Page 49 of One Dangerous Desire
“I need to know why you gave me up six years ago.”
Shards of memory cut through the bliss of holding her. Worse than the fear that May would never be content without a title was the dread that she’d realize what a coward he’d been. Giving her up, as she said, because of her father’s threats.
“Oh my goodness!” Mrs. Hark’s unmistakable high-pitched cry caused both of them to stiffen. “Excuse me, Mr. Leighton, but there’s a visitor to see you.”
“Not now, Mrs. Hark.” Rex turned to face his housekeeper, guarding May from her view. “Tell whoever it is that I am not at home to visitors.” That was the odd English way of refusing a caller, too obvious to be subtle, an insult without offering an overt cut.
“I would, sir, except”—Mrs. Hark did that thing with her apron, twisting it until the swath of fabric was rolled between her fingers like a rope. She looked at May, who’d stepped out from behind him—“he says that he’s your father.”
Sedgwick.“Now is as good a time as any.” Rex no longer feared Seymour Sedgwick. It was time to face the man. Time to have it all out. Sedgwick would no doubt make much of his past cowardice, but he had to face that too. May would forgive him. Wouldn’t she?
“Send him into my office, Mrs. Hark.” He glanced back at May. “Are you ready, love?” He lifted his hand, and hers was instantly there, warm and soft against his skin.
“He’s the reason, isn’t he? Father frightened you off. Threatened you or paid you.” She squeezed his hand, holding him tight as she questioned him.
“The man never gave me a dime.” If he could make her understood anything at all, she had not to know it had never been about money. “You’ve said you’ll be mine, May. Nothing can change that now.”
With a dip of her head, she seemed to accept all of it—their past, their future, and facing her father together. She raised her chin and squared her shoulders and started forward to lead the way, marching across the parlor ahead of him.
Rex clasped her hand tighter as he stepped in front of her. He would face her father first. Or perhaps Charlie would beat both of them. He scurried across the hall and began growling as soon as he reached the office threshold.
“Sedgwick.” Even as the man’s name slipped from his mouth, Rex could see that it wasn’t Sedgwick leaning over his desk, stuffing a silver letter opener inside a jacket pocket.
The man was brazen, continuing to secure the knife even as he turned to face them.
“Who the hell are you?” Rex demanded.
The stranger didn’t speak, only chortled out a sickeningly oily guffaw. The sound made Charlie bark, and Rex called for Mrs. Hark to remove him.
Eyes darting about, the man assessed their clothes and shoes before finally lifting his grizzled head for a direct gaze. Stamped in his eyes, in patches of blue and gold, was Rex’s answer. Mrs. Hark hadn’t meant that May’s father had come to call.
The visitor’s eyes gave him away. This man was George Cross. This man was his father.
Chapter Sixteen
THE MINUTE THEdisheveled man looked at them, Rex tensed, gripping May’s hand as if he needed to keep hold of her. As if he might lose her if he let go. Then he swung into action, turning and reaching up to cradle her face in his palms, blocking her view of the stranger with verdigris eyes. Warm skin, hot breath, and the heady scent of Rex kept her anchored.
“I need you to go.” She might have mistaken the gruffness in his tone for anger if May didn’t know him better. “Leave this to me.”
When she tried to glance at the man who’d still said nothing, just rumbled with that awful sinister laughter, Rex held her firmly in place. He kept her gaze fixed on him and insisted with his eyes that she do as he bid.
“You’ll be all right?” May knew the absurdity of the question before it was out. One glimpse of Rex’s tall, muscular frame and even a stranger would know he was formidable. Not at all a man to be trifled with.
“Of course. Now go.” He kissed her quickly, one brief brush of his mouth against hers.
The man by Rex’s desk cleared his throat loudly, as if he was a prude who’d found them cuddling in the pews. “Goin’ so soon, stunner?”
Rex pivoted toward the man and raised his hand. “Don’t say another word to her.” Then he edged her past the threshold, nodded once, and shut his office door in her face.
Patience had never been her greatest virtue. “Curious as a cat, and you know what that got the cat,” her mother had often admonished.
May leaned toward the door, not quite touching her ear to the wood.
“You’ve done well for yourself, my boy.” The man’s thick London accent was paired with a deep, smoky voice.
“I’m notyouranything, Mr. Cross. Though I’ll become your enemy if you interfere in my life.” Resonant, warm, Rex’s voice sounded appealing even when undercut with steel.
“Miss Sedgwick, are you departing?” May jumped as Rex’s cat-footed housekeeper approached.
