When Sean left, Lucian lifted her hand to his lips. “I am so proud of you, Emma.” Then he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
She was doing the right thing, she thought, feeling his love in the tender kiss.
Lucian rose. “I would like to take you home.” His lips twisted. “I was going to surprise you about Samir, but Sean has ruined it for me. Are you well enough to travel?”
Emma nodded, grateful to know Samir had healed enough to make the journey from Bristol. Her gaze went to the door, her mind reeling on Mr. Planta’s letter. She would have to get it out of her head. And she would have to tell Lucian about the baby. Tonight. She would tell him tonight.
Samir caught her in a tight hug. “I was so worried, piyaa.”
“That makes two of us,” she whispered in his ear.
He pulled back, a large smile on his face. “You heard the news?”
Emma hesitated, her gaze sliding to Lucian and back. Had Amelia let it slip about the baby?
Samir chuckled. “The letter Sean received.”
She relaxed. “Oh, yes. He showed it to me.” She slid a hand down the gown Evie had given her, smoothing the emerald silk fabric. Never had she a lovelier dress. She pulled the matching silk shawl tighter around her body to keep the bruises on her neck hidden.
“Well? When are we leaving?” Samir asked.
Emma walked to the window. The green grass spread across the yard. Her gaze went to the gazebo in the center and the white roses planted around it. “Sean is leaving. I am not.”
A pause. “I see,” Samir said.
She turned and gave him a smile. “If you would like to go, please do. You do not need to stay on my account.”
Never had she seen Samir so torn. He had been protector of them both for as long as she could remember. Where Sean went, she, Samir or Jonah went. Never had Sean gone alone on a hunt.
Emma walked to Samir and placed a hand on his arm. “Go with Sean. He will need your protection.” She slid her gaze to Lucian. “As you can see, I have my own.”
Samir bowed. “As you will, piyaa.”
When Samir left to pack, Lucian came to her and pulled her to his chest. She heard the fast thuds of his heart. He kissed the top of her head. “I know this is difficult.”
She nodded against his cravat. “I will worry every minute they are gone.”
Lucian drew in a deep breath, and she heard it whoosh from his lungs. “I know.” He kissed her again. “But I know of a way to distract you,” he purred into her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
She raised her head. “Distract me now, Lucian.”
A flame sparked to life in his dark eyes. He pressed his palms to her cheeks and lowered his mouth to hers. Emma lifted her hands, sliding them up his muscled chest, and threaded her fingers in his soft hair. Lucian moaned and deepened the kiss. His tongue mated with hers, dipping and gliding. The evidence of his arousal pressed hard to her stomach, sending tingles of need through her body.
At that moment, Emma did not want to be anywhere else. She did not want to fight the mosquitoes in Mexico, did not want to be hot and miserable on another long ocean journey, did not want to sleep on a rock outside. She wanted Lucian.
Now.
Forever.
Emma pulled back and brushed her nose against his. “Take me upstairs.”
A slow smile, full of naughty promise, spread across his lips. “I am at your command, minx.” Then he lifted her in his arms and walked across the room.
Emma laughed, opened the door, then laughed harder at the startled glances and red faces of the servants.
Lucian held her to his chest as he made his way to their room. He set her down on the bed, then stared at her a long moment. “Are you sure you are up to this? You’ve been so ill…”
Now was the time. Emma drew in a deep breath and came to her feet. She wanted to be in his arms when she spoke the words. Lifting her hands much like she did in the drawing room, she combed her fingers through his hair. “I know why.”
His brows sprang up. “You know why you’ve been ill?”
She nodded. “And tired. Amelia confirmed it.”
Lucian’s arms tightened around her. “God, I cannot lose you. What is wrong?”
A slow smile came to her lips, savoring the thought of his reaction. “Nothing is wrong, but everything is right. Lucian, you are going to be a father.”
His breath caught. For several long heartbeats, his lips worked but nothing came out. Then he smiled and let out a whoop, lifting her off the ground and spinning them in a circle. “We’re having a baby?” he asked, delight dancing in his eyes.
