Yet she couldn’t push him away. Lord knew this would be the last chance — her last chance—to try and show him how broken she was inside. Losing his trust, his friendship, and his respect had wrecked her in ways that could never be undone.
He was the best person she knew, and she’d crushed him.
Nothing she did would ever make up for that, but at least in this moment—
“Marsdale?” The man’s familiar voice contained both surprise and amusement.
Edward twisted away from Melody, while tucking her close to his side. “Moorland. What a pleasant surprise.”
Oh God. Melody stared at the duke, her mind reeling. Quick. She had to think of something to say.
Before she could come up with a reasonable explanation as to why her mouth had been locked with Edward’s in broad daylight, Edward said, “Allow me to present my fiancée. Miss Melody Roberts has just agreed to become my wife.”
“Indeed?” Moorland’s voice cut off the strangled, “What” that started up Melody’s throat.
“I realize it’s unexpected, given her questionable parentage, but I’ve decided to weather whatever scandal awaits in favor of choosing love.”
This couldn’t be happening.
“You’ll have my full support,” Moorland said. “Congratulations to you both.”
He took his leave and strolled off, leaving Melody once more alone with Edward. She shoved away from him. “What the hell was that?”
“Your dream come true,” he said, his tone sardonic. “We’ll wed, enabling you to weasel your way into my life exactly as you intended.”
“That was never my plan.”
“Hard to believe, considering the fact that your foster-sister did exactly the same to my closest friend.” He scoffed and tugged on his jacket sleeves, straightening them before clasping his hands behind his back. “You now have no choice but to leave your position at Heathbrooke House.”
“Ed—” The sharp look of warning he gave her made her say, “Marsdale, you’ve misjudged me completely.”
A bitter laugh filled the air. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
“No. What I mean to say is that I genuinely care for you and that I never wanted this.”
“Hmm… As I’ve come to realize this past year, we rarely get what we want. At least this way, I can punish you for what you did. Until death do us part.” He sketched a mocking bow, then proceeded to walk away. “I’ll be in touch once I’ve booked the vicar.”
Dismayed and horrified, Melody stared after him as he disappeared into the park. She’d ruined him. A realization that made her eyes well with tears.
Good lord. What was she going to do?”
Finn O’Leary lounged on the velvet upholstered divan, his gaze on the woman who’d seen to his needs. She was young, with long blonde hair and voluptuous curves. One of the whores Sean’s wife had hired on Finn’s behalf when he’d opened the brothel.
Only a gauzy shift covered her nakedness as she moved about the room, fluffing the pillows on the bed and straightening out the sheets. As he’d told her to do. That was her job, after all. To heed his command. It was what she got paid for — to provide satisfaction.
A smile curved his lips. He liked the idea that he owned her. Not only her, but nineteen others, distributed between two locations. All had been carefully selected to fit various types. Each had been bedded by him before anyone else. Just to be sure they excelled at their trade.
This particular one… She was his favorite. Perhaps because of the apprehension he always saw in her eyes when she realized she’d once again be alone with him. He enjoyed that part most of all. The fact that he could control her, no matter how much she might wish it were otherwise. After all, the coin he’d lent her so she could help her sickly mama had to be paid back somehow.
He snapped his fingers and she jerked to attention, her gaze meeting his in question.
“Come,” he ordered, then pointed to the floor in front of the divan. “Sit.”
She plodded toward him and knelt without speaking a word. His hand brushed over the top of her head, petting her much as he would a dog.
This place had been a welcome retreat these past two weeks, after his attempt to take down Croft had ended in total disaster. While the house still stood, much of the surrounding area had been leveled in the explosion. Chapman had done an excellent job with the dynamite he’d distributed, precisely for the purpose of causing a distraction, if needed.
The man remained on Finn’s payroll, but Finn was wary of trusting Chapman completely. While he might have his uses, he’d betrayed Croft without much pressure. There was no guarantee he’d not do the same to Finn in future.
