She ground back against him, shoving a hand between her own shaking legs, bringing herself back to the edge with only a few strokes of her fingers. She came a second time as Aiden pulled his cock from inside of her and the heat of him splashed over her back and bottom, a tattoo of their pleasure, though only temporarily written on her heated flesh.
As they all collapsed forward, pulling themselves onto the bed weakly, arms and legs entangling, Emilia couldn’t help but smile. This was her life now. Her future, as it always should have been.
And there was nothing that could take the joy of it away.
CHAPTER13
Wren
The dock was loud, a cacophony of sounds and smells and sights between those readying to board the ship to Athawick and the workers loading cargo and luggage. It was a rainbow of the humanity of London and one Wren realized he would likely never see again. It was odd that he felt very little sadness at the thought of never returning to the place he’d called home his entire life.
In truth, Emilia and Aiden were home. Everything else was smoke and mirrors. Existence and nothing more. And now it was over and the future he had hoped for and dreamed of was just a ship’s voyage away.
Once Emilia had agreed that they should all leave together, everything had moved at record pace. Richard and Hux had somehow procured passage to Athawick under false names and Zara had done a fine job disguising all of them enough that they wouldn’t be instantly recognized by those around them if anyone took particular interest.
Now they awaited their turn to board the ship after warm goodbyes to their friends and saviors. Wren wanted to feel excited and free, but until they had sailed away from London, his fear remained heavy in his chest. He kept looking around, watching every face to be certain none were observing their party with more than a passing glance.
At last, a porter reached them and examined their documents and luggage. He stamped a few pages and then gathered up their things. “These will be put in your stateroom, Mr. Vickers,” he said to Aiden, using the false name without any hint of suspicion. “You may board the vessel at any time between now and when the first bell rings.”
“Thank you,” Aiden said, pressing a coin into the man’s palm before he turned to smile at Wren and Emilia. “Shall we?”
Emilia nodded, her eyes bright with relief as she turned to look once more at the city behind them. But as she did so, Wren saw the color leave her cheeks and she staggered slightly.
“Well, well, Emilia,” came a voice from behind them.
Now Wren spun around and Aiden took a long step forward, hands outstretched for protection as Lord Wilburn, himself, stepped down the dock, his gaze narrowed on Emilia and the two men. Wren tried to put himself in front of her, but he knew it was useless. Despite everything he’d done to put this man off the scent, now he was here.
It was too late to stop whatever would happen next.
* * *
Emilia
Emilia had never been one to faint, but the moment she watched Wilburn stalk toward her, his intense stare locked on her face, her vision began darken and her knees trembled. How many times had she watched him do the same over the years, his anger plain on his face? She had known there would be punishment then and she knew the same now.
“W-Wilburn,” she whispered, almost without sound.
His lips pinched. “You recall your husband’s name, it seems, though not your wifely duties.” He glanced now at Aiden and Wren and his disgust rippled over his features. “And here is my whore wife’s lover and the very man I hired to find them.”
“Watch yourself,” Aiden growled, moving toward him before Wren caught his arm and pulled him back. Emilia was glad of both the desire to protect her and the act to protect him.
“What are you doing here?” Emilia asked. She felt foolish to do so, but her mind was spinning. They had been so close to escape. “How did you knowIwas here?”
Wilburn shook his head. “Did you think I had only hired Mr. Wren to find you? No, I have spies everywhere and there were whispers that you were back in London.Andthat you were trying to flee. Why I’m here is to bring you home. You belong to me, Emilia.”
“No,” Wren said, touching her shoulder and drawing her back toward them. “She doesn’t.”
Wilburn stared harder and his eyebrows lifted. “And here I thought you and Mr. Edwards were rivals. Perhaps I misunderstood. Spreading your legs for both of them, are you?”
Emilia lifted her chin. “You’ve had your own dalliances. What do you care?”
“As I said, you belong to me. In the eyes of the law and God, you are my property. And youwillreturn home. Now. If you refuse, I can make things much worse than they already are.”
He meant for Wren and Aiden, and it was clear by the quiet rage on his face that he would follow through on those threats. The Emilia of weeks before, months before, years before, might have done as he asked to appease him. To give Aiden and Wren a chance to escape. But she wasn’t that woman anymore. She was no longer hopeless from losing the loves of her life. She was no longer fearful of an endless future of pain and worry.
“You don’t want me, Wilburn,” she said softly. “You come to collect me only to save face. And I know that if I go with you, you’ll kill me in the end.”
His gaze narrowed and she thought he looked surprised. Apparently he didn’t know she had become wise to his plots against her. “And why would you think that?”
