Page 35 of The Devil's Bargain
Damn him for making her question her certainties.
“Here,” he said, offering her a small glass of their finest brew. “Tell me what you think.”
His gaze lingered on her mouth, sending an unwelcome thrill through her body. She took a sip to hide her reaction, then blinked in surprise. “This is... excellent.”
“Of course it is.” His smiling eyes held hers. “I accept nothing less than excellence in all things. Including my spouse.”
The possessive pride in his voice made her blood boil. How dare he claim ownership of her when he’d forced her into this marriage through blackmail? She turned away sharply, pretending to examine the nearest vat while silently cursing how her traitorous body responded to his presence behind her, his heat seeming to brand her even through her dress.
“Shall we discuss where to implement your innovations?” he asked, his voice low near her ear. Too close, too intimate.
“Yes,” she managed through clenched teeth, clutching her notebook like a shield between them. “Though I warn you, I’ll need to inspect every inch of the operation.” She stepped away, needing distance from his overwhelming presence.
“I would expect nothing less.” His smile held admiration rather than condescension, and she hated how it made her chest tighten. Every glimpse of genuine respect from him felt like another subtle manipulation.
As they delved into technical details, Caroline found herself caught in a maddening spiral of confusion. Her fury at his arrogance warred with unwilling appreciation for his comprehensive knowledge. Each intelligent question he posed made it harder to dismiss him as merely the ruthless blackmailer who had trapped her in this marriage.
The devil, it seemed, contained unexpected depths. And that made him infinitely more dangerous to her peace of mind.
Caroline stormed outside, needing air that wasn’t thick with Devlin’s overwhelming presence. Rain had started to fall, but she welcomed it. Anything to cool her heated skin.
She didn’t hear him follow until his coat settled around her shoulders.
“You’ll catch your death,” he muttered.
“Since when do you care?” But she clutched the coat closer, surrounded by his warmth and scent.
“I’ve always cared.” His voice was so quiet she almost missed it. “Even when I shouldn’t.”
She turned to face him, rain plastering his white shirt to his chest. For once, his carefully controlled expression had cracked, revealing something raw beneath.
“Why did you really force this marriage?” she asked. “The truth this time.”
He was silent so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. Then, “Because you’re the first person I’ve met who matches me. In intellect, in drive, in sheer bloody-minded determination.” His laugh held no humour. “I told myself it was about business, about acquiring your patents. But really, I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else having you.”
“So you took what you wanted, as always.”
“Yes.” He reached out, brushing a raindrop from her cheek. “I’ve never claimed to be a good man, Caroline.’
“No.” She leaned into his touch despite herself. “But sometimes... sometimes I see glimpses of one.”
His hand cupped her face fully now, thumb tracing her bottom lip. “Only with you.”
The dining room felt oppressively intimate with just the two of them, flickering candlelight casting shadows across the damask tablecloth. Caroline pushed her meal around her plate, acutely aware of Devlin’s presence at the head of the table.
“The brewery tour proved illuminating,” she said finally, breaking the charged silence.
“Did it?” His voice held that knowing tone that never failed to irritate her. “And what precisely did you find illuminating?”
“Your workers seem genuinely loyal. Though I suppose even you can inspire devotion when it suits your purposes.”
His laugh was low and rich. “Still casting me as the villain? After seeing how I treat those under my protection?”
“Protection bought with power and fear.”
“Are you claiming you’ve never wielded those weapons yourself?” He stood, moving to the sideboard to pour brandy. “Such as using your feminine charms to coax information out of a man?”
She accepted the offered glass, careful not to let their fingers brush. “That’s different.”
