Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

D avid looked at the ledger on his desk. His eyes refused to look at tomorrow's date. He knew Jenny was getting married to Dovegrove tomorrow. He'd read about it, he'd heard about it. It was as if there was nothing else going on in this bloody town other than her marriage to that pompous arse.

He slammed the ledger shut and rubbed his hands over his face. He needed to get out of the house. The hallway clock chimed one in the morning, and he huffed out a sigh. If he went out now, he'd only meet trouble.

He pushed himself out of his chair and made his way towards the stairs when a knock sounded at the front door.

"What the deuce?" he grumbled. "Who the hell is calling at this hour?"

He slowly walked towards the door, picking up a cane he had left nearby. He raised the cane over his head as he opened the door. He brought the cane down, stopping just mere seconds before it landed on the head of a cowering Jenny.

"Jenny! What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?" David scolded. "I could have hurt you."

He looked around to make sure there were no onlookers before he pulled her into the foyer and slammed the door shut behind them.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you changed security measures since we parted."

David bit his lower lip. He refused to give in to the urge to smile at her remark. She was still as spicy as ever.

"I won't ask again. What are you doing here?"

The relief of not hurting her was waning, and anger was taking its place. Which was good. He knew how to handle anger. It fueled him. It kept him going.

Jenny ignored the question and walked into his study. She headed straight to his drink cart, pouring herself a glass of whisky. "I hope you don't mind if I help myself. It's been a chaotic few weeks."

David's jaw ticked. "Yes, I heard."

He stood in the doorway, refusing to go in. If he went in, he was accepting her arrival, and she should not be here.

Jenny stared back at him. "That's it? You heard?" She cocked her head. "What have you heard, David?"

He swallowed, trying to hold onto the composure and sanity that were currently fleeing him. "I heard about your news."

She gave a wicked smile, one that grabbed the knife in his heart and twisted it. It did not matter that he placed the knife himself—she had the control to inflict more damage.

"Ah. I see you're still a man of few words." She threw the whisky back and made a sour face that almost broke through his anger. "Well, since you heard, you know it's cause for a celebration." She poured herself another glass and raised it in his direction. "To a happy marriage."

She took a healthy sip and sputtered violently.

David sighed and walked over to her. He placed the whisky glass down on the cart and filled another glass with water from the pitcher. "Here. Drink this."

A red-faced Jenny took the proffered glass and drank from it.

"Thank you." She coughed a few more times.

"So that's it, then. You came here to toast your impending nuptials?" David bit the inside of his cheek. Saying the word ‘nuptials' felt like sand on his tongue.

Jenny refused to look him in the eyes. Instead, she brushed past him towards the fireplace. She turned to face him and leaned on the back of the sofa.

"You know, I've had a lot of time to think in these past few weeks."

David sighed. She was settling in, there was no way he'd get her to leave now. She stood there, staring at him, waiting for him to… what?

What is it that she wants? Why did she come here, and this night of all nights?

He rolled up his sleeves, and her eyes tracked his every movement. The longer she stood there staring at him, the more dangerous the situation would become for both him and her… and her virginity.

David cursed himself inwardly. He should not be thinking of her like that. She had someone else. Someone who could give her the life she deserved. His fists balled at his sides.

"What are you thinking just now?"

David shook his head. "Hmm?"

Jenny stood up straight. "Just now. You were staring at me?—"

"I was not staring."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "You were staring at me, and your body stiffened. It's like you went somewhere else. Somewhere dangerous." Her eyes sparkled with interest.

David forced his hands to uncurl. "I was thinking that it is late, that I am tired, and that I am in no mood for celebration." He walked past her and pointed to the study door. "I must ask you to leave. I can call a carriage to take you home."

Jenny stood unmoving, looking down at the water glass in her hand. "As I was saying before you took your mental trip, I've had a lot of time to think over these past few weeks. I think I have you figured out."

David laughed and folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, really? This should be interesting. And what have you figured out?"

She took another sip of water, still refusing to turn towards him. She swirled the water in the glass, purposefully drawing out the moment.

The tension was getting to him. Would the blasted woman ever speak? Oh God, is this what she felt like all the times he withheld easy conversation?

She finally turned towards him. "You are not him."

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "I am not who? Dovegrove?"

Jenny scrunched up her nose and waved him off. "No, not him." Frustration and annoyance laced her words.

David bristled at her tone. If anyone was being annoying and frustrating, it was her and not him.

"You are not the brigand who killed your sister."

Jenny watched the color drain from David's face.

"What did you say to me?" His voice was low and even, but it did not disguise the storm building behind his eyes.

Jenny took a step forward, driven by defiance and stubbornness. "I did not stutter. I said you are not the brigand who killed?—"

"Enough!" David thundered, his voice echoing through the room. "Get out." He pointed to the door.

Jenny noticed a slight tremor in his outstretched arm. But she remained calm. After weeks of her emotions being pulled in different directions, the feeling of control slipped over her like a silk glove. She had prepared for a fight, and she was not leaving until they had an honest conversation about their arrangement.

"No."

David sputtered. "What?"

She looked him in the eyes. "Your Grace, I'm becoming concerned with your hearing. I said no."

Her sarcasm was not appreciated.

David stood with his hands on his hips, anger and frustration rolling off him in waves. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Jenny walked ever so slowly towards him. She kept her voice low and soft as if she was approaching a caged animal. "For weeks I could not understand you. How could you go from touching me the way you did to dismissing me like an old maid the next?"

David stood motionless, only his shoulders moved from his heavy breathing. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

"You made me feel seen, understood, wanted , only for you to kick me out of not only your home but also your life, with your next breath." Jenny shook her head. "I thought it was me. But it wasn't, was it? It was you." She stopped and searched his eyes. "It has always been you."

