Page 28 of Ruthless, But for Her

His eyes narrowed, and his smile all but disappeared.

“I could arrange Ryker or Sorren as escort, if you prefer.”

He must have misunderstood her. Cassia shook her head. “No. I just...I thought you meant...”

The most handsome man she'd ever met, before Ashton, was a stable boy. She had seen only thirteen summers then, and still believed, despite her father's insistence otherwise, that she might have a hand in picking her own husband.

Her father had laughed when she mentioned that to him.

A commotion behind him signaled the arrival of her trunks.

Cassia recognized the man in front as Ryker. The other was perhaps, Sorren? She backed into the room, wondering how all three of them would even fit inside the small chamber. None of them were small in stature, but the newcomer was bigger by a head.

He ducked beneath the door frame out of habit. He was broad through the shoulders and chest, with dark hair longer than Ashton's, and blue eyes that found her at once and then, courteously, looked away.

Cassia pulled the mantle more tightly around her shoulders. Ryker noticed, smiling in a very different way than Ashton had.

“No need to cover yourself. We've seen more, most days by sunrise.”

She gasped and clutched the mantle tighter.

“Ryker,” the big one warned. From his expression, Ashton appeared prepared to do the same. Putting the chest at her bed, Ryker ignored both men and bowed to her with a flourish.

With that, he left the chamber with a swagger Cassia wasn't sure she'd ever seen before in her life. She'd met plenty of lords, and even an earl. But this Ryker carried himself more confidently than any of them.

“Apologies for him. I am Sorren. We've not yet met.”

It was as she thought.

“This is my other brother,” Ashton said. “Sorren, Lady Cassia.”

“Ashton's captive.” The words escaped her mouth, and though Ashton didn't appear angry in the least...Sorren did.

“Apologies for that, as well.”

She assumed he was angry at her, but the opposite seemed true.

“Your maid is safely on her way home. Let us hope it is some consolation.”

He was as well spoken as Ashton. These men with no surnames—at least none she knew—were full of surprises.

“I am pleased to hear it.”

“I would be more pleased if you were safely returned as well. The moment we receive word from Sir Roland, you will be apprised of it,” Sorren said as he made his way back out the door.

The moment he was gone, she ran to her trunk of books. It had taken two men to carry it to the ship.

She opened it to find them tucked safe inside. Closing it, she silently chastised herself for the tome she’d left behind. Her father had brought it back from Stourbridge Fair some years before.

“Do you require a maid to attend to you?”

“Nay. I do not.”

“Lock the door again behind me. I will return anon.”

She'd almost forgotten about their previous discussion. “For a walk?”

“Aye. Unless you wish to remain here now that you've your books returned.”