The Siren's Gentleman Read online

  The Siren's Gentleman

  Fate of the Worthingtons, Volume 4

  Laura A. Barnes

  Published by Laura A. Barnes, 2022.

  Copyright © 2022 by Laura A. Barnes

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

  First Printing: 2022

  Laura A. Barnes

  www.lauraabarnes.com

  Cover Art by Laura A. Barnes

  Editor: Telltail Editing

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  Desire other books to read by Laura A. Barnes

  Author Laura A. Barnes

  To William – Thank you for helping me see the vision I had for this series & encouraging me to keep trudging along through every obstacle I came upon

  Chapter One

  Graham rushed along the hallway, the flickering candles in the scones only offering him a small amount of light in his endless pursuit. He followed the white billowing skirts trailing behind the mysterious figure who was always within his reach, yet unable to be grasped. She haunted his dreams, consumed his every waking moment, but he held no clue about who she might be. Even now he couldn’t call her name and beg for her to wait for him. Because without a name, she would forever be a figment of his imagination.

  She led him along one hallway after another, teasing him with a glance of her features when she looked over her shoulder to see if he still followed her.

  “Stop,” Graham yelled, but she responded by running away. The farther she ran, the more the shadows following them closed in, suffocating him with their heaviness.

  Graham rounded the corner and came to a halt. She had stopped on the edge of the decaying house. Strong winds whipped the air, lifting the locks of her raven hair to swirl around her, and the layers of her skirts slapped against her legs in a billowing haze. The girl slowly turned, and once again Graham stood speechless at her exquisite beauty. There were no words to articulate the beauty he gazed upon.

  Lightning slashed as the sky opened up to pelt them with harsh raindrops. Graham wiped his face to focus on pulling her to safety before she fell off the edge. He took a tentative step forward, but the girl shook her head in response for him not to move. Graham was so close to her.

  He reached out. “Take my hand,” Graham roared above the thunder.

  A mixture of impish delight, seduction, and sorrow lit her face in a smile before she stretched her arms out to the sides and fell backwards off the ledge. Graham screamed and reached out to catch her, but he only caught the emptiness of the air as he plunged to the ground. She had disappeared before him and left him falling.

  Falling.

  Falling to his impending doom.

  Graham Worthington jerked awake, sitting up and gasping for air as the darkness clung to him. His panicked gaze roamed around, and his heart rate slowed as he calmed at the familiar sight of his bedchamber. Collapsing against the pillows, he swiped a hand across his face.

  Once he realized he wouldn’t fall back to sleep, he rose and drew on his robe. Following the same routine as the other nightmares that haunted his sleep, he moved to the terrace to savor the heady drag of a cigar and a warming shot of whiskey. He sprawled in a chair and tipped his head to stare at the stars. No angry storm taunted him with danger. No. It was a peaceful evening that fooled one into believing goodness was within their reach. However, it was all a sham. Evilness surrounded him, beckoning Graham closer because it wanted to wreak its havoc on him.

  It was an evilness Graham swore to obliterate. It had spread its disease long enough. At first he had fought to destroy it because of the injustices it spread while it played its game. But once it struck to torment his family, it became personal. He vowed he would bring about its demise.

  Graham threw back two shots of whiskey before lighting his cigar. After taking a long drag, he rested the cigar on the tray provided and rubbed at his temples, but nothing helped to ease the headache that plagued him after his nightmares.

  He caused them by the relentless stress he placed on himself to capture Lady Langdale, a notorious mastermind who tormented the wealthy with her vindictive schemes. The investigation had come to a standstill after they captured most of her crew a few weeks ago and locked them behind bars. They had attempted to sabotage the ball his family had thrown to celebrate his two younger sisters’ marriages. Lady L had fled and hid underground with the members of her crew that didn’t abandon her. She remained elusive, leaving no trace of her whereabouts.

  Graham’s tortured thoughts caused him another sleepless night. They were a dangerous mix of the unknown, leaving him feeling out of sorts. All because of a lady he had only caught glimpses of. His mystery lady haunted his every thought and vanished whenever he got too close.

  He scoured endless musicals, balls, brunches, soirees, all hoping to find her. Since the first evening he saw her at the theater, he had sat through every play and opera, assuming she was a performer. But he never saw her once. She remained a mystery.

  But he didn’t imagine her. She was as real as the emotions she stirred in him. Fate called them together. Destiny aligned for their souls to meet. She may run away from him all she wanted, but he would catch her eventually. And when he did, she would accept fate’s calling just as he had.

  Because he didn’t dream of the sorrow mixed with determination she held in her gaze before she fell over the edge. He also saw in the depths how she longed for him to catch her. And he would one day.

  Another promise he made.

  SABRINA UNDERSTOOD the risks involved in lurking in the dark shadows as she did now. However, she found more comfort in the darkness than she did under the fresh rays of sunshine. Still, she needed to stay hidden now more than ever. She couldn’t risk the exposure or the questioning if someone caught her. Her assignment was far from over. The danger had escalated, making it vital to keep her identity a secret.

