Broken Legacy (Secret Lives Series) by Colleen Connally Read Free Book Online Page B

grasped her face in his hands, intertwining his fingers in her unruly hair. He gently drew her up to his face. He kissed her and released a desire that began to stir within her. His tongue prodded her lips open and claimed her with his kiss. Slowly, he broke from her.
    "Eloise, my Eloise," he whispered over her lips.
    The tension in her body eased. Her hands pressed against his chest. "You make no sense..." she stuttered. “You all but called me a..."
    His finger quickly lay upon her lips. He shook his head. "It is not what I said. You are the one who said I didn’t understand." He leaned down and kissed her again.
    "Does it matter?" She caught her breath. "It is the past. It has no bearing upon the future. If you must insist, it was only a brief period of my life and it has long been over."
    “It does to me. You are to be my wife in the morn. Is there someone I should call out? What if…?”
    “You are being absurd! You can leave. Leave me. I don’t care. It is not me who wants this marriage. It is you.” Her voice trembled. She pushed against him. “Go. I will not defend actions I don’t believe need to be defended. If you look for me to repent and say I’m sorry, it will not come, monsieur. Never!”
    Her words resonated within the room. Her earlier hysteria was replaced with an utter wretchedness. Silence returned.
    He sighed deeply. “Then I ask only if it will interfere with my mission. That I have to know, Eloise.”
    Slowly, she shook her head. “ Non, non .”
    She stood. She had to get out of his grasp. She couldn’t think with him so near, but he rose with her. His arms wrapped around her , keeping her within his gaze.
    “You have to believe I don’t want to hurt you, Eloise,” he said gently. “It is not my intent. If you say it is in the past and will not interfere with my mission, I will never mention it again.”
    Silent tears fell down her cheek. Swallowing hard, she said in a low voice, no louder than a whisper, “He is dead, monsieur. Dead for many years. When my father and brother brought me over, it was for that reason. I don’t even know all the details of their venture over to get moi . Only…they came and the years of my father’s denial I was his legitimate daughter dissipated.”
    His hand caressed her cheek and embraced her tighter.
    “I don’t want your sympathy,” she said faintly. “Nor your forgiveness.”
    “You misunderstand me, Eloise. I don’t feel sympathy for you. No, it’s not sympathy .” He pushed back her hair from her face, his voice quiet and calm. “It is far from what I feel for you. I misspoke before. The word I should have used is fascinate. You fascinate me, my lady.”
    “I doubt…”
    “Ssh,” he said. “I don’t know the life you led before we met. I have heard the rumors, but I also know your brother. His Grace is a man who takes great pride in his family. He cares greatly for you, as is evident in the whole of your family. Before he consented to this marriage, he made me give my word that I would care for you and try to make you happy. I gave him my word and I will hold to it.”
    “My brother doesn’t know all…”
    “And I’m telling you it matters only to me the present. Now,” he gave her a small smile, “my lady, I need only to know whether it will interfere with my plan to rescue my children. That is all. I need you to tell me the truth.”
    “The truth, monsieur. The truth? I doubt it. You want only to use it against me. What more do you want from me? You threaten my family and now expect me to…”
    “Stop. You know now my reason for the threat.”
    “You would not hold to it.”
    He hesitated, but for a moment only. “If you want honesty, Lady Eloise, I will be blunt. I will do what I have to do to ensure my children’s safety. I protect my family at all cost.” He reached over and caressed her face. “Which in the morn, you will be also. Nothing you have said has changed my mind on the notion of taking you for my