by Dawn Brower
Was he serious? She rolled her eyes. He had to be the most ridiculous man she’d ever met. “He didn’t have a choice. Rubina is his wife. Do you think he should have married me when he already was? Tell me how that makes sense?”
“Of course not,” his voice was full of disdain. “It doesn’t discount the fact he dishonored you.”
Pearla blew out a breath of frustration. There was no reasoning with Lord Addison, so she wasn’t going to waste her time. She’d much rather go home and curl up in her warm bed. Maybe she should get a pet. They were at least loyal and didn’t feel the need to dictate to her. First thing in the morning, she’d look into acquiring a dog.
“Right, of course.” She paused and smiled brightly. Her cheeks burned with the effort of holding the false grin in place. “But I quite like spending time with my friends, so I’ve chosen to let the past go. Since I am the one that was slighted, I feel it is within my power to forgive and openly socialize with whomever I wish to.”
She hoped she’d gotten the message across loud and clear. There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d stop calling on her friends because Lord Addison disapproved. She’d rather poke her eyes out with a hot needle than try to please him. He seemed like a nice enough man, even if he was rather bossy… That didn’t mean she wanted to spend the rest of her days in his company.
He moved closer to her and bent his head to stare into her eyes. “You’re correct. It is the sign of a graceful and generous person to forgive.”
She mentally rolled her eyes. So glad he approved. “It was nice to see you again, but I am going to go home. It’s been a rather tedious evening, and I feel a megrim coming on.”
Pearla moved around him to head back inside. He grabbed her wrist, halting her progress.
“Wait,” he demanded. “I wasn’t done speaking with you.”
She stared up at him, anger spiking through her once again. “That may be, but I was finished with our conversation. Let me go.”
His grip tightened around her arm causing a sharp pain to travel through her hand. She winced as the pain increased as he continued to squeeze her wrist. Lord Addison yanked her closer to him. “Why are you always in a hurry to leave me? Don’t you understand I hold you in the highest esteem?”
“You’re hurting me.” Pearla tried to wrench her wrist from within his firm hold.
He lifted his other arm and skimmed his fingers across her hair. She shuddered and jerked her head. “You’re so beautiful, Miss Montgomery.”
“Am I interrupting?” Damian strolled out to the balcony. His gait was elegant and unaffected. He appeared to not have a care in the world.
“Yes, you are.” Lord Addison seethed.
“I don’t think I am.” Damian studied him. “Pearla, would you like to go back inside with me?”
She yanked her arm free at last and rubbed her tender wrist. “Indeed, I would. Good evening, Lord Addison,” Pearla said with disdain. She spun on her heels and let Damian lead her back inside.
“Was he forcing his intentions on you?”
She was glad Damian had come to her rescue. That didn’t mean she was going to encourage him. It hadn’t been that long since she was trying to escape him and his arranged tryst with the lovely Camellia. Instead of answering him, she remained silent for their entire trek inside. She nodded to members of the ton as she passed them, leaving a smile on her face as she walked. When they reached the far end of the ballroom near the exit she stopped in her tracks and turned to him. “Thank you for the escort, but I’m going to have to bid you farewell now.”
“Don’t be so quick to run away, cara.” He rubbed her tender wrist with intense gentleness. A red welt appeared where Lord Addison had gripped it. “I know he hurt you. He will pay for that.”
Anger spiked her blood hot. “I don’t need you to fight all my battles for me, Damian. Go find your mistress and spend the evening with her. I will be fine. I’m more than capable of seeing myself home.”
He smiled. Why did he have to be so devastatingly handsome? Damn man. She wanted to smack the cocky grin right off his perfect face. That was what bothered her the most. He had looked even better standing next to the flawless Camellia. She ached deep down to the edge of her soul and feared a part of her would forever want this man.
“I assure you, I do not have, nor do I want, a mistress.”
She raised an eyebrow and considered throwing the woman and their little tête-à-tête back at him, but held back the retort. Throwing insults and trading innuendos with Daman was counterproductive to what she wanted.
“It matters not. I am going home.” She shrugged. “What you do with your time is your business.”
He chuckled. “Sweetness, I do believe you’re jealous.”
She opened her mouth as shock filled her. He was right. She was. Not that she would ever admit to such a lowly emotion. Damian didn’t deserve to know how she felt about him. It was bad enough she was privy to it on a daily basis.
“I wouldn’t deign to give you the pleasure.”
“Oh, darling,” he coaxed. “I promise you one day I will show you so much bliss you won’t doubt where my affection lies.”
He was trying to tempt her again. She couldn’t give in. This conversation had to end before she did the unthinkable and fell willingly into his embrace. She had to be strong and remember who he really was. Damian was not the man for her—no man was.
“Good bye, Damian.”
She turned on her heels and took slow steady steps to put distance between them. It wouldn’t do for him to realize she was running away from him, and as fast as possible to save face.
“You can run, Pearla.” His laugher floated up to her ears. “But you can’t hide. We will be seeing each other again soon. And, cara, that’s a promise you can count on.”
She gritted her teeth. So much for pretending she wasn’t trying to escape him and the allure he held for her… It was silly of her to think she’d fooled him for even a second. Damian appeared to have the ability to see right through her—and it scared her senseless.
