Lady gambit, p.19
Lady Gambit, page 19
Then she eased out of his grip, rising above him like the goddess Venus. “Like this?” she hummed.
Merciful Lord, she was glorious.
He drank her in all at once—the long mane of ebony waves cascading over her pale shoulders. The soft bounce of her magnificent breasts, her rosy lips parting on a pant. Those dark, exotic eyes holding the lure of hidden treasures and mysterious adventures.
“You need to ride me, love. Do it quietly.” He gripped her buttocks and helped her rock back and forth. “Imagine you’re in the saddle. You once told me you were a gifted horsewoman.”
Her eager smile melted his heart. “I’m a natural.” She came up on her knees only to slide slowly down his cock, the sensation so hot and wet and exquisite he thought he might die from the pleasure.
He watched in awe as she claimed him, as she begged him not to stop as he stroked her swollen bud. She came apart in a visual explosion of delights, shuddering as her inner muscles clamped around his shaft, her cheeks flushing, her eyes so glazed she looked drunk on love.
“Dorian!” A sweet cry escaped her.
“Hush, love.” He should lock the door, but she leant over him to brace her hands on his pillow. Before he could rouse another thought, he was gripping her hips and thrusting hard and fast inside her.
Perhaps it was the way she angled herself or that he parted her buttocks and sank deep, but she came again, writhing on top of him and panting, “Yes. Yes. Dorian.”
He flipped her onto her back, withdrew with nary a second to spare and spilled himself over her thigh.
Contentment, the likes of which he had never known, flowed through every cell in his body. Despite the absence of words or declarations, one emotion defined the connection between them.
Love.
The thought made him smile as he soaked a cloth in the washbowl and returned to wipe her clean.
She grabbed his wrist as he drew the cloth over her thigh. “I don’t regret anything that’s happened between us. What we have is magical. And when I’ve floated down from this cloud of euphoria, I’ll make sure you know exactly what you mean to me.”
“Stay with me.” He couldn’t bear the thought of her leaving him alone in bed, let alone her leaving tomorrow. The corridors would be cold again. The dining room silent. “Stay until dawn.”
“I’ll stay until the servants wake.”
Stay forever.
He climbed into bed and drew her close, brushing his fingers gently over her back to lull her to sleep. He closed his eyes, too, happiness gripping his body in the form of lithe legs and dainty hands.
He didn’t sleep deeply enough to dream. Why would he when he had everything he wanted right there in his arms? But when the creak of the door forced him to open his eyes, what he saw sent him hurtling into a living nightmare.
Theo Chance loomed in the doorway.
A murderous look in his baleful blue eyes.
Chapter Sixteen
The atmosphere crackled with tension. The silence stretched, sucking the oxygen from the air, making it hard to breathe. Theo’s broad frame filled the doorway. His clenched fists hung at his sides. His face was a mask of fury. He looked every bit a dangerous devil.
Dorian held Theo’s gaze, his heart thundering in his chest.
Their secret was exposed. The weight of judgement loomed. Fear would have most men pissing the bedsheets, but he was not afraid.
He loved Delphine.
Now he had to prove it to her brothers.
“Get dressed.” Theo’s ice-blue gaze could freeze a man’s blood. His voice was a sinister whisper. “Do it quickly and quietly.”
It was a command, not a request.
This was Dorian’s damned house, but he deserved Theo’s contempt.
Although he knew it would rile her brother, he pulled the blanket over Delphine’s bare shoulders, stroked her hair and kissed her forehead—hopefully not for the last time.
Theo wouldn’t kill him.
Dorian was more than a match for the man, and he was confident the Chance brothers wouldn’t hurt Delphine. There would be a fight, punches thrown, blood spilled, bones broken, but he would live to see another day.
Without waking Delphine, Dorian slipped out of bed.
The sight of his naked body had Theo firming his jaw. “There’s nothing more loathsome than a man who ruins an innocent.”
“She’s not ruined if I marry her.” He yanked up his trousers and reached for his shirt, guilt sitting squarely in his chest.
