Page 42 of Forbidden Noble
She came out dressed in white pants and an olive green shirt, as if happy to wear the family colors, but her cheeks seemed sallow. She wasn’t happy, and this was only the beginning of his ruin of her.
If she stayed, she’d drive him crazy with talk of love he might reciprocate, but if he lost control, then the day would come where he too would find a gun.
Violence was always in his soul even if he kept it in strict check. The urges never left when confronted. He shook his head at his angel and said, “Clara, you’re too good for me.”
Her face went white. “I’m not…” But then someone knocked. She wiped a tear from her eye and said, “I’ll get it.”
She spoke to the servant with kindness and thanked them, then closed the door. His heart thumped in his chest. “What is it?”
She read the small letter and then handed it to him. “Your sister is waiting for us to meet Sophia, your niece.”
Yes. Lunch would be served on the balcony. Fitting even in the fog, which drowned out the sun almost every day here.
He grabbed clean clothes and headed into the bathroom. A few splashes of water revived him, though the pit in his stomach was all twisted like he needed to tell Clara to leavenow.
He entered their bedroom and saw Clara wearing a simple gold cross necklace. He glanced at it and his heart froze. That had been his mother’s cross. “Where did you get that necklace?”
Her face turned pink as she pointed backward. “In the jewelry box in the closet, next to the clothes. Is it important?”
He traced the gold cross at her neck as a memory of his mother reading a story to him about a flying dragon who lost his teddy bear surfaced. She’d had on a soft purple and green striped nightgown and that necklace. “My mother once wore that.”
She reached behind her neck for the clasp. “I’ll take it off.”
He took her hands. “No. It’s yours. Keep it.”
She tried to take it off again as she said, “I’m sure your sister wants it.”
He stopped her. Clara was innocent and good and she should wear this and more. “If she did, Olivia would have kept it--it's for you.”
She didn’t pull her hands away as her lips pushed out. “Okay. I should have asked first.”
Her cheeks blushed but she let him guide her toward the door. It was time to meet another innocent, this time a small girl. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s get going.”
She untangled herself halfway and held up a finger. “I just need one minute.”
Her eyes seemed glassy to him. “You’re dressed, though.”
She turned away and rushed into the bathroom wiping her cheeks as she said, “One minute.”
The necklace wasn’t something to cry over. His skin felt electric as adrenaline coursed through him. If he'd made her cry because he'd used her… it was clear that when he was pushed too far, he’d be horrible for her. When she came out, he crossed his arms. “Clara, I can’t promise more… than what we have already.”
She nodded and her face was dry, though pale. “I’m good now; let’s go see your sister.”
He didn’t move a muscle as he asked, “You didn’t cry?”
She made a mocking laugh like he must be wrong when they both knew he wasn’t and then she said, “I… I don’t cry. Let’s go meet your niece. You must be excited.”
Right. He offered his arm and said, “I wish my sister had trusted me but at least I can help her now.”
He slowed down near the door and lowered his voice to tell her again that she should leave to her own estate but then she said, “If there is anything I can do to help you…”
“You…” Every part of him wanted to tell her to run away from him, but he enjoyed her too much. And despite that knowledge, he didn’t want her to go. "I'm ready."
If he stayed in control at all times, maybe he could keep her as his own.
The whisper of unstoppable violence in his heart was there, but was that fair to her?
Clara deserved to be happy. Olivia had been a proper lady of the manor.
