Page 75 of The No Good Irresistible Viscount Tipton
Words to battle words. Her family was good at striking a killing blow. Maddy lifted her chin, showing that he had not broken her with his cruel statement. “I have always known my place, my lord. I remained and survived despite it.” She picked up her skirts and walked to the door, bearing a graceful dignity that would have made their demanding mother proud. “Hide behind your hate, Lord Tipton. I am not desirous of gaining your brotherly tenderness even if you served it up on a gold plate.”
***
Cowardice!
The word seemed so ruthless and cold in his dreaming brain that it jarred him to consciousness. The brief chat he had had with his sister must have disturbed him more than he thought. The audacity of that girl! She knew nothing of his life, how it had been after Devlin had died, with the surviving members of his own family warily staring at him like he was some sort of fiend, as Madeleina had called him.
There was a vein of truth to her words that bothered him. His mother seemed protective of his sister. He had always assumed that she had benefitted from their mother’s affection. Was Jocelyn still grieving for Devlin? So much so that it shadowed the joy of giving birth to a daughter?
Mum would have loved having a little girl to hold and spoil. He imagined she had filled the new baby’s life with love and attention, allowing her own daughter to bury the baby’s father, who soon followed the favored son and the absence of the unwanted second. Had Jocelyn’s disappointment been great enough that she heartlessly reminded her third child of her failure for not being born male? Mum must have died when the girl was four or five. She had been around long enough to be a kind memory but not long enough to protect Madeleina from her mother’s tongue. Was that the reason his sister chose to live outdoors, her gardens and surrounding woods her haven? It was the one place their mother abhorred, the one place Madeleina could find her peace.
Good Lord, he thought, rubbing the grit from his eyes. His sister battled him even in his mind. If he kept at it, by dawn he would be at her door, begging her forgiveness. He was fair-minded enough to accept that his dislike of her was unreasonable. He did not know her. He did not care to know her. If he opened his heart to her, he felt that it would mean he was forgiving his mother as well. He was not prepared to go that far. Not now. Maybe never. Madeleina was raised without her brother. She did not need him to become a grown woman.
Rayne rolled out of bed. He needed to do something or his sister’s words were going to haunt him the rest of the night. Not bothering to cover his nakedness, he padded over to the door connecting his room to Devona’s. She had been asleep when he retired, and he had not wanted to disturb her with his restlessness.
He entered the room, not needing a candle to light his way. Quietly he stopped beside her bed. She was asleep on her back, her arms resting above her head like a trusting child. Even in the darkness, her pale skin gleamed like pearls in the moonlight.
His sister forgotten, Rayne gently peeled the blankets back. Devona’s nightdress was seductively draped over her right hip, exposing her legs. Just the sight of her aroused him, he mused, feeling his cock swell and rise as Devona’s luscious form beckoned. Of all the decisions he had made in his life, the taking of Devona as wife had been his brightest.
Not wanting to disturb her just yet, Rayne eased onto the bed beside her. Stretching his long frame out the full length of the bed, he rested his head on his arm while he considered the simplest means to remove her clothing. His first thought was to cut the nightdress off her. However, the last thing he wanted was for her to wake up and see him hovering over her wielding a knife. Knowing Devona, he thought the imagined delightful romp in bed would end with him requiring stitches.
Instead of giving in to the urge to just rip the garment off her, he decided to apply some of that great patience for which he was supposedly known. Hooking his finger under the hem, Rayne inched the fabric up, halting when she kicked fretfully at the discarded blanket he had pushed to the end of the bed. She sighed, slipping back into a deeper state of sleep.
Rayne released the nightdress. The majority of the fabric was piled up on her chest, leaving her exposed from the waist down. He wanted to see all of her, but he would have to wait.
Smiling, he placed his hand on her hip. He had never awakened her in such a manner, and looked forward to her reaction. With the barest touch of his fingertips he explored the undercurve of her breast. Delighted by her shivering reaction, he snaked his hand deeper under the fabric so he could circle one nipple, then the other. As he expected, her body was already aware of him. The petite nubs prickled at his caress. He swallowed thickly, wishing he could put his mouth to her flesh and suckle. During their brief marriage, he had learned that he could almost bring his wife to the brink of pleasure just by teasing her nipples with his lips and tongue.
