Page 81 of The Haunted Duke

“I love how well you take me, love,” he snarled, sitting up in one powerful motion so that her back arched and her breasts pressed against his scarred chest, his hands sliding down to grip her buttocks as he pounded up into her without mercy.

He claimed her mouth in a deep, ravenous kiss, swallowing her cries as his hips never once slowed, driving into her with a raw, relentless hunger, as if two years of starvation were finally being answered all at once. Helena felt herself unraveling around him, her release building faster and harder than it ever had before.

Their orgasm, a mutual culmination of pleasure, relief, and love, tore from their throats in desperate screams as they ravaged one another, his hips stuttering through one final, brutal thrust that seated him fully inside her and held him there, shuddering, as he spilled into her, and together they collapsed, flesh on full flesh, finally, onto the bed.

“I love you,” Evander panted, holding her head to his scarred chest as she listened to his hammering heart. “God, I love you.”

She turned her head, brushing kisses over the scars she had just been lying on, up to his scarred throat, and then to his lips.

“I love you with all my heart,” she breathed onto his lips. “Do not ever hide from me again.”

Chapter 29

Two Days Later

“Your Grace.”

Helena groaned, swatting away at the hands jostling her as she kept her eyes closed. Light flared, and she burrowed her face into her pillow.

“Away, Aggie,” she murmured. “Unless my husband has returned from his trip, I will wait to speak with you in the morning.”

“Apologies for the hour, Your Grace,” Aggie offered. “But you must awake.”

Hearing the worry in Aggie’s voice, Helena snapped out of her sleepy state and sat up.

“What is it?” she asked as Aggie pressed a sealed letter into her hands.

“A messenger came knocking at the servants’ entrance,” Aggie quickly explained. “He said to give you this straight away. He says it is from His Grace!”

Helena tore open the letter at once, her stomach dropping as she read the three scribbled lines.

I need you.

Come to me at once at the old mill.

The messenger will bring you there.

Helena flung back the covers, the letter flying from her hands, and scrambled out of bed.

“Where is the messenger?” Helena asked as she hastily pulled on her cloak.

“Outside waiting for you,” Aggie explained, wringing her hands together. “Shall I wake the Dowager?”

Helena shook her head as she hurried to her bedroom door, not even giving the question a moment’s thought. Nora was a lovely woman and a devoted mother, but after Elara had explained to Helena what had happened to her during Evander’s disappearance, she did not want to risk the older woman’s health.

“No, keep this quiet,” Helena whispered as she hurried down the stairs.

“Perhaps I should come with you,” Aggie urged as she followed.

“All will be well, Aggie, just stay. My husband needs me. I will take care of this on my own.”

“Your Grace, please,” she heard Aggie say. She cut her maid’s words off as she closed the front door and hurried down the walk to where a small carriage was waiting for her.

“What has happened to my husband?” she demanded to know as she reached the driver.

“I only know that I am supposed to bring you to him with haste, Your Grace,” the driver replied, opening her door for her.

Although troubled by this, Helena climbed into the carriage. She would find out soon enough. What mattered was reaching Evander and helping him in any way she could. She had not asked what business Evander was leaving on with Adrian and Damien, and now she regretted it.