Page 30 of Taken By the Beastly Duke

"I hate to say this of another gentleman, but you, my lord, are despicable and absolutely shameless. The only reason why I am marrying your daughter, is because I am a man of honor and I could never allow a lady go to ruin because of me. Good day sir" he said standing up so fast he almost toppled his seat.

He strode to the door jerked it open, exited and closed it behind him. Walking fast towards the entrance. He had to leave this house before he lost his temper and did something he would regret.

He was already halfway to the entrance when he heard his name

"Anthony?" a curious voice asked softly.

He turned towards the sound for the voice. For a moment he was mesmerized by the vision before him. Victoria was standing on the landing of the staircase in a silk pink robe, her hair loosened to fall to her waist. She seemed to have just awakened from sleep.

Standing there her skin flushed and barefooted she reminded him of a woodland sprite. And she might be, she certainly had him enthralled with her beauty. He had to shake his head to regain control of his faculties

When he recovered, the familiar anger returned, what right did she have to look innocent when she had connived with her father to trap him in marriage. It also annoyed him how much control she had over his mind. How easily she could make him forget himself.

"I guess you should be ecstatic now. You have won,," he said bitterly

She shook her head, her expression one of confusion.

"I fail to see what you think I should rejoice over."

"I will implore you to spare me the innocence act. I know you know exactly why I am visiting your family house this early in the morning. Congratulations you have finally gotten me to propose to you".

"I never asked you to propose, Anthony, you insisted"

"Of course I insisted, you of all people know I have no choice in the matter. Thetonalready thinks I am without honor. You want me to prove them right?"

"This is about honor? You are free to withdraw your proposal!" she replied angrily.

"I would never give you the satisfaction of being the victim. Never!" he said, walking towards her. He knew that their emotions were running dangerously close to the surface, but he couldn't stop himself. He walked closer until he stood right in front of her.

"I will marry you like you want but I warn you," he said, allowing his mouth to curve in a cruel smirk. "You just might have trapped yourself with a monster you created."

"I am not afraid of you," she answered tilting her jaw in defiance. She might have fooled him into believing her but the pulse that fluttered at her neck and the slight shudder that wracked her body proclaimed her a liar.

The lady was not immune to him at all, her body recognized his and it was betraying her no matter how much she tried to hide it

Everything might be a lie but this, the response of her body to his she could never mask it and a primal part of him rejoiced at that fact

Stepping even closer he was rewarded by a hitch in her breath that sped up into a slight pant. He raised her hand to caress the silky skin of her cheek. She shuddered in response to his touch.

"Are you sure?" he whispered lowly.

"Yes," she answered but her eyes were fixed on his lips. It was obvious she was thinking about the possibility of kissing him. The arousal he had been suffering since he set on eyes on her sharpened into an incessant ache.

Now their mouths were only a breath a part, A little movement he would be devouring her delectable mouth. The memory of how soft and sweet her mouth had tasted the previous night threatened to push him to his knees.

Instead of kissing her, he braced both hands on the wall behind and focused on taking deep breaths to calm himself and recover some part of his sanity that seemed to desert him whenever he was in Victoria's presence.

He could give in to his arousal and kiss her senseless but he might give her a weapon to manipulate him with. Instead he was going to use her body and it's yearning for his to torture her. He had long years to look forward to for his revenge. He even anticipated the kind of sensual torture he would exert on her body.

A part of him wondered if he would be able to withstand it, but that was worry for the future at this moment he could punish her by not granting her the kiss she desperately wanted.

He shifted away from her and heard her barely concealed whimper

"Shh..." he whispered, "I know you want me, but you my dear have to pay for your deception, and I will get my revenge from driving you insane with desire. Ordinarily that might be desirable except I have no plans to help ease it. That is my punishment, I would torture you until you beg me, sobbing to ease the burn of desire," he whispered.

"You will be waiting a long time, I would never beg," she replied defiantly

"You think so?" he said stepping closer to her. The shuddering of her body began again and he watched her swallow hard. She would never be able to hold out for long before she begged, he was sure.

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