Chapter 16
It had taken a quarter of an hour to find the perfect hiding place. Then Jeremy had to wait another half an hour for Lady Wesley to move on from that part of the garden so he could come out and meet with Elder. Glancing up, he frowned at the near full moon’s silvery glow. Made things a deuced more difficult to hide and move about.
He had gotten Elder’s message just after dancing with the woman and tried to make his escape when offering to fetch refreshments. Of course, the chit couldn’t keep her eyes from him and followed him outside.
When it was safe to move out from behind the tall hawthorn hedge, Jeremy made his way to the silver birch, just east of the stables and found Elder standing there with arms crossed and a frown puckering his brows. Music, the shuffling of dancing, and sporadic bursts of laughter sounded in the distance.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting,” Jeremy said. “I was being followed.”
Elder unfurled his arms. “I will get to the point since we do not have much time. Ghost informed me everything he knew and Belle has been sending messages. It is not safe for her to attend meetings just yet, but we are managing to stay informed.” He lowered his voice. “Most alarming is the news Montague is not Viper. We must find out who he is. Soon.”
Jeremy nodded. “I agree.”
Elder narrowed his eyes. “You realize we would already know if it weren’t for your interference.”
Jeremy was in the process of pulling a cheroot from his silver holder and raised his head. “What?” He couldn’t have heard correctly.
“Falcon would have learned all we needed to know had you not—”
“That little bird was about to get slaughtered, Elder.” Jeremy’s own anger rose when he recalled what almost happened to Evie. It would plague him the rest of his life. Her in that cave, surrounded by all those madmen about to do unspeakable things to her. Her face, pale and drawn, and the terror shimmering in her eyes would haunt him until the grave.
He threw the cheroot to the ground and withdrew his snuffbox instead. Evie did not like the smell anyway, recalling how her nose had wrinkled when he lit one in Scotland. So, he would end the habit and now was as good a time as any.
Elder’s sigh made him look up. “It matters little now. We will have to see that she has another chance. I believe her plan will still work.”
Jeremy could only stand there and gape at the man for several seconds. “You want her to try again? With Montague?” He shoved the snuffbox back into his pocket and shook his head. “Absolutely not. Evie isn’t going anywhere near that monster.”
“You have no say in what Falcon—”
“Evie is my wife,” he interrupted softly, trying to control the raging emotions within.
Elder’s dark gray brows shot up, then came slowly back down as suspicion formed in his eyes. “Belle told me the marriage isn’t real.”
“Oh, it’s real.” He clasped and unclasped his hands at his sides. “And as her lawful husband, I will not allow Evie to be a member of the Guardians. From this moment forward, you will not contact her regarding the Guardians or any missions involving Guardian business. Am I understood?”
It took several seconds, but Elder nodded. “Yes.”
Jeremy took a deep breath, as though he had been holding it in for some time. “Good, now I would like to inform you of what I have learned.”
Elder placed his hands in his pockets and leaned forward, but said nothing.
“Evie’s father was somehow involved with Viper. Ashton gave me a ledger with the snake insignia, identical to the one I took from Montague’s office.”
With a swift intake of breath, Elder’s head came up. “Do the ledgers tell you anything?”
“I am still going through them, but one thing I have learned is Evie’s father would pour a great deal of money into a business and then sell it off at a loss.” He paused to flick a dead hawthorn leaf from his sleeve. “Montague would then purchase the business and increase his fortune.”
“Have any idea why Ashton would do such a thing?”
Jeremy shook his head. “Montague must have had some hold on the man. Perhaps even blackmailed him. I do know one thing for certain. The current Lord Ashton inherited crushing debts and failing businesses, but has only made things worse with his gambling habits.”
Elder cocked his head to the side. “You mean to help him?”
Blowing out a breath, Jeremy nodded. “Not only were his father and mine like brothers, I am married to the man’s sister. I am obligated to help.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “Besides, helping Ashton may reveal more clues about Viper.”
The door to the stables opened, spreading a golden light across part of the grass, and two grooms stepped out. Elder inclined his head, then stepped quietly back into the shadows. Jeremy walked back across the garden, pretending as though he hadn’t just seen Lady Wesley rushing in his direction, and stepped through the open door.
