Page 40 of His Wicked Embrace
Lucien stepped forward. “Avery? What is the meaning ofthis?”
“Avery…” Zehra whispered the name, her chest filling with dread. This was Lawrence’s brother, the man who would take her away, put her on a boat, and send her to a home where she had losteverything.
“Zehra,” Lawrence said slowly. “Get behind me right now.” He positioned himself in front of her, his arms held out to shieldher.
“Lawrence, you are hereby commanded to turn over the woman in your possession, by the order of the Home Office. If you fail to comply, you will be placed under arrest and face a hearing before themagistrate.”
“What in God’s name are you doing?” Godric growled. “You have no rightto—”
“Your Grace, I’m afraid I have not only the right, but the duty. By order of the Crown.” Avery held out a slip of paper to Godric. He read through it, and his face drained of color as he wordlessly handed it to Lucien. Lucien scanned the page, and he glanced between Avery and Lawrence, his lips pressed thin as he returned the paper toAvery.
“What?” Emily spoke up. “What is it? What does itsay?”
Godric cleared his throat. “They have the authority to take Zehra immediately and imprison Lawrence and anyone else whoresists.”
“Imprison?” Horatia clutched her husband’s arm. Lucien stared hard atAvery.
Godric’s voice became hard, yet there was a note of defeat hidden within it. “Ladies, if you will be so good as to wait in the other room while we sort thisout.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “Godric, no. I won’t allow this. There are things you must all hear before you rushto—”
“Emily, my love, it gives me no pleasure to say this, but you must all leave the room at once. I will not have you become a part of what musthappen.”
“Godric, you don’tunderstand…”
But the Duke of Essex had already nodded to the servants in the room, who escorted Emily and the others out before they could complete their protest, though Emily did manage to blurt out that they were all being incredibly stubborn about this. Not that any man listened toher.
Now it was just Lawrence and the League facing Avery’s men, with Zehra caught between them. She was pressed against Lawrence’s back, and every muscle she touched was hard as stone. She closed her eyes, accepting with dread and heartbreak what she had todo.
“Lawrence…I must go with him,” she said. She tried to walk around him, but he moved with her, keeping himself between her and hisbrother.
“No. I won’t let him take you. Not after everything that—” His voice broke. His hazel eyes glittered, and she feared that if he cried she would not be able to do what she hadto.
Zehra bit her lip hard. Her heart was shattering, and from the look in Lawrence’s eyes, so washis.
“You’ve done so much for me, Lawrence, given me so many wonderful things in these last few days, and I will never forget that. I will never forget you.”For as long as I live, you hold my heart, no matter the distance betweenus.
Zehra curled her fingers into his waistcoat and pulled him to her, kissing him in front of all who were present. She would never have another chance. Her mouth trembled as she tried to imprint this last kiss upon her very soul. It would never be enough, but it was all she would ever get. She pulled away, putting the back of her hand to her mouth, fighting asob.
“No,” Lawrence begged. “No…” He reached out to catch hold of her, but she stumbled away. She had to leave. There was no other way to protect him from Al-Zahrani—or Avery, for thatmatter.
“Forgive me, Lawrence.” She could barely speak past the pain in her throat as she pulled away fromhim.
Chapter Thirteen
Avery met Zehra halfway across the ballroom and gripped her by the arm. She flinched, not from pain, but from the memory of the night the auctioneer had grabbed her the same way. Not as a person, but as athing.
“Avery, you cannot do this!” Lawrence said, his tone full of fury and panic. “If you send her back, Zehra will face slaveryagain.”
Avery shook his head. “I assure you, the slavers are dealt with, both here and abroad. And I warned you this had to bedone.”
“Yes, in aweek,” Lawrence fired back. “That time has still not passed. Why this sudden entrance? Were you not content to have this concluded peacefully? You required some grand show of force?Why?”
Avery’s face hardened. “Matters have changed, brother. The Persian ambassador has been informed about what happened at the White House, and in his outrage he has demanded a swift resolution to the affair. Somehow he learned that you were in possession of one of these women, and he insisted we take actionimmediately.”
Lawrence’s voice rose. “I do notpossess—”
“This has become bigger than your games or your need to play the hero to satisfy your lust, Lawrence. This is about the stability of ourempire.”
