Seducing the Ruthless Rogue

by Tammy Jo Burns

  “You have no one to answer to? What about your father?”

  “Papa never questions me. I only tell Chang where I will be so that he doesn’t worry overly much. He is a bit of a mother hen. Otherwise, I come and go as I please. I need no one’s permission to live the life I lead.”

  “I’m afraid that is going to change for you,” Mikala said.

  “How can you have any idea what is about to change for me?” Cassie stood and began pacing once more.

  “A few years ago, I found myself in a similar situation.”

  Cassie rounded on the other woman. “Oh, ho, what is this? Let’s have a good laugh at Cassie’s expense? I very much doubt that you, a duchess, have lived through something like this.”

  “Stop it,” Mikala ordered. “I am done listening to you berate yourself. If you want to continue on, then go right ahead, but you can do it somewhere else. You see, Cassie, not all of us started out being in love. Nor did we all have the perfect relationship, especially Hawke and me. I had loved him growing up, but it was a childish fantasy. Then he came into the title and was on the search for the perfect duchess. I was not that person. I was not even titled. My brother, his best friend, had inherited the title from an uncle on our mother’s side.”

  “I don’t see what your point is.”

  “Gabe and I were forced into a marriage. We were caught in a situation, where he was really saving my life, but to others looking on it appeared to be something else entirely. It was turbulent at the beginning. I would be lying if I said we no longer had our rows. But somehow, we found our love for each other, and we have made it work. I don’t know what I would do without him, and he feels the same for me. Love comes when you least expect it.”

  “Let’s get one thing straight. I do not, nor will I ever, love Stuart McKenzie. He is overbearing, rude, and a tyrant. I refuse to be trapped in a loveless marriage to a bastard like him.”

  ***

  Mack had been standing on the other side of the door, patiently waiting to speak to his betrothed. He wanted to talk her down from her anger, to try to explain that if perhaps she gave him a chance, he could talk to her father and Prinny. Explain to the men that nothing had happened, and they could each go on with their lives.

  Then he had heard her call him a bastard, and he had seen red. So she didn’t want to marry him because of his birth. She had somehow found out his sordid past, though it would be easy enough. Mack had been hinting at it enough times, though she had seemed to remain clueless. He still felt shocked that she would hold the nature of his birth against him in light of all the articles she wrote and the beliefs that she held.

  Mack opened the door, and met the eyes of his future wife. “Leave us, Mikala.”

  “I don’t think…”

  “I won’t harm a hair on her head,” he said so softly that Cassie had to strain to hear him. He stopped Mikala on her way out, “Tell Gabe to be ready to make an announcement in a quarter of an hour.”

  “Perhaps you should sleep on it.”

  “I’ll show her just what sort of bastard I can be,” he growled and gently pushed his sister-in-law out the door before shutting it and locking it.

  “You unlock that door,” Cassie ordered. “Shut doors are what got us in this situation in the first place.” He stalked her as he had earlier, but this time the look in his eyes held anger, perhaps a touch of betrayal, and maybe even hurt. It almost had her wanting to take him in her arms and soothe him. What are you thinking, Cassie? You were just caught in a situation with him that is going to alter your life forever.

  “So, you finally know the truth about me.”

  “What?” she asked, backing up.

  “You’ve found out that I’m a bastard,” his Scottish brogue was thick and she had to strain to understand him.

  “I find you to be a bastard, yes.”

  “Well, Cassiopeia Graham, you are going to have to bear the stigma right along with me for the rest of your life. I had promised myself not to do that to a woman. Not to force her to have to live with my heritage, but you’ve asked for it. You will forever be tied to the ‘The Scottish Bastard’, and you will do as I say. If I tell you to quit writing, you’ll stop. If I tell you not to leave our house, you will stay put. If I give you an order you will do it. Do you ken?”

  “No, I do not. I’ll not give anything up for the likes of you. I’ll not give up my dreams and my livelihood. You will have to lock me away in a prison before I follow any dictates you attempt to force upon me.”