The sight of the scars on his back had Theo inhaling sharply. He did not ask how Dorian came by them but muttered, “I see another disgruntled brother punished you for your sins.”
Being born on the wrong side of the blanket was his only crime.
“Your comments say a lot about your character.” Dorian pulled on his boots. “You’re a man who makes careless assumptions.”
“You were naked in bed with my sister. It’s a fact, not a bloody assumption.” Theo’s hostile glare followed Dorian into the dim hall. He closed the door gently behind him and gestured to the stairs. “Summon your coachman. We’re going on a journey. Be warned. It may be your last.”
“Do I need duelling pistols? I gave you my best pair.”
“You don’t need pistols.” Theo marched him downstairs like a thief destined for the gallows. “We’ll fight like men, not pampered dandies.”
So, it was to be a bare-knuckle brawl.
Luckily, Dorian was skilled in the art of pugilism.
He summoned Briggs, though it took the man thirty minutes to dress and ready the carriage.
While Dorian stood wondering how the night would unfold, Theo whispered to Gibbs at the coach-house door before saying, loud enough for Dorian to hear, “Remain in the house. Protect Delphine with your life. Unlike some, I’m sure you mean to keep your vow.”
They travelled two miles in silence, except for Theo’s groans as he nursed his wounded shoulder and cursed Dorian to the devil. When they left the Newington Road, it was clear they were heading towards London Bridge and most probably Aldgate.
“You’re taking me to Fortune’s Den.” It was a statement, not a question. Theo would not be his opponent. Dorian would take a beating from the King of Clubs. A man feared by many and unrivalled when fighting with his fists.
“Damn right. Aaron suspected something was amiss when Delphine insisted she stay one more night. As did I when her eyes turned dreamy at the mention of your blasted name.”
Delphine!
Dorian knew that soft, faraway gaze, as compelling as the dance of sunlight on the sea. He lost himself in those soulful brown pools, found himself the moment he pushed deep into Delphine’s welcoming body. When they were together, the world around them disappeared. Protecting their undeniable bond was all that mattered. Nothing these men could do would ruin his future plans.
Theo shook his head and uttered, “Devious bastard.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
The question took Theo by surprise. His haunted gaze shifted to the window as if a monument to heartbreak and humiliation could be found there. “Love is a conjurer’s trick. Nature’s ploy to force men to procreate. A device to secure the survival of our species.”
“I was just as cynical once.” He’d believed love was a weapon. Now he knew true love healed. It did not maim. “If you think that’s all love is, then you have never wanted a woman the way I want Delphine.”
Theo slapped his hand on the seat. “You’ve no right to speak her given name.” Anger emanated from every fibre of his being. He was within his rights to throttle Dorian, but there was no doubt the mention of love had opened old wounds. “If you’d kept your cock in your trousers, I might believe you.”
“I want to marry her.”
Mile End had never felt like home. Delphine brought warmth to every cold corridor. She brought chaos and laughter and a deep sense of belonging.
“As if we’d let—”
“I’m going to marry her.” He’d never been more certain of anything in his life. Woe betide anyone who tried to stop him.
Theo gestured to Dorian’s mussed hair and crumpled clothes. “And you think this is how to seek her family’s approval?”
“I don’t need your approval, but I’ll do what’s necessary to earn it.” He would fight all four Chance brothers if need be. “I’m in love with Delphine, and I’m damn sure she’s in love with me. You should have woken her. She’s not a child and deserves the right to speak for herself.”
Theo might have hurled more insults, but the carriage stopped outside Fortune’s Den in Aldgate Street. It was the early hours of the morning, but candlelight flickered in a downstairs window.
Moments later, Aaron Chance appeared at the front door, his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing the muscular forearms that made men quiver. He looked at Dorian’s lack of respectable attire and knew why Theo had dragged him across town.
“You’d better come in.” Aaron’s gaze moved beyond Dorian to the building across the street. A blonde woman stood watching from an upper window. “I’ll not have all and sundry knowing my business.”