Jeremy took a quick glance around and relaxed when he found Evie surrounded by her friends across the room. He lifted a glass of champagne from a passing servant and found Nicholas standing several yards away, scowling right at him.
With a sigh, he walked to the man, just as the click of Lady Wesley’s shoes marched right up behind him. Facing Nick seemed the lesser of two evils at the moment. Thankfully, as he turned to the right, the chit scrambled away when she saw he wasn’t alone. This endless game of chase had grown tiresome and he was glad for the respite, no matter how short it would be.
“Of all the nights to not be sneaking out with one of your women, Jeremy.”
Swallowing his champagne, Jeremy gave a small shrug. “Can’t help myself, old man. It’s in my nature.” His gaze lingered on Evie for a moment, before he pretended interest in Lord Billings’ young wife. From the stiff set to Evie’s shoulders and the way Megan kept glaring over at him, he knew they’d come to the same conclusion Nick had.
His friend blew out a breath. “You shouldn’t have done it, Jeremy.”
“Yes, I know.” He flashed Nick a smile. “But it was such great fun. Right out there, under the bright moon. You should try it with your ladylove.”
“That is not what I meant,” Nick hissed. “You should not have married Evie. Megan just told me the girl is nearly in tears right now.”
Jeremy hid his flinch by raising his drink back to his lips. Then he reminded himself they were acting. Evie wasn’t really upset. He turned to his friend and shrugged his shoulders. “How would you feel had I seduced the girl and then not married her?” He raised his brows. “Had to get leg-shackled, old man. I thought you would be pleased to see me do the right thing for once.”
Nick started to reply, then shook his head. “Can you just be more discreet in the future, Jeremy?” His gaze darted across the room, then back. “I do not know how much longer Megan will refrain from marching over here and boxing your ears, right here in front of everyone.”
Setting aside his empty glass, Jeremy gave a forceful sigh. “Well, then, I shall attempt to put your wife in a better mood. For all our sakes.”
Jeremy turned and walked across the room as a waltz began to play. Megan and Amelia frowned up at him while Torie slid her gaze away. Silver marched off for a glass of punch, also not very happy with him this evening. But it was his wife, who stood perfectly still and straight, grasping her hands tightly before her, that concerned him the most.
She was not that good at acting, he thought, and worried that he had done something to truly upset her.
“Ladies, may I borrow my wife for a dance?”
Amelia’s brow cleared, but Megan’s frown deepened and she took a step forward. “You can go hang, Jeremy, from the tallest—”
Evie reached out and patted Megan’s arm, stopping the tirade about to erupt from the little goddess’ lips. Then his wife looked up at him and he felt the hurt he saw in her round, sherry colored eyes, all the way through his heart. She must have truly thought he and Lady Wesley had just come in from a romp.
He held out his hand to her. “Will you dance with me, Evie?” he asked softly, the charade be damned for a little while.
She stared at his palm for several seconds and he wondered if she would refuse. Then she uncuffed her hands and reached out. He curled his warm fingers over her shaking, cold ones, and led her to the dance floor. Pulling her close, he whispered into her ear as he stepped into the waltz. “I was not with Lady Wesley just now.”
He heard her swift intake of breath as her steps slowed and she leaned back. “What did you say?”
Glancing around, Jeremy pulled them back into the dance. “We will discuss this later, pet, when we don’t have such a grand audience.”
“Yes, of course.”
Holding Evie in his arms forced Jeremy to realize how much he liked touching her. He enjoyed women, liked bringing them pleasure and the small amount of satisfaction they brought his flesh in return. No one had ever touched inside of him, though. Not until Evie.
And that worried him. With any other woman, he could keep his fleshly needs separate from his emotions. Jeremy held Evie a little tighter, having to acknowledge two things. Evie was not like any other woman he knew and his feelings for her ran much deeper than he was comfortable with admitting. Even to himself.
Just how deep, he would not examine, not now. First, he had to solve the mystery about Viper and how his father was involved. Only then would he look to possibly ending his missions with the Guardians and settling down like the true Marquess of Fielding ought. He breathed in a hint of lavender as he moved them around a happier Megan and Nicholas, who had decided to join the dancers. Another thing struck him as he glanced around at Silver and Daniel, then to Amelia and Julian, finally to Torie and Jack. They had overcome incredible odds to find each other, and none would have anyone else.