Chapter Twelve
Damian watched Pearla as she left the ball. He was willing to let her leave because he knew one of his men would follow her and ensure she made it home safely. With her gone, he could take care of some other important matters. They were not more important that Pearla, but still had to be dealt with. First, he had to track down Lord Addison and inform him he was never to go near her again. Pearla had played it down, but the man had hurt her. What Lord Addison had hoped to accomplish, Damian did not know. Before he left the Silverton Ball, he would beat the answers out of him, if necessary. He really hoped the man proved difficult. He was bloody pissed off anyone had dared to hurt the woman he loved.
He stalked toward the last place he’d saw the cur. After scanning the area, his gaze landed on Lord Addison as he left the ballroom. Where was he going? It didn’t matter. It gave him the opportunity to have a conversation with him in private. He didn’t want word to get back to Pearla he’d pummeled the man after she departed. That was one thing he would keep to himself. He didn’t want to worry her. This was something he’d gladly handle. Lord Addison would not bother her ever again.
“A word if you will, Lord Addison.” He followed him inside the library and shut the door with a soft click. He stalked forward until he was directly in front of him. “I believe we have a few things to discuss.”
Lord Addison turned his nose up at him. “I can’t fathom what.”
The more he was around the man, he liked him even less. “No?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t we being with your intentions toward Miss Montgomery.”
As in, he wouldn’t have any after he was done with him. The bastard was going to forget she existed. His jaw tightened as he studied Lord Addison. The man appeared completely unruffled in his presence. Did he really believe he was safe? Did he not know what Damian was capable of?
“My intentions are honorable of course,” he replied. “Though I fail to s
ee how it is any concern of yours, but I intend to marry her.”
Never mind beating him senseless. Lord Addison needed to die. The sooner he stopped breathing, the easier it would be for Damian to relax.
“She’s not interested.” He clenched his teeth together into a snarl. “You’re to leave her alone and not bother her any further with unwanted attention.”
Lord Addison laughed. “That’s a good one. You’re playing a joke on me, correct?” He paused and stared at Damian. “Oh, I see. You’re serious. Why would I cease to court her? Miss Montgomery has not indicated she was averse to my suit.”
Damian clenched his fists against his side. It wasn’t time yet. Just a little bit longer and he could wipe the satisfied smirk off of Lord Addison’s face. When he was done with the lord, he would know exactly who Pearla belonged to.
“You don’t need to hear anything from Miss Montgomery. She wasn’t too happy with you outside on the balcony. You left bruises on her wrist.” Damian took two even steps closer to him. “A man with honorable intentions doesn’t hurt a woman in his care.” He’d pay it back tenfold. He’d be throbbing with pain much stronger than Pearla currently was.
Lord Addison stared at Damian and gulped. He finally realized he was in a room alone with an enraged beast. If he didn’t tread carefully, he would be shredded. Damian grinned evilly. It was about time he realized the danger he courted by hurting Pearla.
Damian took two more steps. Lord Addison retreated.
“Can we remain civilized?”
“No,” Damian replied. “I believe we’ve passed the very idea of it the moment you thought you had the right to touch her.”
He yanked him by his cravat and lifted him off the ground. A little swine of a man, barely worth the effort to warn off, but for Pearla, Damian would do anything. Even send Lord Addison to hell where he belonged. Maybe that was even too good for him. Perhaps he should put the sod on ship to visit a different kind of hell.
“Tell me, Lord Addison, have you ever had the opportunity to travel?”
“Um, I had a world tour…” He was shaking in his grasp. “And I returned from France a short time ago.”
Damian laughed. “What about Fiji?” The living hell he’d left might be a good place to send Lord Addison.
“I—I,” he stuttered. “Please, release me.”
“You mean the same way you were going to let go of Pearla’s wrist earlier?” He tilted his head and studied the man. “You’re right, I should give you the same consideration.”
Damian squeezed his neck until he started to turn purple, and then punched him in his stomach. After he let him go, Lord Addison fell to the floor with a loud thud. He gasped for breath and tore his cravat off.
“You—why—I don’t understand,” he gasped out.
“I don’t intend to kill you. I never did, and as much as I’d like to send you to hell so you’ll never bother my intended again, I can’t do that. It would make me no better than you.” Damian leaned down and said with conviction, “But rest assured if you ever go near her again, I will, and I won’t think twice about it. She is mine to protect now.”
He scooted backward. “I didn’t know—Miss Montgomery never said…”
That didn’t surprise him. He had yet to win her over. Soon the whole world would know she was his. He could be patient for her to accept it. This man didn’t need to know more than she belonged to him.
“She shouldn’t have to say anything to be respected. Leave before I change my mind.”
Lord Addison raced out of the library. Damian scanned the room. His eyes locked onto a brandy decanter and decided he needed—no, deserved—a drink. He understood Pearla’s reluctance, but it was playing havoc on him. What he needed was to be able to shout from the rooftops she was his. This cloak and dagger routine was getting old. He poured brandy into a glass and then downed the contents in one gulp. It burned as it traveled down his throat.
