Page 29 of The Earl That Got Away (Sirens in Silk #2)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Now

England

D o I need to challenge you?” Strickland spoke lightly but Hawk registered the menace in his friend’s voice. “Must Miss Darwish’s honor be defended?”

It’s about eight years too late for that , Hawk was tempted to retort. But he couldn’t get his thoughts in order. He was too full of Naila, of her scent and her skin, the taste of her, the feel of her, the way she cried out when she climaxed.

If only she’d stayed hidden in the alcove.

Hawk had barely been able to pull away from her when he heard the door to the sitting room open.

He’d hoped to spare her any indignity before she’d emerged, cheeks flushed, mouth swollen from his kisses.

With her slightly ruffled hair and gown a bit askew, Hawk knew exactly what Strick correctly deduced.

“Surely,” the duke said tightly, “you have not forgotten that you are in my house and that my wife’s sister is under my protection.”

Hawk adjusted his frock coat, grateful that it hid his aching erection. Still, he angled slightly away from Strick, just in case. “I have not forgotten.”

“Then what are you doing?” Strick spoke sharply. “It’s one thing to pine away for a respectable woman. It’s another to actually lay your hands on her.”

Hawk hesitated. To admit to touching Naila would damage her reputation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“If you’re not going to marry her, leave her alone. I cannot, and will not, stand for anything less.”

Hawk gave a mirthless huff. “If you’ll recall, I did try to marry her.”

“Given the circumstances, perhaps you should try again.”

“I don’t need you telling me how to conduct my life,” Hawk bit out, still unable to put his thoughts in order.

He needed at least a few minutes to unravel the potential ramifications of those stolen moments in the alcove.

What he really wanted to do at the moment was to savor them and replay them over and over in his mind.

“Someone needs to talk some sense into you.”

The door to the sitting room opened and Raya came out. She stopped in surprise when she spotted them. “Hawk,” she said with a smile, “I thought you’d gone.”

Strick kept his focus on Hawk. “As did I.”

Her smile faltered as she looked between the two men. “Is everything all right?”

“Of course.” Hawk forced an easy tone. “I was just leaving.”

“Not so fast.” The duke stepped toward him. Hawk braced himself. “I’m not done speaking with you.”

Alarm lit Raya’s face. “What is going on here?”

“Nothing at all,” her husband said smoothly. “The earl and I need to have a word.” Hawk allowed himself to be directed into the nearest chamber.

“Strick?” Raya called after them with concern in her eyes.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” her husband assured her, closing the door on her worried face. He turned to Hawk.

“Are you about to attempt to thrash me?” Hawk asked.

“Do I need to? Or are you going to explain yourself?”

“Are you saying you never touched your wife before marriage?” Hawk snapped back.

Strick gritted his teeth. “That is none of your business. My sister-in-law, however, is my business.”

“That’s very convenient.”

“Raya is my duchess,” he ground out. “That’s the difference. I married her. Do you plan to do the same?”

“I’ve always wanted to marry Naila,” Hawk said. “You know that.”

“Did you just now force her to do something she did not want to do?”

“Of course not!” He spat the words. “How could you even ask that?”

“If she enjoyed your attentions, I suspect she’ll embrace a new proposal.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Is it? You want her. She clearly welcomes your attentions. Maybe it’s simple. Perhaps you are complicating matters.”

Hawk exhaled, rubbing both of his eyes. “It’s all very confusing.”

“It’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you care for her.”

Hawk slumped into a chair. “She rejected me when I had nothing.”

Strick stared down at him. “So you’ve repeatedly said.”

“Now, if she accepts me as an earl with full pockets, what does that say?”

“What does it matter?” the duke asked impatiently. “You two obviously want each other. And now there is nothing standing in your way.”

The duke was correct. Any of the debutantes on the marriage mart obviously wanted Hawk for his fortune and title.

He’d accepted that title hunting was part of the London marriage mart.

But when it came to Naila, he wanted, expected, demanded, more.

Maybe it was ludicrous but Hawk needed Naila to love him for him and not for the titles and fortune she’d rightfully pointed out that he’d done nothing to earn.

She was the only thing in his life that made Hawk feel out of control. Being with her was always going to feel like walking on the edge of a cliff. When he was in Naila’s company, nothing else in the world existed for him. Still. After all this time. Even after the way she’d devastated him.

His hands were clammy, his heart thumping too hard.

