Page 10 of The Villain’s Vixen (Wanton Wastrels)

CHAPTER 10

S he was sorely testing his resolve. Dominic was doing his best to be a gentleman and not take advantage of the situation, but she was making it deuced hard to retain his distance. It didn’t help matters that his cock was pulsing with a demanding urgency that almost surprised him. Not since he was a young man out trying to turn every woman’s skirts upside down had he felt this all-consuming need to possess another human being.

But Lexie wasn’t just anyone, was she? She was incomparable to anyone else he’d ever met and part of this reason his body was a raging inferno whenever she was near.

He recalled their first meeting with vivid clarity. He had noticed her regard and had taken it upon himself to watch her from afar. She had instantly captivated him with her beauty, but it was so much more than that. It was like she’d cast a spell over him and ensnared him in her web and no matter what he did to try to break free, she merely spun the web around him even tighter.

He wanted nothing more than to sink himself into her wet heat. He had never pleasured a woman to the point he’d nearly lost control of himself at the same time, but he had come perilously close to doing just that. Every bit of her was perfection.

He wanted all of it.

Daring to reach out a hand, his fingers had nearly reached her when there was a knock at the door. He froze midair and abruptly recalled how perilous their situation was. Anyone could have burst inside and he wouldn’t have been aware of the danger. He shouldn’t have allowed his guard to slip for one moment, and yet, he’d allowed lust to overrule his sense. It could have been a deadly mistake and was an error he couldn’t repeat.

He spun around and answered the summons, not sure if he was relieved that they’d been interrupted—or annoyed by Amos’s timely arrival. The dark-skinned man walked inside purposefully, but when he spied Lexie, who was looking rather disheveled and thoroughly loved, he shot a knowing glare at Dominic.

“Not now,” he growled in warning and then moved further into the room, determined to keep as much distance between him and the lady as possible to get his mind back in proper working order.

Amos said nothing more but his expression toward Dominic said it all. “The Blue Boys are gathered at the Crown & Sceptre, awaiting further instruction. I decided not to involve the watch unless you thought otherwise.”

“No. Their services are best served on the other side of town where their pockets can be greased well enough. In the East End, the Blue Boys are the law. I just need someone I can trust to escort Miss Givenwald back home safely.”

Standing silent until this point, Lexie stepped forward, but before she could utter a word, Dominic said firmly, “I will ensure that a few Runners watch your aunt’s residence at all times, but the less time you spend in Whitechapel right now, the better. While the assailant likely already knows your identity, or soon will, you are better protected in polite society.”

She crossed her arms. “And you don’t know horrible things happen there?” She snorted. “If you believe that, then you have obviously never heard of the Hellfire Clubs.”

Dominic frowned, as he knew all too well the sort of illicit entertainments that Sir Francis Dashwood had partaken of nearly a century prior. He was also aware of more current events that transpired in London, but he decided it was best not to reveal all of his knowledge.

Amos sent another speaking glance at Dominic. “This one has a mind of her own. And a voice that she’s not afraid to use.”

Lexie appeared placated. “At least someone can appreciate my personality.” She sent an equally critical look toward him, and Dominic was beginning to think that they were in league against him at this point.

He set his jaw as Amos said, “If you are ready to depart, my lady, I can get us to a hackney.”

Dominic glanced at her gown and said, “Not without changing first.”

She stalked toward him and snatched her gown from the chair before she flounced off to another part of the cottage. Silence lengthened in the room until her return.

She tossed down the serviceable dress, thoroughly ignoring Dominic as she addressed Amos. “Lead the way.” She lifted her skirts with determination, as if she couldn’t rid herself of Dominic’s presence quickly enough.

He certainly couldn’t let her depart on such sour terms.

He moved forward and grasped her arm. “Amos, if you don’t mind giving us a moment?”

The other man offered a slight nod and removed himself from the modest cottage. Once Dominic was alone with Lexie again, he grasped her by the upper arms. “You have to know that going back to Mayfair is the only option available right now. ”

She tilted her defiant chin into the air. “I know that you can’t wait to be rid of me.”

