Winter Getaway - A Storm and Silence Fanfiction

chapter fifteen

Ambrose's POV

The sun seemed to shine brighter than usual this morning. I felt it's rays stinging my eyes as I slowly finished the bowl of porridge they had given me for breakfast. I had not gotten any sleep last night, my mind was racing far too much for sleep to be an option.

I was thinking about our escape plan, and I was also thinking about Lilly. She had seemed very surprised yesterday when I had brushed off her mistake. The truth was, I was furious, her slip up had ruined any chance we had in place of tricking them since now they held something against us. Now our only chance was escape, and even then they still knew about Lilly. Well, Croonie knew, however the chances that she had told Boss or any of the other men were very high. It seemed as if we would eventually have to strike a deal with them, at the rate things were going.

And while my mind churned trying to think about escape plans and possible deals, it also found itself drifting to concern for Lilly. How was she doing? Were they bothering her? Had they given her food, like I had asked?

The concern I had for her plagued me for almost half of the night. I could not understand why I was so worried for her well being. Is this what caring for a lady felt like? Because then I could honestly say I would never have the time for this. Thoughts of her were taking up my time, and I knew I surely couldn't control my empire with a woman plaguing my mind.

"Mr. Ambrose!" The door of the small shelter I was in flew open suddenly.

The woman they called "Croonie" drifted in, with her dramatic black skirts billowing about her. She had a slender figure and very pointed features, making her look a little frightening. Her hair was as dark as night and her eyes shone a true forest green. She was looking at me with hooded eyes, her lashes batting up and down several times.

I knew that look. That look had been the downfall of many men of the past and even if today. I had seen that look bring men to ruin. The look of a female that was ready to go in for the kill.

"What?" I asked her grimmly.

"I know your secret," she sing-songed, walking up closer to the cot I was sitting on.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, the action reminding me of Lilly.

"What secret?" I gave her a faux look of confusion.

"Oh you know just what I'm talking about Mr. Ambrose. Or should I call you by your first name, Rikkard. I know all about that girl being your secretary."

"And?"

"That is not allowed! If the ton finds out you have a woman under your employ, they'll ruin you!" She threw her head back in a screeching laughter.

"You speak very well for a lady of the night," I interrupted her giggles.

Her head immediately snapped to look at me and the look in her eyes was murderous, "Excuse me?"

"Isn't that what you do here? Provide entertainment and pleasure for these men? I'm sure they enjoy you all through the ni-."

Before I could finish my sentence, her skinny hand quickly flew toward my face and I felt the hot sting of her palm against my cheek. She was angry.

"I don't care that you're a peer of the realm or an important business man, Rikkard. I will treat you as the scum you are if you ever speak to me that way again," Her voice was hot with anger.

I leaned in and spoke faster than before, "Croonie, I think we both know quite well that only one person in this room is true scum, and it is not me."

Her eyes grew as large as humanly possible and she very much resembled a tomato at this moment.

"If we didn't need your money then I would gladly kill you."

"If you didn't need my money then neither of us would be in this situation," I sneered.

"However," I continued quickly, "You do need my money. So you can have the life you want. Instead of working for these men that use you and will toss you out."

"They've needed me for years. They wouldn't toss me out," her expression remained strong, but I could hear her voice falter.

Croonie was slowly breaking down.

"But once they have my money, what will they need you for then? Their own pleasures? What makes you think they'll truly let you keep your fair share of the money and property?"

Her green eyes started to glisten and I could see her pondering my words. She was doubting her comrades, her trust in them slowly slipping.

"That would be a true shame," I continued, "Since you are certainly a beautiful woman."

Her eyes flickered up to mine with a vulnerable look. I placed two fingers under chin and tilted her face up so she was looking directly at me, "I could take care of you. Without them."

Her brows furrowed, "What about your lady?"

"Lilly?"

She nodded.

"She is only under my employ. She means nothing more than that," I wondered why my mouth seemed to burned as those words came out.

"Truly? You seemed very concerned for her, she even admitted to you fancying her."

I suddenly faltered out of my character, "She did?" I asked bewildered.

"Well, she said maybe, but I think she might have truly believed it."

I blinked a few times in surprise but quickly went back to work on Croonie, "She is nothing short of delusional if she believes I care for her other than as an employee."

"Oh do you believe so, truly?" She leaned in closer to me, her face now centimeters from mine.

"Truly," I murmured, closing the distance between us.

The kiss tasted disgusting, felt disgusting, and was disgusting. And despite my obvious attempt to pull away from her, she only tried to deepen it more. I did not budge for a few seconds, waiting for the right time to pull away. When her slender fingers started to tug on my hair, I firmly pulled away, coughing into my fist.

"I think we can help each other," Croonie murmured to me, "We can get out of here together."

"With my secretary and bodyguard of course."

"Why do you need them? We'll be fine together!" She complained.

"I need my secretary to help me with important files and my bodyguard to protect me. They are both quite essential to my personage."

Croonie nodded, slowly agreeing.

"We will take them!"

"Oh and my driver," I added.

She frowned and rolled her eyes, "This is not some rescue and escape mission."

I did my best to push my lips into the best fake smile I could muster, "It is going to have to be."

"Fine, fine," She agreed, "We can get them too."

I did not know if now was the time to tell her the plan I had already concocted or if I should let her believe that her and I were making up a plan together. I decided she would be more flattered by the latter. And flattery seemed to work very well on her up to this point.

"What do you suppose would be the best way to escape then?" I asked.

"In the night," Croonie answered quickly.

"Obviously," Lilly's voice whispered in my head.

I knew that's exactly what she would say if she were here at this moment, listening to the plan.

"We have a deal then."

Croonie smiled at me with her yellow teeth, "We've got a deal."

author's note: omg what is Ambrose doing?? also I can't believe ITEOTS is coming to an end already! and the Robber Knight series!