Page 24

Like the statues she’d put in the foyer, his body was rock solid and unmoving. In fact her attempt to fight away from him only seemed to make his build grow harder, and she felt as if she were fighting stone.

“Let go,” she fumed against his mouth. But even as she said it her body betrayed her. The tighter he held her to him the hotter her fever grew. With another swipe of his tongue, her legs began to tremble and a sluicing of sudden moisture trickled down her thighs. His teeth then nipped her lips again, softer this time, and she couldn’t help the moan that slipped from her lips as her nipples hardened to the point of pain.

As if knowing what he was doing to her, Dominic’s hand smoothed from her waist up to her ribcage and cupped her left breast, his thumb grazing over her nipple so hard that she could feel it even through the layers of her dress and camisole. The moment she felt it her lower abdomen quivered and tightened, and another gush of moisture splashed against her inner thighs.

Her fury seemed to leave her body with that heated liquid between her legs, and she sagged against him; moaning into his mouth; giving in to him.

And then suddenly he stopped. The world tilted as his arms and lips left her to sway on her own feet; her head swimming with clashing thoughts of fury and need. Amelia drew in a grounding breath, as she opened her eyes; trying to make sense of what had just happened to her.

She saw Dominic first, standing a pace away. He hard, unreadable look on his face but it was clear that he was fighting for his breath just as much as she was. Then she noticed that the clamor of work had ceased. Even the chirping of the wild birds and hum of insects had seemed to stop. She looked up, and saw every worker had seemed to be frozen in place, staring down at them.

“Leave us!” She yelled, her rage returning as quicker than it had left her.

All at once the workers began to move; abandoning their tools and work until the area was vacant save for her and Dominic. Then she grit her teeth, stepped forward, and slapped him. His head barely moved as a painful stinging sensation exploded through her entire hand, only serving to make her angrier.

“What in the bloody hell was that?” She demanded.

“A reminder,” Dominic snapped back. “To themandyou that you aremywife.”

“You didn’t care about that before,” she shot back.

“You weren’t being so flagrant with our reputation before,” he retorted.

Amelia sneered as she drew her hand back to slap him again, but Dominic caught her wrist and dragged her to him.

“Let go!” She yelled, hating how quickly her body responded to him again.

“What’s the matter?” He snarled. “The hands of a masked stranger are good enough to touch you but your husband’s aren’t?”

Amelia narrowed her eyes at him. He’d never once acted as if he’d wanted her, but now he was jealous? She could hear it in his voice; see it in those silver eyes that now made her core quake with feeling.

“I thought you said you had no interest in unwilling paramours?” She shot back.

Something like hurt flickered through those silver eyes, and Dominic released her so quickly that she stumbled.

Aroused, angry, and confused, Amelia righted herself and smoothed her hands down the front of her dress.

“Just so we are clear,husband,I have not allowed any stranger to touch me.”

Dominic gave her a suspicious look, but said nothing.

“Those parties provide me with a particular sense of freedom, yes. But not one that involves my body.”

Dominic’s nostrils flared.

“But you were looking, weren’t you? You would have been open to the opportunity if it had presented itself.”

A fleeting shred of guilt passed through her as she was called out.

“Yes,” she admitted begrudgingly. “Ifthe opportunity had presented itself. But might I remind you that that is only because you made it so clear on our wedding day that you did not want me.”

Dominic stared at her for a long, hard moment, and she shivered at how deep his eyes seemed to penetrate her very soul. It was as if he could seeeverythingshe’d ever tried to hide. From theton.From the family. From herself.

“Chaos has erupted in London,” he said at last, taking his eyes off of her.

“Rumors and your friends are running wild. Theo and Tristan’s mother is in failing health. And Seraphina’s father has passed. His title is being handed down to the man next in line. One Allistair Harleigh. He hasn’t been spotted yet but I need to sink my claws in the moment he is.”

“Sounds like you will be busy,” Amelia replied, a sense of bitterness overcoming her. “Off you go again.”