Page 69 of The Dangerous Love of a Rogue
‘You love him!’ Mary’s father scoffed, his eyebrows rising. Then he glared at Drew, contempt and condemnation burning in his eyes.
‘He’s charmed you,’ John said. ‘Nothing you feel was your choice. He’s made a fool of you.’
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Relief firmed in Drew’s chest; she was taking his side. He pushed himself off the wall and straightened, looking at Mary.
She glared at her father as Marlow glared at him.
Her father’s timing was perfect; to arrive when they’d been in bed made the situation absolutely clear. He had to let Mary marry Drew now, and marry him publicly to avoid scandal.
Mary’s fingers closed about Drew’s arm as she stood at his side, in only her underwear, defending him like a shield. Her hair brushed his neck where his collar hung loose as her chin lifted defiantly in the expression he had come to know and admire. ‘He loves me too.’
It was surely true, he had lived under her spell for two days; he did not wish it broken.
Her father’s slate-coloured eyes judged Drew a liar and a thief.
Marlow had a hard edge when he wished to reveal it. But Drew was not cowed. He smiled, pride burning like fire in his chest. Mary was standing with him: against them. Say and think what they liked, her family could go to hell.
Marlow’s fist lifted as though he would strike again.
‘Papa, it is not his fault.’
‘Whose fault is this then? Yours?’ Marlow growled at her. ‘Who approached who? Was this elopement your idea? You love him because he wants you to love him! He is playing with you! You have been seduced and manipulated!’ Marlow reached for Mary’s wrist and tried to pull her away.
She yanked her arm free and instead wrapped her arms around Drew’s middle.
Marlow’s palm hit Drew’s shoulder with a hard shove of frustration.
The force knocked Drew back against the wall and Mary fell with him. Drew’s arms surrounded her and held her steady.
‘How can you know?’ he fought back. ‘Have you ever spoken to me? You cannot know!’ Marlow was wrong, he had not abused her trust. He loved her. He had neither seduced nor tricked her, merely convinced her of that fact.
‘I know you,’ Pembroke stated, his silver eyes so like Mary’s but without the softness. They flashed ice-blue fire. ‘I’ve seen you manipulate women. You are a selfish, greedy, bastard!’
The insult hit. It was the one insult that always hit, because it was true. Drew’s hands fisted, but he did not strike. He knew he was in the wrong here.
Pembroke’s arm rose.
Drew pushed Mary out of the way.
Pembroke’s fist hit Drew’s jaw.
His mouth filled with bitter blood.
Mary screamed and her father shouted.
Then Drew was slammed against the wall by the hand Marlow pressed around his neck, the grip throttling him. In that same moment, Marlow thrust a sharp punch at Drew’s side. Drew tried to turn away from it but Marlow’s fist caught his lower back and knocked the air from Drew’s lungs.
Her father could throw a vicious punch.He laughed internally.
Then the hand at his throat shoved Drew away, and Marlow’s fist caught him firmly in the ribs. Drew’s amusement ceased as a snap in his side and a sudden lancing, excruciating pain had him bending forwards and fighting for breath.
Mary screamed.
Marlow stood still, breathing hard, watching Drew double over and fall onto his hands and knees. He spat the blood from his mouth. The first punch would have given him a black eye as well as a cut mouth.
He knew they would hit him, he also knew they would not kill him. That would have left Mary in an impossible position; unmarried and possibly with child. He had planned this for that reason. If they caught up with them on a flight to Gretna and Mary was still a virgin, they would have called him out, or shot him on the spot, but this way, their fate was already sealed.
