Chapter Six

Gavin held his temper on a taut leash.

"One word and I'll make sure you never see your granddaughter again," he swore when Phillip opened his mouth. The man had followed Gavin when he'd realized Nori wouldn't answer his calls.

"What the hell is going on here?" Phillip demanded then turned toward the door when it was shoved open. "Buckingham? What are you doing there?"

Gavin was certain he saw the panic in Phillip's eyes before he wrapped his hand around the man's throat. A king? He was weak. A coward.

"Unhand me!" Phillip demanded.

Guards stepped forward at Phillip's bellow, but none were stupid enough to try to interfere when faced with five War Kings and several of their warriors. Jamie, Geoffrey, and Marcus joined the group forming in the entryway.

"Let's move this away from the stairs," Marcus said, pointing them all toward the Great Hall.

"I should kill you now and save Nori the heartache of realizing what her grandfather is capable of." Gavin gave Phillip's neck a hard squeeze before releasing him and stepping away. He wasn't surprised when Buckingham moved toward Phillip. Shaking his head in disgust, Gavin followed the other War Kings, taking a breath to help him gain control of his temper while he walked.

"I love my granddaughter," Phillip proclaimed loudly.

"You don't know the meaning of the word love. Hell, I question if you've ever loved anyone in your life," Gavin said. "How long did you wait after her mother died before you removed her to another home? How quickly did you get rid of her? Days? Hours?"

"I mourned Rosamund when she died in childbirth. She was my daughter, but I had to focus on Eleanor. She was a newborn. She needed a wet nurse. A home. Court is no place for a baby."

"Children need more than that," Lord Kingsley said as he rose from his seat by the fireplace and came to stand beside Marcus. Kingsley was a grandfather who'd loved his grandchild with everything he had. He'd also accepted Marcus as soon as he saw how much Genevieve meant to him, that Marcus would love and protect her. Phillip could learn a lot from Kingsley.

"Is that what you tell yourself?" Gavin couldn't imagine sending his child, his grandchild, to strangers. Never. Not as long as there was breath in his lungs. "Does it help you sleep at night? She needed family, love, protection."

Theo growled in agreement, standing at Gavin's other side.

"I gave her all of that when I placed her with the Buckingham family. A mother and father. Two older brothers and, soon after, a baby sister."

Gavin wasn't sure if Phillip actually believed his own lies or if he was merely offering them up as the excuses they were.

"Like you gave your niece and Rory to Montrose?" Jamie suggested, voice rife with anger.

"I did what I thought was best when I learned Anne was with child out of wedlock. I had to protect her and the child she carried," Phillip argued.

"You did a great job of that," Jamie snarled.

"I was assured everything was fine!" Phillip roared.

"Probably just like the Buckinghams assured you Nori was fine. Fine with a family she was never a part of. They took your money, your gifts, but they never accepted Nori, never loved her," Gavin roared. It tore him up. Only his brother's grip on his shoulder kept him from planting a fist in Phillip's face.

"My parents treated Eleanor like family," Robert Buckingham countered, face red with rage. The bastard shouldn't have reminded Gavin of his presence.

"Your parents treated her as little more than a servant unless her grandfather was in attendance, which was very fucking rare. When he did grace her with a visit, she was so happy to see him that she wouldn't have said a bad thing in hopes he'd stay longer or take her with him. How many times did she ask you to let her go with you?"

Phillip shook his head. "She was just a child. It wouldn't have been appropriate for her to be with me. A young girl needs a mother, a home."

"What type of bastard leaves his granddaughter behind when she begs to go with you?" Lord Kingsley asked with disgust. "I raised my Genevieve after we lost her parents, and I dare anyone to tell me it wasn't appropriate."

"A child needs love. Unfortunately, your wealth and title couldn't buy that. And you made her life hell at every chance," Gavin continued, gaze going from Phillip to Buckingham then back to Phillip. "Still, you promised her to him as a bride."

"You promised her to a man who referred to her as a little, lost orphan girl no one loved," Cris added as he strode across to stand behind his king.

"Nori?" Gavin whispered, wanting to make sure his wife was settled.