  However, her craving to live a normal existence led her to spy on the gentleman who held the ability to ruin what she had worked so hard to achieve. If she allowed herself a chance at happiness, it would make her sacrifices worthless. Not to mention, once he learned of her connection to Lady Langdale, he would refuse to acknowledge her.

  Every desire she held was nothing but a fanciful imagination never to come true. She needed to keep reminding herself that. Then perhaps she wouldn’t face danger every night while she waited outside his terrace, hoping for a glimpse of him. Hoping for him to climb down the trellis and sweep her into his arms. Hoping he would bestow his charming smile on her. Hoping for him to draw her out of the shadows and into the rays of sunshine surrounding him. She must stop wishing for the impossible to occur.

  It bothered her to see him so troubled. He should rest comfortably in his bed, not sit in the dark, smoking and drinking. His determination to destroy the evilness of Lady L consumed him. However, Sabrina couldn’t allow him to achieve his goal quite yet. She still had much to do.

  Sabrina leaned against the tree, fighting back a yawn. She needed to return to safety, but she didn’t want to leave him. Not until his troubled mind eased and he returned to bed. Maybe then her guilt would ease a bit for the hardships she caused him and his family.

  Sabrina whispered his name. “Graham Worthington. Worth.”

  His name fit him. Strong, yet playful. While she had yet to enjoy his charming nature, she had studied him enough to understand his character. She watched him mingle with his peers, captivate every lady’s attention, and play with his friends’ children. He didn’t act like an arrogant arse like the other gentlemen she had met this season. But he wasn’t too pleasant to keep her from the wanton thoughts, which had led her to him this evening.

  Every lady in Graham Worthington’s radius wondered how his kisses would feel. Well, wondered about more than kisses, actually. She had heard the whispers of his prowess. Discreet as he may be, it never stopped a lady who enjoyed his magical touch to boast of his attention on them.

  Sabrina touched her lips, imagining his mouth pressed against hers. Would he be gentle? Or would he take her lips under his with a force of a passion he barely kept contained? Her fingers trembled at the very thought.

  Sabrina turned around. She must leave before she acted on her desires and called out his name. Spying on him had been a mistake, one she must never make again. Because Graham Worthington held the power to destroy her, and a kiss would only be the start of her demise. And she couldn’t afford to give herself up to that power.

  She had a promise to keep.
r />   Chapter Two

  Worth drained the tankard of ale like a man who enjoyed the disgusting brew, thirsty for more. He slammed it on the table twice to get the barmaid’s attention to bring him another. As he waited, he shoveled the slop on the plate into his mouth as if he hadn’t eaten for days. At least it held a bit of flavoring and he could stomach it better than the ale. However, it was a far cry from the spread he usually enjoyed for breakfast.

  When he first arrived, the tavern owner’s wife had waited on him with her brusque manner. A younger, prettier barmaid headed in his direction now, after he had drunk countless mugs of ale and ordered a meal. Worth presumed the girl to be the owner’s daughter hoping to earn some extra coin after hearing Worth boast of beating some toffs at cards.

  Her father must not care about how Worth wore shabby clothes and looked like a drifter. The tavern owner only cared about what profit he would make from Worth’s visit. At least the bloke sent the prettier one his way. He wouldn’t mind forgetting his troubles for a spell with a brief flirtation. If it ended with gathering the information he needed, all the better.

  “Ah, a right pretty lass to whet me appetite with,” Worth slurred with a Scottish accent sure to make his friend Duncan Forrester cringe.

  She giggled. “Here is your ale, sir.”

  Worth smiled at her. So she meant to play the innocent barmaid with him, instead of the sultry one he expected. The girl glanced over her shoulder, looking at her mother, who, Worth noticed, nodded in approval. They thought to play him.

  She set the mug down, and Worth slid his hand over hers before she pulled away. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles before turning her hand over to slide his tongue across her palm. Instead of her gasping in surprise, interest flashed in her eyes.

  She leaned over for him to peruse her ample bosom that was on display. “May I get you anything else?” she asked in a sweet voice.

  He pulled her onto his lap. She let out a squeal and slid her arms around his neck in acceptance. “What may you be offering?”

  Her annoying giggle echoed in his ear. “Whatever the gentleman desires.”

  He traced his finger along the valley of her breasts, and her nipples tightened against the thin dress. “I am no gentleman.”

  The barmaid rubbed her hand against the scruffy beard on his face, scraping her thumb across his bottom lip. “And I am no lady.” She squirmed her bottom around on his lap to prove her point.

  Worth undid a button on the front of her dress. “Well, that works to my advantage.” Another button slipped loose. “Perhaps your father has a bed I may use to sleep off my hard night of winning.”

  She pressed her breasts forward until his hand covered them. “You may use mine.”