Jeremy leaned back and gazed down into Evie’s eyes. Suddenly, the nonsense Nick prattled on about finding the right lady was making more and more sense.
As the song neared the end, Evie spoke softly. “If you would like to leave with one of your lady friends, please take me home first.” She glanced to Megan and back. “I fear what my friends might do if you leave with one of them from here.”
Jeremy stopped himself from admitting he had no desire to be with anyone else. It sounded strange to admit, even to himself, and he knew she would not believe him. Not yet. He merely inclined his head, thinking he would show her instead of speaking the words.
For the rest of the evening, he watched Evie consume much more champagne than was typical. He grew increasingly worried. She might reveal something inadvertently or take a nasty tumble. Excusing himself from Nick and Julian, he decided to take her home before disaster struck.
“Are you ready, pet?” he asked, prying the nearly empty champagne flute from her fingers.
With a lopsided grin, Evie shook her head. “Not unless you intend to take me home and have your way with me.”
Jeremy sucked in a breath, his cock twitching at the possibility. He held the glass away as Evie reached for it, then set it on a passing tray. “We should leave now, darling,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to turn her around.
Evie sighed. “My husband wishes to leave.” Her giggle ended in a hiccough. “I suppose he is ready to ravish me now.”
Swallowing down his groan, Jeremy nodded to the under-butler to bring her cloak and then with a quick farewell to his friends, he spirited Evie from the mansion. Now that she spoke of ravishing her, he could think of little else. Once the images came forth, they would not leave. Especially as Evie leaned forward in the swaying carriage, allowing the silvery moonlight to bathe the tops of her bare breasts. His fingers itched to reach out and caress them as his mind conjured all sorts of ways he could pleasure her.
Clearing his throat, he reached out to pull the ends of the soft wool together. “There. We wouldn’t want you catching cold.”
She settled a hand right on his thigh, just above the knee, and he nearly jumped out of his seat. “You are being incredibly thoughtful, Jeremy,” she said softly and rubbed her hand in two small circles.
He went hard and throbbing in a blink, straining against the front of his breeches. “Careful, pet,” he warned, “if you play with fire, you could get burned.”
The carriage rolled into his drive and came to a halt. A footman assisted Evie to the ground and Jeremy had to count to ten before convincing his pulsating shaft the promised delights would be put off just a little longer. But as he followed her inside and handed his coat to Bentley, she stopped on the bottom marble step and turned.
Her eyes glowed with a hunger he hadn’t seen, her face flushed pink with passion. Parting her glistening, rosy lips, she gave a slow, sensual smile. “I think now is as good a time as any to see if I get burned.” She quirked a brow. “Do you not agree?”
Jeremy was but a mortal, weak man. One who had just reached the end of his patience. In three short strides, he came to Evie and pulled her in his arms. His kiss was hot and savage, revealing every ounce of pent-up sexual frustration he’d been suppressing since the moment Helen of Troy walked down those blasted steps.
Lifting her up into his arms, he rushed up the stairs and marched right for his room. He waited to hear her protest. Just one word before it was too late, and he would stop. She said nothing, just held on as he entered his bedroom and kicked the door shut.
She said nothing as he placed her on her feet before the bed and carefully removed the emerald around her neck. She still said nothing when his fingers grazed her silky skin at the tops of her breasts as he’d been itching to do all night.
With a raised brow, for this would be the last time he paused, he slid his hands around her shoulders to the neat little bow at the middle of her back.
The passion in her eyes flared, as though he had added more kindling to the already uncontrollable fire, and Jeremy tugged the silk ribbon, then pulled the string from the eyelets, and the whole thing slid down around her ankles.
He stepped back, admiring the outline of her shapely body behind the thin chemise, and tried to keep his throbbing bulk under control for a while longer. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Are you certain you wish to go forward? The morning will be too late to change your…”
She gave him a beguiling smile and stepped out of the dress, then kicked her shoes away, one at a time, before coming to him. “What I want is you,” she purred and put her arms around his neck. “Right now.”
Jeremy could no longer refuse, nor could he put off the raging need of his own passion soaring to levels he hadn’t felt before. His hands actually trembled with suppressed desire. With all good sense fled to the four corners of the earth, he lowered his lips down onto hers. She tasted of strawberries and champagne and a beguiling nectar headier than any amount of liquor. His tongue slid against hers, dueled and danced, stroked and tasted.