Dorian stopped to stroke the lucky horseshoe above the gaming hell door, then followed Aaron into his study. Much like the man himself, it was a dark, domineering space.
“Sit down, Flynn.” Aaron spoke with a measure of calm as he drew out a chair near his desk. He waited for Dorian to sit before settling into his black throne and turning his attention to Theo. “I trust you left Delphine asleep in bed?”
Theo nodded. “I did as you asked and waited an hour after Flynn climbed the stairs before checking both chambers. I found them in Flynn’s bed.”
Aaron’s nostrils flared. His fiery gaze could sear a man’s soul. “I assume this isn’t the first time you’ve had intimate relations with my sister.”
Dorian was careful not to use arrogance as a crutch. “No. It might pain you to hear this, but I doubt it will be the last.”
Aaron slammed his clenched fist on his desk. “You’ve got a damn nerve. Most men would scramble to save their sorry necks, not look for ways to provoke me.”
“Those men are not in love with Delphine.”
Aaron’s dark eyes narrowed. “How do you know you are?”
He did not need to search his heart for the answer. “Life is perfect when we’re together. She understands me like no one else. She’s my friend, lover, the person I trust most.” The reasons he loved her were endless. “She’s kind, loyal, so beautiful inside she steals my breath. I know I’m in love with her because I would fight every one of you for the right to claim her hand.”
They would have to kill him to prevent him from pursuing her.
Aaron was not swayed by his rhetoric. “Your fight is with me, no one else. If you last one round, I’ll be impressed.”
“Do what you must.”
When a boy lay trembling in bed at night, waiting for his enemies to strike with a torrent of abuse and a hailstorm of punches, he did not fear fighting one man. Even if it was the indomitable Aaron Chance.
“Have you no thought for Miss Montague?” Aaron said.
Dorian squared his shoulders. “I’m not in love with Miss Montague. Any comments about a match stem from my father’s ambitions, not mine.”
He had not dishonoured the lady.
He had made his intentions clear.
A glimmer of curiosity lit Aaron’s eyes. “You’d forsake a chance to join the upper ranks? The King might grant you a title. Your father wants to leave you his legacy. You need never work again.”
The list of privileges would be endless.
“It means nothing without Delphine.”
A mocking chuckle burst from Aaron Chance’s lips. He relaxed back in his throne and steepled his fingers. “Did you hear that, Theo? Flynn would rather be related to you than the Marquess of Bexley.”
“If only we’d made a wager to that effect,” Theo replied. “Though I must say, you’re taking the fact Flynn ruined our sister quite well.”
“I admire any man willing to die for his cause,” Aaron countered. “And I anticipated the chime of wedding bells when Daventry persuaded me to let Delphine remain at Mile End. Either Daventry is London’s best necromancer, and he receives predictions from beyond the grave, or he’s a mesmerist who has us all in a damned trance.”
For the first time since he’d opened his eyes and found Theo lurking in the doorway, Dorian breathed a little easier. “Then I have your permission to ask for her hand?”
“I need to see the evidence of this love for myself.” Aaron’s provoking tone said Dorian had just sat through the preliminary interrogation. The real test was about to begin. “Delphine has suffered a great deal. Let us pray she sees you as more than a distraction, or there’ll be the devil to pay.”
Dorian realised he had walked into a trap.
Aaron confirmed as much when he examined his pocket watch. “Gibbs should have woken Mrs Maloney and explained your sudden absence. Wishing to help Delphine, Mrs Maloney will race to your bedchamber and deliver the dreadful news.”
“The question is, will Delphine come to your aid?” Theo said. “Or will she realise you’re nothing but a temporary distraction?”
Annoyed that his life was being manipulated by men other than his father, Dorian stood abruptly. “This is my life. It’s not a game.”
“No, but I’ll not force Delphine into a loveless marriage,” Aaron snapped. “Aren’t you curious to know if her feelings are genuine?”
He would stake his life they were genuine. Love lived in every lingering smile, in every tender touch. Though he probably didn’t deserve her esteem, she made him feel like a god amongst men.
