He skidded to a halt outside the bedroom door, blood pounding in his skull, and slammed it open—only to come face to face with Evan. He seemed remarkably composed, considering he was stark naked and the ambassador for Falsmark was standing next to him.
“It’s you!” Thomas gasped out. “The threat’s againstyou!”
“I’m aware, thank you,” Evan said dryly.
He turned his head slightly, and steel gleamed in the lamplight as the ambassador set the blade he was holding closer to Evan’s throat.
Chapter Thirteen
Evan was most put out when he woke up alone.
He’d had plans which involved getting thoroughly debauched by his captain again, and now he was going to either have to get dressed and go and find him or wait until he returned.
He stretched, wincing at the ache in his arse. It was agoodache, one that reminded him he’d been well used, just the way he liked. But it also had him deciding that perhaps it would be more sensible to wait here. Surely Thomas and his impressive cock hadn’t gone too far. Maybe he’d ducked out to the privy or gone to the kitchen for something to eat.
A half smile played around his lips as he recalled the night before. Thomas had been everything he’d hoped for in a lover and more.
And quite apart from that, he was handsome and clever and good company—in short, everything Evan wanted in a man. He was no longer able to pretend that his feelings began and ended with simple physical attraction. Evan wanted Thomas as more than a lover. He wanted to court him properly.
His smile grew pensive as it occurred to him that Thomas might not feel the same. And even if he did, Evan spent alot of time away. Would Thomas be prepared to tolerate him disappearing for weeks and months at a time?
Perhaps Thomas could travel with him as his personal guard. It would mean giving up his role as captain, but?—
Evan stopped that thought in its tracks. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up until he’d spoken to Thomas in the cold light of day. As much as he liked to think he was a catch, he couldn’t be certain Thomas felt the same way.
This might be a simple case of hero worship. Now that Thomas had fucked the Rogue, it was possible he was no longer interested.
Perhaps that was why he’d left.
A wave of disappointment washed over him, unfamiliar and unwelcome, and his gut churned. Evan wasn’t used to rejection, even imagined, and he disliked the sting of it intensely.
Perhaps hewouldgo searching for Thomas after all. He got out of bed and lit one of the lanterns so he could see, and he was just about to pull on his trousers when a noise caught his attention.
The door handle squeaked, moving slowly, and Evan slumped with relief. Thomas hadn’t changed his mind after all.
A smile spread across his face as he stepped forward, and the door swung open. “You know, it’s bad manners to leave someone without at least a ki?—”
As quickly as it had appeared, his smile vanished when a familiar figure pushed his way inside and slammed the door behind him. “What the hell are you doing here?” Evan demanded.
“I’m here to kill you, obviously,” the ambassador for Falsmark said, right before he pulled a knife from his sleeve and pointed it at Evan’s throat.
Evan held his breath and went still. Being threatened with a knife wasn’t ideal, but it also wasn’t new. He could still get out ofthis. He just needed to distract the ambassador for a moment to get the upper hand.
The door flew open.
Thomas stumbled into the room gasping for breath, beads of sweat rolling off his brow. “It’s you! The threat’s againstyou!”
“I’m aware, thank you,” Evan said.
The ambassador’s gaze flicked from Evan to Thomas, his attention wavering for a split second.
It was enough.
Evan ducked nimbly out of his reach and then surged forward, knocking the knife from the ambassador’s hand. While the ambassador was still staring at his empty palm, Evan turned him and slammed him against the wall, pushing the man’s arm halfway up his back and rendering him immobile. “Who sent you?” he snapped. “I won’t ask twice.”
The ambassador tried to break free, but Evan had fought and won too many times for some awkward flailing to have any effect against his iron grip. He pulled the man’s arm further up his back, eliciting a squeal of distress, and grunted out, “Talk.”
“I know who you are,” the man moaned out. “I was sent to get rid of you.”
