The Duke Identity (Game of Dukes #1)(108)

Holding his beautiful, bespectacled gaze was the hardest thing she’d ever done. She waited, praying she had the strength to see this through.

His brows drew together. “Do you love me?”

Blooming hell. Why is he making this so hard?

She couldn’t lie. “I do, and I know you love me. But what if love isn’t enough? Look what happened with my grandparents. Grandmama lost her family, and Grandpapa was nearly destroyed. I won’t let you make such a sacrifice for me. And the truth is…my own happiness would be tainted if I had to leave my world and my family behind.”

“I turned down the promotion. Gave Davies my resignation.”

Dumbfounded, she stared at him. “Oh, Harry, you can’t do that for me—”

“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for me.” He cupped her face, and she shivered with longing at the familiar rasp of those big, strong hands. “You’re what I want, Tessa, the meaning I’ve been searching for even though I didn’t know it. There will be other jobs, and, to be honest, I’m better suited to being a scientist than a policeman anyway. But there will be no other you. You’re my light, my anchor, my love.”

Tears slipped free, and she didn’t try to stop them.

“I love you so much,” she said brokenly. “I’ll be the wife of your dreams, I swear. I’ll do everything in my power to be worthy—”

He kissed her. A kiss of love, passion, and tender persuasion that vanquished her doubts. That convinced her, once again, that love could conquer all.

When their lips parted, her eyelashes lifted, and awe flooded her. Behind him, dawn had broken, dazzling colors filling the sky. The light glinted in his thick hair, in his smiling, loving eyes.

Her heart overflowing, she smiled back.





40





Three Days Later



* * *



“If you pace any more, you’ll wear a trench into the Aubusson,” Mama chided.

“What’s taking so long?” Tessa muttered. “Harry and Grandpapa have been closeted in the study for nearly an hour.”

“I expect there are terms to decide. Marriage isn’t just between two people, you know.”

Hearing the hitch in Mama’s voice, Tessa stopped pacing and joined the other on the settee.

“Are you all right?” she said quietly.

“Since you asked me a quarter hour ago? I’m fine, dear.” Mama gave her a tight-lipped smile.

“But you’ve, um,”—Tessa struggled to find the gentlest way to phrase it—“…lost a husband.”

“And you a father.” Mama smoothed out her black silk skirts, her gaze not quite meeting Tessa’s. “A father that I took from you.”

Tessa blinked. The other couldn’t be serious?

“He may have sired me, but he was no father. I only have one parent, and that is the one who saved my life. You protected me when Malcolm Todd would have killed me and Grandpapa too. You are my true kin, Mama,” she said, her voice throbbing with emotion.

“I love you, Tessa.” A tear slid down Mama’s pale cheek. “I was so worried that once the shock had passed, you’d be angry…”

“Never at you.” She touched her forehead to her mother’s. “Neither of us will easily forget what happened, but we have each other. And we will get through it.”

Their hands met and held. Their fitful breaths were the only sound in the drawing room.

Until Grandpapa’s voice boomed from the doorway. “What did I say ’bout a Black not shedding tears?”

Tessa hastily wiped her eyes. Her grandfather hobbled over, and she rose, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before relinquishing the place next to Mama. She crossed over to Harry, who tipped up her chin, his gaze concerned.

“Everything’s fine here,” she whispered. “How’d things go in there?”

He smiled, putting an arm around her waist.

Relieved, she snuggled against him.

Grandpapa gave Mama his handkerchief.

“I’m sorry to put you through this, my jewel,” he said gruffly.

“You didn’t put me through anything.” Mama blew her nose and straightened her shoulders. “We Blacks stick together. I haven’t done anything for you that you haven’t for me.”

Before Tessa could puzzle out her mother’s words, Grandpapa cleared his throat. “Speaking o’ family, you’ll want to congratulate the newest member.”

Felicitations and a toast with champagne followed.

“Now that the danger’s o’er, got work to do. The underworld’s in shambles,” Grandpapa said matter-of-factly, “and I’ll need all ’ands on board. I expect you to ’elp with the rebuilding.”

Thrilled at Grandpapa’s acceptance of her beloved, Tessa looked expectantly at Harry.

“It would be my honor, sir,” her fiancé said gravely.

She beamed.

“Well, missy, ain’t you going to offer a ’and as well? God knows you’ve been pestering me ’bout it long enough. Now that I need you, all you do is stand there, smiling like a fool.”

She stared at her grandparent’s stern countenance, the loving acceptance in his dark eyes, and she blurted, “The House of Black can count on me, Grandpapa.”