Risking the Detective (The Bluestocking Scandals Book 6)

by Ellie St. Clair

  And then he began to move. He tried to be gentle, he truly did. But after two tender strokes, when she replied with an arch of her back and a request for more, his body took over, responding to hers with a ferocity the likes of which he had never before experienced.

  “Madeline,” he heard himself moan as he began to rock back and forth, no longer tender, but taking, naming her as his, showing her in every way he knew how that he was plundering her, taking all she had to offer and more.

  She cried his name in return, and all the nerves in his body stood on end at the caress in her voice. He bent low over her, taking her mouth, kissing her neck, her temple, unable to keep himself away, needing all that she was and all that she had to offer. She matched his every thrust, and when she threw back her head, he knew how close she was. He flicked his thumbs over her nipples as he pounded into her ever harder, and suddenly she was convulsing around him as she cried out his name, and it let loose all he was holding back, from her and from himself.

  He had never known a release like this, had never felt his entire body explode so entirely before going nearly completely numb.

  When he finally came back to himself, he nearly collapsed on top of her, but managed to roll to the side, although he stayed beside her, unable to keep himself from touching her.

  Their breath rose and fell in the same timing, and Drake couldn’t help himself. He smiled. A sincere, deep smile. One that came from a place of true contentment. A place that he had not found himself in a very, very long time.

  Chapter 18

  Madeline could hardly believe what she had just done.

  She had crossed London in the dead of night, had entered a man’s chambers… and made love to him.

  Well, she supposed he had made love to her, but either way—

  And now, as he lay there looking at her with that goofy, amazing smile on his face, she knew it had all been worth it. Even if he never wanted to see her again. Even if this was just one night. Even if—

  Before she could finish the thought or say another word, however, they both jumped when a loud thump resonated through the room.

  “What in the—”

  Drake was out of the bed and over to the window faster than she had ever seen another person move before.

  “Get down,” he hissed, as he lifted his head to see just who had disturbed them.

  “Oh!” Madeline said, sitting up in the bed, bringing the sheet to cover herself, although why, she had no idea. “That must be Georgie.”

  “Damn it, Georgie!” He cursed with such ferocity that Madeline nearly laughed.

  “I wasn’t sure about her when she first arrived,” Madeline mused. “I was quite convinced that I didn’t need anyone watching out for me, particularly another woman. But she is… most interesting, and I find I rather like her.”

  “Georgie is an interesting woman, that is for sure,” Drake said, “but she has been there for me more times than I can count, and there are few I trust as I do her.”

  “She is your friend, then.”

  Drake paused. “I don’t have friends.”

  “Well, it sounds like she is the closest thing to it,” Madeline said gently, smiling at him.

  He quirked an eyebrow, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, although she appreciated that he wasn’t shutting her out completely.

  “Tell me, Madeline, just why we are speaking of another woman in this short amount of time we have together?”

  “Because,” Madeline said, rising from the bed and beginning to dress, searching out her chemise among the pile of clothes littered over the ground, “she is currently outside waiting for me.”

  “Fair point,” he muttered.

  After throwing her dress over her head, Madeline turned around so that Drake could fasten the buttons. Somehow, even after all that had just happened between them, this small gesture seemed so intimate that she had to clear her throat before she spoke.

  “Will I… see you tomorrow?”

  “You mean today?”

  “Today, tomorrow… whatever you’d like to call it,” she said, heat rising in her cheeks, shyness suddenly overwhelming her as the enormity of what she had just done washed over her.

  “I shall come by and update you on the case,” he said. “Georgie will be with you through the day to ensure nothing amiss occurs, and we have a man stationed at the factory tonight.”

  “Thank you,” she said as she threw her cloak over her shoulders, and Drake stepped toward her, now clad in his unfastened trousers. “Here,” he said, lifting his hands to her throat, picking up the ties in fingers that lightly brushed her skin, causing her to tremble all over again. “Let me.”

  She nodded, meeting his eyes as he tied a perfect bow. She turned before he saw too much, but just as she was about to pull open the door, her eyes fell on one of the few items in the room. At first, she thought that the round object sitting beside the lantern on the table by the door was a coin, but on closer inspection, it was something else — a pendant… with a familiar engraving.

  She stopped, picking it up between her thumb and forefinger.

  “This pendant,” she mused, “I’ve seen this before.”

  “That’s what everyone says,” Drake said, although he took a few steps toward her, crossing his arms over his chest as interest overcame his features.

  “My cousin has one just like this.”

  Drake’s arms dropped to his side as he stood at full attention. Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

  “Like that? Your cousin Bennett?”

  “Yes, I’m sure of it,” she said, studying it closer, confused at his shock. “I remember remarking on the hawk. He seemed a bit embarrassed about it. When I asked him where it was from, he said it was from a club that he frequented.”

  “How long ago was this?” Drake demanded, crossing to her, reaching up and wrapping his hands around her upper arms.

