Page 88 of Corrupting his Duchess

“I…” She swallowed. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No,” he said. His voice was calm, too calm. “Of course not.”

He didn’t move toward her.

She stood there, feeling small in the stillness.

But there was something off in his voice. Cold. Controlled.

She came closer, but not too close. “I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I didn’t want the night to end without…”

She faltered. “I didn’t want to go without speaking to you.”

His jaw shifted. “You leave tomorrow morning.”

“Yes,” Her voice dipped. “But I couldn’t leave without seeing you.”

A long pause.

When he finally spoke, it was quieter. “Anna, perhaps this isn’t the best time.”

He looked away. “I think… it would be better if we ended things. This… whatever this is… it needs to end here.”

The words hit her with a strange kind of silence.

“What?”

He straightened, still not looking at her. “Whatever’s been between us, it can’t continue.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

He looked away.

Her throat closed. “What? Say it.”

“I shouldn’t have let it begin,” he said. “It was reckless. It wasn’t fair. To you. To your family. I should have known better.”

She took a step toward him, slowly. “Henry… no.”

I mean it,” he said, his voice tight. “I’ve been selfish. I see that now. You have responsibilities. A family. A future that can’t include someone like me complicating it."

“You’re not complicating it,” she said, and hated how small her voice sounded.

He met her eyes, finally. “A man like me? With my name? My title? I can ruin you without ever meaning to.”

“You’re doing this now?” she asked, her voice suddenly brittle. “After everything?”

“I’m doing this because I care about you,” he said. “Because I won’t be the reason you’re ruined.”

She let out a small, stunned laugh. “Too late.”

His eyes snapped to hers.

“You think this ends cleanly?” she asked. “That you get to kiss me, look at me like I’m something you’ve waited your whole life to find, and then walk away nobly?”

“I’m trying to protect you.”

She nodded, slowly. “How noble.”