Warwolfe (de Wolfe Pack Book 0)(40)

Ghislaine was trying very hard not to burst into tears; she was hungry, exhausted, and now with the added pressure of being embarrassed on top of it. He was dealing her a ration of insults, which she more than likely deserved at this point for trying to knee him in the groin. It was a struggle to keep her composure.

“You have no right to keep me a captive,” she said hoarsely. “I have only tried to help you find your knight and, for that, you hold me captive and beat me. I should have never come to you, Norman. I should have kept my mercy to myself.”

Gaetan looked down into that sad little face. He couldn’t agree with her because had she not come to him, he would still be wondering what had happened to Kristoph. So, in that sense, he owed her a great deal. It was enough to soften him, just the slightest, but not too much. She was still the enemy as far as he was concerned.

“You came to me to betray your brother,” he pointed out. “I wonder if there were really ever any altruistic intentions on your part.”

She scowled. “I told you that I showed your knight mercy because you had shown it to me upon the field of battle. But now I wish I had not!”

He nodded faintly. In truth, he didn’t want to start a big battle with her again, but she had to know who was in control. He could tell that she was used to being in command and not being contested. That being the case, this was going to be a harsh lesson for her because he intended to dominate her any way he could.

She would not get the better of him.

“Mercy is the mark of a true warrior,” he told her, hoping that she would respond to reason. He was growing weary of wrestling with her when he had work to do. “I want you to listen to me and listen carefully, because what I tell you will be of importance to you. You did right by showing Kristoph mercy. You will never know how grateful I am to you. I understand that you came to me to tell me where he was but you also confessed that you hoped my drive to rescue my knight would result in your brother’s death. Therefore, you have a dual purpose. I have no problem killing Alary once we catch up to him. In fact, I demand it – he has taken my knight and my vengeance knows no bounds. But your task with me is not completed. Telling me of Kristoph and your brother was only the first part of it. Now, I need your help to find your brother so that you may finish what you have started. If my mission is to be a success, then I need your help. Will you do this?”

From fighting and spanking one moment to calm, rational conversation the next, Ghislaine found herself staring up at the man and watching his mouth when he spoke. He had full lips, curvy, and big dimples in each cheek when his mouth moved. And his voice… it was that liquid metal again, searing and smooth, filling her ears with its heat. Something about that voice made her heart lurch strangely. Or was it simply him in all of his male glory that did it? She honestly didn’t know. All she knew was that when he spoke to her in that tone, she felt like doing anything he wished, like she had no mind of her own.

Witchcraft!

“You do not need my help,” she said, her voice raspy. “I told you where Alary lives. You can easily find him.”

Gaetan shook his head. “I do, indeed, need your help. You know this land, the people. You will be of great service to me and my men as we navigate into the heart of the country.”

Ghislaine could tell that no matter what she said, he was still going to force her to accompany him. It wasn’t as if she had to return home because anyone was waiting for her; there wasn’t anyone any longer. She’d spent the past two years trying to find something to fill that hole that her sweet Hakon had left in her; whether it was helping Edwin or commanding her men, no matter what she did, that hole lingered. She had no reason to believe that assisting the Normans would help her find what she was looking for, but it wasn’t as if she really needed to return home. There were only bittersweet memories there, and if she was considered a traitor for aiding the enemy, she really didn’t care. She knew the truth.

Perhaps now, she was being presented with another purpose in life.

A Norman purpose.

“Very well,” she said after a moment. “I will take you. I will finish what I started. But you had better kill my brother or he will kill me when he sees what I have done.”

Gaetan had to admit he was rather relieved that she was willing to cooperate. “Do not trouble yourself over your brother. When I catch up to him, he will not survive my wrath.”

“I hope that is true.”

“If I release you, you will not try to run again?”

“I will not try to run again.”

Gaetan immediately climbed off her, reaching down a hand to pull her up. But Ghislaine ignored the hand; she wasn’t willing to forgive him yet for everything he’d done to her. She wasn’t willing to fall so easily for his chivalry. Instead, she sat there, trying to pull up her breeches discreetly.

As she fidgeted with her clothing, unwilling to look at him, the big dog came up beside her again, sitting down and leaning against her. Ghislaine had completely forgotten about the dog, who had scampered out of the way when the fighting began, but now he was back again and practically sitting on top of her. She tried to scoot away from him.

“I do not like dogs,” she said. “Can’t this beast find someone else to sit next to?”

Gaetan had been watching her as she tried to straighten her clothing out, but he’d just turned for his chest again when she spoke. He looked over his shoulder at the big wolfhound as it practically sat in her lap.