“Yes,” she laughed. Pressing her palms to his cheeks, she kissed him. Her eyes slid shut, and she remembered the dream of Lucian playing with their children in Hartford. Nothing would make her happier than seeing the dream a reality. Not even finding all the lost treasure in the world. She drew back. “I love you, Lucian.”
He looked deep into her eyes, the extent of his love plain to see. “I love you, too, minx.”
And now, a peek into my next book, Lady Vixen…
When Michael stepped inside the cave sixty minutes from the summons, Jeremy at his side, he found Katrina and Siren standing beside Elder. Their soft discussion ceased. He would know what in the hell was going on. Finally.
Halting before the trio, Michael glanced at Katrina, noticing her beauty for the thousandth time that night. She wore a pale blue evening gown with matching lace at the edges of her capped sleeves and around the bottom hem of the dress. A white cameo hung from a blue silk ribbon around her neck and Michael couldn’t help but remember poor Astrid’s slit throat.
Elder clasped his hands behind his back, the deep groves of a frown bracketing his mouth. “There is a traitor among us,” he began, his words soft and grave.
Michael knew he gaped at the news. “A traitor? In the Guardians?”
With a nod, Elder continued. “There is no other explanation. Sensitive information known only to this organization has been revealed. Missions thwarted.” He paused to rake a hand through his hair. “Now, we are being hunted down and murdered,” he spat. “I fear the traitor has hired an assassin.”
Michael slid his gaze to Jeremy, stunned by the man’s lack of surprise. “You knew about this?”
“Yes. Elder has good reason to keep this from the Guardians as a whole.”
Elder nodded. “I trust no one but the people in this room.”
Michael swung his gaze to Katrina as things started to make sense. “She is here to investigate us.”
“That is correct.”
He couldn’t look away from her calm, calculating eyes. “Who was the man we chased tonight?”
Katrina said nothing for a moment. She narrowed her eyes a fraction, then drew in a deep breath. “He is an assassin. A very skilled one. His name is Hades.”
“How do you know this?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.
She lifted her chin. “Because I used to work with him.”
Deep down, Michael already knew what she was. But to have it confirmed made him take a half step back. He glanced to Jeremy, who already knew, then back. “This man—Hades—he is working for the traitor?”
Katrina nodded. “That is our assumption. Why we need to find Hades and follow him. Learn who he is meeting.” She clasped her hands together. “But that will be incredibly difficult. As I mentioned before, Hades is very skilled.”
Remembering how Hades had gotten away earlier, Michael scratched the back of his head. “Perhaps, it would be easier to follow the Guardians.” He glanced around. “There are five of us. We could each take, what, three?”
Approval gleamed in Elder’s eyes. “Excellent plan.”
Even Katrina smiled and nodded. “I agree.”
After dividing the remaining Guardians into threes, Michael glanced at his list. Scout, Raven, and Shadow. Friends, all. But so were the others. He grimaced at the thought one of them a traitor. Not
only that, had hired an assassin to kill them.
“We will meet here in one week,” Elder said. “The five of us. Same time. Sooner if anyone learns anything before then.”
Jeremy and Siren nodded and turned to leave. Elder gave him a nod and swung around. As Katrina started to turn, Michael stepped forward. “Wait,” he said, surprising himself. He didn’t know what the hell he wanted to say.
Her brows arched as she turned back. “You have something more to tell me?”
Michael waited until they were alone before speaking. He opened his mouth, not sure what he meant to say, but words tumbled out on their own. “You have been avoiding me. Why?”
The pupils of her eyes extended, then she glanced down. The thick set of her lashes rested against her creamy cheeks. “We thought it best.”
“We? You mean your father and you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She lifted her face, and he could read nothing. “Because you and I have no future, Ghost.”
Hearing words he already knew rankled nonetheless. Michael opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.
“Kissing you,” she said, her words soft, “will bring nothing but heartache.”
His hands itched to reach for her. To pull her to him. And show her how kissing him would bring the opposite.
