Authors: Nichole Matthews
Her heart softened and her anxiety slid away.
So w
ith an audible breath,
she nodded her spine straightening before
she replied,
“Yes.” She couldn
’t manage more than a whisper. “I do, but I’m afraid.”
After a breath for courage, she looked up into his strong face and piercing blue eyes. Not full of judgment or
distaste
, but full of something stronger.
He pulled her against him and
pressed his mouth to hers.
Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.
Papa’s
gonna
buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won’t sing,
Papa’s
gonna
buy you a diamond ring
P
arker scooped her up as if she weighed next to nothing
, s
hifting her in his arms then pulled her against his chest. He
swiveled and sat down
. His arms tightened, keeping her in place
as he cradled her on his lap
.
She stiffened
at first, then he felt her relax
against his body
. He tucked her head under his chin and slowly
strok
e
d
her hair with a
gentle touch.
His scent surrounded her, sandalwood and Parker
helping her remain calm
.
He shifted her so he could see her face better. He loved the feel of her in his arms
and
how she snuggled against
his
chest
, trusting
. Her gentle curves
had increased over the time that she had been with them at
Rosebriar
and they fit perfectly with the hard planes of his body
. Her big green eyes that held a pleading look, one that pulled at his heart. But if they were going to move forward, she had to be honest with him. She needed to share her experiences with her uncle no m
atter how horrible they were, a
nd no matter how much he would like to forget they had even occurred. Everyone had dark secrets, but he wanted them to start with a clean slate, so he supposed he would need to be the one who shared his hidden past first.
He kissed the top of her head.
“You are not the first that Granville has harmed with his cruel nature,” h
e said softly, startling her enough that she jumped and her h
and stopped caressing his chest and balled into a tiny fist.
She tried
to sit up, and he held her against him
.
“What did he do to you?” He felt the question more than heard as her words vibrated against his chest.
“It all happened about s
ix months before my father died.” His voice firm as if he had already dealt with his ghosts. “It almost destroyed him. I’ve wondered for years if it is what provoked his death.”
“No,” she cried
out at the sadness in his tone
, pulling back slightly to look directly in his eyes
. “You cannot believe that.”
She grabbed Parker’s arm and squeezed, reassuring him.
“I know differently now.” He tightened his grip, tucking her head into the hollow of his shoulder. Feeling her warmth and empathy, she gave him comfort without even realizing
the full extent of
her power. “I was betrothed almost since birth to a girl who was killed. Her parents accused me as her murderer.”
“And your father believed them?”
The question came out a little hesitant. A little nervous.
He nodded.
“Her father was a
very
powerful man.”
She glanced up and could see the faint lines of strain that surrounded his eyes and mouth at the memory. “Your father
was
as well.”
She heaved a breath.
“If you understood the reputation I had
worked hard to cultivate
since my youth, you w
ould understand why he had
his
doubts.” She watched his face. “I was spoiled. Was given
every comfort,
every luxury,
every leeway, and all my father’s love. And I took it all for granted.”
“I cannot believe that.”
She laid her hand against his chest.
He covered her hand with his own.
“You see me only as the man I am today,” his eyes crinkled at the corners. “It took my father’s death for this man to emerge from the rubble of the mess I had created.”
“What happened to your betrothed
,” she questioned.
“Please forgive me for the details, but I want to be honest with you.” He caressed her cheek. “She was found
beaten almost unrecognizable.” He shook his head slightly even though she couldn’t see from where she l
ay against his chest
, she could feel him move
. “She
told her parents that she was going to a ball to see me, but instead she was secretly meeting
St. Claire
.” He stopped when she stiffened, sucking in a breath. “Persephone?”
He cocked his head.
“I know Lord St. Claire.”
Her lips felt numb, but her voice didn’t waver.
He pushed her from his chest so that he could look into her eyes.
“What do you mean
know
St. Claire?” His jaw clenched.
He ran his hand down her arm, and she settled back against his chest.
She pulled in another
shaky
breath. “He likes knives,” she said hoarsely.
She felt vulnerable. Exposed. She wanted to cry
. She wanted to hide.
“
Fuck
.”
He remembered the cuts on her hip bone just above her mound,
SC
, almost like a brand.
“I’m so sorry, love.” He felt tears prick the backs of his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. He wanted to roar. He wanted blood. He wanted peace.
There was such a riotous assortment of emotions running through him.
