of glancing behind him to the clock on the mantel, which read a bit past two in the morning. “Excuse me, a soiled thirty-year-old widow. Many happy returns on your birthday, love.”
“You can go to hell and take your happy returns with you.”
He laughed. “Already been there. I’m afraid the devil’s bored with me and cut me loose. I await your offer.”
He was serious. He couldn’t be serious — couldn’t have planned this, couldn’t want what he’d asked for. That brief kiss earlier, before she’d broken it off, had been a taste of the old Nick, even if he was rougher than he used to be with her.
For a moment, she thought he’d forgiven her, even if he wouldn’t say the words. She thought he’d come back for her, ready to fight for her the way she wished she’d fought for him.
She was sure he’d felt something for her — for a moment, at least, even if the moment died.
Which meant that this wasn’t cold revenge. It was methodical, and it was most definitely cruel. But she’d felt the heat behind it.
As long as he felt passion for her, she had at least one advantage. She just needed to keep her own passion in check.
“One week,” she said abruptly.
His gaze roved over her body — her soiled body, as he called it. She gritted her teeth.
“That is nearly six thousand pounds a night. You won’t like what I would make you do for that, especially not when you have houseguests.”
She didn’t think she’d ever blushed as fast and hot as she did when his drawl broke over her. “Then what is your offer?”
“Come to me and I’ll tell you.”
His eyes dared her to run. But he held the key to the door — and everything else. And anyway, if this was about humiliating her, she wouldn’t give him an ounce of satisfaction.
So she walked with her head held high. When she reached his side, she looked down into his eyes, as vivid as any sea she’d tried to paint. There was triumph there, yes — but lust predominated.
She should have left Folkestone when she had had the chance, gone someplace where she could have pretended, forever, that he would have forgiven her if he’d known where to find her.
But that chance was gone. She brushed her hand through his hair. “Don’t do this, Nick,” she said, knowing as she said it that he wouldn’t hear her warning. “If not for me, then don’t do it to yourself. There are sins that are unforgivable. Don’t damn yourself as I have.”
His hand slid to her waist and pulled her down into his arms. “I’m already damned.”
She sighed. “Then tell me what you want so we can get on with it.”
His hand rose to her breast. She didn’t flinch — barely felt it anyway through all her heavy brocade.
“Four months,” he said, silky smooth despite the subject matter. “You’ll do whatever I ask, in bed or out, for four months. And at the end of it, your debt will be forgiven.”
He ran his thumb across her collarbone. Her body warmed under his touch even as her heart turned to ice.
“Can I guess the date you’ll release me?”
He smiled. “The thirteenth of June, of course. Consider it a belated wedding gift.”
“The thirteenth of June,” she repeated. She braced herself against his shoulders and scanned his face. “How long have you been planning these dates?”
“The duration — always. But it’s merely a convenient coincidence that I came home in time to start tonight. Don’t flatter yourself into thinking I returned just for this. I’ve other business in London, but I may as well collect from you since I have four months to spare for the task.”
Four months. It was obscene, a dark reversal of their ruined courtship. The dates were exact — from the anniversary of their first coupling, to the day she had married Charles instead of him. And again, she knew that whatever the temperature of his voice, his anger was too hot to be passionless.
“I want it in writing,” she said, ignoring his fingers as they slid through her hair. “Marcus has proven himself a poor witness, but he and my maid will do — I don’t want to take any more people into our confidence than necessary.”
“Done.”
She worried at her lip, considering the unforgiving notes in his voice. “No violence, either. If we were married you could beat me legally, I suppose, but do remember that we’re not.”
Nick’s eyes went dark.