step away from the duke. She didn’t look up. She couldn’t. She could barely move without somewhere showing signs of abject shame. Embarrassment. If only a hole would open in the floor before her! She’d have dropped into it with alacrity. She dropped a curtsey in his direction. She didn’t have enough moisture in her mouth to speak, so she whispered.
“I must go.”
“Oh. I don’t think so,” he answered.
The duke snatched up her hand and used it to pull her against him. Ainslee gave a soft gasp as he gripped her to his left side. He glanced down, his expression harsh, and nothing like the one he’d given her earlier. And then he looked across the library at her brother.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Neal.
Neal.
What are you doing, buddy?
Neal castigated himself silently, while Ainslee trembled at his side. Just like that, he’d gone off the script. Without any warning. This was the opposite of his objective. He was here to dot some ‘I’s, cross some ‘T’s. Get the hell out of Dodge. If the little waif lived in an abusive environment, what the hell did it matter to him? She wouldn’t be the first woman. Besides, she didn’t have any obvious bruising. No signs of trauma. She was obviously used to it. This wasn’t his concern.
He almost groaned.
There wasn’t one inkling to why he was doing this. Something weird was happening here. He didn’t recognize it and he damned sure didn’t like not knowing what it was.
So what if Ainslee was small? So excruciating young? What did it matter that she was – face it, Neal – the waif was mercilessly attractive. So what? Neal had been around stunning women his entire adult life although Ainslee MacAffrey might overshadow them all. All right Even dressed in a poorly fashioned dress, in an excruciatingly bad color choice, she had a beauty that transcended normality. It was almost ethereal.
He’d recognized it instantly. He’d nearly whistled when she’d first approached. She had a waterfall of midnight-colored hair falling across her shoulders and down her back, incredibly vivid sapphire hued eyes set amidst black lashes that wouldn’t need mascara even if it was available at this point in time, and pristine skin that a cosmetic counter couldn’t possibly enhance.
So what, Neal?
Argh.
He had to factor in her first reaction to him. Perhaps that was why he was standing here now, preparing to go head-to-head with her abuser. Ainslee’s face had lit up when she’d recognized him. He guessed the reason for it now. He didn’t think he was far off. She’d been expecting another man entirely. And that made her bravery as she’d approached him even more remarkable.
Neal stiffened as he regarded the MacAffrey heir. The move tightened his arm and lifted Ainslee from the floor, plastering her to his left leg. The closeness of her, as she melted into his protective arm caused an unfamiliar surge of electricity to course through his body.
He rocked back slightly with the force of it before returning upright. But, all of that had to have been in his mind. Ainslee hadn’t moved, and her brother didn’t appear to have noted anything.
What in the hell?
Mitchell grinned drunkenly across at them. Wove in place. And then he wagged a finger in their direction.
“Ye need to release..me, uh. Me. Me...” The lad stopped. Licked his lips. Hiccoughed. “Her. Ains...lee. Me sister.”
Neal cleared his throat. Glanced down at Ainslee. “I don’t believe we’ve finalized our plans. Have we, darling?”
He attempted a smile. Another jolt went through his belly and lower limbs. It messed with his intent. His eyes widened, any attempt at a smile died, and he shifted his gaze before anything more alien happened. The area where her brother stood was a viable option. And he knew he could deal with Mitchell, at least.
“Be off, lad. Find your father. Tell him to attend me here. Right now. And while you’re at it, request
“I must go.”
“Oh. I don’t think so,” he answered.
The duke snatched up her hand and used it to pull her against him. Ainslee gave a soft gasp as he gripped her to his left side. He glanced down, his expression harsh, and nothing like the one he’d given her earlier. And then he looked across the library at her brother.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Neal.
Neal.
What are you doing, buddy?
Neal castigated himself silently, while Ainslee trembled at his side. Just like that, he’d gone off the script. Without any warning. This was the opposite of his objective. He was here to dot some ‘I’s, cross some ‘T’s. Get the hell out of Dodge. If the little waif lived in an abusive environment, what the hell did it matter to him? She wouldn’t be the first woman. Besides, she didn’t have any obvious bruising. No signs of trauma. She was obviously used to it. This wasn’t his concern.
He almost groaned.
There wasn’t one inkling to why he was doing this. Something weird was happening here. He didn’t recognize it and he damned sure didn’t like not knowing what it was.
So what if Ainslee was small? So excruciating young? What did it matter that she was – face it, Neal – the waif was mercilessly attractive. So what? Neal had been around stunning women his entire adult life although Ainslee MacAffrey might overshadow them all. All right Even dressed in a poorly fashioned dress, in an excruciatingly bad color choice, she had a beauty that transcended normality. It was almost ethereal.
He’d recognized it instantly. He’d nearly whistled when she’d first approached. She had a waterfall of midnight-colored hair falling across her shoulders and down her back, incredibly vivid sapphire hued eyes set amidst black lashes that wouldn’t need mascara even if it was available at this point in time, and pristine skin that a cosmetic counter couldn’t possibly enhance.
So what, Neal?
Argh.
He had to factor in her first reaction to him. Perhaps that was why he was standing here now, preparing to go head-to-head with her abuser. Ainslee’s face had lit up when she’d recognized him. He guessed the reason for it now. He didn’t think he was far off. She’d been expecting another man entirely. And that made her bravery as she’d approached him even more remarkable.
Neal stiffened as he regarded the MacAffrey heir. The move tightened his arm and lifted Ainslee from the floor, plastering her to his left leg. The closeness of her, as she melted into his protective arm caused an unfamiliar surge of electricity to course through his body.
He rocked back slightly with the force of it before returning upright. But, all of that had to have been in his mind. Ainslee hadn’t moved, and her brother didn’t appear to have noted anything.
What in the hell?
Mitchell grinned drunkenly across at them. Wove in place. And then he wagged a finger in their direction.
“Ye need to release..me, uh. Me. Me...” The lad stopped. Licked his lips. Hiccoughed. “Her. Ains...lee. Me sister.”
Neal cleared his throat. Glanced down at Ainslee. “I don’t believe we’ve finalized our plans. Have we, darling?”
He attempted a smile. Another jolt went through his belly and lower limbs. It messed with his intent. His eyes widened, any attempt at a smile died, and he shifted his gaze before anything more alien happened. The area where her brother stood was a viable option. And he knew he could deal with Mitchell, at least.
“Be off, lad. Find your father. Tell him to attend me here. Right now. And while you’re at it, request
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