She h
auled in another
long breath. The feel of the knife’s blade slicing into her skin still fresh, dizziness surged through her. She
knew she
would have staggered had she not been sitting in Parker’s lap wrapped in his arms.
“He does it so that he can remember.”
P
ersephone’s eyes burned with tears, and she blinked furiously.
“Remember?” he asked almost absently
, his eyes looking
tortured
.
“He said that he had lost count.” She shivered, her chest ached and she didn’t want to talk about this anymore.
Parker’s arms tightened around her body
when he felt her tremble
.
“I will make him remember,” he growled.
“I will make sure he always remembers the pain he meted out to others.” He crushed her to him. “It makes me sick.”
She saw slight worry lines next to his blue eyes.
“Parker
,” sh
e said softly
tracing
the deep grooves on his forehead
.
“I want to help
you forget,
”
he said hoarsely.
“You already have.
You already do.
”
She lifted her head. “
I don’t want to run any longer
.”
She lay limp against hi
s chest, listening to his slow heartbeat as he stroked her hair.
“I love you, Parker,
”
s
he said in a very serious voice.
It seemed as if the words suddenly fell from her tongue so easily.
Relief washed over her and she let herself relax into his arms.
She sighed when his hands became more t
han just comfort. They stroked
down her back, trailing fingers down her spine until they gripped her hips. She pulled back, seeing the faint smile on his face
and the obvious intent glittering in his midnight blue eyes
.
His hand moved to her breast, and sh
e stiffened. “We are not alone,
”
s
he admonished with a smile, masked by a scowl
.
He searched her eyes for a long moment before he
closed
his,
leaning
in until his forehead rested against hers.
“I need to kiss you.”
His voice was raw with desire, with emotions he’d never known before.
Her hea
d tilted
up as his low voice fluttered across her face,
and his smile increased revealing his dimple. She held up her finger. “One kiss.”
Her heart galloped in her chest
.
His arms tightened around her at her consent.
He saw a flash of fire in the dark depths of her eyes
and his eyes filled with heat.
“Then I
better make this
the mos
t amazing kiss you have ever had
.”
He
set his hand against her face.
She closed her eyes and l
et the warmth from his touch seep
into her, through her
as he drew her into a hard, fierce kiss
.
His fingers w
rapped around her neck and
spiked
up into her hair, tangling with the strands.
She heard the quick, harsh sound of Parker sucking in a deep, desperate breath and s
he
capitulated. She
opened her mouth beneath his and responded just as fiercely leaving her dizzy with desire.
Her blood began to slow in her veins and she
melted into his arms, giving herself fully to his embrace.
A low moan rose from her throat as his
hands roamed over her back in soothing circles.
She slid her hands from his shoulders, then down his chest, leaning into him.
His erection swelled against the side of her hip and his passionate reaction emboldened her further
, she shifted, s
he sighed, trembling, her lips parted. His tongue probed deeper, running along the edge of her teeth, the roof of her mouth, and then stroked the surface of her tongue.
He felt, rather than saw the smile that lifted her lips
.
“I said one,” she whispered
breathlessly
against his mouth
, press
ing her lips to his to stifle h
e
r
giggle
.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in the manner in which she loved and his dimple prominent on his right cheek.
He leaned in.
“And
I say one will
never
be enough,” he w
hispered into her ear, sending tingles down
her spine.
He brushed his hand over her cheek and smoothed away the hair he had loosened.
He nuzzled her neck, and additional delightful little shivers danced down her spine.
Someone cleared their throat from the direction of the doorway.
She jerked her head up a
t the sound to see Peyton
. She froze,
a
deep
,
red flush suffused her face and she tried to pull out of Parker’s embrace and move from his lap
.
Parker leaned back in the chair but didn’t relinquish his hold of Persephone.
To her surprise, he smiled, and white teeth flashed.
He was pleased with how she
stared up at him, face flushed, eyes glassy.
Peyton’s eyebrows rose as he studied them for a moment. “I don’t know about the two of you, but I am more than ready to leave this
godforsaken
place.”
Parker touched Persephone’s
hand where it rested against his chest
, pressing it firmly against his rapidly beating heart. He knew that this house held pleasant memories from her childhood as well as the horrendous reminders of her captivity and torture. He
glanc
ed into her eyes assuring himself and seeking proof that she was ready to leave behind both
.