He pulled his coat from his shoulders and stripped away his cravat. Then he peeled off his waistcoat and shirt and closed his eyes as Evie’s hands explored his bare skin. She turned and sauntered to his huge poster bed as he removed his boots.
Then the naughty wench reached down and pulled the only piece of material covering her naked body. Jeremy couldn’t move for several seconds. He took in every inch of glowing porcelain skin, rounded breasts with coral pink nipples that begged for his kisses, to a tiny waist and hips that flared slightly down to shapely legs.
Sweat broke out on his forehead as he thought of those legs wrapping around his waist as he drove deep in between the small patch of dark curls. He clenched his fists, then removed his breeches and rose to show Evie just what she was about to get herself into.
Her gaze lowered and widened, and for the first time, he read a bit of uncertainty as the smile slipped from her lips. Jeremy knew he was well endowed, much more so than was the norm, and one reason why he’d never taken a virgin before.
Now his own uncertainty made his breath hitch. The last thing he wanted to do was bring this woman any more pain. Perhaps, he should send her to her room while his good senses began making their way through the fog of passion clouding his judgement.
Just as he opened his mouth to suggest Evie leave, she bumped into his Chippendale table and scattered all his drawings to the floor. With a whispered apology, she bent down and began arranging the pages back into a neat pile. It was interesting to see her reaction when she realized every page had her own face staring back.
Jeremy watched Evie rise back to her feet, slowly shifting through the pages in her trembling hands. She shook her head. “This cannot be me,” she whispered. “Not this pretty girl.”
He moved to her side and glanced down at the smiling, dazzling beauty he saw every day.
Then her breath caught and she looked up at him with tears shimmering in her eyes. Tears and questions. “This is dated the day Megan married Nicholas.” She blinked and went back through the pictures. “I-I don’t see Lady Wesley or any other lady.”
When she glanced back at him, confusion puckering her brow, Jeremy took the pictures and set them aside. “You won’t find them here.” He studied her wide eyes for a moment, then reached up and traced a finger over her smooth cheek. “I draw what is on my mind, Evie,” he admitted softly.
Her eyes went dark and she stepped right up to him. “Kiss me, Jeremy. Kiss me now.”
He cocked his brow. “If I do, you know what this will lead to.”
She shook her head and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Her silky warm breasts and tight nipples pressing into his chest. “Yes, and I don’t care.” Then she lifted on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
With all possible barriers gone, Jeremy lifted Evie in his arms and settled her on the center of his bed. He slid over her, lacing his fingers with hers above her head and dropped his mouth down to her lips. He ravished her with his tongue and found she quickly learned exactly what he liked. Long, slow, deep strokes, moving his head from one side to the other. God, she was good.
His shaft pulsated painfully between her warm thighs, the head tickled by the wet dark curls. He lowered a hand and cupped her right breast. She arched against him and he teased her nipple until she moaned low in her throat. He could read the signals from her body as surely as if she spoke the words out loud. She opened her legs, wanting him to enter her hot sacred place. He wanted that, too, and would have her. But not yet. First, he would bring her pleasure that would eclipse any pain to come.
His lips moved down the column of her throat until arriving at a peach rosebud and he licked her twice before drawing the bud into his mouth. She arched up and gasped, panting that she needed more.
Slowly, he moved his hand over her flat stomach and lower, inch by inch he made his way to the wet curls between her legs. Evie parted her legs, moving her head from side to side. “Please,” she moaned, “I need…”
Her choked plea trailed off as he moved a finger along her slick hot nub and made slow circles with his fingertip as he suckled her breast. She whimpered and clutched the bedding with both hands. He moved his finger down, circling the opening, sucking her nipple even harder.
Sweat broke out on his forehead as his own need nearly overwhelmed him. Jeremy wanted to impale himself deep inside her, drive in and out, lose all control and let his passion take him to wherever it saw fit.
Instead, he concentrated on Evie and her satisfaction. Against his arm, he felt the muscles in her abdomen tighten and her choked gasps come out faster. He inserted his finger slowly, so slowly, into her molten slick center.
He raised his mouth back to hers, wanting to taste the passion on her tongue. The tangy sweetness did not disappoint and he drank it in as his tongue dueled madly with hers. His finger moved out and slid back in and she moved her hips in rhythm. He slid deeper, feeling the barrier of her maidenhead, and then her muscles tightened around his finger.
