Page 81 of Seven Nights with the Wicked Duke
"What is it?" Theo asked warily.
"I ask that you stay away from my sister. Once you are strong enough, you are going to leave and I do not want to ever see you touch my sister ever again. Ordinarily I should kill you to defend her honor. I am granting you this mercy as a friend. I will ask that you do not force my hand. I do not know what I might do then," Magnus said with a fierce scowl, his hands rolled up in a fist. It was obvious he was angry.
The Theo that his friends knew would have acquiesced, cracking a joke to smooth things over, burying his desires as he made his way out of the castle like his friend had requested. He was tired of that version and the restraint it required to rein in his desires .
Almost losing Cecilia had reminded him of just how fleeting life was and how much he no longer wanted to spend the little time he had pretending. He was going to live fighting for his love and what he desired, no matter the cost.
"I am afraid I cannot do that, Blackmore," he said, staring steadily at his friend even as his gaze darkened with rage. " This matter is between me and your sister. We are both adults, you do not get to decide for us how we go about our feelings."
"So help me, Emerton," Blackmore growled, his fists closing tightly on the arms of the sofa he occupied.
"Oh shut up, Blackmore. You do not get to play the overprotective brother with me now. If you were so protective, if you had trusted your sister's ability to choose her own husband, she would have never been in this mess."
"She was dragged into this mess because of your family."
"They would have never gained a foothold if you had done what you were supposed to. If you had played your damn role as a protective older brother, you would not have fallen prey to the machinations of a fake viscount and your sister's life would have never been in danger," he roared.
Magnus was transfixed for a moment, staring at him like a creature he could not recognize. Of course, he was surprised, he had most likely expected him to accept his dictates meekly, covering his anger underneath humor, but he was done pretending.
Bracing his hand on the mattress, he levered himself to a standing position enduring the vertigo that came with that change in position. He waited, holding on to the bedpost until the room stopped spinning and he no longer felt the urge to heave.
Reaching for the shirt he could see folded on the side table, he put it on, his gaze fixed on Cecilia were she sat quietly, visibly torn between him and her brother. He did not like to see her confused, but this time he was not letting her go without a fight.
"If you want me out of your lives," he announced as he fastened the neck of his tunic, "I will do so. I do not fancy forcing myself into places that I am not wanted.”
While Cecilia was ecstatic at Theo's recovery, she did not know what to do with the new Theo that challenged her brother.
For the past three days, she had bathed his body when his temperature spiked, quietened him when he became restless with fever, and dribbled broth down his throat. In between, Magnus had offered his help to make Theo as comfortable as he could while he recovered. But even though they’d worked together in some unspoken agreement of civility, she could still feel the weight of the unanswered questions that remained between them. It seemed that Magnus had decided to wait until his friend woke up to ask the questions that were surely eating at him. Perhaps he thought she was too innocent to have invited this, Theo was the rake, of course, he would easily believe that he was the originator of the affair. But that was the thing about assumptions, they were usually wrong.
Even though she had expected it, it was certainly bewildering to wake up to find that Magnus had already begun interrogating Theo, and in typical masculine fashion they were locked in a battle of egos, one she was not interested in getting into. After all, even though Theo had saved her from being stabbed, he had already broken his attachment with her, he had no reason to defend her.
She became even more confused when he defended her to her brother. This was a side of himself that he usually kept hidden. She did not understand while he was behaving this way with Magnus, after all he claimed he did not bear great passion for her after all.
Just before he exited the room, he strode towards her, lowering his voice to a rumble.
"I have completed the painting I made of you. I will be waiting for you to come retrieve it."
Having delivered his message, he strode out like he had not spent the last three days in bed, leaving her with many questions.
Was she willing to take the risk of going to see the painting Theo had made of her? A nude painting of her at that?
CHAPTER 29
The candlelight flickering in the hallway reminded her of the thoughts coursing through her mind. She itched to be in the Emerton estate again even if she knew she shouldn’t.
The quiet tick of the grandfather clock could be heard down the corridor. It only reminded her how fragile time could be me. Even though the furious rhythm of her heart was nervous about the whole concept of being here again, she simultaneously knew whatever she had going on with Theo could be lost in matter of seconds.
Which was why she stood in the corridor, weighing her options. Magnus would most likely detest the idea of having her here, but disappointing her brother was far too easy to choose compared to rejecting Theo's invite.
"I will be waiting for you to come retrieve it."
His words echoed in her mindThe gentleness with which he had spoken them had not matched his fierce argument with Magnus.
Eventually, she took a deep breath, and the door creaked as she pushed it open. The familiarity of the studio revealed itself instantly. It was as good as she remembered.
The room was filled with a dim amber light. Oil paints, canvas, and turpentine could be felt thick in the air. But despite all that, she could still bear witness to howhisscent overshadowed every other thing.
Unconsciously, she inhaled his scent. A mixture of sandalwood, a hint of ink, and something uniquely masculine that tugged at her memories. At every memory she had spent ticking off her list with him. Down to that last night they had spent together. It wasn't a long time ago but she felt so nostalgic that she felt a tear come to her eye.