"Fine. Con's with her upstairs with the rest of the queens, Armstrong and Duncan," Cris assured him.

"What?" Phillip bellowed, bringing attention back to him. He shook his head in denial. "She was promised to Justin not Robert."

"The betrothal fell to me when Justin died." Robert glared at Phillip.

"I never agreed to that. No matter what your father may have said, I never agreed with that. Nori made her opinion of you very clear. I'd planned to join her with another before that brute forced a marriage onto her," Phillip snapped.

"She was forced?" Buckingham asked, his thoughts clear on his face.

"My wife is none of your concern." Gavin reined his temper in. If he didn't, blood would be shed. Soon.

"Nothing is final until her marriage has been consummated, War King, and by your own words, that hasn't happened yet." Phillip looked smug about that fact.

"Why hasn't it been consummated?" Robert wanted to know.

"Our marriage is none of your concern." His gaze moved from Robert and settled on Phillip. "I've allowed your presence here, allowed your men to stay." He wouldn't admit it, but it was because he saw none of them as a threat. He was sure all of them already knew that. Even now, Phillip stood by himself, his men still in the entryway as far as they could get from the War Kings and their warriors.

"You needed me here while our agreement was drawn up and readied for us to sign," Phillip argued.

"Which we did. If that were the only reason you remained, you'd have been shown to the gate yestereve with an escort of our men to make sure you didn't find your way back. We have what we wanted. The land. The agreement to keep your criminals out of our lands. And I have Nori."

"Not by her choice," Phillip muttered.

"If you think to try to interfere in my marriage, your kingdom will be in search of a new king," Gavin warned.

"I don't take kindly to threats, War King," Phillip warned.

"It wasn't a threat," Gavin told him. "Consider it a promise. I'd suggest you have your men ready to ride out first thing in the morning. This is part of the Dread Lands now, and you're no longer welcome."

"We'll see what my granddaughter has to say about that."

"If you're lucky, I'll let you say goodbye to her in the morning." He would but the farewell wouldn't be for Phillip. It would be for Nori.

Gavin turned then and focused on Buckingham, stepping into his space, so there were mere inches between them. He wanted to make sure the other man understood exactly what Gavin was telling him.

"Nori is not your concern. She never has been. She was never promised to you, and even if she had been, it wouldn't have mattered. She's mine. Harm one hair on her head, and I'll rip you limb from limb. You'll leave tomorrow with your king and never show your face around my queen again. Are we clear?"

Buckingham's face was red with rage, but his chin jerked. Gavin didn't believe him. His expression said he'd try something stupid, and when he did, Gavin would see him dead.

"Go see that my soldiers are prepared to travel tomorrow," Phillip ordered Buckingham. "I'll see you back to your home. I'd like a word with your father. As for you," he pointed at Gavin. "I will be seeing my granddaughter before I take my leave. Furthermore, I'll continue to check in on her and ensure she's safe and well cared for."

"Unlikely," Jamie growled.

"I don't expect you to believe me, but what happened to Anne and her daughter is one of my greatest regrets. And it's something I must live with for the rest of my life," Phillip replied.

"At least, you can live with it," Jamie tossed out before turning and leaving the keep, Geoffrey following after him.

"I'll be with my men for the rest of the afternoon. Perhaps, I'll see my granddaughter at dinner."

"No," Gavin said, not offering further information. He planned to spend the evening with Nori in their room, continuing to get her comfortable to his touch. Then as the evening reached its peak, he planned to make his wife his. Completely.

Phillip sighed, shook his head, then left, Buckingham and the rest of the king's soldiers following along with him.

"He's not to be trusted," Cris said once they were gone.

"She's not to be left alone," Gavin ordered. He didn't need to ask who Cris referred to. It was obvious to both of them. Buckingham.

"Probably best if none of the women are left alone," Kingsley warned. "I wouldn't put it past a man like that to use whomever he can to get what he wants."

Marcus nodded, agreeing with his wife's grandfather. "Blood will spill before that one leaves."

"As long as it's his," Gavin said, and he hoped he was the one to spill it.