Reading his thoughts, Katrina stepped back. “No,” she groaned, her eyes widening.
Michael marched forward. “Yes,” he whispered and slid his arms around her body. Drawing in her vanilla-musk scent, he dipped his head. “Yes,” he said again as his lips settled over hers.
Her body remained stiff for two heartbeats before melting into his embrace. Michael wanted to roar his approval. He wanted to shed their clothes and rub his naked flesh all over hers. To feel her writhing beneath him. To plunge into her soft, hot body.
To keep her forever.
She opened for his tongue and he gave her long, deep, slow strokes. What his lower half wanted to do. His need jutted up and pressed against her belly, and he brought her closer so she could feel what she was doing to him. Desire for this woman drove him fucking mad.
Katrina groaned and kissed him back, matching his passion. God, they would be incredible together. He itched to take her here. Now. Consequences be damned.
He tore his lips from hers and nibbled on her earlobe. “Have you ever been with a man before?” He had to know. It was killing him.
“No,” she whispered.
Like a wild beast marking his mate, Michael brought his lips back to hers. Untouched by another. She was pure. She was his.
God, how he wanted her. Never had he wanted anyone so much in his life.
His kisses turned urgent, conveying what his words did not. Katrina understood and returned them. Holding him tight, her strong arms wound around his neck, her fingers sliding into his hair. He shuddered at the touch.
Michael knew he needed to stop. But he could not. He had not the strength to end it.
Katrina, sensing the same, unwound her arms and pressed her palms against his chest. She backed away a step, her breaths ragged. He watched the creamy mounds of flesh rising and falling from her dress and balled his hands to keep from reaching for her again.
“We must not keep doing this,” she breathed, tipping her head up.
“I cannot help it.” He gazed deep into her eyes. “I want you.”
Katrina swung away, but he detected the hint of longing. His spirits rose. She wanted him, too. He knew it. Marching as a soldier on a mission, she flew from the room and up the steps.
Michael tore after her, not wanting this to end. But Vixen was fast and slipped out before he could catch her.
Katrina hurried to the outer door and pulled it open as he reached her. “Wait, when can I see you? Alone?” he asked.
She threw him a frown over her shoulder. “Not a good idea.”
He gave her a wolfish grin. “Afraid you’ll give in?”
With a snort, she moved outside. “No. I’m not afraid.”
“Then, when?” he asked, seeing Elder and Siren waiting beside the coach for Katrina.
Plopping hands on hips, she turned. “I have already explained. This is going nowhere. So, why should we continue?”
Because, maybe I do want it to go somewhere.
Michael opened his mouth when something whirred next to his head. He felt a sting and lifted his hand to the outer fold of his ear, his fingers finding warm, sticky blood. What the hell? Turning, he saw a dagger stuck in the door, the hilt still wobbling.
He glanced at Katrina, who scanned the dark trees to their left, her eyes narrowed. Then she marched down the steps, to a tree, and jerked a matching dagger from the bark, freeing a note pinned there.
“What does it say?” he asked as he approached her, fishing out his handkerchief to hold against the nick on his ear.
As she read, her scowl deepened. “I am going to kill him!” she hissed.
About the Author
Tiffany Green has always loved to read. As a small child, she would amaze her family by reading the “big words” on billboards and in newspapers. Books were magic doorways, allowing her to climb mountains, swim oceans, and escape to other worlds. They still are. Only now, she has the pleasure of crafting her own worlds and people to fill them.
Tiffany loves to travel by ship and train, and only when there is no other option, by plane. She enjoys swimming, star-gazing, and gardening, even though she can kill plastic lemons. Her furry children keep her busy and have trained her to find their treats on demand.
When she is not writing, Tiffany helps her husband run his automotive business in central Texas. While having an MBA has helped grow the family company, she dreams of the day she can set her business life aside for more time to get in print all those demanding characters who will not leave her alone.
If you have enjoyed this book, please leave a five-star review.
For more information and to join Tiffany’s mailing list, go to: www.tiffanygreen.com .
Lord Hunter (Secrets & Scandals Book 6) Page 30