Page 107 of Claimed By the Beastly Duke

He could not help but regret keeping the information he had gathered from her. Granted, she would have been terrified if he had simply informed her that her life was in danger. However, she would not be so heartbroken by his actions.

Without even giving it a thought, Edwin reached out his hand to cradle her cheek. His hand was hovering over her face when he heard a thump. His head snapped around immediately. It sounded like someone had softly landed on their feet nearby.

Nobody should be here at this time.

He kept quiet as he strained his ears for any more movement. However, the only sound he could hear was his wife’s soft breathing.

After what seemed like a painfully long moment, doubt crept into his mind. Perhaps he had imagined the sound.

However, Edwin knew he did not imagine the sound. He had served in the army, after all, and his exceptional hearing was one of the reasons he had been able to return home to tell the tale.

He was beginning to consider going to the balcony to see what was happening outside when he heard a creak. He held his breath.

There was no doubt about it this time; he had heard it quite clearly. There was someone on the balcony.

He tiptoed towards the glass-paned door and tried to peer through it. The glass was fogged, so he could not quite see through it. He moved even closer to the door till his nose was pressed against the pane, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

A shadow breezed past, and he shrank back. He had not seen the person, but he knew now that his suspicions were correct.

Someone had broken into his estate, and the person had chosen his wife’s balcony.

He quickly glanced at her sleeping form, and his heart ached. He could not bear to imagine what could have happened if he had not been in the room.

The intruder would have attacked her or perhaps even?—

Another creaking sound. The door handle slowly turned. The intruder was now trying to open the door.

Edwin was enraged. His first instinct was to attack the intruder for even daring to trespass on his estate. However, he knew that making a miscalculated move could result in the intruder escaping.

He tiptoed to the side, hiding in the shadows. This time, he was going to lull the intruder into a false state of security, and when the intruder was confident no one had caught him, he would pounce.

He held his breath and watched as the door handle twisted downward. Then, with a soft creak, the door opened slightly.

The intruder waited, perhaps to ensure that no one was aware of his presence. Then, he pushed the door wide open and stepped into the room.

Edwin pressed himself against the wall as he watched him. He did not dare move so as not to alert him of his presence. He gritted his teeth as the culprit slunk towards his wife’s bed.

When the man had ventured far enough into the room—far enough that escape would be difficult—Edwin stepped out of the shadows. In one swift motion, he swung his fist at the man.

The blow landed on the intruder’s neck.

“Owwww!” The culprit lost balance and toppled towards the bed.

The sudden shout seemed to have woken Ava, as Edwin caught a glimpse of her sitting up.

He could imagine how confusing it was to wake up and find your husband attacking a stranger in your room.

He pounced on the intruder and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragging him away from the bed and towards the balcony. His priority was keeping Ava safe, and attacking the intruder in her room could cause her harm.

Once on the balcony, he could finally see the intruder, all thanks to the bright moonlight. However, the bastard had a hood on, making it impossible for Edwin to see his face.

At that moment, Edwin wanted nothing more than to see the intruder’s face, which may have been his undoing.

With one hand, he pinned the intruder to the floor, and with the other, he made to lift the hood. However, by so doing, the hand that pinned the thug down went slack.

He had barely touched the hood when a blow landed square on his stomach. Pain lanced through him, and he staggered backward. But before he could recover, another blow landed on his stomach. This time, the kick knocked the wind out of him, and his body slammed against the railing.

The intruder, not wasting time, began to climb the railing.

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