talking about and what brought this on?”

“Mr. Caulfield said—”

He reared back, chair skidding as he shoved away from her. “Mr. Caulfield? You are fucking listening to anything Caulfield says? Why? You know he wants you in his bed and will do anything, say anything, to drive a wedge between us.”

Tears of frustration and fear lined her eyes and fought to escape. She blinked them back, furious at their determination to be free.

“I have known him most of my life.”

“And because I am the outsider, his words suddenly hold more sway than my actions to you since we met?”

“I see her,” she cried. “How she pushed against you. Touched you. She even sat by you at the meals. That is what you should have as your wife. Your countess.”

He righted her chair but didn’t sit again, instead he paced. Back and forth, shoving a hand through his hair.

“If I wanted Miss Asherford as my countess I would have pursued her. I do not want her and I will never want her.” He slammed his hands on the table and she squeaked as she jumped from the loud noise. “Why are you shoving me to another woman? I want to be with you, Fyre.”

“You do not see this from my position.”

“I think I do.”

The anger in his words pushed her and she snapped her gaze to his. “Do you? Really?” She rose and put her hands on the table as well, squaring off with him. “You know what it is like to still have to worry they will burst into your home at night and take you away to wake in chains? Or hanging from a tree? You know what it is like to go into a house to work with you or do other things, knowing full well that women and men were held captive there, they were slaves and had no say in what happened to them or their families? Do you know what it is like to be ostracized from your own people because you are too weak to work in the fields and help bring in money that way, but to thrive in something that is typically a man’s domain? And do you know what it is like to have the richest man on this island ply you with attention, steal your heart and make you fucking scared to breathe because you worry one morning you will wake up and it will have been nothing but a memory?”

He stared at her.

“Because I do!”

“I did not know where I live was such a sore spot for you, Fyre. I do not see a slave when I look at you. I see the woman I will do anything to fucking protect. That is why I paid off your brother’s debts and put the money back into your account, because you should not have to take care of him at the expense of your own security.”

“You did what?” Her voice hit a high note.

“I want to take care of you, Fyre. I want to buy you things, take you on trips. See the world with you at my side.”

“You had no right to interfere in that.”

“Yes, I did. You are my fiancée and I will do as I see fit to keep you safe.”

“I doubt I was even your fiancée when you did that.”

“Not officially, perhaps.”

Her heart tripped. “What does that mean?”

“That I knew I wanted to marry you from when we met. I saw you working in the store and my heart was yours.”

“How do I know this is not just a way to get my people to see you in a better light?”

“You do not think that of me, Fyre. I refuse to believe you do. For whatever reason you are allowing that bastard Caulfield’s words to have meaning. In turn doing exactly what he wants them to do. Split us apart.” He walked to the door and out. He didn’t slam the door but closed it with a final click that shattered her remaining composure.

She sank to the floor, the tears having escaped, and sobbed at the loss of everything.