Page 6 of Worst Duke Ever (Everly Sisters #1)

Chapter 6

“S houldn’t you meet with my father first?” Seraphina stared at him with her pale blue eyes framed with dark wisps that he wanted to tuck behind her ear. Standing in her parlor the morning after the ball, he knew what she expected. A call. A request. A blessing. A proposal. That was the plan.

Was.

He didn’t think it possible, but he had found his conscience. And wasn’t that just a shot to the gut. After having sex with Seraphina, he should marry her. That was the honorable thing to do. And now that he wanted to do the honorable thing by her, he also knew that trapping her into marriage with him—a villain in the ton ’s eyes—would not be honorable. But what was honor anyway? He had to stand by his decisions.

She could, and should, do much better than him.

“No. I won’t be meeting with your father.”

Ire flickered in her eyes. “What do you mean?” she asked before pursing her lips.

“I’m not going to ask him for your hand. Wait. Before you start to argue with me, you’re free. I’ve absolved your father’s debt.”

Her body was equally rigid and confused. With a small shake of her head, her brows clung to each other as she said, “What do you mean?”

“It’s done. You owe me nothing. You can live life as you did before this whole debacle.” He turned to leave.

“You think I paid the debt, is that it then? You got what you wanted?” Her voice shook with rage.

“No. It’s not like that.” But how could he explain when that was exactly what it looked like. God, he hated himself even more for that fact. But he was damned if he made her marry him, and he was damned if he let her go. Better to let her go and be angry at him.

“I have to go,” he gritted out.

“Wait.” Her hand clasped his forearm. “That wasn’t the deal.”

“No. It wasn’t.” He schooled his face into a stoic expression, offering her nothing. He had no place offering her the few pieces of his heart he had found. She deserved more than that. Better than him.

“We had an arrangement, Sebastian.” He had to leave now before he did something stupid. Why had he even showed up here? He should have just sent her his decision by missive. He could have done so discreetly.

With his back to her, he spoke through a clamped jaw. “The arrangement is void, Seraphina.”

She scoffed at him. Scoffed. If that didn’t grate on his nerves like a rusty knife.

“What changed?” she demanded.

“Nothing.” He would take it to his grave. Like so many things.

“What. Changed.” The words were spoken like punches. “I deserve to know.”

“The arrangement was ridiculous.”

“It was not—”

“It was,” he growled.

“Sebastian,” her grip tightened on his arm where it was stockpiling guilt, torment, and desire all in one place. “Tell me.”

“It’s ridiculous for someone to have to lose their life to pay off a debt.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. What are you talking about? I wasn’t going to lose my life.”

“Yes, you would have.” He spun on his heel to finally face her. An angel. “You have a future ahead of you. You shouldn’t have to pay for your father’s mistakes.”

“If I don’t, who will?”

“Me.”

Her hand softened and found his chest. “Sebastian, you don’t have to do that.” She truly was an angel. Willing to sacrifice herself for her family. Tending to him and his pain even though he was the villain. How could she be so good? How had he not destroyed her? Oh. But he knew if he stayed, that he would. That’s why he had to leave.

“Yes, I do. It’s mine to bear. Mine to pay.”

“That’s nonsense—”

“It’s my fault.”

“It’s not—”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Please, Sebastian. I-I’m begging you. Tell me what’s going on.”

And then it all bubbled up to the surface and poured over. All the years of carrying too many secrets. He thought he had it under control. But no, two days with this angel and he couldn’t contain the pain anymore.

“Years ago my father paid my debt with his life. I had made a bet with the man my mother was sleeping with.” Spitting out each word, Sebastian continued. “I was young. Stupid. I thought I could make a bet with him and if I won that he would stop seeing my mother and ruining our family. Instead, I lost and he took everything. Until my father stepped in. My father was forced to leave the country. On the continent, he got sick and died.”

“Sebastian,” her voice was strained. “How old were you?”

“Thirteen.”

“You were just a child.”

He bit off the words. “I knew enough.”

“No. You didn’t. You were trying to save your family the only way you knew how.”

“And I lost them all.”

“You didn’t know any better. It’s not your fault. You were brave.”

Those exact words from his father rang through Sebastian’s head. His father had never expressed any anger, only pride in his son and sadness for leaving. And Sebastian had resented all of that.

Until now.

“You were a brave boy, Sebastian. Fighting for your family. Fighting for love.” Her arms wrapped around him. “I’m so sorry.” Kisses peppered his chest and the base of his neck until he leaned down and she could reach his jaw. His cheeks. His ear.

“You are good.” More kisses to his eyes. That’s when he realized that a few tears had slipped down his face to intermingle with hers. “You are good, Sebastian.”

And that’s when the power of light broke through.

And he could finally speak the truth.

“I don’t want to trap you into marrying me, Seraphina.” His arms clenched around her waist. “I won’t have you feeling like you owe me anything, especially not your entire future. The debt is erased. You’re a free woman. I’ll explain something to your father, and it won’t involve you.”

“What…um…” She bit her lower lip, looking up at him through wet lashes. “What if I don’t want to be free? Of you.” Pulling his forehead to hers, she lowered her voice, “What if I want to know you more?”

His heart soared at the impossibility of the thought. He couldn’t fathom that she would find something in him to keep.

“Seraphina,” he growled. “You can’t say things like that.”

“That night. You said there was no turning back. That it would be forever.” She pulled him closer, pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I know you now. And what I know is good. I want you. Forever.”

Sebastian swallowed around the lump in his throat. He could only make out one word. “When?”

“Now,” she said with a hint of an impish smile. “As my husband.”

He wasn’t about to lose her. And there was only one way to marry her immediately.

“Grab a bag. I’m taking you to Gretna Green, darling.”