The Defiant Wife (The Three Mrs #2) - Jess Michaels Page 0,61

at her sides. “You brought me back to London for Kenley. My duty is to watch out for that child, and if I don’t know all the details, any of the details, about a potential threat against him, I cannot do that. I can’t protect him. What if she had gotten past your guard, Rhys? I would have had no idea that was even a possibility—”

He shook his head and interrupted her. “First off, I did not bring you to London merely for Kenley, and you know that.”

Those words stunned her into silence. They meant too much. She folded her arms and stared at him as he continued, “And I see now that yes, it was a mistake to keep you in the dark. I apologize. Truly, I was only thinking of your well-being. I didn’t want to upset you. I didn’t want Rosie Stanton coming back to haunt you. Not after what she did to you.”

Pippa blinked at the passion in his voice. At the sweetness of his misguided actions. How could they make her so angry and also make her want to kiss him?

But no, she couldn’t think about that. “You are not responsible for me,” she said softly. “I am not some delicate flower you must protect.”

“But I wanted to protect you,” he snapped, and his blue eyes were as dark as stormy seas.

“And I am…” She swallowed hard because the next part was so painful. “I am not your problem, Rhys. Lord Leighton. I never was.”

His lips pressed together hard, but he didn’t argue with her. How could he? They both knew what was happening, they were both adults.

“I should go…check on him,” she said. “Please send me the particulars regarding Miss Stanton and this guard of yours. I’d like to meet him, and I will write to you and let you know if I find him satisfactory.”

He choked out a laugh at that, but there was no humor to it, only pain. “I see. We are to correspond through letters alone then?”

She nodded. “That might be best for a while, considering. To limit our contact only to the child.”

“Don’t do this,” he whispered.

Tears filled her eyes and she drew a few breaths to calm herself so they wouldn’t fall. “I must. Your desire to protect me must not supersede your drive to protect him…or yourself.” She stepped away from him to the door of the chamber. “Time will make these feelings fade, my lord. It must. And when they have, then we can be friends again. We can forget that there was ever something more. Good day.”

She left him, rushing down the hall, hands shaking. She passed Abigail on her way to the stairs and her friend said her name, but she ignored it as she rushed up them and headed toward Kenley’s room.

She’d been a fool to forget herself, but she could fix that. Even if she didn’t believe her parting words to Rhys one bit. Even if she knew that what she felt wouldn’t alter, no matter how much time passed, no matter how much she tried to make it go away.

Chapter 18

Rhys pivoted away from the door as Phillipa made her exit, and moved to the window. It looked down over the street, over the park across the way. He saw none of it because everything in his heart and soul and body was focused on the fact that she had found the strength he couldn’t. She had walked away, and it felt so permanent.

He slapped a palm against the window with a growl of pure pain and bent his head. Damn his brother for bringing all this destruction down on everyone in his life. Damn him for hurting Phillipa. And for creating a situation where Rhys could never have her.

“Rhys, are you well?”

He jumped and turned to find Abigail standing in the parlor door, watching him with concern in her brown eyes. He fought to maintain some dignity, to smile and play this all off. But he had no energy for it. “Leave it alone, Abigail,” he said.

Her expression shifted and she stepped forward. “Rhys—”

“Leave it alone,” he repeated, this time harsher, louder, and he hated himself for losing control that way, but now the box was open and he couldn’t stuff everything back inside. “I’m well aware that you know something about what happened between Phillipa and me in Bath. I’m certain you think that gives you the right to meddle, as you did this afternoon. But I beg of