Page 106 of Greed: The Savage
“Fall for this one?” Indignant, Addien folded her arms before her. “Did ye really believe I’d fall for a fancy fellow like Argyll? Silk don’t make the man. I thought you of all men knew that.”
“I beg your pardon?” Argyll said with a frown.
“No, you are correct.” The first stirrings of a smile played with Malric’s hard mouth. “It does not.”
“This man in silk is, however, clever enough to know. Say what you like about me, Thornwick. What I do know is if you’re spending more time insulting me than charming the lady, you’re making a rather poor show of it.”
That gave Malric pause.
Argyll nudged his head between Malric and Addien. “I believe you were telling the lady everything youoweher?”
Addien’s lips twitched, as for the first time since their introduction that morning, she had a glimpse of why women supposedly swooned when the dashing Duke of Argyll walked into a room. It wouldn’t ever be Addien, but she saw his way now.
Malric grimaced. “Perhaps ‘owe you’ is not the correct word choice.” He met Addien nearer the table and stopped. “Idoowe you an apology for being such an unmitigated bastard, for failing to see that which was right in front of me. In truth…” Malric fisted and unfurled his hands at his side. He let them fall open. “I could not bring myself to see because I was so damned terrified of you, of what Ifeltfor you.”
His vow breathed joy and hope into every corner of her body, and Addien hung on each word, letting them wash over her. “It wasn’t until I’d come back from my assignment today anddiscovered you’d gone”—Malric sent a hand slashing through the air—“to this place that I realized…I love you.”
There it was. The words she’d longed for but forever denied to herself. She’d yearned to be loved. Not just loved. Respected. Admired. Coveted. She’d wanted it so greatly, she’d not even let herself imagine a future with any man who offered her those gifts. “You love me?” she whispered.
The slight Adam’s apple in Malric’s throat moved up and down. “I do, Addien,” he said, his voice graveled with emotion. “I love you with all I am.”
“Come with me, Addien. I am not asking. I am not telling you.” He held her eyes, and there was some new message contained within. “And if you do, I understand there will be events to come that might make you think I came for reasons other than out of my undying love for you. I’m begging you to go with me away from here.”
She knew what he was saying without his saying it aloud for the duke’s ears.
The murder on Bond Street had been gossiped about amongst the Forbidden Pleasures’ staff she’d met throughout the day; they’d unknowingly dropped enough details for Addien to know—Diggory was back.
“I understand, Malric,” she murmured.
They held one another’s stares in an unspoken exchange where she confirmed to him she did in fact know what he was saying.
“If you choose a life with me, Addien, just say the word and I will take you to a place you deserve to be, one far better than this arse end of England.”
The familiarity of those words stilled Addien.
No. Surely he didn’t recall…
But she knew…
“I’ll bring you to parts of the kingdom, Addien, where the hills are made not of pavement but grass. Not the tiny, weedy, brown tufts by the docks and waste grounds, but real green-like…” Malric enticed, not with his words, but that he’d remembered them at all.
No, not at all. Completely.
Oh, God.
“You asked if I’ve got places like that, my love, and I do. Just like the ones in the painting I’m certain Argyll had put there because he—”
“I didn’t tell him!” Addien rasped. It was important he know that. “Oi didn’t ever share that part of my story with anyone but you. And it isn’t one I’ll share with anyone.” She moved between cockney and the King’s English.
“He no doubt observed you admiring it.”
Argyll gave his free hand not holding a drink a little waggle. “Guilty.”
What a remarkable read he had of people and situations. His work at the Home Office had served him well.
Malric touched a fist to his chest. “I blundered badly this morning. I am making another attempt.”
Her heart pounded.