He had to laugh at that. “Sweetheart, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I would like nothing more than to keep you under me until you are screaming my name in pleasure.” He could see a slight flush crawl into her cheeks, her lips parting slightly. Immediately, his flaccid cock began to arouse with renewed vigor. “But since I have no option other than to send you away until I have found a way to deal with this criminal, I am forced to think of your welfare. No one here knows the double life I lead except for Amos, and now you. That is powerful knowledge that could be used against both of us if it is discovered by this assailant. He has already taken something precious from me. It would be a shame if he absconded with a second.”

Allowing his affection to float in the air between them, Dominic saw some of the frustration leave the stiff set of her shoulders. “When will I see you again?” she whispered.

And then it all made sense. She didn’t want to leave—because of him.

His heart swelled with emotion that he dared not name this early into their association, but it was swiftly becoming apparent that they were starting to form a bond that was special and perhaps, even unbreakable. They were already facing adversity, and instead of pulling away from one another, they were lamenting the fact they had to part.

He cupped her cheek with the palm of his hand and ran his thumb over her lower lip. He vividly recalled the taste of her mouth and the scent of her womanhood. They were both equally intoxicating, and he knew he would carry the memory of her passion with him long into the night and for the long days to come.

“I will never be far away. Trust me on that.”

She exhaled on a shuddering sigh and as she pulled back from him, he released her. When she turned and walked out the door, Dominic wondered if his heart was leaving too.

“I can tell Avalon cares a great deal for you.”

Lexie glanced up at Amos. It was the first time they had spoken to each other since he’d procured a driver and they started the return to the fashionable area of London. She folded her hands together in her lap. “Something tells me there is a hidden warning in that statement.”

His smile was broad and it made his eyepatch look more menacing than before. “You are more perceptive than most women he has taken to his bed. And intelligent.”

“I haven’t been in his bed.” Yet.

“It’s only a matter of time,” he announced, as though reading her thoughts. “He may seem impenetrable, but he has not been without strife in the past. He has dealt with a lot and kept his heart carefully guarded for a number of years. He kept his liaisons brief because he knew it was imperative that he do so. There was only one woman who came close to turning his head, but her heart was already spoken for by another.” Immediately, the green-eyed monster of jealousy wanted to rear its ugly head. Thankfully, his next words set Lexie’s mind at ease. “Rest assured, she is happily married and Avalon realized that what he felt for her was more akin to respect as opposed to love.”

Feeling irritated, she tilted her head to the side. “You seem to know a lot about relationships, Amos. Tell me, have you ever been in love yourself, or do you like to offer advice on something you know nothing about?”

A flash of ultimate sorrow touched his single blue eye before he said quietly, “I have known a great love, but it was not something I could protect. She lost her life giving birth to my son. I have never fully recovered from her loss. ”

Guilt instantly washed over her. “I’m sorry,” Lexie said sympathetically. “I didn’t realize?—”

He shook his head. “It was a long time ago, and yet, the grief still strangles me now and then as if the wound was as fresh now as it ever was.” He seemed to fall into some dark cavern in the recess of his mind for a moment, and then he recovered and turned his focus back to her. “What I’m trying to say is that when it comes to the all-consuming love that I discovered all those years ago, a man is likely unable to recover from the devastation should it occur. I don’t want to see the same thing happen to Avalon. He has done a lot of good for the people in the East End, although most of it was rumored to be in a bad light. The Blue Boys aren’t the ruffians that they portray themselves to be. If they rid the city of anyone, it is the dregs of society that are better served beneath the ground.”

She shuddered at the thought of anyone’s life coming to an end. “How can you say that? It was someone’s child, a son, a brother, a friend. And yet, no one thinks twice when it comes to deciding their future is not worth saving?”

He inclined his head. “What if it was your daughter, or sister, or friend who suffered at the hands of a man intent on rape? Or perhaps murdered someone you held dear for the sake of their own personal enjoyment? To me, that is just as wrong and you know that the courts aren’t always just.”

Lexie did know that. She had long understood that if there was wealth or prestige involved, the local magistrate was often inclined to look the other way. She sighed heavily. “I wish there was another way, some sort of justice system that could give everyone a fair trial. Let their peers decide their innocence.”

