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  His gaze swept over her deceiving features. She looked soft and feminine, freckles dotting her cheeks, her mouth a full bloom that feigned innocence. But she was far from an innocent. In those large blue eyes, a woman who’d seen ugliness and survived it, fought for triumph in situations where there was none. Hope for better had not been broken and she’d learned how to manipulate and seduce to get what she wanted in a world where she had no rights.

  “You’re a very dangerous creature,” he murmured and stilled, closing his eyes when her mouth found his shoulder again and her small teeth pressed against his skin. Heat wound through his abdomen and tightened. When she released him, moved half an inch inward then bit again, he grasped her hips and thrust his against her.

  “Interesting,” she purred before moving another half inch and biting again. Michael’s breathing deepened as that heat thickened inside of him. His cock strained against the material of his trousers and he felt like leaping on the woman. Then her hand slipped down between them to rub at him.

  “You’ll make me so damned rushed that I’ll have no control,” he warned. The wench bit again, this time harder, and Michael made a sound that was half grunt, half growl.

  “It is the pain you like?” she whispered.

  “I haven’t felt any pain. It’s that damnable mouth…” He dragged a ragged breath and this time she bit down with force. His fingers tightened on her hips and his body jerked forward, slamming her against the wall.

  “How much can you take before you break?” she tempted.

  His laughter sounded strangled. “My breaking point is not what you want, woman.” He grasped her shoulders so she couldn’t lean forward and bite again. “Push me too far and I’ll want to bite back, to make you mine, forever.”

  Her eyes rounded as her hands stilled on his chest. “I understand.”

  But she didn’t. Not really. She couldn’t. If she did, she wouldn’t have leant forward to bite him again as soon as he loosened his hold on her shoulders. It felt good. Too good. Her hands ran up and down his stomach then dropped to loosen his trousers. He watched her undress him and remove his boots. When he stood naked, her gaze washed over him, appraising every inch. He could smell her arousal—an intoxicating blend of desire and her natural feminine scent.

  Capturing her mouth, he kissed her roughly, thrusting his tongue forward, and tasted the sweet warmth behind her teeth. Her soft, obliging lips worked against his, kissing him back with equal fever as he pushed up her dress and removed her undergarments. She moaned against his mouth when his hand dipped between her thighs to caress the soft folds of her sex, the sound causing a terrible, aching need in his groin.

  When he released her from his kiss, he saw the shocked look in her heavy lidded gaze and knew she could see that his eyes had started to glow. It couldn’t be helped. He didn’t have the same control his brother had. He couldn’t keep his wolf tucked away as if it didn’t exist, not when this woman made him want to crawl atop her and show her exactly what kind of animal he could be.

  Her pink tongue slid along her bottom lip and hesitantly she leant forward. Her tongue pressed against his shoulder and she sucked at his skin. The draw of her lips caused him to hold his breath but when those small even teeth applied pressure, he released that breath loudly. His arms shook and the heat that filled him could not be slowed.

  “More?”

  “Oh God yes,” he answered, his voice sounding more akin to a beastly growl than human. She should have run. She should have screamed and cowered. Instead, she bit down on his shoulder once more and didn’t pull back. Torturous pleasure wound through him until his whole body shook. Grasping her leg at the knee, he brought it to his hip so he could dip forward. His cock bumped against her cunt as her back touched the wall. He thrust into her and she cried out against his skin, her teeth gripping him harder. She was slick with her own excitement and rocked her hips for more, the walls of her sex tightening around him when she did.

  “More,” he said between ragged breaths. “Harder.” She obliged, those teeth tightening so that the blood pounded through his body. He slammed his hips into her, grunting with every thrust as desire overwhelmed him. He couldn’t slow, driven now by pure need.

  She released his shoulder and as her pants became cries, she gripped his arms tightly. “Hurry,” he growled and she bucked beneath the force of pleasure, nails raking across his shoulders. He rode her until her cries became screams then sobs. Now he would take his fill of her. He was hungry and had little control left. She took the last of it when she leant up and bit him where his neck met his shoulder.

  It was half shout, half sound of the beast. He buried himself as he spilled into her, wild dizzying heat shaking through him. Her teeth pressed harder and the pleasure intensified until lights danced in the corners of his vision. He threw his head back as his canines pushed through his gums. He released her knee, planting both hands on the wall behind her as his nails lengthened into sharp points.

  Adrenalin pumped through him as she released him from her mouth. “No more,” he rasped. She stared up at him as he took several deep breaths. He could feel her pulse against his cock and her feminine scent filled his nose. His whole body shook as he fought the urge to sink his own teeth into her. It was not love which was what drove most to make a mate. She was a dangerous woman and had found what triggered his loss of control and took him to the very edge between man and beast. It made him want to keep her.