David dropped his head. "I told you I?—"

Jenny raised her hand and cupped his cheek. "No," she cut him off. "You've had plenty of chances to explain yourself. It's my turn to talk now."

She dropped her hand and slowly circled him. She controlled the situation, and the power was intoxicating. He did this to her. He made her feel she could control the world, and she wanted it to last as long as it could knowing what tomorrow would bring.

"I knew you were pushing me away. I just didn't understand why." She placed a finger on his shoulder and traced it over his back, from shoulder to shoulder.

David shivered under her touch.

"That is until I learned what actually happened to your sister that night."

David's shoulders went taught with tension. "Please, stop."

His voice was broken, and she felt it calling to her. She stood in front of him, and this time, she cupped his face in both of her hands. She caressed his cheeks with her thumbs as she looked into his eyes.

For the first time, she saw emotion. She saw heartbreak, grief, sadness. She willed it to flow into her. She wanted to absorb all his pain and take it away from him.

"You tried to save her."

"No." His voice was soft.

"You raced out of the house when you found the ransom note and ran to her aid. You took men with you."

David began to crumble into her arms. He leaned into her hands as a single tear fell from his eye. "I killed her."

Jenny shook her head, her own eyes filling with tears. "No, David. He did. You tried to rescue her."

"I was young, naive. Stupid. I didn't think of her safety. I lunged at him and forced his hand." His voice cracked, and another tear fell.

She pulled him in her arms, cooing words of comfort.

How odd it was that all this time, she thought him emotionless and immovable. It only took hearing what happened to finally understand why he constantly pushed her away, saying he was a bad man. Why he played into the horrible things people said about him.

He thought he was responsible for his sister's death.

"Shh, David. No. None of that is true. The man responsible for her death was punished. He is dead. Your men were there. They corroborated what you said. Plus, the man himself admitted to the kidnapping plot and the murder."

She pulled away to look into his red-rimmed eyes. "Look at me, David. You did not kill your sister."

David pulled away and swiped his hands over his face, wiping away any evidence of tears. "No. I was responsible for her safety. I failed her, and I failed my mother. My mother barely survived the death of my father—she did not survive my sister's passing. I am not only responsible for my sister's death but my mother's as well. If they couldn't have a happy ending, neither can I."

Jenny sucked in a breath. She thought her heart could not shatter more than it had, but now it lay in a million pieces at her feet.

"David."

He threw his hands up. "Enough. No more of this. You do not understand. You are too naive. Like Heather. Like I was. I will not cause another's loss of innocence. Go. Marry Dovegrove. He will protect you."

Jenny let out a mirthless chuckle. "I doubt that."

David shook his head. "He's a good man. He'll do right by you."

Jenny tilted her head and sighed. "You don't get it, do you?"

David looked up at her. "What?"

"I don't want him. I want you ."

David ran his hands through his hair and let out a low growl. "Didn't you hear me? I will not ruin another life because of my need to prove something!"

Jenny raised her hands. "What is there to prove, David? We're doing nothing wrong. We both feel this." She stormed towards him with her finger pointed at him, stopping the words that were about to leave his mouth. "And do not insult my intelligence by lying and saying you feel nothing for me."

When she reached him, she jabbed her finger into his chest. "You would not be acting like this with someone you had no feelings for."

David's jaw ticked, and his fists balled at his sides. She noticed the movement, and he quickly moved his hands behind his back. He didn't speak, just shook his head.

"David." She tried to keep her voice even, gentle. "You said if your sister couldn't have a happy ending, then neither can you, correct?"

He nodded in agreement.

She rested her hands on his chest and leaned into him. She raised her eyes to his. "Would your sister want that for you?"

His eyes widened, and he tried to pull away. She grabbed his shirt to keep him in place.

"David." Her tone was commanding. "Yes, she was young and naive, and she thought she was in love. You know what that tells me? That tells me that she was adventurous, that she was full of life. She must've lived life by her heart, and that's beautiful. She does not sound like someone who would want her brother to be shut away in some study, not living life to the fullest."

David opened his mouth to speak, only to close it a second later.

"What would your sister want for you?" Jenny asked softly.

David's eyes lit up with fire and desire. Before she could comprehend what was happening, he pulled her in and kissed her with an intensity that knocked her off her feet.

She stumbled backward, but he caught her, pulling her towards him. His tongue forced its way into her mouth, fighting hers for control. Her moans only pushed his tongue in further.

His hands fell to the swell of her arse and lifted her. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her nails dug into his scalp, causing a low growl to rumble in his chest. The vibrations sent shivers through her.

He walked them to the sofa, where he laid her down, his body falling on top of hers.

He pulled away, and his eyes remained closed as their noses touched. "My feelings for you haunt me. I want you, but I don't want to take advantage of you. If I do, I'm no better than that bastard who stole my sister."

Jenny's breathing was heavy, her core was throbbing, and her heart was aching. "Is that a good enough reason to let me marry another?"

David's eyes flew open. This close, she could see the conflict in his eyes. There, before her, were the raw emotions he so deftly kept hidden.

"David, if this is to be our last night together, let us help each other. Let me take away some of your pain."

David brushed the hair from her face. "And what will I help you with?

"I want to know what it's like to be with someone who sees me for me. I want to know what it's like to be yours, if only for one night, before I become someone else's."

Jenny watched his eyes tighten with heartbreak. He closed them and shook the pain away. When he opened them, some of the hurt had disappeared.

He nodded once. "For one night, you will be mine."