Page 18 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
“I’m not shocked at what he has done,” she clarified, her luscious lips moving fervently as she spoke. “For your information, I have known all along. In fact, I have even met the little girl, and she is the sweetest thing you could imagine.
Or perhaps not. A scoundrel like you knows nothing of innocence and sweetness. I am shocked that you would stoop so low as to blackmail me into marriage, by threatening my brother’s political ambitions, his love, his family, and with it, my family’s reputation. How dare you!”
Chapter 9
Catherine was furious. She couldn’t believe that this man had the audacity to stand before her and threaten her in this wicked manner, all so he could blackmail her into marrying him. Did he really think that this would lead to a happy union? Was he that deluded? It was preposterous! How on earth was she to make this man see some sense and leave her alone?
“It is not I who dared to do something illicit, but rather your brother,” he tried to correct her, but she refused to allow him. “His is a reality that cannot be ignored, which it seems you two have been doing for some time. But a secret cannot remain a secret for long. Not unless you accept my help.”
“Your help?” she fumed. “You are not offering to help, but rather to ruin us! Why are you doing this?” she demanded to know. “Why are you bent on destroying my life? What have I done to you?”
She couldn’t understand any of this. Had she truly offended him so by refusing the dance at the ball and then his offer of courtship? He was acting as if she were the only lady in all of London, when she was certainly not. All she wanted was to be left alone, to lead her life as she saw fit and not be forced into anything by others. That was what this man was doing, stealing her freedom to be her own person, when that was all she had left.
“My interest lies in the truth, Lady Catherine,” he told her calmly, his voice dripping with honey. “Which I have done, thinking you were kept in the dark and that your brother was putting you both in danger.”
“Now you are putting all three of us in danger!” she exclaimed in disbelief.
“No, no, on the contrary,” he shook his head, and she couldn’t help but focus on his curls which fell over his forehead in rakish abandon, trying to distract her on purpose so she would not be able to think straight. “I want to help you navigate these troubled waters, and in doing so, perhaps find a resolution that is in your… or better yet, our best interest.”
“By forcing me to marry you?” she hissed angrily, forgetting all about his luscious dark curls and his handsome face. “Never!”
She couldn’t pacify the maelstrom of emotions that this man had awakened inside of her. Her blood was still boiling, and she wondered why she had such a reaction to him.
As if to taunt her even more, her own body reacted against her, being drawn to him by sheer invisible energy that coursed through her veins, awakening desire the likes of which she had never felt before. It was as if a door had been opened, and now she couldn’t close it again. She was so mad at him that she felt she could punch him right in the face. As if he could sense this,he purposefully remained calm, which seemed to enrage her even more.
“You speak as if I’m forcing you to do hard labor,” she heard him chuckle.
Her eyes widened in shock. Was all this a joke to him? Her life, her brother’s life? Did he like toying with other people’s fates?
“Marriage to youwouldbe hard labor, you pompous man!” she said the first thing that popped to her mind, but instead of offending him, she only seemed to amuse him even more. And they kept dancing in this cycle of anger and amusement seemingly forever.
He neared her again, and she thought he would take her by the hand, as he did moments ago. In fact, she wanted him to without even knowing why. Angry with herself, she took a step back. She didn’t want him that close. It was dangerous, for more reasons than the obvious one of her wishing to punch him as her brother taught her, with her fingers curled into a fist. He would be the first man she would ever hit, but it would be worth it.
“You don’t know me yet at all,” he reminded her, his voice a deep baritone. She wondered if he really sounded like that, or was he trying to make his voice deeper and more seductive for this purpose? “And seeing you refused to give me that chance before marriage, I figured I would simply woo and court you after it. It makes no difference to me either way.”
“You are mad!” she exclaimed passionately.
“Yes, about you, my dear,” he chuckled.
She frowned, pouting as she did so, her heart beating like mad. “Don’t you ever call me that.”
But her body liked it. It erupted in tiny little goosebumps, which she drowned out by the sheer strength of her mind. This was a battle of wits, not of bodies.
“Oh, I plan on calling you many other names,” he winked at her, his eyes traversing the fine lines of her face, down to her lips, which stood parted now. She felt that gaze as if he had actually caressed her. “But that is after we are married. Before then, it would be… inappropriate.”
“You truly are insane.” She grimaced at him. “You can do whatever you want. I will never marry you. Ever.”
He inhaled deeply, cupping her chin and forcing her to look up at him. Their eyes locked, and for some reason, her knees weakened, barely able to hold the weight of her body.
She had no idea what caused that reaction. It was probably her rage. It was boiling up inside of her, and her body was bearingthe brunt of it all. Yes, that had to be it. Nothing else could have caused it. At least, that was what she had been trying to convince herself of, as she stared into his eyes, sinking into them deeper and deeper.
“I’m calling your bluff,” he said, his lips dangerously close to hers.
If he got any closer, she was ready to push him away. Then why wasn’t she pushing him away already, with his fingers still on her chin?
“You care about your brother more than anyone else in the world,” he told her something she already knew. “And that also means that you would do anything to protect him. And also, protect his child, your little niece. You may not agree now, but you will… eventually. Just hope that I am patient enough to wait that long, my dear.”
With those words, he turned around and headed for the door. Catherine’s mind was racing. He was right. She didn’t know him. She didn’t know how dangerous he was, and what lengths he was ready to go to in order to get what he wanted. Seeing that it was her brother’s life she was risking, she didn’t want to try and find out.
