The first thing Isabella noticed was that theouterwooden door of the castle was hanging on its hinges. She slipped past the opening and found herself in the main entrance of the great hall, or rather, what had once been so. Now, it was littered with various bits of debris and sand. Her boots crunched on the floor as she moved forward, searching for any signs of habitation. Surely there would beevidence ofa small fire or some such indicationof life, but as she continued to investigate her surroundings, she found nothing to prove thatanyone hadeverbeenhere.It appeared completely deserted.
She released a breath, for she had been sure that her suspicions had been correct.Without any other lead, she supposed she had no choice but to return to Walmer.
Theabruptcrunchofanother set offootstepsbroke the silence, and Isabella turned to confront the intruder—just as Ridge separated himself from the shadows around him and walked through the doorway.
Isabella could tell at a glance that he wasn’t pleased with her. At all. His jaw tightened and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Dare I even ask what you are doing here?” hesaid quietly, although his eyes shone with his anger.
“I came to find Simon.”
If possible, his expression turned even more thunderous.“For what purpose?”
“Toend this madness.”
“Are youabloodyfool?” He strode toward her until he’d grabbed hold of her shoulders, giving her a little shake. “DidI not explain the danger clearly enough to you before?”
“Yes, you did,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I can stand by and watch innocent people get hurt because ofme.” She wrenched out of his grasp.
She made it outside by the time he grabbed her arm andjerkedher to a halt. “You arenotwalking away from this, Isabella.I should wring your idiotic neck for taking such a risk!”
Isabella attempted to free herself, but his grip tightened to the point she was sure there would be bruises there on the morrow. “I release you from your duty as my keeper, Mr. Claymoore,” she snapped in return. “I never asked for your assistance, nor do I continue to do so. The point of this entire charade was for me to force Simon out of hiding. That’s not going to happen if you keep me under your thumb!”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “You are undoubtedly the most infuriating, insufferable female I’ve ever hadthe misfortune of encountering.If I hadn’t had the wherewithal to follow you tonight, you might have been well on your way to France right now!”
She narrowed her eyes. “Then let us part ways now, so that you don’t have to contend with my presence any longer.”
Even in the dark, she could see his eyes flash. “Never.”
“Never?” she echoed with a scoff. “And yet, weren’t you the one who agreed that it wasn’t prudent for us to continue on together?”
He said nothing, but his focus never wavered from her face.
She shook her head.“I’m not the fool here, Mr. Claymoore.Youare. At least I’m smart enough to know when I can’t win the game. I’m going to find Simon, and when I do,I’ll accept the consequences of the actions Iclearly beganto bring down on myself.”
“No.” His stare turned even more intense. “I forbid it.”
This time she yanked her arm free. “Youhave nothing to say about it, Mr. Claymoore. I’m the Viscountess of Wistenberry whether you, or I,or anyone else likes it or notand Iwillput an end to all of this.”
Before she had time to take one stepaway from him, he’d pushedherup against the stone, trapping her with his hard body. “The hell I don’t. You’remine, Isabella.”
His mouth crashed down on hers,demanding her surrender. Without hesitation,her pulsebegan hammeringin her veins.She wanted to fight against him, againstthis, but damned if the man made it impossible to do so. She yearned for his touch like the next breath in her body and she hatedthat. She didn’t want to give another man,thisman,that kind of power over her. She’d given herself to Simon without thought, but the blinders were off now.Sheunderstood wellwhat could happen if she gave in to the magnetism between her and Ridge. The consequences would be disastrous, and yet, she couldn’t push him away any more than she could stop her impulsiveness to run away with Simon.
Angry with Ridge, and with herself, she kissed him back with all the angst that she was feeling inside. She clutched his jacket and moaned when he caressed her breast. She gently bit his lower lip and the noise thatstirredwithin his throat was like the purr of a cat,thoughinfinitely more predatory.
She heard more than one thread snap as he tugged down her bodice. Cool air touched the tips of her nipples as he lowered his head and captured one peak in his hot, wet mouth. Flames shot through her midsection the same way they had burst through the shed.She was on fire for him.
Her core pulsed in time to his gentle sucking and sheknew, that with the slightest manipulation, she wouldloseher sanity.“Touch me,” she demanded. “Now.”
He lifted her skirts and his hand delved beneath. Her neck arched as he found the same sweet spot he’d massaged before, the same area she’d stroked earlier that day while her thoughts had conjured this very moment.
With the slightest caress, she shuddered in his arms, his mouth smothering her moan of completion.
When the pleasure started to subside, she openedher eyes andstaredat him. “Take me, Ridge. It’s the only way we cansatisfythis attraction between us.”
He stared at her for a heartbeat, and then hekept his eyes locked with hers andbegan to unbutton the flap of his trousers. Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest when helifted her leg and started to position himself, the tip of his hard erection nudging at her center…
Theclopping hoofbeatsof an approaching horse broke them apart.
Ridge breathed a curse,anddeftlyput himself to rights. He pulled herfarther away from the danger and held a finger to his lips, while she held the sides of her torn gown together, as her heart began to thump for another reason entirely.
Simon…
Notuntil Ridge withdrew the pistol from the back of his trousers did her eyes widen. He pointed where she stood, indicating that she should remain there, and then he crept around the side of the castle walls, intent on facing off with their new opponent.
