Page 22 of The Fighter who Needed Me
Reginald walked closer to her and then he stood, tall and imposing, in front of her and she tilted her head back to look up at him.
“I assume you wish to know why you are here with me alone.”
She gave a tiny shake of her head, and he grinned down at her, malice in his eyes.
“I just wanted to see my bride up close and personal before we wed. Your mother doesn’t allow me to get close, but I assure you, today you will show me all that I want to see.”
Persephone felt her lungs seize up in panic and she sat, dumbfounded as he lifted her from her chair and walked to the settee in front of a blazing fire.
She flinched in his hold and fought to stay still, even though she wanted nothing more than to kick and fight against his hold.
When he sat down, he put her on the settee next to him and then reached for the ties on her dress.
She slapped his hands away and he glared at her. “I have permission from your father to see and get a taste of my future wife.”
Persephone shook her head violently. “You may have his permission, but you do not have mine.”
He snorted, “What you want is not what matters. I wish to see your supple breasts. I have waited for many weeks to see you. And I still have many more to wait. You will show me what I want. And you will do it now, before your mother gets back from her errands.”
He reached for her again and Persephone slapped his hand away hard and when he grabbed her hand and kept it trapped at her side, she screeched in frustration. “You will unhand me sir. This instant!”
He laughed in her face and then reached with one hand to the ties on her dress, and she started thrashing harder on the settee.
She used her free hand and slapped him as hard as she could across his face and he stopped and stood, panting.
His face had a red handprint on it, and he had a prominent erection, that he ran a hand over obscenely.
She fought back a gag and stared up at him and he said, “You have more spirit than I thought. I am going to love beating that out of you. You and your parents certainly have everyone fooled about your quiet and timid reputation.”
She ground her teeth together and glared at him, “My parents, especially my mother wouldn’t be happy if they found out about this. You may have my father on your side when it comes to me and touching me before we are wed, but if my mother ever found out she would cut your heart out.”
He scoffed, “You won’t tell anyone what happened here, not your mother or your father.”
She shook her head, “You are wrong on that count sir. I may be quiet and timid, but I will not hesitate to tell them just what happened here.”
He reached out and hauled her close to him, “If you tell anyone about this, there will be consequences you will not like.”
A feminine throat cleared, “She won’t have to say anything, but we certainly can.”
Anneliese stood in the doorway, with two footmen.
She had her arms crossed over her chest and Reginald threw Persephone back to settee with a snarl.
“I will have your positions for this. For trying to interfere.”
Persephone spoke up, “You have no authority over them. I will be letting my parents know about this.”
He glared at her, “I am not scared. Your father gave me the permission I needed and whether your mother went along with it or not, matters not to me. I had the permission I needed.”
Then he stalked from the room, pushing the footmen aside and slamming out of the front door.
Anneliese hurried to her side, checking her over for any injuries or issues.
When she found none, she let out a breath and signaled to one of the footman to lift her back to her chair.
Persephone let them and when she was wheeled back into her suite, Anneliese put her in front of the fire.
“I heard everything he said to you, and when it started to get serious, I called the footmen to me. I was unhappy with his treatment of you and I knew your mother would be devastated if you lost your virginity this way, before you wed. She would not be pleased.”