“I would be inclined to agree, and while I know you don’t approve of our methods, until that time passes, that is what the Blue Boys are here to do.”

Lexie looked out the window, feeling tears springing to her eyes for some reason .

“At least we have never employed a trial by ordeal, forcing the accused to hold a hot iron or dip them in water until they confess their sins. We deal with most criminals by humane methods and very rarely enact any sort of punishment that the local assizes couldn’t assign if it were ruled by someone who enacted judgments fairly. But the current rules have been in place for far too long. It’s time for a change.”

She turned her focus back to him. “In that regard, I do appreciate you trying to make London a better place for us all, and perhaps Avalon will use his persuasion in higher places to get others to listen to that same argument.”

As the carriage came rumbling to a halt, Amos glanced out the window. “You will understand if I can’t escort you to the front steps, but you will find your aunt’s townhouse is just a short distance away down the mews.”

She reached out a hand and set it on his arm. “I believe that you are a good man, Amos. I also know that you will take care of Dominic.” She decided not to dance around his true identity any longer, as he would soon be putting the former part of his life into the past where it belonged. “Bring him back to me.”

Amos seemed almost uncomfortable with the praise, but he gave a sharp nod and said, “I give you my word.”

As she stepped to the ground, he added, “I will make sure you make it inside without incident. By tonight, you can be assured there will be guards posted, but they won’t be noticeable by your aunt.”

Lexie shut the door and started walking back to the townhouse. The sun was just starting to slide onto the horizon. It had been a decidedly strange afternoon, to be sure. But while some of it was terrifying, like being shot at and hiding in a dark, cramped section of wall and hoping she wasn’t discovered, there was also the passionate encounter she’d shared with Dominic. Her body warmed just recalling the way his hands and mouth—and that gloriously wicked tongue —had worshipped her with such expert precision. She was quite sure the experience would live in her dreams for many nights to come and would never fully fade.

As she made her way in the front door of the townhouse, her aunt immediately appeared in the foyer. “My God! Where have you been? You leave the house without a proper escort and hie off to Lord only knows where! Have you lost your senses?”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Bonnie.” Lexie hoped she offered the proper amount of the remorse that she wasn’t really feeling. “I merely wanted to walk for a while on my own without any distractions or concern for the time.”

Her aunt looked her over carefully from head to toe and noticed that her hair was down. “Where is your bonnet? And when did you remove your pins?”

Lexie almost lifted her hand and touched her bare head, but she refrained at the last moment. “I forgot it,” she lied smoothly. In truth, she hadn’t given it a care when she’d been intent on chasing down the duke. How much had transpired since then! “And I felt like being free, like I used to be in the village.”

“This is London, not some country hamlet,” her aunt chided. “You must learn to keep these fanciful daydreams to a minimum if you hope to ensnare a proposal from Lindley.”

For a moment, Lexie was sure her heart came to an abrupt halt. She had completely forgotten about the earl. But considering what had happened between her and Dominic, she could no longer pretend any sort of affection for the earl. Her aunt would be displeased to be sure, but it was a topic of conversation they would have at another time. Now certainly wasn’t it.

“You are fortunate we don’t have any plans this evening or I would be hard pressed to keep them for fear you would not be ready in time. Instead, I suggest you change for dinner. It will be ready shortly.”

With that, Bonnie flounced back the way she’d arrived and Lexie breathed a sigh of relief. She had managed to weather the storm, but she couldn’t help but wonder what was brewing on the horizon.

Thunder shook the entire structure, but Dominic was oblivious to the rain pelting the window beyond his office at the Crown & Sceptre. Unfortunately, the storm had caused any search for his assailant that night to become a slow crawl, and he was starting to lose patience. Amos and the rest of the Blue Boys gang had thought it best that Avalon remained in public view until they apprehended the criminal. To be so brazen as to attempt murder in the middle of the afternoon, they were all unanimously convinced that someone had to have recognized the gunman, or else they could finally offer some valuable information that had been lacking until that point.

Dominic was a man of action. He wasn’t used to standing and cooling his heels, waiting for some sort of word. It made him restless, agitated. It was bad enough that his passions had yet to diminish toward Lexie and whenever he thought of her delectable body, the taste of her beneath his tongue, he groaned in frustration. He wished for this ordeal to be over if he had to walk out onto the street and open his arms wide and let the criminal finish what he’d started and put Dominic out of his misery. It would almost be preferable to standing there and wondering what Lexie was doing—and who was paying court to her.

