Her Dark Knight's Redemption. Nicole Locke

care what was interesting, she cared for his deeds, his words.

      ‘You’re not talking.’

      He was playing with her. Making her wait. She couldn’t remain idle the whole day. ‘It’s your turn,’ she said. ‘I asked questions that you have yet to answer. Further, you’re the one who dragged me here. It would be appreciated if you would be courteous and convey the reasons why.’

      ‘Haste again.’

      ‘With good cause.’

      Another brow, enquiring, looking for elaboration on her statement. She wouldn’t give him more. It was none of his concern that she needed to return to her family. When it came to time, hers was important as anyone’s. Rich or poor.

      Another huff of air as if she amused or frustrated him. ‘I want you to care for the babe.’

      ‘I already am and I intend to wake her in a bit and feed her more. Then she should bathe and sleep.’

      ‘It is good you let me know your intentions—what will you do when she sleeps?’

      ‘Leave.’

      He nodded. ‘You are correct in thinking it is my time to talk, for I intend for you to stay.’

      ‘Stay?’

      ‘For the remainder of the day, tomorrow and the conceivable future.’

      ‘You said—’

      ‘I do not want your body or your death, nor by extension will my men. I intend for you to care for the babe, as you’ve been doing.’

      No one snatched a stranger off the streets and ordered them to care for a child. Especially when that child was obviously theirs. He’d drawn a blade guarding the child, now he was giving her into her care?’

      ‘You want me to care for your child,’ she said.

      ‘Not my child.’

      ‘The mother, wouldn’t she—?’

      ‘You’re her mother.’

      She jerked, momentarily waking the child in her arms, and she walked around the room again until it was soothed. A year old. She should have been plump with dimples and too heavy to carry this long. She weighed no more than the swaddling wrapped around her.

      ‘We both know I’m not her mother.’

      ‘You look alike.’

      It was true.

      ‘You look alike,’ she pointed out, certain he’d confess to the relationship.

      He only smiled. ‘Anything could be a deception.’

      She’d play along if she must to understand this. ‘If you are not the father and I am not the mother, won’t the parents have some say in this matter?’

      ‘She has no parents.’

      ‘You’re certain.’

      ‘She has no one.’

      Not true. She knew what it meant to have no one. ‘She has you. She was in this room and you were holding her.’

      ‘Now you are.’

      An abandoned baby. This man took a trebuchet to her defence against her argument to leave.

      ‘Everyone saw you with the child first.’

      ‘You mean by the men who are in my pay?’

      This man wasn’t like anyone she’d met before. She’d always been able to bargain her way out of a situation. But every argument she could think of, he’d already anticipated.

      Panicked, she blurted, ‘I can’t stay.’

      ‘You’re a thief, homeless, on the streets. Before I snatched you from that predicament you were to be sent to gaol to suffer for your crimes. Wouldn’t staying here in this home, taking care of that child, be preferable?’

      Darkness was a madman. ‘No one snatches a complete stranger off the streets to care for a child. No one takes a thief and brings them into their home. You do not know me.’

      ‘True, but you do not know me.’

      Oh, but she did. Her instincts never lied. He was far more dangerous than his act of bringing in a thief. And she let him know she knew him. ‘I saw your blade.’

      ‘Yes...you did.’

      Threats. If he set her free, she’d go to gaol. He’d insist; Ido, the arrogant baker, would as well. There her sentence would be an ear, a hand, her life.

      That is, if he set her free. After all, there were other means to dispose of her. For all she knew, she was the second woman he’d offered to care for the child. Maybe another kidnapped woman declined his offer and it was her blood on his clothes.

      ‘If I refuse?’ she asked.

      ‘You can’t.’

      He didn’t say any more, but he didn’t need to. It was the truth. She couldn’t refuse though she had a compelling reason to beg. Pleading did no good with the mercenaries, but pleading was all she had left. She’d tried reasoning and that failed.

      But what could she plead? He wouldn’t believe the little bits of work she did or her scavenging were important.

      She couldn’t tell him she had others in her care. That would give him an advantage and put her family in jeopardy. All he would need to do was find them and threaten them and she’d comply with his demands.

      Her only recourse was to agree, then escape. Gabriel wouldn’t stay at home, might already be in the streets looking for her. Maybe he’d listen to Helewise and Vernon. They’d talked of a situation like this. That if she was caught to give her time to return.

      She prayed he’d give her time.

      Striding to the bench, she plopped herself and the child down. It was enough to wake and feed her again, which is what Aliette did.

      ‘That is your answer.’ He indicated to the food, to the child.

      ‘I can’t refuse you and this child needs care. If you are so insistent that I’m the one to do it, who am I to argue?’

      ‘The house and food for your belly doesn’t hurt.’

      That is what he thought compelled her. Shelter and food? Once it might have been enough, but her dingy room with her family was worth so much more than that. With them she laughed and told stories.

      Darkness never smiled.

      She smiled at him. ‘If I’m to be treated as well, I’d be a fool not to accept.’

      Narrowing his eyes, he stood. It forced her to raise her chin as Darkness loomed over her.

      ‘I do not mean you or the child harm. I intend to give you a roof over your head and all the food you could want. A bath and clothes have been ordered for you as well and they are to be prepared for you in the room next to this one. You could have all this daily.’

      ‘Until the child is well?’

      He slowly shook his head. ‘Food and shelter for years. Something you’ve never had.’

      She hated that he guessed the truth.