Authors: Nichole Matthews
“
His
name?” He sat stunned waiting for her to answer an
unyielding fist squeezed his chest
.
She was tough, and he was involved with her troubles now. He glanced down when she stirred, snuggling closer and smiled at her trust
although he ached due to the pain that had been inflicted upon her
.
“His name?” he asked again because he was going to kill the man
who had made her feel this way
. Kill the Devils.
But no answer came. At least not tonight.
As the minutes ticked by, he watched over her until her breathing slowed. Deepened. A
nd she became a
warm, soft weight in his arms.
He knew the moment she’d finally fallen into a dreamless sleep. Her body released its tension and she relaxed against him.
He pulled her closer.
He settled more comfortably on the
bed
with Persephone still tucked against his chest.
She felt so fragile in his arms, as if he could break her if he touched her the wrong way.
The healed welt
s
on her legs explained now.
With a sigh of relief, he brushed a lock of hair from her cheek hauling
in a slow breath.
“Rest, love
.” His fingers stroked her arm lightly as she slept.
“I have you now.”
Her long
hair, streaked with shimmering red was tangled and curled falling over his arm. He wanted to run his hands through it, but didn’t want to wake her. Instead, he pressed his face against her hair and
breathed in through his nose inhaling
her scent
. Fresh. Clean. Persephone.
He had no idea
how long he held her, an hour, possibly two. She continued to sleep, not moving a muscle.
She needed him.
And he needed her, but he knew he couldn’t spend the entire night in her room.
He slowly lifted her and settled her on the bed
waiting until she settled back into a deep sleep
. His breath eased
out, and his muscles relaxed.
He straightened
, stretching to ease the aches from sitting still for such a long while.
He stared down at her, brushing her hair back from her face in soothing strokes. The action designed to soothe him more than her. He admired her pride. Her strength. He slowly ran his fingers down her cheek needing to feel her softness.
He needed
a little more
time to gain perspective.
“I’m going to kill the bastards that did this to you, Persephone,” he said in a rough whisper
, a promise
.
He walked
out of the room into the hall and ran straight into Piper
who was standing outside of Persephone’s door
in her wrapper
,
her arms crossed and a worried look in her eyes
.
“I heard yelling
,
”
she said by way of explanation.
His face tightened as he noticeably warred with his need to shelter her.
“That was hours ago, Piper.”
“Parker,” she drawled.
“I’m not a child.”
He swallowed, his grim eyes touched hers. “She’s been abused by some sick
bas
…monster.”
Piper’s lips quirked
up
in a fle
eting grin at his attempt to shield
her from his
angry curse
.
“I’ve heard the word bastard before, Parker.”
“Women,” he muttered, scrubbing his hand over his face feeling the
night
s’ worth of whiskers rasping against his palm.
His face turned to stone, and rage flashed, turning his eyes to ice even in the darkened hall. “She has scars all over her legs.” He inhaled and exhaled in long, measured breath
s
.
“Possibly other places as well.”
Piper’s brow rose high upon her forehead.
He snorted a laugh. “It’s not like tha
t.” His eyes shuttered again.
“Her night rail was tangled from her nightmare. Aunt had advised me of them when she first arrived, but I had no idea.”
His voice thick with emotions. “If something like this had happened to you or Poppy…” He sho
ok his head, unable to finish. He scrubbed his hand roughly over his face
again
.
Piper reached out and touched his arm. His eyes rose
, and she could see the deep sadness
. “Then it is a lucky thing she found her way to
Rosebriar
.” He looked so unhappy, it n
early broke her heart. “To you,
”
she added.
“For there is no one more suited to caring for a lost soul. You are one of the kindest, gentlest men I know, Parker.”
He stood silent allowing her words to sink in.
Allowing her praise to wash over him and cover the sadness
,
giving him strength.
He blinked, frowned, and then took a deep breath. “I believe I have my work cut out for me.”
She gave him a small smile. “You’ve always b
een up to any task.” She glanced over her shoulder
when a door down the hall o
pened and she saw her husband poke
his head out.
Piper
returned her stare to him. Her
brilliant blue gaze probed too deeply for the question to be frivolous
“You like her, don’t you?”
She regarded him in a speculative way that he did not like.
Parker shifted uncomfortably under her piercing blue stare his brow furrowed. “I…”
“Piper
,
leave the man alone.”
Rockwell chuckled
, interrupting Parker’s re
s
ponse
.
He
was grateful
that he didn’t have to give
an answer.
At least not right now.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Gray.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
“I love you, Parker.”
