“Surely you must see I had to do what—”
“You naive, reckless…” The words exploded from him, shocking her with their ferocity.
Oh God, he is furious.
Her heart started a slow thud.
“If he had overpowered you…you cannot imagine what he may have done to you, countess. Once again, you were reckless and acted without thought or logic over your emotions. It would be an injustice if I do not tan your backside so that you will not be able to sit for days,” he snarled. “He would have brutally beaten and raped you. Was it so hard to inform me of what was happening? Did you believe I would not have defended your honor? Do you have such little faith in me, wife?”
Her eyes widened. She had never seen him so…so…intimidating. “If you had made it possible to confide in you, I would not have been placed in such an untenable situation.”
He jerked as if she had slapped him.
“I wanted to spare you from scandal…and in truth, I was not sure if you would give the matter any thought. I know how much you deplore emotional tantrums and tears, and I was afraid to tell my husband of my worries because I feared you would not approve of me!”
He stepped toward her, and Livvie turned and fled. She ran through the hallway, and out the door as if the devil were on her heels. She continued through the forecourt and on to the uneven country road until she slowed to a walk. She panted breathlessly, her throat tightening with tears. She knew what would happen now.
Scandal. Horrible scandal. The cook would tell her niece, who worked as an upstairs maid at another great house, and that niece will inform a cousin, and then it would spread to the drawing rooms and parlors of those most influential in the ton.
Her stomach cramped.
Worse, Tobias was indeed shocked at her behavior. A sob burst from her throat.
The pounding hooves of a horse sounded behind her. She stopped walking and waited for him to approach. He jumped off the horse before it fully halted, grabbed her around the waist, and seated her none too gentle in the saddle astride. He mounted behind her and urged the stallion into a powerful run.
They rode hard, and she felt every jolt on her backside. She would be sore later, but instead of protesting, she held on to the pommel, seething. They swept through the high walls leading to his lands, and he turned the horse toward a grotto, where he jerked to a halt. He pushed from the horse and handed her the reins.
She stared down at him dazedly and was shocked at the depth of rage and contempt she spied in his eyes. Pain tore through her heart. His knuckles were bruised and bloody. She ran a finger softly over the cuts. “Please, Tobias, we must discuss this.”
“Return to the main house,” he said with chilling calm. “I want you out of my sight.”
She flinched. Then she scrambled from the horse, almost falling to the ground in her haste. She slapped the rump of the horse, and he cantered away before slowing to a walk.
“Why would you say this to me? How have I caused such an offense you would wish me from your very sight?”
“If you had been honest instead of manipulative, I would not have almost killed a man.” He gazed at his hands in a daze, on the blood on his knuckles. “I gave you every opportunity to confide in me and instead you once again acted with reckless disregard for anyone but yourself.”
“How dare you, Tobias. You did nothing to make me believe I could trust you with my emotions. I had to act for myself, as I did not believe my own husband would protect me at the cost of appearing emotional.” Her voice shook. “Do you think I am not aware of the manner of man I have had the misfortune to fall in love with?”
His lips curved in a sneer, and her anger flared even hotter.
“Yes, Tobias, love! The emotion you seem to despise in equal measure along with anger and damnable tears. I am a woman! I am human, I cannot remain unfeeling and repress all the emotions I have because you have demanded it to be so. You are an arrogant and unfeeling lout!”
“This is what you think of me?”
“Can there be any other thought to be had?” she asked hoarsely. “From the moment we became intimate you’ve informed me I am not to cry, not to be angry, and heaven forbid I actually swoon. You want me to be cold and unfeeling. Do you deny it?”
He made no answer.
“Do you love me?”
His face shuttered. “You know my thoughts on the matter.”
“Do I?”
“Yes,” he ground out.
“We have known each other for several weeks. We have been as man and wife. Every opportunity you’ve had, you sought my presence, kissed me, introduced me to pleasure, came after me when you thought I was disturbed. You lost the rein on your famed temper because I had been threatened and hurt. Can you reflect on these things and say you have no attachment or tendre for me, Tobias?” she demanded, her voice breaking, and her heart trembling for she feared his answer.
The silence stretched, and then he spoke. “I only know that you are dangerous, and I regret staying in that closet with you.”
She stumbled back with a soft cry. Then she ran from him. Her name floated on the wind, but she did not hesitate, only stumbled deeper into the thicket. Mere seconds later, a hand grabbed her waist and spun her around, and acting from a place of deep hurt, she lashed out. He caught her hand in a gentle grip so at odds with the raw emotions darkening his eyes to emerald.
“I cannot bear the thought of you in tears. It rips me in two and makes me want to slay whoever hurt you…even when it’s myself. How do I know you are not manipulating me with them? How the hell do I know anything?”
“I have no cause to manipulate my husband.”
“I wanted to kill him,” he muttered fiercely. “I wanted to break all of his bones for touching you. I am the very man my father was.”
“Tobias, no, you—”
He dipped his head and slashed his mouth over hers in a fierce and unexpected kiss.
Chapter Nineteen
When had he gotten so obsessed with his wife’s scent and taste? When had she snuck under his guard and owned his fucking soul? She whimpered into his kiss and wrenched away, trembling fingers going to her bruised lips, her eyes wide pools of desire and hurt. He vowed then that he would break William for what he had done. Hell, he would just kill him and be done with it.
Control. He had to fight for control. He was a rational man, and he was not ruled by emotions. Tobias jerked away from her and she moved with him, fisting his jacket and tugging his lips back to hers.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he growled, kissing the corner of her lips. Her taste was honeyed intoxication and it was painful to admit he would never get enough.
Olivia stood on her toes and cupped his jaw in her delicate hands. “Then don’t hurt me,” she breathed. “Love me, hold me, and comfort me.”
Her touch shattered him and a fierce surge of possessiveness shook him. With a deep groan, he kissed her tenderly, barely brushing his lips over hers, but his hands coasted over her body with fierceness. He pushed the skirt of her riding habit to her waist and pressed her against the tree. He gripped her thighs and lifted her, parting her legs so she straddled his waist.
Hands trembling with need, and blood pounding with furious emotions, he unfastened his breeches and pressed his hardened length against her already wet entrance. It was immediate penetration. He thrust deep and a wail of pleasure sounded from her lips, destroying the remnants of his self-control. He drove inside her harder, deeper, one hand on her hip holding her still, the other under her shoulders, arching her breasts to his devouring mouth. Her head fell back, a hard shudder wracking her body.