  “That is your choice, Cassie darlin’.” Mack backed her into a corner, where she could not run without his catching her and bringing her right back. “But I can guarantee you one thing, you will be mine. You will be the wife of ‘The Scottish Bastard’ whether you like it or not.”

  Cassie looked at him as if he had lost his mind. What had happened to the teasing and playful Mack? Even when he had told her to quit writing the articles before, it had not been with this degree of anger. He had not even seemed to truly care if she quit or not. It had been more of a suggestion that he felt the need to share with her. He had seemed to be telling her that someone was willing to go to great lengths to stop her from writing those articles. This man was quite different. This man had a darkness inside him.

  “Who are you?” Cassie asked on a whisper.

  “Exactly who you think I am. The bastard that has ruined your life.” He swooped down and plundered her mouth. This kiss was not tender and teasing like before. Mack kissed her as if he were ravenous, and she were his life force. He pulled her against him, crushing her in his hold.

  A knock sounded on the door. Cassie tried to push him away, but his arms were locked about her so tightly, she could not even catch her breath. He continued to kiss her, not noticing that her struggles were becoming weak. Mack barely noticed when she quit meeting the parries and thrusts of his tongue.

  “Dammit, kiss me back,” he growled, looking at her.

  “Can’t,” she whispered and her eyelids fluttered.

  “Cassie?” He loosened his grip, just as he heard an impatient knock on the door. Cassie took a deep breath and felt her lungs fully re-inflate after having been deprived momentarily of oxygen. “Are you all right?” Mack asked, concerned.

  “Yes.”

  “I never meant… Cassie, it was not my intention…” A loud knock broke into his words.

  “I think you should let in whoever is at the door.”

  “Are you certain you’re all right?” Mack attempted to touch her arm.

  “I’m fine,” she retorted, jerking free.

  “Wonderful,” he growled before crossing the room and unlocking the door. On the other side stood a very put out Mikala and a fuming Gabe.

  “What was going on in here?” Hawkescliffe’s rich baritone filtered into the room.

  “We were just talking,” Cassie said.

  “You look pale,” Mikala stated.

  “I’m fine,” Cassie waved her off.

  “The both of you are needed in the ballroom. Your father has an announcement to make. I knew when Prinny put in an appearance it was a bad omen,” Mikala ranted to no one and everyone. “Well, come on,” she beckoned Cassie from the other side of the room. “There’s no reason to put off the inevitable.”

  “I want to speak to my father. Privately.”

  “There’s no need. He’s not going to change his mind,” Mack said. “Besides, Prinny won’t let either of us out of this.”

  “I don’t care what His Highness will and will not do. I am not leaving this room until I speak to my father.”

  ***

  “I’ll go get him,” Mikala offered and scurried away. In minutes she was back with Sir Graham.

  “What’s all this about?” he blustered.

  “Privately,” she said and pointed at the door for Mack to leave the room.

  “This is the last time you get to order me about, ken?”

  Instead of replying, she stared at him, a mutinous look
on her face and crossed her arms, waiting for him to leave the room and shut the door. When she was alone with her father, she turned on the older man. “How can you do this to me? What do I have to do to convince you that nothing happened.”

  Sir Graham strolled across the room to the settee and picked up a piece of lace that matched the color of her dress. He walked back over to her and flicked the fichu at her. “Nothing happened?”

  “Nothing of consequence,” she jerked the piece of lace out of his hand. “I have taken care of you since Mama has been gone. Since before then, even. On the first day of every week, for a year, I stalked McKenzie’s office asking about you. I wondered if you were dead or alive. For the first month of your disappearance, I was there every day.”

  “You did no such thing. You knew very well I was alive, Mack would have informed you otherwise. You’re marrying him, Cassie.”

  “I did do that, and if you doubt it, you can ask Mack or his secretary.”

  “There was no need.”

  “So that’s it? One tiny indiscretion and life as I know it is over? You’re just going to pawn me off on him as if I were no more than an unwanted trinket in your life?”

