Anger surged through him. He was going to catch the servant and bury his weak emotions six feet down where they belonged.
They were going to hunt Jacob Worley.
He had to brush up on his hunting skills. And that—he smiled wickedly, ignoring a passing girl’s gasp—was a task he could enjoy tonight.
Marietta sat in the kitchen, absently pawing through papers and fuming. She was back earlier than she’d thought she would be—Mark had vacillated between raving and staring. She hadn’t been able to deal with his mood swings for long. She’d told him to behave like a grown man and read him the list of rules before leaving in disgust.
She was also obviously earlier than Noble had thought she’d be. He had said he wasn’t going anywhere. She’d known he looked shifty earlier. Was he investigating without her? What if he met Dresden and she wasn’t there to save him?
She read a note from Anthony that said the first victim’s former name had been Amanda Forester. The name was vaguely familiar in the way fringe society names were. She wished she had kept more abreast of the gossip instead of focusing on keeping them fed. Silly thoughts.
The front door opened and banged shut. Measured footsteps clicked down the hall, and Noble came into view, hair mussed and windblown, eyes dark and predatory. The image of a hunter who had finally found his prize.
She sprung up from her chair. “I thought you said you weren’t leaving? Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He strode forward and kicked her chair out of the way. She didn’t have a moment to be nervous before she found herself flat on her back on top of the table, papers crinkling beneath her.
“What—”
She barely took another breath before he tossed up her skirts and pushed her legs up and out. His mouth pressed against her. Dear. God.
Something gurgled from the bottom of her throat and out between her lips. She bucked against him as he licked a broad stroke up. And then another. She didn’t have time to ask him what he was doing, to be mortified at what he was doing, as all thoughts centered right where his mouth was and she found herself bunching papers beneath her fists and arching her head so far back that her shoulders weren’t touching the surface of the wood.
His arms hooked beneath her legs and he buried himself between. His tongue thrust inside and his lips pressed over the sensitive surface ofthatplace and one of his fingers circled her andohdeargodshe was flying and dying as her hips bucked upward and papers tore beneath her hands.
She panted on top of the table, legs shaking and forehead damp. What in heaven’s name had just happened to her? What wasthat?
He pulled her forward and took her lips in a kiss that was demanding and passionate. Drugged and sated, she could only hold on tight, legs splayed, as he kissed the spirit right out of her and then refilled her with more.
He tasted likeher. It was a strange thought, but she couldn’t be unnerved by it while the absolutely clever things he was doing to her blocked all thought.
“You are going to let me have you, aren’t you, Marietta?”
The wobbling of her head must have said yes, because a triumphant light lit his eyes.
“I thought of tossing your skirts up all the way home. Today has dealt quite the emotional upheaval. I found some interesting information. Do you want me to tell you about it?”
“Yes.” Her brain started to right itself.
“How should I tell you? A little bit of information between kisses?”
He sucked her bottom lip between his and his hands moved to cup her rear against the table.
“Only the pertinent items as I’m filling you?”
Her mind crossed as he pulled her against him, the place that he had just devoured pressed tightly to a thickening area of his trousers.
“Or is it morbid to talk about these types of things while making love? Most likely. But we are closer now, Marietta. Soon we’ll have your brothers released and there will be no more family worries.”
She thought that was a strange comment. Phrased oddly.
He was back to the seducer. A man in control. Whatever had ailed him had been switched to the background. She could see the shadows lurking behind his eyes, but the bright green was whispering all sorts of promises.
“What did you just do to me?”
Of all the things vying for her to ask, that was the one that emerged.
“I tasted you, Marietta. I’m not displeased to say that you taste exactly as I thought you might. Strong and sweet.”
