Ascension by A.S. Fenichel Read Free Book Online Page A

to be released from our contract.” He’d omitted any emotion from his statement.
    “That is correct.” She took the same tone.
    “Why?” One piece of hair had come loose from its queue and fallen over his eye.
    She pushed the disobedient shock back.
    He turned into her hand and the day’s growth on his cheek scratched her palm. His locks were as silky as she remembered. The contrast with his rough beard sent a shock of desire to her core, as if he had touched her there.
    “I’m sorry, Gabriel. My life has become very complicated, in ways, I cannot possibly explain. Frankly, you would never believe me. While my affection for you has never changed, I am no longer a proper wife for you. I could not be happy in the kind of marriage you deserve.” It was the truth. Though certainly not the entire story of the last four years of her life, but everything she said was completely honest.
    “Bella.” He kissed her palm.
    Juices pooled between her legs. She yearned for his lips to repeat their attentions of the other night. The memory of his head between her legs encompassed her, and the heat of her blush suffused her face and neck.
    His voice was a source of warmth in the cool night. “I know you are telling the truth as you see it, my love, but I think you underestimate me. How can you know what kind of wife I require?”
    She took her hand away. “You want what every man wants, Gabriel. You want a simple woman who will take care of your houses and bear your children. I cannot be that woman. I would go mad sewing useless pieces of cloth and seeing to the servants.”
    He put his head in his hands. “I say again that you underestimate me, Bella.”
    She was about to tell him that he was wrong, but he put his hand up.
    “I have also changed in the last four years. War has altered my view of the world. I do not know exactly what has happened here while I was away, and it is unfortunate that you cannot trust me enough to share the information. It is my belief that we should make an effort to accept that we have both been altered by circumstances and perhaps get to know each other again.”
    “I do not think that’s a good idea.”
    “Hear me out. If we end our betrothal then the gossip will be terrible, and you shall have to bear the brunt of it. Men of wealth are much more easily forgiven in our circles as you well know.”
    “That is so unfair,” she lamented.
    “Yes, well, fair or not, it is the society in which we live. My plan saves you the embarrassment of a broken betrothal at least for the time being. If after you have spent some time with me, you still feel our marriage would be untenable, we can separate, and I shall harbor no ill will.”
    He was correct. There would be a terrible scandal if she broke off their engagement. And because he was only back from war a few short weeks, the gossips would relish dragging her through the dirt. Scandal would bring attention to her and that wouldn’t be good. She couldn’t have the entire ton focused on her every move. “I will agree under one condition.”
    “What is that?”
    She gulped in a deep breath of air. Her nerves bubbled in her gut far worse than in the demons cell. Her heart raced and her throat tightened. “If at any time, you find that the changes in me are too unbearable, you also have the ability to step away without any undue rancor. This shall be an equal test, Gabriel.”
    He smiled wide and his joy was contagious. Telling herself that this would only delay the inevitable did not lessen the happiness pushing its way into her heart.
    “We have an agreement then?” She put her hand out as a man might do.
    “We have a deal.” He took her offered hand and shook it before pulling her closer and pressing his lips to hers.
    His mouth sent a wave of shudders down her body. Her head emptied of all the reasons why she could no longer love Gabriel. Her focus diverted to the delights of his lips. His tongue pressed at the seam between her lips and the