Wicked Surrender (Regency Sinners)(29)

Dante was sure Bella would have turned the key in the lock too. But if she thought that would stop him, then she was mistaken. He actually relished the chance to kick down the door to her bedchamber. It exactly suited his current mood of both frustration and relief that she had been returned to him unharmed.

Now he knew how a parent felt when their child got themselves into a dangerous situation through their own stupidity. Relief mixed with anger. Relief that Bella had come to no lasting harm. Anger and the need for retribution for her having put herself in danger in the first place.

Father, he snorted inwardly. Hah, he would very shortly show Bella just how un-fatherly his feelings were toward her.

Devil rose lithely to his feet. “I can see you have this situation well in hand,” he derided.

Dante glared. “Taken in hand is what that young lady is shortly going to be for having disobeyed me.”

His friend eyed him speculatively. “You have the look of a man who will enjoy administering that punishment far too much.”

He chuckled softly as he rose to his feet. “I advise you to ignore any cries for help you hear coming from Bella’s bedchamber tonight.”

“I am so tired after the long ride here, I shall sleep as if I am dead,” Devil assured him. “But just in case, I shall place a pillow over my head to block out any strange noises.” He paused at the bottom of the stairs. “It would also seem my presence here is superfluous, and that I must return to London and begin pursuit of my own lady spy,” he added with a frown.

He eyed the other man curiously. “Whose name did you draw from Nik’s top hat?”

“Alys Newcomb,” Devil revealed heavily.

Dante was starting to see a pattern developing here. And to wonder if the drawing of those names from Nik’s hat had been as random as they had appeared at the time. Devil, he knew, would rather have chosen the name of any woman but Alys. At the same time as the other man would not risk allowing any of the other Sinners to pursue her. Much as it had been for him with Bella.

Devil’s jaw was tight as he spoke again. “I will be leaving to return to London early in the morning.”

Dante nodded. “For what it is worth, you have my full sympathy in your dilemma.”

He remained downstairs for several minutes after the other man had gone to bed, knowing there was no need for him to show Devil to a bedchamber. The other man was familiar with the layout of the hunting lodge, having stayed here many times before. Devil knew which room was Dante’s, and obviously the closed bedchamber door would be the room Bella had taken for her own. Devil could have his pick of any of the other four bedchambers.

Dante took the time to bank up the fire in the hope it would stay in until morning. He also lit the range in the kitchen, knowing they would have need of it to cook with tomorrow. The pile of logs inside the house could be replenished in the morning.

When there seemed to be nothing more for him to do down here, Dante glanced toward the stairs.

Would Bella be waiting for her punishment as he had instructed she should?

Or would he need to kick the door down after all?

Either way, it was time that Bella learned he would not tolerate her rebellious nature another moment longer, most especially when it put her in danger.





Chapter 10


Bella was trembling as she lay beneath the bedcovers staring at the closed and locked door of her bedchamber. Surely Dante would not force the issue of her punishment when his friend was also now in residence?

Knowing Dante as she did, she doubted the marquis’s presence would deter him in the slightest from doing what he had promised he would.

Spank her bottom.

Why did even the thought of that send a shiver of both excitement and anticipation down her spine?

She did not remember her father, but her mother had been the gentlest of parents and Henry St. Just, the most amiable of stepfathers. As his father had been a kind stepgrandfather. Even the dowager, Agatha St. Just, had hurt Bella only with words rather than physical chastisement.

And yet the thought of Dante baring her bottom and spanking her caused Bella’s nipples to tighten and a dampness to heat between her thighs. He—

Bella tensed as a knock sounded on the door, her fingers tightly clutching the bedcovers against her breasts.

“I know you are not asleep,” Dante spoke quietly through the closed door. “Unlock the door and let me inside.”

It was no surprise to her that he had known she had locked the door.

“Bella!” His voice sharpened at her lack of response.

Realizing he was not going away, Bella quickly climbed out of the bed to cross the room on bare feet. Perhaps it would have been more sensible of her to have delayed preparing for bed until she was sure Dante had retired to his own bedchamber. As it was, she wore only her night rail, and her hair was loose about her shoulders and down her spine. “Stop talking so loudly,” she hissed. “You will disturb the marquis.”

“The marquis has promised not to listen,” he growled. “Now open the damned door.”

Bella was astonished at his comment regarding the marquis. She was also outraged enough to unlock and open the door before standing challenging in the doorway. “What do you mean, Deveril has promised not to listen?”

Dante raised a dark brow. “He has assured me he will not leap to your rescue when he hears your screams.”