Page 127 of A Gentleman's Wager

“I want to hear it.”

“No.”

He bucked, withdrew, thrust again, drawing her hips back to meet him, then secured his other hand around her throat while he used her bottom entirely for his pleasure. “If you do not beg, then I will spend and leave you here soiled and frustrated for Lucerne to find.”

“Why must you do this?”

“Always so many questions with you.”

The taboo, deep and heavy penetration was pushing her towards a state of delirium, but she knew he would finish long before she achieved any sort of release. “Please, Vaughan. Please…”

“Please, what?”

“Give me what you give Lucerne.”

He laughed delighted. “Oh, my sweet nightingale, I thought I already was.”

But he wasn’t, not in the way that she meant. It was perilous to imagine he ever would.

Vaughan formed a V with his fingers either side of her pearl, used them to tease it from its hood, then caressed it naked. Bella soared, alive with a pleasure-pain she could hardly tolerate. Teeth bared, he brought her to peak. One climax broke like the dawn, here then gone. The second pulsed through her in waves of prickling light. Inside her, his cock jerked flooding her rear with his essence.

For a precious moment he lay against her, his cock still captive inside of her. Too soon, he withdrew, leaving her bereft. He did not offer her any assistance up from the desk, did not even look at her. He righted his clothing, then collected his book and glass once again as if nothing much at all had occurred.

The rebuke left her smarting. Overcome with shame, Bella rose unsteadily. Her fury burned through her, but no matter how aggressively she glared at his back she couldn’t make him look at her. She didn’t let her tears fall until she reached the entrance hall where he wouldn’t witness them.

Why, oh, why did she do it to herself? His callous disdain left her hollow inside. She knew him to be an unfeeling wretch, and yet, every time she anticipated better treatment, imagined more. There had to be something worthy within that stone cold heart of his, a better person for Lucerne to love.

Lucerne met her in the centre of the staircase. He’d changed out of his day clothes, and now wore a beautifully embroidered dressing gown. The smile he had for her vanished the moment he saw her tears. He pulled her to him at once. “Bella, what’s wrong? Vaughan has not—”

His gaze fastened upon the mark on her neck.

Bella tugged at her fichu to try to cover it, but he put out his hand and peeled the kerchief back. His thumb swept swift across the bruise.

“Vaughan?” he asked so very quietly.

A wave of dizziness seized her. “Yes.”

The light drained from his face.

Dear God, how had the fine prospect of a few weeks ago developed into this unholy mess? The floor seemed to rise towards her.

Lucerne caught her fast in his arms. “Dammit, I never thought I’d see you faint.”

“I’m worn out and confused, and so very, desperately tired.”

“Aye, that’s about the sum of it,” he agreed, though she sensed he was perhaps being at least partly rhetorical.

“I don’t know what is what between us,” she confessed. “Vaughan muddles everything.”

“Then let me at least make one thing plain.” He swung her up into his arms and carried her along the corridor, to her chamber door, which he kicked open. “Out!” he barked at Emma, sending her maid scurrying off with her eyes wide as saucers. There was no need to speculate what the gossip would be that night in the servant’s quarters.

“That mayn’t have been—”

He lay her on the bed and pressed a finger to her lips. “I don’t give a damn if they gossip. Nor do I pretend that they don’t already know every damn thing that goes on in this household. She presented one of my shirts, freshly laundered, to my valet but a while back. They are already aware, Bella.”

“If it reaches Joshua’s ears…”

“Don’t ever doubt that I’ll do the right thing.”