  “Cassie, never think that.” He moved towards her in an attempt to hug her, but she stepped out of his reach.

  “Don’t,” she said. Her body felt chilled, despite the warmth of the room and she crossed her arms, rubbing her hands up and down her upper arms in an effort to warm herself.

  “Cassie, regardless of what you think right now, I love you. Fortune has stepped in and offered you this opportunity.”

  “Opportunity?” she asked, outraged and incredulous all at the same time.

  “Chang and I will not always be around to care for you. You need someone to see to your safety. Someone that will protect you from others, as well as from yourself.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You are reckless. I’ve read the articles you’ve been writing. I read the note from Mr. Walter. I will not let you keep endangering yourself.”

  “I guess I should be flattered you left your inventions long enough to check on me.” When he remained silent, she looked at him and saw the flush spread across his face. “You didn’t, did you? Chang pointed my articles out in the paper to you, didn’t you? Chang showed you the letter. I, I worried about you. Your health. I worried if they were feeding you properly. If you were getting enough rest. And now that my life has been threatened, that I have been shot, your answer is that fate has interceded and you shove me off on someone else for me to become their concern. Tell me, did Chang have to force you to quit working on your gadgets to even read the articles and the letter?” Silence greeted her. “That’s what I thought.”

  “Now, Cassie…”

  “No, Papa, thank you for clarifying things for me. Perhaps I should ask Chang to walk me down the aisle.”

  “Cassie, that’s enough,” her betrothed said from the doorway.

  “Oh, it’s not nearly enough.”

  “She’s ready,” Sir Graham said, melancholy tinging his voice. “Cassie, it was your mother’s fondest wish to see you married with a family of your own. We never meant to become so wrapped up in our studies that we forgot about you, but somehow, over the years, it seems as if you became the adult and we became the children. That is not how it should have been. That is not how your mother wanted it to be.” A pregnant pause filled the room while he walked to the door. “In time, I hope you will both come to care for one another and understand the machinations of an old man. Mack, I am entrusting her into your care. If you should let anything happen to her…”

  “I’ll protect her with my life, Sir Graham.”

  “That’s all I can ask for. And perhaps a grandchild or two.” Silence. “Yes, well. I believe we are ready to face the firing squad, so to speak.” He no longer had a smile on his face.

  “I think I would rather face the hangman,” Cassie muttered.

  “You might yet get your wish,” Mack countered before holding out his elbow to her.

  “If we are speaking of wishes, then I can think of someone else I would rather see wearing the noose.”

  “Ah, Cassie darlin’, is that any way to speak to your betrothed?” Mack gave her a lopsided smile that did not quite reach his eyes, but still made him appear devilishly handsome. “Smile,” he whispered in her ear. “We wouldn’t want anyone to think we were plotting each other’s deaths, now, would we?”

  Cassie looked up at him, a beautiful smile spread across her luscious lips. “I hate you,” the words were forced between her teeth.

  “At least I know where I stand.”

  They stood at the top of the stairs where she and her father had stood what seemed like ages ago, but was in fact only a few hours, perhaps less. Funny, how one’s life could change so drastically in the blink of an eye. Cassie held her chin up as she looked out over the crowd. Mikala’s “small party” had somehow morphed into a large ball. At least it was large by Cassie’s standards. Her first foray into the ton, and she found herself ruined and betrothed, all in the same night.

  Her face hurt from the smile she forced there. The Duke and Duchess of Hawkescliffe stood behind her and Mack, while her father stood in front of them. Cassie could spy the Prince Regent in her peripheral vision, but refused to look at the man who had a perpetual smile on his face. The quartet that sat on the balcony above, providing music for the dancers, abruptly stopped playing. Her father raised his arms to gather everyone’s attention. When that did not completely work, the Prince Regent stepped in.

  “Good evening, one and all.” A hush descended over the room while women curtsied and men bowed. “I believe Sir Graham has an announcement he would like for all to hear. Sir Graham,” the man held out his hand indicating that Sir Graham should take over.