  “Ah… I’m not sure. A few months ago, maybe?” she said, suddenly concerned about how intent Drake had become, his dark eyes flashing with an emotion she couldn’t rightly identify, but he seemed upset.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  “Not really,” he said, shaking his head. “But I will get to the bottom of this.”

  “This is your father’s pendant,” she realized aloud, her eyes widening. “Why would my cousin have the same pendant as your father did, twenty years ago?”

  “I don’t know,” Drake said, dropping his arms, “and that’s what most concerns me. What did they have in common? What trouble does it mean?” He eyed her intently. “Madeline, you must promise me something.”

  “What is it?”

  She didn’t make promises anymore without knowing what they entailed.

  “Please don’t say anything to your cousin. Not until we can determine what this is about.”

  “But won’t you want to ask him?”

  “No,” Drake shook his head, “not until I can determine more for myself.”

  “Very well,” she said, though her eyes were troubled.

  “Do you promise?”

  She nodded hesitantly. She wasn’t sure what caused her to choose loyalty to this man she had just met over the cousin she had known for her entire life, but if there was one thing she did know, deep within, it was that she could trust Drake. Perhaps not with her heart, but with information.

  “I promise. Will you promise me something in return?”

  He eyed her, crossing his arms over his chest. “Which would be?”

  “Will you please tell me what you find out? I would not like to be surprised again.”

  He nodded curtly. “Very well.”

  A whistle sounded from outside, and Drake rolled his eyes as he opened the door for her. “Goodnight, Madeline.”

  “Goodnight, Drake.”

  Drake dressed all in black.

  He should be going to bed. It was well into the middle of the night, and tomorrow would be another day
of much to do.

  But there was no way he was sleeping tonight.

  Not after all that had just happened with Madeline.

  And not after what he had just found out.

  He picked up the pendant, pocketing it before he slipped from his room and down the stairs. He had nothing to hide from — not yet. He was a detective.

  But not tonight.

  Tonight, he was not working for Bow Street. He was working for himself, and for his parents. He was going to determine what happened to them — or, at least, what they had been involved in.

  The answer lay at the docks, of that he was certain. What the Castletons had to do with it, he had no idea, but he could only hope that Madeline wasn’t involved.

  He didn’t know what he would do if he found out that she had anything to do with this — although why she would admit to recognizing the pendant if she did, he had no idea. Was she trying to keep her enemies close?

  The thought caused a sickening deep within him as he navigated the streets of London after dark, many eyeing him with the same suspicion with which he regarded everyone else. Was that why she had come to him? He didn’t want to believe it, for their time together had seemed almost… magical, if he was the type to ascribe to such an idea.

  Madeline was everything he could have ever asked for and more. Fire and passion had lurked deep within her, and his need for her had not been tamed but rather grew with a fury as all he wanted now was to see her again, to be with her again, to know her touch once more.

  Madeline Castleton.

  All thought her so weak and so frail.

  How wrong they were.

  For he had never known a stronger woman.

  He could only hope that her strength and courage were fighting for all that was right and good.

  He finally made it to the docks, passing by a dark Castleton Stone, noting the sentry he had ordered out front. The man didn’t notice him and Drake continued on. He perused Powers’ warehouse but there was nothing amiss.

  Farther down was where he was likely to find any action — shipments that were unloaded in the dark of night, away from the eyes of all in the day.

  He was about to continue down, following the Thames east when a sound caught his ear — one that was not at all ordinary not for this area at this time.

  He switched direction, heading away from Powers’ and back past Castleton Stone. On the other side of it was, as far as he was aware, a lumber yard. He had been there a time or two with his uncle, when his uncle had still hoped that Drake would follow in his and his father’s footsteps and become a builder.

  Drake chased after the noise like a dog on a scent, realizing that it sounded like the call of workers to one another — workers who shouldn’t be here at this time of night.

  The timberyard had a small warehouse on the one end and Drake slipped as silently as he could next to it, moving a few pieces of lumber together to make a stepladder of sorts which he climbed on in order to see through the window. He could only hope that he wouldn’t be noticed from within, but rather lost in the darkness of the night.

  He squinted through the dirty glass. There were plenty of piles of building materials around the room. But there in the corner was a flicker of light, from what seemed to be a low lantern.

  And around the lantern huddled at least five to six men, perhaps more lurking in the recesses of the room. Who were they and what were they doing here?

  One rose and began pacing back and forth in front of the rest of them, seemingly providing instructions.

  The others nodded and then began to follow him out.

  Drake tried to descend his makeshift ladder but as he did one of the boards flew out from beneath him and tumbled to the ground. He jumped out of the way and avoided being caught in the fall but he cringed, knowing that the sound of the crash would have been impossible to ignore.

  “What was that?” he heard being called from the other side of the wall.

  “Not sure.”

  “Go check.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you. Who else d’ya think it’d be?”

