Page 86 of Dukes Are Forever
This time Adele didn't bother hiding her fear as she took two steps away from him. Heat flooded in from her extremities until her heart was a rushing, pulsing engine that throbbed with it.
The passage to the gaming room stood behind her, but she'd never make it in time.
Not with Dido watching her with an amused smile as she sipped her champagne.
"Well, well, well," Lord Corvus drawled. "I promised we'd meet again, my dear, and here we are." His hungry gaze raked her from head to toe. "Hereyouare. In my own domain."
Where had he come from? There was only a wall of ivy in that corner.
"Lord Corvus," she blurted.
The sinister lord took a step forward into the gaslit circle of light, his dark wig and brows gleaming like a raven's wings. "Did you know, Devoncourt actually thought he could keep me away from you, even whilst he flaunted you beneath my nose."
Adele took an uneasy step back. They knew she was working for Malloryn. She had no means to defend herself beyond her hemlock ring and her little knife. No means to run. All she could do was hope Malloryn had heard this.
And that he would come for her.
"I trust our negotiations are complete, Corvus?" Dido stood, slipping her gloves back on.
"Devoncourt won't be happy," he mused. "This thwarts his plans."
"Such a shame," she mocked.
"Then I am more than well satisfied."
Corvus lunged toward her, and Adele fled, sending an enormous urn crashing to the ground. A hand snatched her skirts, and then strong arms wrapped around her, dragging her back into an unbreakable embrace. She screamed and kicked, but it was to no avail.
"Let go of me!"
Corvus slammed her against the nearest wall as Dido vanished into the gloom.
"I've been wanting to get you alone for a very long time." He brushed his cheek, where her little knife had scored the pale skin once upon a time. Thanks to the craving virus, there was not a blemish there, but he'd promised he'd return the favor. "I owe you for that debacle in Abernathy's garden."
"I apologized," she whispered.
"But you were never punished for it. You owe me satisfaction, my dear. And I've come to collect."
Chapter 18
"You want to slip the lock? Or shall I?" Charlie whispered.
Lark gave him a look that could best be described as,are you serious?
"Fine. After you," he said, cupping his hands and hoisting Lark ten feet up the wall.
The toes of her rubber-soled shoes slipped into cracks in the brickwork, and she hauled herself up the side of Sir George Hamilton's house like a spider. His position gave him an excellent view of her backside in her tight leather breeches—
An elbow drove into his ribs, and he barely managed to contain anoof.
"Concentrate," Gemma whispered.
"I was."
Her arched eyebrow spoke volumes. It was frightening how much she and Lark had in common.
Charlie winked at her.
"Think you can handle this?" he murmured, offering her his cupped hands. "Breaking and entering isn't really your style."
