Page 58 of Marigold and the Marquess
“I am suggesting you are swayed by my introducing you to the pleasures of the bed.”
She frowned at him. “I knew you thought I was too wanton.”
He laughed. “Blessed saints, you are not. You are expressive and responsive. In short, you are perfect in the bedchamber and out of it. Just let us not have this conversation yet. It is early days and you have now seen I am not entirely in control of my rage. It will never be aimed at you, I give you my word of honor.”
She nodded. “I believe you. I trust you.”
Gad, did she have to trust him, too?
Love and trust?
How was he to combat that? “I cannot say what will happen if ever I face Cummings or Denby. I will likely rip them apart as I tried to do to Beldon. So you would be wise not to get too attached to me because I have no idea how this will all work out.”
“Leo, think ofusand not merely of yourself. If you dare rush off and get yourself killed, I will haul you out of your grave and then kill you myself.”
He laughed.
“Well, I wouldn’t really.”
“I know.”
Her eyes began to tear. “Leo, please. Don’t you dare leave me.”
Lord, was she going to cry?
Did she think he ever wanted to be apart from her?
She was the sunshine nourishing his bleak soul.
But he was beyond saving and so was their marriage. The incident with Beldon proved his need for revenge was stronger than her love. He’d told her that he might have stopped had he seen innocence reflected in Beldon’s eyes, but he doubted he would have done so. First of all, he was rabid with rage. If Octavian hadn’t held him back, Beldon would not have been left breathing. Perhaps this blind rage would change over time, but not now. He was a savage beast with massive teeth who needed to feed on death and retribution.
However, once his vengeance was complete, he could love her.
Dear heaven, how could he not love her?
Perhaps he was there already, but how could he trust his feelings?
Their meeting and marriage had happened impossibly fast.
They had been married a day and he had almost killed Beldon.
She was trying to soften him with her declaration of love, trying to make him see reason when his feelings were not driven by reason but anger, hate, and destruction.
How could she love him?
He would destroy her.
In doing so, he would forever destroy himself.
Why did she have to love him?
This ought to have elated him, even if he never admitted the feeling was reciprocated. But it did not make him feel good at all.
He had such a sense of foreboding.
Something bad was going to happen soon.
Could he protect Marigold?