  “I don’ know, but—”

  “Go.”

  The argument, at least, provided Drake with enough time to hide, and he dove behind a pile of brick, hoping that he would be concealed from view, that the man who had been reluctant to venture out on his own wouldn’t have enough wherewithal to search too diligently.

  Fortunately, he was right.

  He could hear the footsteps from his hiding place, until sure enough they began to fade, with only the call of, “Nothing here! Must have been the wind,” and he exhaled all of the air he had been holding deep in his lungs as he crept out and began to round the building, hugging the brick wall as he did so to keep from view.

  Where were they? How could he hear voices but see nothing? It was preposterous. They could not have disappeared. They—

  Then he heard something again, surprised to find that it was coming from practically under his feet. He crept over to the bank of the Thames, holding his breath as the stink of it washed over him. He was somewhat used to it, but there was nothing like being so close.

  There — below him, was a cut out in the bank. It must be accessible from elsewhere, perhaps some secret tunnel — likely from within the building, he realized.

  He leaned down to look below, not surprised to see that they were unloading a small boat. He couldn’t be sure what was within the crates they carried, but he had an idea that whatever it was, it was likely contraband.

  So here it was —the smuggling ring he had been sent to find. But did this have anything to do with the hawk pendant that was apparently tied to such a ring?

  He pushed himself back from the bank, walking over to the door that faced the river itself, unsure of what he would do when he got there, but then he stopped short. For there, facing him, was a round circle on the door, with a familiar picture on the front of it — the very hawk that had been mocking him.

  “Hey! You there!” he whirled around to see a man crossing from the Thames, closing in on him with each step. The lantern swung from one side to the other in front of him, until it finally cast enough light on his face for Drake to see that the man approaching was no one familiar.

  Drake scrambled back and away, turning and breaking into a run. He could not be caught here. Not yet. Not until he knew more about what his parents had to do with this operation.

  But he would be back. And he was going to get to the bottom of this.

  Chapter 19

  The numbers swam before Madeline’s eyes as she stared at the ledger book the next day.

  She tapped her quill pen on her desk, the feather rising and tickling her nose.

  It was mid-afternoon, and she still had not seen anything of Drake. Was he going to come today? Was he too busy? Was he unsure of all that had occurred between them last night? Did he think her wanton?

  She groaned as she dropped her head onto the desk before her, covering her eyes with her hands.

  “If I’ve ever seen someone in need of a tall drink, it would be you in this moment, Madeline.”

  She looked up to find Alice grinning down at her, flanked by Rose on one side and Georgie on the other.

  “They didn’t seem overly suspicious, so I allowed them in,” Georgie said, sticking her thumb out at the pair of them. “I assume that was all right?”

  “Of course,” Madeline said with a sigh, waving a hand out in front of her. “Let’s sit at the table.”

  “We are not sitting at the table,” Alice said smartly. “We are here to take you away from your work.”

  “I’ve too much to do,” Madeline argued, but Alice shook her head.

  “You did not look as though you were doing anything when we arrived but feeling sorry for yourself. Besides that, Rose is only here for a few days more, and I know she would desperately love to see you.”

  Rose smiled and nodded, although Madeline was sure that she was only agreeing with Alice to b
e kind and because everyone always agreed with Alice — it was much easier that way.

  “Why don’t the three of us… ” she looked over to Georgie, who grinned widely, “the four of us, that is, take a walk?”

  “Along the Thames?” Rose asked, wrinkling her nose, and Alice inclined her head toward her.

  “Perhaps that is not the best of ideas, but we are close to the Strand. We could stroll along there, see if we fancy anything.”

  “Have any of you ladies been to the Strand?” Georgie asked, raising an eyebrow, and Alice nodded.

  “Of course we have. Do you propose we find someone to chaperone us?”

  “I can take care of that,” George said, opening up her jacket to reveal a band surrounding her torso, knives captured within it. The rest of them stared at her, their mouths open wide.

  “Goodness,” Alice said, the first to find her voice, as she always was. “Do you always walk around like that?”

  “I do when it’s my job to protect someone,” she said with a nod toward Madeline. “Which it is at the moment.”

  “Well, Madeline,” Alice said, turning her stare upon her, “it seems we have more to catch up on than I thought.”

  And so, as much as Madeline secretly harbored an inner desire to sit around and wait for Drake, she told herself that this was much better — she was not the type of woman to wait for a man to come to her. It was why she had gone to him last night. Besides that, last night was a one-night-only event, a time for her to have some fun. She had no feelings for him besides the physical attraction and desire that she had sated in the candlelight.

  Except… she was well aware of how untrue that thought was. For when she pictured him in her mind, she saw more than his muscular torso, the marks he bore which told a story of a man who had spent his life among the company of some less-than-savory types. In fact, it wasn’t even what she saw — for anyone could take a look at him and his handsome, dark visage with stormy eyes and know that there was much lurking behind the surface.