“So you mean to stage a fight in the hope she comes running?” Dorian countered, thankful Gibbs was at Mile End and Delphine wasn’t left to make the journey alone.
“Stage a fight?” Aaron sounded offended by the suggestion. “We’ll not be prancing around like popinjays. In an effort to keep your affair a secret, you have forgotten an important fact.”
“And what is that?”
Aaron stood and braced his hands on the desk, his gaze hard and black like obsidian. “You gave me your word you would treat my sister with respect. No man reneges on a promise made to me. No man! You will face me in the pit. There, you will pay the price for your betrayal.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Delphine! Wake up! What on earth is wrong with you? Have you been drinking? Can you hear me? Oh, what’s a woman to do?”
The irate questions invaded Delphine’s peaceful slumber. She was snuggled beneath the sheets in Dorian’s bed, bathing in the warm afterglow of their lovemaking. Oh, he had been magnificent tonight. Pure sweat-soaked muscle in a body made for sin.
“Delphine!”
“Hmm?”
Cold air breezed over her bare skin as the blanket slipped off her shoulder. The sudden chill raised gooseflesh to her arms. The persistent prodding brought her back to reality with a bump.
“What is it?” A little annoyed, she opened her eyes to find Mrs Maloney dragging the blankets off the bed. “Good Lord!” Aware of her nakedness, she used her hands to cover her modesty. “Mrs Maloney? What are you doing?” Then she remembered she was in Dorian’s bed, and panic crushed her chest in its relentless vice. “Wait. Let me explain.”
“There’s no time for idle chatter. Get up, dear, before your brothers murder the man you love. Hurry, or you’ll be mourning the husband that never was.”
“Murder? Mourning? What do you mean?”
Still dazed and groggy, she gathered the blanket to her breasts and sat up. She was alone in bed. A quick scan of the room confirmed Dorian’s clothes were not on the chair where he left them. His boots were missing, too.
She tried to fire her logical brain into action, but fear left her irrational. “Is Aaron here? What has he done? Has he hurt—”
“No. Will you listen?” Mrs Maloney was flapping her hands now. “Theo came looking for you and found you in Mr Flynn’s bed. He’s dragged him away to Fortune’s Den. If you don’t hurry, there’ll be a trial with no jury.”
“Fortune’s Den!”
Good Lord! Aaron would demand Dorian join him in the fighting pit in the basement. For every stolen kiss, her brother would deliver a deadly blow.
“Why didn’t they wake me?” She shot out of bed and snatched her nightdress from beneath her pillow. “If they hurt a hair on Dorian’s head, I’ll never forgive them.”
“Men are barbarians when it comes to honour. Aaron will see this as a personal slight. If you want Mr Flynn, you’ll have to fight for him.”
“Fight? In the pit?” Delphine dragged her nightdress over her head.
“No, you goose.” Mrs Maloney helped her thrust her arms into the garment. “You’ll have to face your brothers and tell them how you feel about Mr Flynn. Remember, this is your life. Make them listen.”
She gripped Mrs Maloney’s wrinkled hands. “I love Dorian. I don’t want to be without him, but my brothers will always have an opinion. What man would tolerate their interference?”
Certainly not one who longed for a peaceful existence.
Oh, she would be a spinster until the end of her days.
“A man who loves you. A man who isn’t afraid to hit Aaron.” Mrs Maloney handed her a silk dressing gown, her eyes shining with warmth and kindness. “Someone who’s spent a lifetime alone. Someone who would thrive in a family of like-minded men.”
An image of Dorian attending their daily meeting flashed into her mind. Mrs Maloney was right. He was strong enough to tolerate Aaron’s scrutiny. He wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion.
The question was, would Aaron let her go?
Their family home was emptying slowly.
How would Aaron cope when left alone with his memories?
“Hurry now.” With nimble fingers, Mrs Maloney tied the belt on Delphine’s dressing gown. “They’re only half an hour ahead. Go get your boots. Mr Gibbs is waiting downstairs with the carriage.”
