Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

“ J uliet?”

She wanted to look at him, but she couldn’t risk falling over the ledge, so she kept her eyes sealed shut and blindly reached out for him.

Suddenly, two strong hands clasped her shoulders and gently pulled her backwards and slightly to one side.

“Juliet!” Hector’s deep voice was full of concern as his hands released her shoulders. “What are you doing? Are you all right?”

She tried to speak, but her voice failed her. The touch of his hands had made her shudder with relief, had lessened her overwhelming panic, and had given her enough courage to finally open her eyes.

Juliet was filled with gratitude and relief to see that Hector had not only managed to move her from the balcony but had also turned her away from its railing. His expression grew more concerned as he registered the intense fear in her eyes. “Come,” he said, his tone unexpectedly gentle. “Take my hand.”

Juliet hesitated, unsure if she could trust her shaking, wobbly legs. The sincerity of his gaze gave her the strength she’d needed, and she slowly grasped his hand. His grip was warm and reassuring, and she could feel the strength in his hold.

Hector guided her down the hall, away from the balcony, his measured pace steadily matching hers.

It was as if he had comprehended her fear without her having to say a word. Being near him was surprisingly comforting in comparison with what she had envisioned.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

She wasn’t only thanking him for his help but also for the unexpected kindness he had shown her. This was a side of him she had rarely glimpsed before.

Hector nodded, his eyes lingering on her longer than usual before shifting to the stairs that would lead them back to the lower floor.

Juliet’s eyes roamed over his face. He was unshaven, and his eyes looked sunken.

“Were you looking for me?” Hector asked, glancing at her.

“Yes. I…”

Once they’d arrived safely downstairs, he let go of her hand and walked alongside her to his study.

“Shall we go inside?” Hector put a hand at her back and nudged her forward through the door, his unexpected contact causing her to startle.

The room was just as remarkable as the rest of the house. The floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, dark wood paneling, and a large desk took command of the space. The windows were draped with heavy curtains that reflected the warm glow of the fireplace across the room and gave it an aura of quiet power.

Hector walked to his desk and leaned against it as he watched her take in the surroundings. Juliet’s earlier fears seemed to evaporate in the comforting enclosure of the study before her focus shifted to the man that stood before her.

“Did you need something, then?” Hector asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

He remained near his desk, his posture tense as he observed Juliet’s expression. Juliet hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

“I wanted to ask when it would be appropriate for me to visit the convent. I am concerned because I haven’t heard from anyone there since I left.”

Hector looked at her for a long moment as though carefully weighing his response. His brow furrowed slightly, the lines of his face deepening in thought.

“No,” he finally said.

Juliet blinked, confused.

“No?”

Hector’s gaze narrowed, and his posture remained guarded. “No. There is no appropriate time for you to visit because you should not go back there at all.”

Juliet felt her defense instinctively rise at his tone and clipped response. It had been hard enough to ask for his permission, let alone being refused her simple request.

“What do you mean? That place is the only home I have ever known. I cannot just abandon them. I will not. I need to see them and make sure all is well…”

“If that is the case, send someone in your stead. You do not need to embark on the journey yourself when another can go for you and bring word on the state of things. The coachman or even a footman can carry a message on your behalf and report back to you upon his return.”

Juliet stared at him. The challenging tone in his words had faded, and there was no underlying tension. Instead, there was something else.

Is that a willingness to meet me halfway?

Juliet considered his suggestion, but the thought of sending someone else in her place didn’t sit well with her. The sisters would feel affronted by the slight and would undoubtedly arrive at the conclusion that she was distancing herself from them.

“I intended to check on them myself,” she clarified. “Would that not be kinder?”

Hector studied her, his expression unreadable.

“Perhaps,” he admitted after a pause. “But you seem to have forgotten the details of your circumstances. I took you out of that place to save you. Associating yourself with that wretched convent would not be a clever idea to say the least.”

“To save me?” Juliet frowned in confusion. “What do you mean you took me from the convent to save me? My father traded me to you to gain some financial stability for his business!”

Hector suddenly stood straight and walked towards her, his jaw clenched with aggravation.

“The reasons your father had for handing you over matter little to me. You have come to me with a request, and it has been denied. Rather than heeding my words, you continue to stand here and argue. The matter is done; you are not to return to that place.”

Juliet suppressed the urge to scoff in his face and gritted her teeth. “I simply do not understand why I cannot return to my home. That place you look down upon is all I have ever known; I cannot simply abandon it.”

“ This is your home now. Islington Hall, not that run down, vermin-infested abbey. It is high time you came to terms with that,” Hector snapped at her.

This time, Juliet couldn’t hold back the incredulous ire that bubbled in her throat.

“That might be difficult for me to do, husband , because nothing here feels like home in any way. I feel isolated and alone, all day, every day, and it is exhausting to keep trying, to no avail, to find some semblance of comfort.”

She inhaled shakily on the verge of tears from the frustration fraying her nerves.

“Not to mention the fact that you constantly avoid me. It makes me feel so incredibly unwanted, and I have no clue why you do so,” she added. She half expected him to dismiss her concerns, to call her childish and wave her away, but then she noticed how intent his gaze was upon her and how small the space was between them. Hector was so close now that she could feel his breath on her face.

When…when had he gotten so close?

Juliet swallowed and found it hard to breathe with the rush of heat that rose to her cheeks. She itched to turn around and leave but felt pinned by the swirl of emotions she saw in Hector’s eyes.

“It is likely because you infuriate me so much,” he murmured, reaching forward slowly to brush a lock of hair from her shoulder.

Instead of pulling his hand away he caressed the nape of her neck and rested it on her back to draw her in even closer.

“But unwanted, Juliet? That, you are not,” he said under his breath.

His mouth crashed into hers, and Juliet fell into him, running her hands up his muscular, rippling chest and onto his shoulders.

Hector’s voice was a low, heated whisper, “You have never been unwanted, Juliet. I want you. More than you could ever imagine.”

Her knees weakened as he continued devouring her with his kiss, and his hand rested possessively on her back to keep her flush against him. Juliet moaned as he nibbled her lower lip, a fire igniting within her as his tongue teased hers in long, slow strokes.

Dear God, I want more of him. So much more.

It was always like this when he held her in his powerful arms. His passionate kisses and touches brought forth feelings she never knew existed within her. This time she was prepared to beg him for more.

Juliet’s thoughts evaporated as Hector continued to ravish her with his mouth, his lips leaving hers only to trail down her neck. She shivered and tossed back her head as his teeth scraped across a sensitive spot, and she wished he would give in and bite into her flesh.

“Hector…” she whimpered in ecstasy.

He drew back, his dark eyes communicating to her that they were about to cross a line from which there would be no return. But Juliet didn’t care. She could only hear the sound of her body’s desire.

Without another word, she grabbed his neck as he had done to her earlier and pulled his head down for another kiss.

A knock at the door stopped her from getting what she wanted.