Clapping echoed through the room. “That was quite the performance. I must thank you for the entertainment.”
Damian spun and locked gazes with Captain Blythe. It appeared to be his lucky night. The other man he needed to have words with had walked back into his life.
“Ah, Captain, good to see you. I’ve been looking for you.”
“I heard,” he replied. “I have my own spies too.”
Damian poured another glass of brandy and took a slow drink. “I wouldn’t expect less from someone employed by the late Duca d’Sordillo. I’m only surprised it’s taken you this long to track me down.”
“Be a good sport and pour me a glass of that brandy. I think we have a few things we must iron out.”
Damian didn’t want to have a lengthy conversation with the man. He wanted a few quick answers. The fight had left him when Lord Addison scurried out of the room. Now, he wanted to go home and plot how to win Pearla’s heart for good.
“Pour your own brandy. I’m not your servant.” Damian gestured toward the decanter. “As far as working through a few things… Tell me one thing, and we can be done with each other.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What is it you want to know?”
“Why did you marry us?”
He didn’t ask if the marriage was valid. It didn’t matter anymore. Damian had no problem going through another ceremony. Pearla would never believe that the marriage was real without one. If it alleviated her concerns, then he’d do it a thousand times—as long as the end result was the same. She’d be his forever.
“I assume you’re speaking about Miss Montgomery.” He grinned. “I did enjoy watching, or rather hearing, you defending her honor.”
Damian took a deep breath and glared at the Captain. “Are you going to explain what your master plan was?”
He shrugged and headed toward the brandy decanter. The Captain poured himself a glass and took a sip. He took his time before he turned back to Damian.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
That was it? Damian didn’t buy it. There had to be more to his motivation than a spur of the moment idea. “I don’t believe you.”
He laughed and explained, “Conte, I’m not obsessed with you like the Fonte family is. I was—bored. The two of you amused me. I thought if I married you, it would prove to be rather entertaining. I admit that the duca thought that it would be good fun to ruin Miss Montgomery and you be the one who accomplished the task.” The captain shrugged. “He believed the Duke of Huntly would never forgive you for ruining his former intended.”
Damian clenched his jaw. “He would have destroyed an innocent woman’s life to tamper with my relationship with Noah?”
“There isn’t anything that the duca wouldn’t have done.” He swallowed the contents of his glass and set it down. “You were a pawn in a much larger scheme.”
What Captain Blythe was telling him proved interesting, but it didn’t really answer his questions. He needed to understand it fully in order to move forward. “Care to explain what his plans entailed?”
“No,” he paused and studied Damian, “As fun as this has been, I think I’ve told you all I can.”
“You haven’t told me anything at all. This conversation is leaving me with even more questions and no answers to speak of.”
Captain Blythe shrugged and headed toward the door. He paused before exiting and turned back to Damian. “There’s not much I can do about that. The duca was only one boss in a crowd of many, and I rather like my head attached to my body. If I say any more, I might not keep it there.”
Damian gritted his teeth and clenched his hand into a tight fist. The more he talked, the more he wanted to plant a fist into his face. If he wasn’t going to depart with useful information regarding Paolo and his cohorts, then he could at least tell him something else of import.
“Before you scamper off,” Damian said. “Why does Pearla believe we are not actually married?”
His laugh filled the room, making Damian want to act on his impulses. “I’m afraid that is
my fault.” He shrugged. “I told you I was suffering from ennui. After we took you away and deposited you on that infernal island, I decided she didn’t need to mourn your loss. I gave her a reason to be angry with you instead —after all, no one intended for you to leave Fiji and see her ever again. She needed to move on with her life. Perhaps find someone worthy of her. She is a rather lovely woman.”
Damian enunciated each word, barely holding in his rage. “What. Did. You. Tell. Her.”
“I simply explained how you were only using her.” He shrugged. “That you hoped to entice her into your bed and help her lose her virtue along the way.”
“What does that have to do with our marriage?” No wonder she was so reluctant to be with him. The Captain had done them a tremendous disservice.
“Oh, that. I explained how it wasn’t valid, and only a tool to get you what you really desired from her.” He grinned. “There was also the little bit about how you were in on the plan from the start. The lady wasn’t amused.”
Damian cursed. “So it’s true. Our wedding was a hoax to entertain you on the voyage to rid the world of me?”
“Yes,” Captain Blythe said and left the room.
Damian threw his half-filled glass and watched it shatter against the wall. The amber liquid dripped down and hit the floor. It still didn’t assuage the rage burning inside , so he turned and punched the wall, cursing from the pain shooting through him. How was he going to win Pearla back when she believed the worst of him? At least he knew what poison Captain Blythe had filled her head with. He would have to show her with his actions how much she meant to him. No matter how much he told her he wanted her, she wouldn’t truly believe it. Not when he’d been forced to leave her before and she’d felt abandoned, as well as used.
He had an uphill battle from the moment he’d been torn from her side. In the end, he would prevail. The beginnings of love had been stamped in her heart. All he had to do was remind her of the man she’d trusted with her tender heart.
Damian smiled. Soon, cara, soon I will begin to unlock your deepest desires.
