When Strangers Marry (Vallerands #1)(88)

“I saw him go out to the gallery,” Justin continued, his voice falling to a whisper, so that no one else could hear. He turned until his back was to the others. His intense stare did not waver from her face. “By the time I reached one of the doors, he had taken hold of you. I ran forward, and brushed past someone who was standing at the side of the gallery. Standing and watching the two of you. It was Uncle Bernard. He wasn’t going to lift a finger to help you.”

She shook her head, not understanding what he thought was significant. “Justin, not now—”

“Don’t you understand? Something is wrong when a man won’t defend a member of his family, no matter what feelings are between them. It was not only an offense against you, but against father, and me, and—”

“I am tired,” she whispered back, unwilling to hear more. Tempers were too high, and the boy was clearly incensed. All of this could be sorted out later.

———

Lysette huddled in bed alone, her teeth chattering. Her gaze moved restlessly through the dimly lit room. The events of the night kept churning through her mind, and she could not rid herself of the feeling that something terrible had been set in motion, something neither she nor Max could change.

She had never seen Max out of control, as he had been tonight. For a moment she had thought he would kill Sagesse right before her eyes. She pressed her hands to the side of her head to drive away the dark images. But they persisted mercilessly, as did the echo of Max’s vow: By God, I’ll kill you.

Lysette groaned and turned over, burying her face in the pillow. The house was silent. The Vallerands had all retired, except for Bernard, who had chosen to spend the night somewhere else. They had all agreed not to mention anything about the evening to Irénée.

It seemed that hours dragged by before Lysette heard the sounds of someone’s arrival. She bolted out of bed. As she reached the bedroom door, Max stepped inside. He did not appear surprised to find her awake.

“What happened?” she asked, slipping her arms around his waist. She felt the tension in his body, a simmering, barely contained violence. His hand swept down her back, and he hugged her briefly before holding her away in order to look at her.

“Ça va?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Now that you’re here.” A furrow gathered between her brows as she tried to read his mood. “Is there going to be a duel tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Good,” she said, infinitely relieved. “Come to bed, and we’ll talk about—”

“Not yet, petite. I’m going out again.”

“Why?”

“I have an errand to take care of.”

“Tonight?” She shook her head in protest. “No, Max, you must stay here. I don’t care what business matters you have or what the errand is. I need you. Stay with me—”

“I’ll return soon,” he said firmly. “I have no choice about this, Lysette.”

She could not let him go anywhere tonight, not in this dangerous mood. All her instincts insisted that she keep him safe with her. “Don’t go,” she said, gripping the front of his coat.

As she saw that he was about to refuse, she played a card she had hoped would not be necessary. “You told me once that if I asked you not to do something, you would oblige me. Now I am asking. Don’t go.”

Max let out a growl of frustration. “Dammit, Lysette. I have to. Don’t do this to me tonight.”

“Are you refusing me?” Lysette asked, staring into his narrowed eyes. She sensed his dilemma, his desire to please her clashing violently with his urgent need to accomplish whatever task he had set for himself. His mouth was taut with exasperation.

The silence stretched like a cord about to snap. Rather than allow Max to suffer another moment of torturous inner debate, Lysette decided to tip the balance. Her slender hands dropped from his coat and smoothed over the front of his breeches. She felt his body start at the unexpected touch. Finding the stirring shape of him, she cupped and squeezed gently, bringing the heavy shaft to pulsing life. She pressed the tips of her br**sts to his chest.

His voice had lowered to a deep, unsteady timbre. “Lysette, what are you doing?”

“Distracting you.” The shaft beneath her hands was full and thick now, and she plucked at the carved onyx buttons of his breeches to free it. With the help of the straining pressure beneath the thick cloth, the buttons popped easily from their holes. Lysette made a sound of pleasure as her fingers slid around the rigid length of him.

Max gasped and staggered backward a step, and she followed readily, her teasing fingers slipping to the silken place beneath his testicles. “Lysette,” he said gruffly, “if you think that is going to keep me here, you’re wrong.”

“What about this?” Her head lowered, and she took him into her soft, hot mouth. Her tongue searched delicately until she found a pulsing vein on the underside of the tumescent shaft.

She heard a strangled sound above her, before he found the breath to reply.

“That’s going to keep me here.” He leaned against the wall, breathing raggedly as she used her mouth and hands to arouse him thoroughly. When he could stand no more, he scooped her in his arms and carried her to the bed, consuming her with ravenous passion.

———