Page 77 of One Wicked Secret
The thought brought tears to her eyes, but he gripped her hips and showed her how to ride him, every stroke of his hard length so utterly divine.
She stared with fascination as he moved deeply inside her, his eyes alight with triumph, his husky growls confirming he enjoyed making love as much as she did.
“God, you’re magnificent.”
“So are you,” she breathed, winding her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter to her body, sighing as skin met skin.
“Shall I withdraw?” he asked with some urgency. “Elsa, do you know what I’m asking? Hurry. You must decide.”
Her mind raced. The thought of carrying his child was a fantasy she’d never dared to dream, a wild hope she’d pushed aside as something far beyond her reach.
She met his gaze. “No. Don’t withdraw. As for the outcome, fate will decide.”
Water splashed onto the floor as he drove harder, and with a final, deep thrust, his body tensed as he reached his peak. A hoarse groan escaped him, raw and unrestrained. His eyesflickered with something primal, something much like possession.
He drew her close, his hands roaming over her back in soothing strokes. “That was incredible. You’re incredible.” He kissed her tenderly. “Beautiful beyond words.”
She touched his face, relishing the look of contentment. Yet, in that perfect moment, only one thought filled her mind.
And you’re the love of my life.
Chapter Fourteen
Hart Street, Covent Garden
Office of the Order
Lucius Daventry sat behind his imposing desk, studying the Gothic novels through the tiny magnifying glass. “How interesting,” was all he said as they waited patiently for his opinion.
Daniel’s gaze flicked to the painting of Themis—the goddess of divine order and justice, a symbol of everything Daventry stood for—hanging on the study wall. “Does the name Cynthia Wright mean anything to you?” he asked. “We were hoping for your insight.” Or that Themis might bless them and seek to right an injustice.
“No, I can’t say it does.” Daventry took up his pen and made another entry in his notebook. “But we have an address. It shouldn’t be difficult to trace her. There’s every chance a relative still lives in the house. On a positive note, Iam acquainted with the Reverend Preston-Jones. He’s a sprightly fellow of ninety and still lives in Harrow on the Hill.”
“You went to Harrow School?” Elsa asked.
It was a reasonable assumption based on the fact Daventry was the illegitimate son of a duke.
“No, a school in Wetherby, but the reverend attends many scientific lectures, and we share a mutual respect for the truth.” Suspicion darkened his gaze when he considered Elsa. “Is there a reason your brother chose to stay in Geneva, and not Paris or Rome?”
“I believe he went there on a Grand Tour years ago. Though it’s not somewhere he spoke of with great fondness.”
“I ask because his visit to Port Noir suggests he has knowledge of the secrets hidden in these books.” Daventry leaned back in the chair. “Did Carver ever borrow books from the library and take them to his cottage?”
“I have no idea what Mr Carver did,” she said defensively. “But it’s fair to assume he was hunting for my father’s journal, perhaps even working with his enemies.”
“Or working with Magnus,” Daventry dared to say. “Have you considered the fact your brother may have killed him? Maybe he lashed out in a fit of rage upon finding you there. Maybe for a purpose we’re yet to discover.”
Elsa swallowed. “Yes, I am aware that’s a possibility.”
“There must be a reason your parents failed to confide in him. It’s clear these messages are for your eyes only.” Daventry steepled his fingers. “It’s all rather fascinating.”
“Fascinating is not the word I would use to describe the hell this devil has put us through,” Daniel snapped.
“No, but let me reassure you. The end is in sight.”
Elsa didn’t appear convinced. “I wish I shared youroptimism. The more information we find, the more confusing the mystery.”
“On the contrary,” Daventry said, rising with confidence. “It’s all quite simple. The villain doesn’t want you to discover your mother’s secret. Everything else is an attempt to destroy you, to stop you from learning the truth.”
