Page 24 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

The logic of his friend’s reply made Valeran suck in a harsh breath. Jamie was right. He would have questioned the other man if the situation had been reversed. Hell, he probably would have dropped Jamie to the floor before the man could have even opened his mouth to explain things.

A chill coated Valeran’s skin as the weight of what had transpired in the past half-hour pressed downward on his shoulders. His friend was right, but it didn’t make the judgement and censure of the Rockwoods any less painful. Valeran flung his hand upward in a wave of disgust, which made Jamie utter a harsh sound of anger.

“Goddamnit, answer me, Val. Would you have reacted any differently?”

“No.” Valeran’s low, hoarse reply made the other man expel a pent-up breath of air.

“As for the family questioning your honor, that’s not true. If you’d seen the shock on everyone’s faces, you would have known we were struggling not to think the worst. Even Braxton for all his outrage was staring at you in stunned disbelief. None of us wanted to believe it.”

He watched his friend shove a hand through his hair, then shake his head in what Valeran sensed was deep confusion. Jamie’s hand slashed through the air in a gesture of irritation.

“But between Amalie’s disheveled nightgown, and that robe of yours doesn’t hide the fact you’re naked underneath, none of us could help but think the worst.”

“I’d been preparing to take a bath,” he lied.

There wasn’t a chance in hell he was going to admit Amalie had seen him completely undressed. Nor was he about to confess her complete lack of embarrassment or even what he was certain had been admiration as she’d studied him. With a small shake of his head, Jamie blew out a harsh breath to emphasize his bafflement.

“Well, it sure as hell didn’t help matters that neither one of you appeared embarrassed about being discovered. And for once, that stoic, insouciant manner of yours when you’re angry didn’t serve you well. It made you look unrepentant, while Amalie didn’t show even one iota of remorse or guilt at having been discovered in your rooms.”

Worried his expression might display his fury at Jamie’s assumption Amalie was innocent, Valeran spun around to stride to the fireplace. Why the devil would the woman have shown guilt or remorse if she’d planned to be caught in his rooms?

Hands braced against the mantel, he stared down at the dancing shadows of the fire burning in the hearth. The flames were nothing more than flickering shades of varied whites and grays, but he could feel the warmth trying to push through his robe to warm his chilled body.

Fingers digging into the wood mantel, Valeran struggled to make sense of how he’d managed to find himself in this predicament. Normally, he locked his bedroom door to avoid a situation just like the one he was caught in now. He’d heard too many tales of men trapped into marriage by scheming mothers ensuring their unmarried daughters were compromised. But he’d not been thinking clearly after his celebratory drinking bout with Jamie and Theo.

Valeran closed his eyes at his mistake. It was an error that required him to ask Amalie to be his wife tomorrow morning. When he’d begun contemplating marriage a few months ago, he’d not envisioned it happening like this. He’d imagined finding a woman willing to accept friendship, respect, and perhaps passion in their marriage.

Friendship and respect were definitely not a part of his future where Amalie was concerned. Valeran’s mouth twisted in a bitter smile of irony. At least the woman responded to his touch. It would make the marriage bed tolerable, if not actually pleasurable. He was also fortunate he didn’t have to worry about the pitfalls of love. He was marrying a woman who hated him.

Love had never been a requirement when he’d determined the qualities he wanted in a wife. Life was too uncertain when it came to opening his heart to someone. Love, security, and happiness had been stripped from him almost twenty years ago in a matter of minutes. It was a hell he had no intention of living through ever again.

Emotional attachments of any kind could be swept away in one brief moment. A prime example was what had happened moments ago. The phalanx of Rockwood men who’d confronted him had been one of the most unpleasant experiences he’d ever endured.

He understood the Crianlarich’s rage, and the united front Amalie’s male relatives had shown. But the lot of them had simply tried, convicted, and sentenced him without questioning Amalie’s role in the entire debacle. Their betrayal had broken a bond of friendship he should have known better than to invest in.

Bloody hell, he’d even come to believe he was part of the family in some ways. He’d been a fool to do so. It had been an illusion, which made their betrayal cut deep. Despite the brutal severing of his bond with the Rockwoods, it failed to reach the painful depths he’d endured after the murder of his parents.

At least his relationship with Jamie remained intact. His best friend had even emphasized the depth of their friendship by refusing to leave until Valeran understood his initial reaction. A reaction Jamie had forced Valeran to admit would have been no different if the situation had been reversed.

It wasn’t simply his friend’s obvious attempt to clear the air between them that emphasized Jamie’s refusal to let go of their friendship. The man Valeran viewed as a brother had apologized with a heartfelt, genuine remorse. For that, he was grateful.

Losing his best friend would have made working together difficult, but more importantly, he would have missed the comradery and friendship. Something he’d never know in his marriage to a woman who despised him.

What in the name of God had made Amalie enter his rooms tonight? She had to have known what the outcome would be if they were caught. Jamie had said she’d recently alarmed the family by announcing plans never to marry, which begged the answer to an important question.

Why trap a man she loathed into a marriage she didn’t want? What could have prompted her to enter his rooms uninvited? None of this made sense. All that mattered was that Amalie was responsible for this entire mess. A voice in the back of his head sneered its objection as to where the blame lay. Behind him, Jamie uttered a harsh oath.

“God help the bastard who did this to you and Amalie. When I find out who they are, I’ll make them wish they’d never heard the name Rockwood.”

“What?”

“Clearly, someone staged the entire scene.”

Valeran jerked violently, then spun around to face his friend as a fresh wave of rage crashed over him. Was the man actually suggesting someone other than Amalie had arranged for them to be found together?

“Of course, she staged it.” Valeran glared at the dark shadow of his friend. “Your cousin is quite clever.”

“You can’t possibly think Amalie deliberately arranged for her parents to catch the two of you alone in such a compromising situation,” Jamie exclaimed heatedly.