Page 86 of The Wolf of Mayfair
Anthony eyed her a long moment—no doubt he searched for the veracity of Helia’s admission.
“My brother,” he said suddenly, unexpectedly.
Afraid if she so much as breathed, Anthony would stop sharing parts of himself with her, Helia made herself remain completely motionless.
“One winter’s day, I urged him to join me for a skate at the lake. The ice broke and he disappeared into that opening. I went in after him. He fell sick and died. I fell sick and lost half my hearing.”
How succinct a telling for such a significant and tragic part of Anthony’s life. And how much the death of his beloved brother in fact accounted for the Anthony had become.
Everything hurt. Every single part of Helia, from her chest to her soul to her toes, ached.
“You needn’t look at me like that, Helia,” he said, with more unwarranted amusement.
“How do you believe I’m looking at you?” she asked quietly.
“As though I’m some poor street urchin in need of saving. Evander’s death nearly destroyed me.”
Evander.His older brother now had a name. Helia stored it in her heart.
Anthony slipped an arm about her waist and drew her close. “But I am stronger for it.” He placed his lips near Helia’s temple. “I may have lost hearing out of one ear, but from that day forward, I became invincible. Untouchable.”
And she absolutely believed he’d told himself that so many times as to believe it.
He flicked his tongue along the shell of her ear. Shivers of desire radiated from that tiny place he caressed.
Which was also likely why he now used her desire as a diversion from an uncomfortable topic.
She’d not be distracted. Helia laid her palms along his chest. “I—” Everything she’d intended to say fled her head. Her breath audibly caught.
Apparently shewouldbe distracted.
God, he’d the chiseled hardness and beauty of a bronzed bust of David. Reflexively, she smoothed her hands over his warm, unyielding chest muscles.
The hard, mocking glint in those sapphire irises said he’d sensed her body’s awareness.
“I certainly don’t have any interest in discussing old memories. Perhaps you didn’t just come to plead for me to show my staff clemency, love?” he asked on a suggestive purr.
Anthony glanced pointedly at her hands, which still absently stroked him. “Maybe you came for another taste of what you had this morning? Hmm?”
She flinched, his vulgar words each landing like a well-placed barb. He sought to put up that wall between them. These words, they came because he sought to protect himself.
“Or,” he taunted, and rubbed a palm crudely over the hardness tenting his trousers and lawn shirt, “maybe you’ve come to return the favor and finish me off this time?”
Helia’s entire body burned with a blush.
Anthony gave a caustic laugh and let his arm drop.
Stop! He’s trying to elicit this reaction.This was the mechanism he relied upon to push away anyone who got too close. Helia swallowed several times.
She edged her chin up. “I know you speak crudely when you are trying to run me off.”
I know you speak crudely when you are trying to run me off ...
It’d worked this afternoon. Funny how quickly she’d figured out Wingrave’s efforts. It unnerved the hell out of him.He, who’d always been impassive, should be nonplussed by this fey creature.
Since he’d found her at the Frost Fair, an altogetherdifferentfocus—about not their mothers’ relationship but the company Helia had kept that day—had commanded his attention.
Determined to unsettle her and steady himself, he folded his arms at his chest. “Very well. I’ve allowed you your piece, Helia. Now it ismyturn.”
