room if I deem it fit until the danger is passed. During that time you will come to realise the folly of your stubbornness and you will consent to marriage. You have no other choice but to accept my offer. A scandal has been caused. No other man or friend will come to your rescue for fear of being shunned by polite society.”
“I will not marry for protection and propriety alone. The man I marry will love me and not simply wish to fulfill a debt out of guilt,” I said, close to tears. “I will provide my own protection and procure my own money from my inheritance. I will leave this house today,” I almost shouted at him, trembling with anger again.
Lord Drake still held me fast. He would not comment on my tirade, but his eyes blazed.
“No. You will remain here. I must protect you both from those men and yourself. I will not see you harmed. You give me no choice but to carry out my threat. You will remain locked in this room until you can control your temper and find reason in your mind once more. A woman has no place protecting herself. That is the work of men,” he said and shook his head with annoyed disbelief that I did not have a complete understanding of his role as a man and my own as a woman. “I will not hear of such female obstinacy.”
My temper overwhelmed my senses and I raised my hand to slap Lord Drake across his face as hard as I could. My heart pounded as I saw his face turn sideways with the strike and considered how he might react. I hoped he would not show me violence. I watched him rub at his jaw but he did not make any comment.
He studied my eyes and then my lips and his breathing appeared to increase. For an odd moment I believed I could see arousal darken his features, making them even more handsome than when I had first set eyes upon my captor. I wondered if he might kiss me. I fancied I could see his memories of that night and my naked body writhing upon the firm penetration of his fingers, his lips entwined with mine as his tongue probed hard fast and deep in rhythmic unison with his fingers inside my sex. I hardened my perspective. Lord Drake had made no effort to hide the fact he had derived pleasure from my taking, but to believe his eyes were betraying a loving connection through it had to be pure fancy. How could I expect a rake to love me?
Feeling even angrier, I took a breath and tried to move away from him across the bed, grimacing with the pain from my injury. I would not hit him again. I would prove to him I could look after myself. But he held me fast.
“I like a woman with strength, Lady Gerard,” he said in a dark whisper, tracing the outline of my lips with his finger and then across my bottom lip, studying it with such depth I was hypnotised and lulled into obedient stillness. My mouth swelled and moistened at his touch. “It is attractive but when it threatens to place her in danger, then forceful action must be taken to tame it for her own well-being. I am going to bare your delicious bottom and spank it every day and night until you accept your situation and my mastery as husband, my beautiful bride.”
He removed his finger and brushed his lips against mine before I could protest. Outraged, I struggled to move away, but he held me tight and captured my mouth firmly. I whimpered, but as his tongue probed my mouth with such dominant strength, I found myself soften and reach for him. The kiss was long and was to make me feel as though Lord Drake was staking his claim and branding me as his own. Yet he would not confess any loving connection to be part of the bond. I reminded myself of this fact and pulled away sharply. He stared at me hard.
“I won’t be joined to a man who does not wish to love me,” I reinstated with vigour. “You ill use me again, sir.”
I tried to exit the bed from the other side, but Lord Drake was not to allow it. As I valiantly struggled, he turned me over on to
“I will not marry for protection and propriety alone. The man I marry will love me and not simply wish to fulfill a debt out of guilt,” I said, close to tears. “I will provide my own protection and procure my own money from my inheritance. I will leave this house today,” I almost shouted at him, trembling with anger again.
Lord Drake still held me fast. He would not comment on my tirade, but his eyes blazed.
“No. You will remain here. I must protect you both from those men and yourself. I will not see you harmed. You give me no choice but to carry out my threat. You will remain locked in this room until you can control your temper and find reason in your mind once more. A woman has no place protecting herself. That is the work of men,” he said and shook his head with annoyed disbelief that I did not have a complete understanding of his role as a man and my own as a woman. “I will not hear of such female obstinacy.”
My temper overwhelmed my senses and I raised my hand to slap Lord Drake across his face as hard as I could. My heart pounded as I saw his face turn sideways with the strike and considered how he might react. I hoped he would not show me violence. I watched him rub at his jaw but he did not make any comment.
He studied my eyes and then my lips and his breathing appeared to increase. For an odd moment I believed I could see arousal darken his features, making them even more handsome than when I had first set eyes upon my captor. I wondered if he might kiss me. I fancied I could see his memories of that night and my naked body writhing upon the firm penetration of his fingers, his lips entwined with mine as his tongue probed hard fast and deep in rhythmic unison with his fingers inside my sex. I hardened my perspective. Lord Drake had made no effort to hide the fact he had derived pleasure from my taking, but to believe his eyes were betraying a loving connection through it had to be pure fancy. How could I expect a rake to love me?
Feeling even angrier, I took a breath and tried to move away from him across the bed, grimacing with the pain from my injury. I would not hit him again. I would prove to him I could look after myself. But he held me fast.
“I like a woman with strength, Lady Gerard,” he said in a dark whisper, tracing the outline of my lips with his finger and then across my bottom lip, studying it with such depth I was hypnotised and lulled into obedient stillness. My mouth swelled and moistened at his touch. “It is attractive but when it threatens to place her in danger, then forceful action must be taken to tame it for her own well-being. I am going to bare your delicious bottom and spank it every day and night until you accept your situation and my mastery as husband, my beautiful bride.”
He removed his finger and brushed his lips against mine before I could protest. Outraged, I struggled to move away, but he held me tight and captured my mouth firmly. I whimpered, but as his tongue probed my mouth with such dominant strength, I found myself soften and reach for him. The kiss was long and was to make me feel as though Lord Drake was staking his claim and branding me as his own. Yet he would not confess any loving connection to be part of the bond. I reminded myself of this fact and pulled away sharply. He stared at me hard.
“I won’t be joined to a man who does not wish to love me,” I reinstated with vigour. “You ill use me again, sir.”
I tried to exit the bed from the other side, but Lord Drake was not to allow it. As I valiantly struggled, he turned me over on to
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