  Worth gave her a wicked grin, squeezing her offerings. “And will you tuck me in, my dear?” He bent to whisper in her ear. “Or better yet, allow me the usage of your soft bosom for a pillow?”

  “Only if you make a promise,” the barmaid bargained with him.

  Worth laughed. “Ah, a greedy wench. But to gain a promise in return, you must supply me with the information I seek.”

  She pulled back, pouting. “Mama said you would say as much.”

  “Then your Mama will supply the information for the turn of my coin. I need not make ye any promises.” Worth pretended to rise.

  “No. No.” She pressed a hand on his chest, and he settled back on the bench. “Mama will never tell you the information you seek.”

  Worth narrowed his gaze. “So ye both thought to play me false?”

  The barmaid glanced nervously over her shoulder and confessed once she noticed her mother was busy. “I was to lure you to my bed with promises of giving you information. Once we reached my room, I was to give you a drink laced with a sleeping potion to make you pass out.”

  “Then let me guess, you would steal my coin and pretend your innocence. Then your father would throw me out of the tavern after a beating because I stole his daughter’s virtue. Am I correct?” Worth arched an eyebrow.

  The barmaid nodded, appearing anything but ashamed of what they had planned for him. She wore a devious smile as she slid her hand down his chest and to his lap. “I believe we can all get our way.”

  Worth grabbed her wrist. “I do not see how I win. What, with lost moments of my time and an empty purse.”

  “I am willing to negotiate, my lord.”

  He jerked on her wrist to make his point clear. “I already told you I am no gentleman.”

  “Nor am I a proper miss.”

  “Then what is your proposition?” Worth growled.

  “Follow me upstairs, where we can come to amicable terms without my parents hearing the details.”

  “Do you take me for a fool? I no sooner step abovestairs and meet the demise you laid out for me,” Worth accused.

  “To show my intentions are pure, I will answer one question. If you wish to learn more, you must follow. Remember, a promise for a promise.”

  Worth studied the barmaid for any signs that she meant to double-cross him, but he saw none. If he thought he had her figured right, she only sought to satisfy her urges without her parents’ knowledge. He wanted no part of her plans in that regard, but she didn’t need to learn that until he gained his information.

  “I am searching for a lady who hides in your midst. She yields much power. I need to know where to find her,” Worth said.

  The barmaid narrowed her gaze. “Are you friend or foe?”

  Worth caressed her arm. “Is that any concern of yours?”

  The barmaid’s eyelids grew heavy at his attention. “She hides in a house nearby.”

  “Where?” He gripped her harder at this news.

  Her features tightened from his brutal treatment, but it didn’t stop her from making bold suggestions. “Follow me and you shall seek your information.”

  She slid off his lap and held out her hand. Worth hesitated for only a brief second before swearing under his breath. After throwing the coins to cover his meal and drinks on the table slab, he wrapped his arm around the barmaid’s waist and nuzzled her neck. He needed to fool her parents that she had charmed him to leave. She played along, much to his relief.

  He followed her through the tavern to a set of stairs nestled near the rear of the building. Someone shoved him from behind, knocking him to his knees before he climbed the stairs. With a swiftness he never expected, a young lad swiped the purse from his pocket and tore out the back door.

  Worth jumped to his feet, slapping away the hands of the barmaid in her attempt to help him. He didn’t know if this was part of their scam. Or if the boy had noticed his coin and decided he was an easy mark to pickpocket. He tore after the lad, knocking people out of his way and jumping over crates in his attempt to snag the boy. But the lad was swift on his feet and lost himself in the crowd.

  When Worth saw the boy sneaking down an alley, he followed, confident he had trapped the pickpocket. But when he rounded the corner, the alleyway split off into two different paths. He ran to the center point and turned around in a circle. He had lost the boy.

  “Damn,” Worth growled.

  Not only had he lost his bag of coins, but he also lost his chance to gain the information he desperately needed. It was impossible for him to return to the tavern and strike the same deal. It would risk the livelihood of the family who owned the tavern. Even though they meant to scam him, he wouldn’t risk their lives.

  He had seen the damage Lady L delivered to those who betrayed her. She was even more dangerous since her plans had fallen apart. However, she still held the advantage by keeping herself hidden with a cleverness they had yet to figure out. The most maddening part was how she hid in plain sight, yet they were blind to her whereabouts. He’d stood on the verge of having his blinders lifted, and the measly street urchin had stolen it from him.

  The thief held no connection with the tavern owner but stole from him of his own free will. What made it worse for his ego was how it wasn’t a boy who swiped his money but a mere girl. A girl who bobbed and weaved through the obstacles as if she danced across a ballroom floor. Her movements were fluid and graceful with the elegance of a fine lady, not a street urchin. The trousers molded to her form like a tight glove, and when she turned her head over her shoulder to judge how close he was, he noticed the softness of her face. Her high cheekbones, pouty lips, and the arch of her eyebrows as she glared at him. But most of all, he admired the determination in her gaze to escape him.