No one caused him distress like Naila. He’d taken her innocence long ago and even that hadn’t stopped her from rejecting him.

Their brief rendezvous in Strick’s foyer didn’t compare to the gravity of actually bedding a virgin.

Naila had thrown her honor, and his, aside when she reneged on her promise to marry him.

Hawk could barely call himself a gentleman after that.

And now he was supposed to place himself in a situation to repeat that soul-shattering scene. To risk being tossed aside yet again. He struggled to think rationally. It was past time to stop behaving like a young buck ruled by his prick.

He wanted Naila, yes.

Badly.

But those were the carnal desires of the boy he used to be. He was a man now. He needed to make sound, adult decisions. Hawk let out a long sigh. He knew what he had to do. There was only one way to proceed to resolve matters with Naila once and for all.

On the way to her bedchamber, Naila asked a footman to inform Kareem that she had a headache and would not be able to work for the rest of the afternoon.

She certainly couldn’t focus on her project.

Not after what had just happened with Hawk.

She wanted to be alone to replay it all in her mind.

The taste of him, the sensations, the physical feel of him pressed up against her.

Triumph flashed through her. Hawk might pretend not to care but he still desired her and was finally willing to show it.

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the bedchamber door, resting a hand across her chest. Her heart beat wildly against her palm. It hadn’t been subjected to this kind of excitement in years.

Inglese definitely had a defter touch now. The things he’d done with his fingers! He knew exactly how to touch a woman. Eight years ago, there’d been the same desire and excitement, terrific pleasure, but ultimately less skill.

A knock at the door startled her.

“Naila?” It was Raya. “Are you in there?”

“Yes, I have a bit of a headache,” she answered. “I’m going to take a nap.”

“No, you’re not!” She rapped more insistently. “Let me in.”

Naila rolled her eyes. When her sister got like this, there was no putting her off. She turned and unlatched the door. Raya strode right in. “Are you okay?”

“Of course.” Naila shut the door and leaned back against it. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Strick is worried about you. He asked me to make sure you’re well.”

Naila’s cheeks flamed. How much did the duke know?

“Why are you so red?” Raya demanded to know. “What did the earl do to you?”

“Well.” She couldn’t help grinning. “It wasn’t what he did to me. It was more like what we did to each other.”

“What?” Raya’s eyes rounded. “I thought you were interested in Kareem!”

“Kareem is a friend. Hawk is... is.” She searched for the right words. “It’s always been Hawk.”

“What do you mean always ?”

“Since Philadelphia.”

“You?” Raya slapped her hand over her mouth. “ You’re the girl from America who broke Hawk’s heart?”

“Hawk told you about that?”

Raya shook her head. “I get the impression that Hawk hasn’t told anyone precisely what happened. But Strick says Hawk came back a changed man after his trip to Philadelphia. Whatever happened there took a terrible toll on him.”

Guilt stabbed Naila. “Auntie Majida convinced me that it was a bad match. That we didn’t know Hawk’s family and he had no money. She told me about Baba’s heart condition and said it would kill him if I went through with marrying Basil. I’ve regretted my decision ever since.”

Raya plopped down on the bed. “I had no idea.” She narrowed her eyes at her sister. “That was years ago. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just couldn’t.” Tears stung her eyes as she thought back to that time, the hardest in her life.

“I was afraid I would fall apart if I talked about Hawk and that I’d never be able to put myself back together.

Rejecting Hawk was like ripping my own heart out.

I had to try to block him out, to pretend he didn’t exist. It was the only way I could survive. ”

“Huh.” Raya seemed to still be processing the revelation. “And then... the boy of little means and unknown family became an earl.”

“I was stunned when I saw him at your prewedding ball.”

Raya frowned. “But he barely pays you any mind.”

“I noticed,” she said dryly. “I thought he was completely over me but when he kissed me downstairs—”

“He kissed you?” Raya interrupted. “Where? When?”

“I ran into him in the front hallway. We had some words because he is offended by my pamphlet idea and its purpose.”

“It’s none of his business.”

“That’s exactly what I told him. Anyhow, before I knew it we were in the alcove under the stairs kissing.”

“How was it?”

She sank down on the bed next to her sister. “It made my head spin.”

“In a good way?”

“In the very best way. I felt it down to my toes.”

Raya clapped her hands together. “This is fabulous! Now you and Hawk can be married and you’ll stay in England. Our estates are only a few hours apart.”