Curious and now more agitated than ever, Constantine turned on his heel to leave the room. Just as he took his first step toward the door, it was suddenly pushed shut. Constantine raised a single brow as Elara stepped forward from where she had been hiding between the door and the wall, and smiled as she reached for the lock and turned it with a key.
“What do you think you are doing?” Constantine demanded.
“Ensuring you cannot leave until I have my answers,” Elara replied.
Then, with a flourish of her wrist, Elara slipped the key into her bosom. With that little act of rebellion, Constantine felt his lust roar back to life.
Chapter 7
“You truly believe that stowing the key between your breasts will keep me from retrieving it?” Constantine asked.
Elara blushed, feeling her body heat from head to toe as the Duke’s green eyes fixed on her bosom like a hawk’s. Then, with a quickness that startled her, those eyes flicked up to meet her own, and he gave her a wicked grin.
“Just as I thought,” his deep voice mused, steepling his fingertips. “You are nowhere near as bold as you pretend to be.”
Elara pushed past his brazen words, crossed her arms, and willed the redness from her cheeks to fade as she scowled at him.
“You know nothing about me, Your Grace,” she said bitterly. “There is no use in pretending otherwise.”
“And just as there is no point in my pretending to know you, there is no point in your pretending to know me,” Constantine’s deep voice retorted sharply. “So let us get this inquisition over with so we can be done with each other’s company.”
“Very well, where is Evander?” Elara asked, dropping all pretense.
“Dead,” Constantine replied, not flinching at her question.
“Did you kill him?”
“After what he did to my brother, I was tempted. But no.”
“What did you do with Evander? Where is he?” Elara repeated.
“Dead,”Constantine enunciated.
“I have evidence to the contrary. Evidence I found inyourhome.”
“And what evidence is that?” Constantine asked.
Elara gritted her teeth, unsure whether she should use that particular card yet, in this strange game she seemed to be caught up in with the Duke.
“Listen, I have nothing to do with your brother’s death or disappearance, as you claim it was. However, Iknowyou had something to do with the fire that was started the night you came to my room,” the Duke stated, taking advantage of her silence. “So you had better apologize for it and stop pestering me if you want me to let this go.”
She flicked her gaze back up to his, nearly flinching at the hardness she found in his vivid green eyes.
“The fire... it was an accident,” she whispered.
The Duke scoffed. “You expect me to believe that, yet you will not believe me when I insist I know nothing about Evander’s death? If we cannot trust each other, why are we even talking?”
“I do not need your trust; I need the truth!” Elara said, taking a step toward him.
“The truth?” the Duke repeated, taking a step toward her. “The truth is what I have presented both times we have spoken, yet you will not accept it. But I am warning you, do not make me lose my patience with you, or else...”
“Or what?” Elara asked, feeling the heat in her flesh intensify as they drew closer.
“An innocent lady like yourself should not ask questions like those.”
“I might be innocent, but I know what men like you are like. I know well enough that you are shameless and immoral to take advantage of women and leave them to ruin. I know you hide babies in your room. Babies, no doubt, born out of wedlock. If you can hide such a secret, who knows what other secrets you have?”
Rage sparked in the Duke’s eyes, sending jolts of yellow through his green irises in a way that Elara found as hauntingly beautiful as it was disturbing. His hand suddenly shot out, quicker than her eyes could register, and Elara gasped as she felt the strength trembling in his fingers, so delicately holding her chin that she could not look away from him.