“I love you
,
too.”
His eyes followed her
as she trotted down the hall
. All the breath left his chest, leaving him deflated. H
e headed in the direction of his suite
ready to put this night behind him
.
As Parker stepped through the door to his room, his valet, Dudley, stood. “I told you to go to bed, Dudley.”
He puffed out a frustrated sigh
rubbing his temple to ease the beginnings of a headache
.
“I wanted to make sure you were well after all t
he commotion before I retire.”
“Dudley, I will not gossip about one of my gu
ests no matter how much you beg,
”
he said flatly
his scowl deepening
.
Dudley’s lips pursed
as if he had just sucked on a lemon
, but he made no move to leave
.
“Dudley,” Parker drawled out. “I’m going to sit before my fire and have a drink before I retire.” He rai
sed his brow. “You may leave.”
“Of c
ourse, my lord.” Dudley bowed before
head
ing
towards his sleeping cot.
Parker went to the
liquor cabinet he had in
stalled in
his room and poured a large tumbler of his finest whiskey. He needed a burn tonight. He was so full of conflicting emotions.
Every part in his body said she needed to be cared for, protected, helped—and that he should be the one to do
it.
But his body was a traitor. It wanted more than to protect or to help. It wanted to conquer and it hadn’t helped holding her softly curved body in his arms while she slept.
He sat and took a large swallow relishing the trail of fire that eased down his throat.
Leaning back in the chair, he stretched his legs closer to the
crackling
fire.
Miss
Mayton
. Claire. He had thought he desired her. He had thought she was
the
perfect
choice
to be his
marc
hioness, before the scandal. N
ow he was not
sure what he needed.
What he wanted.
His jaw tightened un
til his teeth ground together.
He d
ropped his head into his hands and heaved an exasperated sigh, a deep anguish
edging through his defenses.
Parker didn’t want to dwell on
what all had been done to her.
He wanted to drown in sweet oblivion.
***
G
ranville sat behind his large oak desk
, his fingers
steepled
beneath his chin
,
a look of casual disregard
on his face
. “You look like hell, St. Claire.” The earl examined Lord St. Claire with a serious expression. It was clear that he was displeased with th
e information he had received.
The viscount leaned over Granville’s desk his palms planted firmly on the hard surface. “I have worked diligently in keeping my reputation wit
hout spot or blemish, Granville.
”
T
he
viscount’s face
turn
ed
a dangerous shade of purple. “By God, Granville if you don’t find the chit, I will
find her and
take care of her for you.”
“Calm yourself, St. Claire,
” Granville
replied evenly, and
ge
stured towards the chair in front of his desk. “Let me get you a drink.” He signaled to the footman who stood silently in
the corner. “I’m known for my discretion.” He gave him a hard loo
k. “Or do you doubt my word?”
“Of course not, Granville.” His eyes held a hint of fear. “If my father should find out, he will c
ut me off without a farthing.”
“Do you imagine that I would want these
sordid
stories to be b
andied about the drawing rooms of
London?”
Granville’s laugh did not halt his sneer. “I would not
live to see the dawn of a new
day.”
“W-w-what?” St. Claire’s brow knit with worry.
Granville shot him an astonished glare. “Did you imagine that you would go unpunished if your degeneracies were made known?”
Granville watched with a hard glint in his eyes as St. Claire’s throat worked furiously. “I’m sure your father would understand if he knew you were unable to control the urges that run through your blood.”
St. Claire’s face blanched. “My l-l-lord…” He swallowed
hard, taking a few steps back.
He had a feeling St. Claire might be a problem. Perhaps a note sent round to his father, Lord
Seighton
, would ease his worries. He wasn’t above a little
blackmail;
it’s what help
ed
keep his coffers filled.
Granville stood resting his shoulder against the window frame
,
his gaze softening at the thought. When he turned his attention back to St. Claire, his expression tinged with dark amusement.
“Perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement.”
He
spoke quietly, feeling a smile nudging
the corners of his mouth at the fear that flashed in St. Cl
aire’s eyes.
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day.
Little Johnny wants to play;
Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again!
T
he next morning
Parker went in search of Persephone and
found
her
sitting on the wrought iron bench in Poppy’s wildflower garden
looking lost. His mood
was less than cheerful
as well.
H
e had awoke
n
pissed off. He needed to know about her nightmares. Irritation tightened his gut. Why was she afraid? It was enough to make him wonder what had gone wrong with the world when a woman wasn’t safe. She had said
uncle
. She hadn’t even been safe with her
own family? It sickened him.