Page 76 of A Duke's Lustful Portrait
A gasp escaped Arabella’s mouth without her meaning it to, and she clasped her hand over her lips, her eyes wide with horror. The rest of his words fell to her deaf ears as that sentence screamed in her mind.
Not only had her father killed someone, but he had murdered Sebastian’s own mother! Her heart broke for him. His lies, his desperation, his secrecy, his darkness—it all made sense now. He was right in his letter—she had come to understand, and everything she learned broke her a little bit more.
My darling Sebastian. I’m so sorry.
“You murdered my mother, you bastard!”
Sebastian’s words brought her back to herself. His anger was less contained now, less hidden, and she tensed with fear. Then she heard her father laugh and knew it was time to enter the room.
“Yes, I murdered your mother, but let’s be honest, she was no loss to this world. And neither willyourdeath be.”
“Do not hurt him, Father!”
The men had been so preoccupied with one another that neither had noticed her entering. Now, they turned to her with surprise, but Edward laughed again.
“I’m serious,” she said.
“Oh look, Sebastian, your little woman has come to rescue you because you’re not man enough to kill me yourself. How sweet!”
“Father, I—”
“Arabella,” he snarled, the amusement vanished. “This has nothing to do with you. Leave now, or you will be subject to the same punishment as the rat.”
But Arabella wouldn’t. She would no longer stand by and watch her father be the rotten man he had been for so long—and he would no longer bully her. She stepped in front of Sebastian.
“No,” he said quickly. “Don’t. Arabella, my love, you must not—”
Sebastian was interrupted by her father’s cruel laugh. “You choose him over me? That liar and cheat, that rascal who stole someone’s wealth and their title! Over me, your father, who has given you a life of luxury, everything you could ever possibly want?”
“But you haven’t given me any of that, Father. You have kept me within a cage so that I can amuse your friends. You may flaunt your wealth in my direction, but you treat me no better than you treat your whores!”
“I should wash your mouth out, speaking to your father like that,” Sinclair said, glaring at her. “Hetaught you such foul language, no doubt.”
“No, Father,” she said, her chin jutting out in anger. “I learned it from you. I learned everything from you. I am only lucky that Sebastian sees through it all.”
“Arabella,” Sebastian said behind her, his hands on her shoulders, but she resolutely would not move. “Please. This is between your father and me.”
She paid him no heed, shrugging him off. Her sights were set on the man who had tortured her for years. She deserved the opportunity to tell him how she really felt, and if it protected Sebastian in the process, then all the better.
“I heard everything you’ve said. I always knew you were a poor excuse for a man, but now I know how low you really are. You killed an innocent woman, and for what?”
Her father snorted. “Innocent? That woman was far from innocent. She was trying to bring Jeffries down in her greed.”
“Maybe he deserved it,” she spat.
He sneered at her for a long moment, and then, breaking the stillness with his quick movement, he dashed to the bookcase. Sensing something was wrong, Sebastian followed him, pushing past Arabella.
“No!” she cried.
She knew exactly what he was going for. The hidden sword.
As he pulled it from the sheath, she leapt in front of Sebastian.
“No!” she cried again, her cheeks wet with tears and her heart thick with panic. “I won’t let you hurt him, Father.”
But Edward looked over her shoulder at Sebastian. “You think you are so much better than me. Then fight me like a man!”
But before her father could swing his sword, the sash window shattered, shards of glass scattering across the room like broken diamonds. Arabella cried out in alarm, jumping backwards into Sebastian’s arms. Her father froze.
