Her eyes closed briefly and when they opened, they connected with his.
They stared at each other, and before he could think about what he was about to do Zach closed the gap between them. Brushing his mouth over hers, once, twice, and then he cupped a cheek. It should have been cool in the night air but instead was warm and silky to the touch.
“Mary,” he whispered her name against her lips and then was kissing her again.
“No.” She pushed at his chest, and he stepped back instantly, releasing her. They stared at each other, both breathless. “That,” she said in an unsteady tone, “should n-not have happened and will never happen again.”
He managed to nod, but no words came out of his mouth because he couldn’t form any. He’d just kissed Mary Blake and enjoyed it. More than enjoyed it, he’d reveled in it, and he wanted more. His body was hard and aroused. That shocked him enough to take another step back.
“Good evening.” She dropped into a short curtsey, then walked away, leaving Zach reeling because now he no longer thought her only irritating. She was desirable as well.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Zach walked with Michael toward Lady Louise’s house of pleasure. It was late, approaching midnight, and two nights after he’d kissed Mary Blake.
Since that moment, Zach had used it as a measure of time, because it had changed everything inside him. However, now was not the time to give that even more consideration because he needed to be alert and focused.
“Gabe, Nathan, and Forrest are visiting Madame Valerie’s,” Michael said. “It’s my hope we can find some information tonight, as we are surely running out of time.”
“Usually, we are looking for men, who are easier to find. Women are far more intelligent and cunning,” Zach said.
“True.”
It was bloody freezing. The weather had spiraled downward further, and it was frigid enough to have plumes of white coming from their mouths.
“Such is London weather that one day you are sweltering in your jacket and the next burrowing,” Michael muttered.
Streetlamps offered an eerie glow, as the residents in the houses that lined either side of the road slumbered. Brothels had, over the last few years, popped up in some of the more respectable parts of London, and Lady Louise’s was no different. The streets were swept clean, windows washed, and the neat gardens at the rear of the houses all butted up together.
While his other brothers and cousin were visiting another brothel, Michael and Zach’s destination was on the end of the row. A tall white building that was larger than the rest as it had nothing attached on the right. Cracks of light could be seen through the closed drapes. Other than the gentle hum of voices, there was no noise coming from number 22 Riddleton Street.
“You would never know what was going on behind that door if you were wandering by. It sounds like a family settling in for a night’s entertainment,” Zach said.
“No, it is an excellent front for the debauchery and wanton behavior,” Michael added.
Lady Louise’s might be on a respectable street, but it was one of the more adventurous brothels that catered to the tastes of everyone. In their duties to Alexius, they had been in many situations, dangerous and not. They had entered brothels, encountered spies and other threats to the sovereign. Nothing much shocked Zach anymore.
Opening the gate, they walked the path to the door. Rapping his knuckles on the shiny black wood, Zach and Michael stepped back to wait.
“Good evening, my name is Mr. Zachariel Deville, and this is my brother, Mr. Michael Deville,” Zach said to the man now standing in the doorway. “We are brothers to the Earl of Raine.”
The door opened wider, and they were waved inside.
“Typical large and intimidating front-of-house person,” Zach whispered as they passed him and moved into the entranceway.
“Gabe’s title can come in handy sometimes,” Michael said.
They moved into a large reception room with sofas and chairs, and through a door to their right, they saw tables men sat at gambling. Women were sitting in laps, or draped around men.
“I’ll go in there,” Michael said, nodding right.
“I’ll head up the stairs after a walk around in here.”
“Have a care, little brother.”
“You also,” Zach said.
He saw a few faces he knew frequented brothels.