She bucked once and he swallowed her cries of passion, his slow, sensual kiss promising much more to come.
Lifting his head, Jeremy gazed down at Evie as she opened her heavy eyes and smiled up at him. He never saw anything more beautiful in his life and burned the scene in his memory. He would draw it later to capture this moment forever.
With a deep breath, he settled on his back and drew Evie to his side. She snuggled close and he thought she would drift right off to sleep. Instead, her hand moved slowly over his stomach, then down to the engorged flesh throbbing painfully up in the air. Before he could speak, she touched him and he clenched is jaw and slid his eyes shut.
“It’s like silk,” she said with surprise and moved her soft little hand up and down the length of him.
Jeremy allowed her to continue for several seconds, until his need grew so strong, he knew he would move on top of her and drive himself straight inside her all the way to the hilt. And as he contemplated what to do, just how to handle the evil little vixen, her hand stopped. Midway through his relieved breath, though, something wet and soft claimed him and he popped open his eyes.
The sight of Evie’s lips tasting him was almost too much to bear. Jeremy nearly came undone. He wanted to raise his arms. Tell her to stop. No, beg her to keep going. With a long moan, he buried the back of his head into the pillow behind him and gritted his teeth against the slow, blissful torture. And when she drew him into her hot, wet mouth, he sucked back the curse on his tongue.
He felt the wench smile against him and continue the wicked wet stroking. His breath hissed out and he knew his time had come. He was about to spill right there. “Oh, God, Evie,” he groaned as the most delicious release came on him and drained both barrels dry.
And when he could finally catch his breath, Jeremy watched Evie settle back beside him with a superior grin on her lips. He narrowed his eyes. “Think you’ve won, Madam?” he asked softly, watching her smile melt into a worried line. “I am nowhere near done with you, yet.”
It wasn’t until after he had claimed her with his mouth and had her sobbing with tortuous need, he finally inched his cock into her sweet softness. The amount of champagne she had consumed helped to deaden the pain, he knew, but she still cried out when he broke through her maidenhead, making him freeze in place. And he kissed her deeply, saying he was sorry, over and over. But he had decided from the moment she pulled her chemise away he would make her his. Only his, forever, and there would be no going back.
Then he felt her soft palm against his cheek and Jeremy opened his eyes. Evie was looking right at him, her brows drawn in concern. She lifted her other arm and wound her fingers through his hair. “Kiss me, Jeremy,” she whispered, pulling him down.
The sweet kiss turned sinful in a flash. And when she wiggled her hips, drawing him even deeper inside her body, he moaned in surrender and rocked his hips. Slowly at first, but unable to keep the torment going, he had to move faster. He kissed her harder, rocked his hips faster, moved inside her with longer, deeper strokes. Sweat popped out on his forehead to keep his release in check. He wanted her to have another, just one more while he was inside her.
Moving his hand down to where they were joined, he rubbed against the slick, swollen nub between her legs. Her eyes flew open, then she closed them on a long groan. Jeremy lowered his head and kissed her, continuing to rub her with his finger, while sliding his shaft in and out of her hot, wet body.
Her arms tightened around his shoulders at the same time her body clenched him tight, the muscles pulling at him. With a shuddering moan, he spilled into her, holding still for every blessed drop. Then he collapsed onto his side and pulled her close.
As Evie snuggled against him and slept like a well-fed kitten, he focused on slowing his breathing and getting his racing heart back under control. Then he reached for a piece of charcoal and a fresh sheet of drawing paper. Not only was Evie truly his wife and would be the mother to his children, no one had ever satisfied him so completely. He smiled as he set the charcoal against the white surface and began to capture all the memories of the evening. His smile widened when he realized what Nick told him had been true, after all. Then his smile fled when he heard the scratch at the door.
Setting aside the charcoal and drawing, he carefully scooted out of bed to keep from waking Evie, although she slept as though an orchestra could play in the room and not rouse her. Pulling on his dressing robe, he marched for the door and opened it, knowing Bentley would never bother him unless the news was quite serious.
“Pardon, my lord,” the butler began, “your mother is downstairs.” He lowered his voice. “She said the matter is urgent.”