He hadn’t had much luck investigating Lord Lindley except for the fact his father had recently passed, which everyone knew. He wanted to know if the earl had any dark secrets he could use against him, then Dominic would ensure Lindley was thoroughly warned away from the woman he was quickly starting to consider his. He had never cared much for other people encroaching on his property, and while he didn’t consider Lexie in the same category, he was determined that she would soon be his in every way that mattered.

But he could do nothing until he was free from this deadly threat. The idea that Lexie could have suffered a fatal injury because of the hatred one person held for him was not something he was comfortable with. He wouldn’t have been able to live with the guilt if the bullet had met its mark.

At least he knew that she would be safe for now. He had made sure that before Amos left Mayfair the two Runners he’d hired to watch over her were paid handsomely for their time. She would not be without protection. And when all of this was over, he would make sure she never had to suffer such chaos ever again.

A knock at the door had him turning expectantly, but it wasn’t Amos who entered, rather his son, Devon. The younger version of his father, Devon was just as loyal and could be counted on to assist Amos with the continued work in the East End once Dominic had stepped down from his duties.

“Nothing yet?” he asked.

“No.”

Devon appeared just as dejected, but then, Amos had forbidden him to go out to search for a prospective murderer when he had a wife and a child on the way. He claimed it was too dangerous, and Dominic couldn’t disagree. He knew Amos didn’t want his grandson or granddaughter to grow up without a father, so he’d slowly been tightening the reins of what he allowed his son to take on.

Grateful that he wasn’t left to his own thoughts, Dominic grabbed two tumblers and said, “Have a drink with me.” He set one down in front of Devon and grabbed a bottle of fine French brandy off the shelf behind him. He splashed two fingers’ worth into each of them and paused, deciding that four might be better for this occasion.

He set the decanter down and lifted his glass. “To Amos and the Blue Boys. Let’s hope they discover something of value before the day is out.”

Devon said nothing but downed his glass the same time Dominic did. Although the burn helped to calm him slightly, it wasn’t nearly enough. He gestured to the bottle. “Care for another?”

In reply, Devon shrugged and held out his glass. “Why not?”

Dominic chuckled. “Good man.”

A short time later, Dominic decided that the swirl of heat in the pit of his stomach was a good indication that some of his tension was starting to ease somewhat. He could tell Devon was feeling the same effects because he had slouched in the chair across from him, his hands linked loosely over his abdomen.

Rather than dwell on Amos and the danger he was currently facing, Dominic decided to return to the one subject regarding which he could use some much needed advice. “How did you know you were in love when you met your wife?”

Devon glanced at him curiously. Rather than answer directly, he asked, “Are you telling me you think you are?”

He gave a snort. “I wouldn’t go that far just yet, but lust is definitely in the equation.”

“Ah.” Devon nodded. “That is a misleading emotion as it is the first step toward the ultimate downfall of every man.”

“Truly?” Dominic drew his brows together. “And here I thought it was just nature’s way of wanting us to procreate.”

“I suppose that is true as well,” Devon concurred. “But the strong sensation of lust that overrules all the other senses is generally not that simple.”

“And your conclusion is that if you cannot rid your mind of one particular person that it must be love?”

Devon seemed to consider this at length, and then said, “If your thoughts are continuously consumed with her and you know you would do anything to ensure she remains yours, then yes, I believe that is the proper definition. ”

Dominic wasn’t so certain. It sounded more like a case of intense pursuit to him.

“At least, that is how it was for me. It could be different for everyone.”

That made more logical sense to Dominic, although he would be lying if he said that ever since he’d met Lexie his every waking moment had been filled with images of her. She had managed to filter into his dreams as well. He couldn’t seem to escape her. It sounded as if she was the one obsessing over him. And she had admitted her fascination with him from the first moment they’d met.

He lifted the nearly empty bottle at his side and held it up with a crooked grin. “Might as well finish this off.”

Devon held out his glass. “Hear, hear.”