Page 17 of A Raven Reformed

Michael had never experienced anything so magnificent in all his life. He’d nearly spilled in his trousers when she reached her climax. Each reiteration of ‘yes, my lord’ had pushed him ever closer to the edge. She’d been so eager in her compliance and in her passion. His arousal was still painful and begging him to take her, but this was not the night for that. Now that she was finally a little more open to him, he wanted to take time to get to know her. There’d hopefully be plenty of time for lovemaking in their future, even if his manhood was impatient to get started.

He turned on his side and propped his head on his hand. “You’re awfully quiet, but I can hear the thoughts churning in that beautiful mind of yours. Would you like to share?”

Her brow furrowed in thought before she turned to face him. “Isn’t there more? It’s just… Lizzie said that you would want certain things in order to feel fulfilled as a husband.” She looked earnestly into his eyes. “I won’t fight you if you want to do that. I’ll cooperate.”

Michael felt a crack form in the wall around his heart at those words. She was offering to sacrifice herself for his happiness, even after all the pain he’d caused her. “Yes, there is so much more, and I do want it. Desperately, in fact. But I don’t want you to just cooperate, Belle. When I eventually do take you, I want you so desperate to have it you’re begging me for it.”

Her eyes grew wide, partly from shock, but if he wasn’t wrong, there was some anticipation in there too. “How will I even know that I want it?”

He chuckled softly. “Oh, you’ll know.”

“Lizzie made it sound like something I’d have to endure, not something I’d enjoy.”

He rolled his eyes. “Remind me to thank her for that. She probably scared you half witless with that conversation. No wonder you wanted nothing to do with me. Although, I don’t blame her, or you, for thinking me a brute. I’ve made a lot of mistakes when it comes to you and our arrangement, I’m afraid.” That was an understatement. Somehow, he hadn’t gotten any part of it right.

She shrugged. “I don’t know a lot of the details, but I’m starting to wonder if perhaps you simply did your best with a difficult situation.”

“Well, that is a very generous assessment.” Generosity that he didn’t deserve from her. “Now, I have a question.”

“You want to know how I knew about your club and this place?” She averted her eyes, nervous guilt settling on her face.

“I just assumed someone let you into my study while I was away, and you went through my desk. There is plenty of paperwork in there with information about The Raven’s Den on it and the address of this townhouse. I am in no way ashamed of owning a gaming hell, nor is it a secret.”

“Well, that’s mostly correct, except no one let me into your study. I did it all on my own, so I don’t want you to think you have a traitor in your employ. I picked the lock.”

Michael choked out a laugh. “You’re my wife, Belle, and I have no secrets to keep from you. As Lady Dalinridge, you have my full permission to enter every room in any of our homes.”

“I suppose I haven’t really thought of myself as Lady Dalinridge,” she admitted.

“It will come, with time.” At least he hoped it would.

“I actually went to your club first, but there was a giant of a man outside the front door, and I didn’t dare to approach him.”

Michael smiled. “That giant of a man would have made sure you were safe. We have several of them in our employ, and you can trust every one of them.”

She nodded but didn’t look entirely sure.

“What was it that drove you to come down here all by yourself, Belle?”

Her eyes darted around a bit as she tried to gather her thoughts. “I know I have been, let’s just say, difficult.” She gave him a nervous little smile. “I have to confess something,” she blurted.

Michael simply raised a brow and waited for her to continue, clueless to what she could possibly feel compelled to confess.

“I was outside your study the night you sent Jones for a bottle of brandy.”

“Oh dear.” He cringed at the memory. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. It was not my finest hour.” Hopefully she hadn’t seen him after the drinking had actually begun.

“I thought perhaps my behavior had led you to drink again after all that time without it. You obviously keep it hidden for a reason, and I worried that I had ruined that.”

“I’ll be honest. I was worried about that too. Not that you had caused me to do anything. My actions are my own. But I worried that in a moment of weakness, I would fall back on my old habits. Which is why the liquor has been hidden. But I didn’t give into temptation that night because of you, Belle. I was angry at myself for hurting you.”

She shook her head. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“Well, I scared you, at the very least. I’m sorry for that.”

“Confused me, perhaps, but it doesn’t matter now.”

“It matters to me. I never want to hurt you.”

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