Devona moaned and tried to shift away from him. Rayne stilled her by throwing one of his legs over hers to anchor her in place. As he leaned over her, his tongue replaced his fingers as he continued his sensual exploration. He kissed the soft curve of her breasts, as he shifted his position, moving southward down the center of her abdomen. Using the tip of his tongue, he playfully swirled the diameter of her navel, then tasted the indentation. She laughed aloud, and he lifted his head to see if he had awakened her.
Her eyes were still closed, but he could see the lingering smile on her lips. Becoming serious, he dipped his head and nuzzled the soft nest of hair between her legs, inhaling deeply the musky fragrance that filled him with such potent lust it bordered on pain. Rayne grasped his cock and rubbed the rigid length against her leg. There would be no end to his torment until he could bury himself deep within her. The thought of spilling his seed within her again was as intoxicating as any drug. Stifling the urge to groan, he journeyed lower until he could bite the tender skin of her inner thighs. Devona said something under her breath and kicked out with her left leg.
Rayne used the movement to his advantage by shifting his position so that he was lying between her parted legs. Now on his stomach, he leaned over and kissed her right knee. The fine hairs on her legs prickled under his gentle worship as he moved up her leg. This time when he came to the soft folds of her labia, he parted them and put his mouth on her. His intention was to prepare her for him; however, she was already wet. He tasted her, his tongue flicking the tender tissue within. Devona cried out as she lifted her pelvis. Rayne cupped her buttocks, bringing her closer to him.
“A dream,” she murmured.
He lifted his head. “No, beloved, paradise.” In one strong movement, he pulled her under him and plunged into her. She cried out again, the surprise of their joining as intense as the wait had been for him.
The head of his cock throbbed against the opening of her womb as the muscles of her sheath tightened around him.
The time for leisurely love play was at an end. His patience broke from its invisible tether and the frenzied need for her flooded his system. Her eyes were locked with his and her fingers gripped his muscled forearm. Not being able to give her time to fully adjust, he set the rhythm of his thrusts at a pace that minutes later was making her breathless. She arched beneath him, as if to draw him in deeper. He groaned, biting the inner tissue of his cheek, hoping the pain would hold off his impending release.
If he could spend his life within her, it would never be enough. Rayne felt her tense beneath him, and sensed her own pleasure would soon be upon her. His body tightened and fine tremors shook his frame as he tried to fight his body’s natural response. Gazes still locked, he pressed a hard kiss to her open mouth. His tongue penetrated her as his cock did, each giving and taking pleasure. The metallic taste of blood from the small wound in his mouth mixed with sweetness he had come to associate with her.
She pulled away from the hard, relentless kiss and took a fortifying breath. His mouth latched onto her exposed neck and she bucked wildly beneath him. Lost in the ecstasy of her release, she writhed as if to escape him. Vigorously, he pounded his thrusts deep within her, no longer able to hold back as Devona’s soft, womanly form beckoned to him on a primitive level. Frantic, he hugged her to his chest, sinking his teeth into her shoulder. Rayne’s release was as violent as his need for her. Hot, forceful, and seemingly endless, his seed filled her.
The disturbing dreams that had brought him to her bed were forgotten. Keeping himself inside her, he rolled onto his back so she would not be burdened with his weight. He groped for the sheet and flipped it over them, though the last thing he felt was cold.
Devona snuggled her nose against his hairy chest. “Paradise,” she murmured.
His hand stroked her head. “A magnificent dream. Go back to sleep.” With one hand caressing her back and the other propping up his head Rayne remained awake. If Devona had lifted her head, she would have seen the intense resolve etched on his features.
The lover had been pacified for the moment, but the protector had surfaced in his stead. Someone was trying to hurt her. Whoever was behind this must have thought they were quite safe hiding in the shadows while plying their deadly mischief. Rayne could be equally ruthless. Mingling among the common inhabitants of London had its benefits. He would use the contacts he had to find the person responsible. And he would. Their foe either grossly underestimated the lengths to which he would go to protect his wife or knew exactly how far he would go.
***
“I cannot decide if Tipton sent you here because he is too furious to see to me himself, or if you are a peace offering.”
Devona smiled as she tied off the stitches she had sewn into the bandages to keep them secure. Taking up her scissors, she snipped the thread. “You must forgive Tipton. He is just learning how to be a brother. I fear he overreacted when he saw you…” She paused, thinking the phrase “on top of Madeleina” sounded slightly indelicate.
