Page 84 of Unseen

I grunted out a weak protest as he pulled out of me, flipping me over onto my stomach and not allowing me even a moment to gain purchase on the bed before he slid inside me again.

“You can fight me all you want, Evie,” he said, his breath catching in his throat as he groaned. “Oh you can fight me, but you will not win. I will break this all down, these walls, these masks you show the world. I am the only one…” He broke off with a grunt, his thrusts becoming so punishing I could scarce draw breath, another climax threatening to throw me down and over the edge. “I am the only one who wants you free, little viper. And no one will ever…Fuck.” He hissed, his hands digging into my hips, our collective moans now so loud I was sure the landlord would be beating down the door any moment and once again demanding we leave.

Azriel’s hand wove into my hair, pushing my head into the mattress, and with one last hard thrust, he roared out his release. He held me down until he stopped trembling, and I sucked in a heavy breath. He pulled me up against him, his manhood slipping from my body and spilling seed down my thighs, and he kissed my neck, wrapping his quivering arms around my waist.

“No one will ever love you like I do, Evie,” he whispered against my ear. “And if they ever try, I’ll kill them.”

23

THAT IS MY CHOICE

Azriel’s confession of love echoed through my head as the carriage rattled its way back to Linmere. For once, it was not raining, but the sky was pale and blank, as though even the weather could not make sense of what was happening, or what I should be feeling.

I had to still hate him, did I not? After all, this man had robbed me of everything. But as I looked across the carriage at him, at his face as he gazed out of the window, at the scratch marks that I had left on his cheek, I was not sure I truly did hate him anymore.

He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw feathering, as though he was caught in his own thoughts, wondering how we’d get out of this mess we had created for ourselves. And in that moment, all I wanted was to run my own fingers through that dark hair, clutch him to me, and kiss the scars I had left behind.

Oh no.

“What are we to do?” I asked, quickly tamping down all the feelings that welled up in my throat and threatened tospill out in an ill-advised confession. “About all of this, about my family.”

Azriel shrugged without looking at me, stroking the brim of his hat. “What is there to do?”

“They will not let this rest, Azriel. They were willing to call the police, they are not afraid to-”

“They have no power.” He met me with a neutral gaze. “They think they do, and they do not.”

“They were a powerful family once, that means something.”

Azriel grinned and shook his head. “This is a new world, Evie. A new way of living. Dusty old nobility, crumbling away in houses that they cannot maintain, holding on to titles that mean nothing. What they say is hardly relevant anymore.”

I clutched my gloves hand underneath my cloak, shivering not just because of the cold. “You underestimate them.”

Azriel regarded me with narrowed eyes, rubbing his chin. “You astound me, beloved. Truly. The things you have done, and were willing to do, without a second thought, with not even a hint of fear. And here you sit, quivering at the thought of what your ageing baron of a father might do to us.” He sucked on his teeth, shaking his head. “I could have him killed for what he has done to you.”

I sighed heavily. “And that would be rather obvious, would it not?”

Azriel laughed out loud, his eyes sparkling. “You truly are the woman of my dreams, Evie. I speak of murdering your father, and you do not even bat an eye, but simply warn me off because I may be easily found out.”

I quickly looked out the window, swallowing hard. “That is not what I meant, and you know that.”

“Do I?” He chuckled to himself. “No, quite. You are rightof course, beloved, and I would never do such a thing. God will take that matter into his own hands in due course.”

“And it is not just my father. My aunt, my uncles, my cousins - all of them, they will be outraged. They will see to it that no one will do business with you.”

Azriel leaned forward with a sigh and took my hand. “I will not let that happen.”

“And how will you stop it?”

“The same way I always do, Evie. With money.” He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing it tenderly. “Money is the only language people like your family understand, and it is the most convincing way to call off the dogs. Which is what I intend to do.”

“They will never accept you,” I said, squeezing his hand.

“They shall.” He lifted his eyes back to mine. “When our child is born, they will accept me as their son and nephew.”

“Our child?” I huffed out a laugh unease twisting my insides. “You are truly of good hope then.”

“Well, I trust you did not use that contraption last night, did you?” He raised an eyebrow.

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