  “Ah, yes. Thank you, Your Highness,” Sir Graham bowed low to the Prince before turning and facing the crowd. “It has been a great privilege for my daughter and me to be the guests of honor this evening at this wonderful ball given by the Duke and Duchess of Hawkescliffe. It also serves as a wonderful time for me to announce the betrothal of my daughter, Cassiopeia, to Mr. Stuart McKenzie.”

  The response was mixed. There were both male and female gasps of shock. Scattered clapping sounded until it grew more pronounced when the crowd noticed that Prinny and the Duke and Duchess of Hawkescliffe were all clapping and smiling.

  “No!” a feminine voice wailed, long and drawn out from the back of the room. Before anyone could stop them, they had fled out the terrace doors and disappeared into the night.

  “Another omen of disaster to come?” Cassie asked, arching a brow at her betrothed, a smile still plastered on her face.

  “Nay,” he said. “Just some poor lass upset because the man of her dreams is now spoken for.”

  Somehow Cassie kept the smile on her face, but rolled her eyes at his pompous attitude. “Let’s just get the rest of this night over with, shall we?”

  “Whatever your heart desires, Cassie darlin’.”

  “Ugh!”

  “I love it when I can please you,” he said, his voice sugary sweet.

  “Go jump in front of a dray wagon.”

  “Ach, now that hurts.”

  “It’s supposed to do more than hurt.”

  “Come, let us dance our first dance as a happily betrothed couple.” He led her onto the dance floor, and the quartet started the strains of a waltz. Everyone watched them in anticipation.

  As he swung her around the dance floor, Cassie trod on his feet at every opportunity, almost causing him to fall on more than one occasion. Each time he would just look at her and smile before tugging her close and leading her through the next series of turns.

  When the music came to a halt, he bowed over her hand and dropped a kiss on it before saying, “You dance divinely, Cassie darlin’.”

  “Quit calling me that, and you are a bothersome oaf.”

  “We need to work on your vocabulary. I bel
ieve you have already called me an oaf this evening.”

  “The other is not appropriate to say in polite company.”

  “And you will never, ever, call me that again,” he growled so only she could hear. His grip tightened painfully on hers.

  “Let me go.” When he showed no sign of loosening his grip she looked at him again, a smile on her face. “The Prince is waving for me to join him. You don’t want to disappoint His Highness do you?” He let go of her hand and took a step back. “For the position you are in, you are much too trusting.” She swished her skirts and walked across the ballroom floor before disappearing down a hallway, in the opposite direction of the Prince Regent.

  Chapter 17

  The rest of the ball was uneventful, unfortunately. Cassie knew that only meant word would spread among the beau monde of her impending nuptials to Stuart McKenzie. She would go from being a nobody to a somebody very quickly. They remained silent during the ride home in the borrowed Hawkescliffe carriage. Cassie refused to look at the two men who occupied the carriage with her. The inside of the carriage was briefly illuminated and a loud thunderclap soon followed. She jumped with the sound.

  “It’s just a storm,” Mack said.

  “You think I don’t know that?”

  “She doesn’t care for storms,” her father said. “Ever since…”

  “Papa.” She attempted to glare at him, but it lost its affect in the darkness of the interior.

  “He’s going to be your husband.”

  Another streak of lightning lit the sky followed shortly by a clap of thunder. “That remains to be seen.” The carriage came to a stop. “Goodnight, Director McKenzie.” Before he could react, she opened the carriage door and exited, leaving her father and Mack behind.

  “What was that about?” Mack asked. “Besides the obvious, that is,” he clarified. The two men watched her enter the house and slam the door.

  “Cassie hates thunderstorms.”

  “And why is that?”

  “My wife was killed when she was struck by lightening. Cassie was with her when it happened. Ever since, Cassie has been jumpy and nervous during thunderstorms. Chang usually gives her a special tea that helps her sleep if they roll in during the night.”