“Such prowess,” Julia recovered enough to coo, “is entirely unnecessary. It is you I wanted all along. And if you hadn’t been so terribly troublesome, I would not have had to take such drastic measures.”
Rayne made a very low, very male noise in his throat. Fabric rustled again. Katherine dug her fingers into Giles’s shoulders.
Giles imagined wrapping his hands around Rayne’s throat in more and more detail with each little mew of pleasure Julia expelled.
Rayne would stop this. Of course, he would. No matter how angry Rayne was, he would not thoroughly compromise an innocent.
In between what sounded like kisses, Rayne and Julia carried on a murmured conversation too low to hear.
“I am not negotiating,” Rayne’s voice rose. “Youwillswear.”
“Make me believe you mean it, Rayne.”
There was a rustling and then another moan. Katherine curled a fist into Giles’s shirt. So much for his cravat. At least now he could put it to other uses—like stringing up Rayne. Hell, if it were only Rayne who would face consequences, he would have already thrown open the door.
“Promise,” Rayne commanded.
“Yes, Rayne,” Julia answered. “I swear I will not enter dark places…unless it is with you.”
Rayne made a harsh noise—the frustrated sigh of a man close to his edge.
“What happens now?” Julia asked.
“Now, you will go to your room…and you will bar the door.”
“But Rayne—”
“Go, Lady Julia.”
“Stop pushing. You could hurt me.”
“I’m hurting.”
“What do you mean? I didn’t…oh!” Julia muffled a giggle. “I understand.”
“If you truly understood, you wouldn’t play with fire. I’ve a mind to wake your sister.”
Katherine’s body went rigid. Giles spread a comforting hand against the small of her back. He knew an empty threat when he heard one.
“Pleasedon’t bother my sister.”
“Then, go to bed.”
“Very well,” Julia replied. “Sweet dreams, Rayne.”
“Goodbye, minx.”
A door at the end of the wing creaked. Giles pressed his ear to the panel, waiting until he heard the sound of Rayne’s boots as he descended the stairs.
“What am I going to do?” Katherine asked.
“You will do nothing,” Giles replied. “I will escort Rayne back to The Pillar of Salt. And make sure he leaves for London before Julia wakes.”
“Do you think he’ll leave?”
“Yes.” Giles kissed Katherine’s forehead. “Though I must talk to him now, before he deludes himself into thinking he handled the situation the best he could.”
Katherine rested her cheek against his chest and shuddered. “Rayne is your oldest friend. I do not wish to come between you.”
