Page 69 of Heart of Iron
Three steps before he caught her.She whirled around to push him away and found herself in the circle of his arms.His chest was firm against her cheek, his heat enveloping her.God help her, but she couldn’t stop her fingers from curling in his shirt.She felt so safe here in his arms.The fight drained out of her.If only he could hold her like this forever.
If only he wanted to.
“Damn it, what did he do to you?”Will’s voice was strangled.“Did he—did he rape you?”
“No,” she blurted.“But not for lack of trying.”The memory stained her.Colchester, a handsome young dandy in the streets, stopping to smile and charm her.She’d not thought it odd at all, for she’d been used to such flirtation before her father died.She even recognized him as the Duke of Lannister’s heir, though she’d been a fool to think for one second that he saw her as anything other than a coal lass.Easy prey.
“He took my blood.”Forced her back into the alley.Shoved her hard against the wall.Her pails had spilled everywhere, coal tumbling across the dirty cobbles.She’d tried to say no, unable even then to comprehend what was happening.“I didn’t want it.I didn’t.But he kept saying I did, that I’d like it.”
Warmth burned on her cheeks.As soon as she realized she was crying, a sob overtook her.Colchester had been right.She had liked it, in the end.The chemicals in his saliva had set off some sort of reaction in her body.
Will’s hands came up and gently pressed against her back.“Easy now,mocridhe.”He rubbed soothing circles against her back.“You’re safe now.I’ve got you.”
But she wasn’t safe.The tears came harder.Safe was a world without the Echelon and their grasping blood-suckers in it.Without humanists threatening her family, or Colchester stalking her.Safe was a world where she was loved and happy.Safe was here.In Will’s arms.
“And the humanists?”
“I d-didn’t mean to get caught up in all of this.”But the words were a lie.She’d wanted to find something, anything, to give her a sense of purpose in life.
“Caught up in what?”His voice was lower, huskier.“Lena?”he whispered, stroking the hair off her sticky face.“Tell me.”
She pushed out of the comfort of his arms and turned away, shamelessly wiping her face against the shoulder of her nightgown.She knew what he wanted, but she had to explain to him first, to show him that her reasons for all of this hadn’t just been some frivolous whim.Maybe then he wouldn’t hate her so much if he found out what she was supposed to do.“There was nothing for me in Whitechapel.Honoria had Blade.And Charlie was settling in.We were always so close, but he didn’t want to be around me once he became a blue blood.And then—” Her voice broke slightly and she hurried on.“You were gone.And nobody wanted me there.
“I thought that if I returned to society things would change.It was what I’d been raised for.Honoria always had Father and her work, but growing up there was nothing for me but lessons on etiquette and the things a young lady ought to know.When Father died and we were forced to hide in Whitechapel, I was on the cusp of making my debut.It was the happiest time of my life.”Her voice trailed off.“I just wanted to go back to it.”
Everyone had praised her beauty and charm then, and the glimpse she’d had of the Echelon had only fuelled her excitement to join it.But she had looked at it through innocent eyes.Whitechapel had changed everything about her.She was no longer that naive young girl with stars in her eyes.There was no going back, and it had taken a long time to realize that.
“The rot’s not apparent at first,” she said.“Leo sponsored my debut and everyone was so charming and elegant.Of course they were.They wanted something from me.I was offered three thrall contracts in the first week.It was terribly exciting.”
“You never accepted ’em.”
She couldn’t turn around and look at him.Crossing her arms over her chest, she shook her head.“One of them—Lord Ramsay—invited me to stroll in the garden with him.I knew what he intended.It’s not uncommon for a woman to offer blood before a contract is signed.”Her voice dropped.“I couldn’t.The more I thought about it, the more it upset me.I couldn’t breathe.All I could think about w-was Colchester.In that alley.I was so overwrought that Lord Ramsay slapped me and then Leo was there and he took me home and I-I—”
Warm arms slid around her waist.“Don’t cry, Lena.Damn it.”
Of course he wouldn’t want her crying all over him.She tried to dry her eyes.“I’m sorry.I can’t help it.I’m sorry.”
“You’re not the one who ought to be sorry.”Dire words.A hint of threat underlying them.His hand stroked her hip, her waist.“I hate seein’ you cry.”
“You do?”she whispered.His hand stroked smooth circles over her hip.So lightly it was almost hypnotic.Somehow she found herself relaxing back into the circle of his arms.
The world upended as he swept her up into his arms.With a gasp she clapped her arms around his shoulders.“Will?”
He was carrying her to the bed.“You’re shiverin’.”
And she was, she realized, her lips quivering with the chill of the room—and her memories.Tucking her face against his neck, she closed her eyes and breathed in the wet musky scent of him.He eased her under the sheets and then tucked her blankets around her.Then he straightened.
Don’t go.She caught his fingertips in mute appeal.
Will hesitated.“It ain’t seemly.And I’m wet—”
“I’m so cold,” she whispered.“And you’re so warm.Please.”
“Me shirt’s drenched.”
“Then take it off.”
Something dark and merciless flashed through his gaze.He sucked in a deep breath.Golden eyes burned in the dark of the night.The hunter?Or the hunted?
