Page 91 of Ruthless with a Rogue
“I liked being with you too, Warren,” she replied softly, giving his hand a squeeze.
“But…”That’s over now, isn’t it?
She nodded.“But.”
Rich green eyes popped into her mind, a rogue, jet-black wave falling over a sharp brow.Warren was the angel to Derek’s devil, yet…the devil was the one who didn’t want to change her.The devil wanted her.
The music faded away, and they slowed to a stop.A question lingered in Warren’s eyes.“It’s because of him, isn’t it?”
Yes.And no.It was so much more complicated than that.“It’s not that simple, Warren,” she said quietly.
He dipped his chin stiffly.“I have no right to say this.And I know you think poorly of me now—a deserved opinion.”He cleared his throat, his gaze flicking away.“Just be careful, Liv.”His voice was so soft she barely caught the words.“I might have been too blind to see what I had”—his gaze landed back on hers, sharp, strong—“to realize what truly matters.But I don’t want to see you hurt.”
Again.
If Warren’s immediate wince was any hint, he’d heard the unspoken word.
“Shall we get you back to your aunt?”
“Mmm,” she murmured, absently tucking her hand in his arm.
As much as Warren had hurt her, made her doubt herself, her worth—she wouldn’t be standing where she was if it weren’t for him.She would never have made a deal with a dangerous rogue.And fallen in love with him.Life was funny like that, wasn’t it?
It’d taken her much too long to realize, all this time…she should have been chasing the devil.
Fortunately, she knew exactly where to find his lair.
46
Derek
Derekpacedthefrontentry of his townhome.She was on her way here.Thefool.He was going to strangle her when she arrived.Fortunately, one of Ryker’s runners was trailing her hackney.Another had just informed Derek of Miss Forester’s nighttime journey.Because obviously after everything that had happened, Derek couldn’t leave something happening to her again to chance.He’d had her watched.The only flaw was that by the time he’d been informed, she was probably nearly at his townhome.
He growled.When she arrived, they were havingwords.
A soft rap came from the front door.Perfect timing.He stormed over to the door and threw it open.He stared down at the veiled, cloaked waif on his front steps.
“D-Derek?”the shrouded figure stuttered.
Surprised to see him, was she?He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside.“What were you thinking?”he hissed.He pushed off her hood and threw back her veil.“I told you the last time.It isn’tsafe.What if—” He abruptly cut off.She was ghost-white, even in the low candlelight of his entry, her lips quivering—not just her lips, her entire body was shaking.“Livy?”His heart scrambled around in his chest at the same rate as his frantic gaze as he searched her for injury.
“I-I know.But I h-had to see you.Needed to speak with you.I thought…” Her choppy words broke off, overtaken by her short, shallow breaths.“I thought I could make the journey.”
He cupped her face, searched those large eyes, the whites prominent as fear stared back at him.His thumb stroked softly over her cheekbone.“Easy,” he whispered.“What’s wrong?What’s happened?”
She shook her head in his hands.“Nothing,” she said on a whoosh.Her eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned into his touch, her breath evening.“Wanted to see you.But traveling here”—she shivered, and he tucked her to him, his chin falling to her head—“Every jolt of the carriage, every shadow… I kept thinking someone lurked there, that the hackney would be waylaid.It makes no logical sense.”
It didn’t make any sense?It made complete fucking sense.Because she’d learned in the worst way possible how dangerous this world was.And Derek shared the same exact bloody fear.
“Damn you, Livy,” he murmured.“I was so angry when I found out you’d set out alone—again.And you’re making it very hard for me to stay vexed with you.”
She pulled back, golden brows pinched.“You knew?”She cocked her head.“How on earth did you know?”
He scoffed.“You think after what happened, I didn’t have eyes on your every movement?That night—” His voice cracked, going embarrassingly high.He cleared his throat gruffly.“That night I aged about a decade,” he continued.Very low.Very masculine.“Not knowing what happened to you.Then finding out.Fearing I found out too late.Seeing you afterward?What that bastard had done to you, how he’d hurt you, terrified you?Never again, Livy.Never again.”
He sucked in a breath after his tirade.And realized she was beaming at him.
He frowned.“Are you well?”