  “Any more and I make you mine.” He dragged long breaths through his nose loudly.

  “What are you?” she whispered.

  “I am wolf.” He closed his eyes, forcing his body to calm. “I warned you not to push me.” He pulled from within her but instantly wanted to push back into her tight warmth and ride her again. Once the shaking stopped, his canines and claws retracted. He pushed off the wall and turned his back to her, walking to the window to look out at the darkened docks in the distance.

  “Leave me.” He heard the rustle of her clothes and listened to her steps as she moved to the door.

  “I’ll return to you tomorrow.” Then the door closed behind her.

  He knew she wouldn’t. She’d seen him now, realised the danger. He would have to find Hurst on his own. Sighing, he reached for his clothes and, once dressed, pulled on his coat. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest as he discovered the leather purse was missing from the sleeve.

  Chapter Four

  “Michael.” Victor’s voice pushed through sleep and brought Michael to full wake. He sat up, squinting through the late morning sunlight that poured through the window. His brother stood in the doorway, a quizzical smile twisting his lips. Behind him, a head of honey gold hair and large eyes peered around and into the room.

  “She said you would want her to come up?” Victor’s voice hinted with amusement.

  “What in hell are you doing here?” Michael demanded and his brother stepped aside.

  “You were not where I left you last night. I told you I would return.” Elle stepped forward. “It was not difficult to find you. I merely asked someone on the street. I didn’t know you were so wealthy.”

  Michael ran a hand over his face as she moved closer and sat on the side of the bed. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

  “I brought a gift,” she held out a bottle of rum, “to apologise for my leaving so hastily last night. Lewis will be furious. I stole it from his personal stores…at his office.”

  “Close the damned drapes,” he growled and his brother moved to block out the light so Michael could focus on her face. Then his gaze dropped to the bruises around her neck.

  “What happened to you?” He reached forward and tilted her head to the side. Clear marks of fingers wrapped around her throat.

  “Lewis was angry I’d stayed out so late. It’s nothing. Did you hear me? I was at his office last night.” She tried to push away his hands but Michael’s anger must have shown in his eyes. “I’m used to his heavy hand and his suspicion, though this t
ime I suppose his accusations were true.”

  “I’ve changed my mind. I think I would like to beat what I want to know out of him.” Michael let his hand fall away and glanced at his brother to find Victor’s brow furrowed.

  “You needn’t. You were right. If you’ll stop fussing over me like a mother hen, I’ll tell you what I’ve already found out.” She pulled out a piece of parchment from the basket she carried. “He drank too much wine last night and while he slept, I transcribed the document for you.” She held it out to him.

  “What is this about?” Victor moved closer.

  “Hurst,” Michael answered absently as he reached for the parchment.

  “It wasn’t Hurst who bought the Bucket, but the more I thought of what you’d said and about that man McKenzie, the more I wondered if you were not spot-on with your suspicions. So, I slipped away early this morning and visited a constable that often uses Lewis’s prostitutes. A bit of blackmail and he told me the name on the document. The man who bought the Bucket—Thomas Pent—is an attorney here in London and works as Josiah Hurst’s accountant.” She beamed at him and crossed her arms. “I paid a boy to sit outside Thomas Pent’s office. I’m to meet him tonight and he will relay to me everyone who came and went.”

  “You blackmailed a constable?” Michael chuckled. “And I wonder how you could afford to pay anyone to do anything.”

  “You were stupid to have trusted me not to take the purse once you’d told me where it was,” she defended.

  “She stole from you?” Victor laughed suddenly. “Who is this woman?”

  “Elle Riley. Your brother and I are business associates,” Elle answered, eliciting another laugh from Victor.

  “I took your advice yesterday and found a woman to occupy my time with. She is helping me to find Hurst so that I am not made to sit in this house and do nothing.” Michael threw back the covers and reached for his clothes, very aware of Elle’s gaze when it swept over him. Apparently, Victor noticed as well.

  “I’ll leave you to your…business discussions. Join us downstairs when you are finished here.” He turned and slipped through the door, pulling it closed behind him.

  “Have you no desire for me now?” she asked when he started to pull on his clothes. When he looked back at her, he found disappointment in her gaze. He was surprised she would offer herself after she’d seen his true nature the night before.

  “First, I want to read this document. Did you find anything else?” He pulled on his trousers.

  She lifted a second parchment. “The owner of the buildings that Lewis bought. Can you guess? Thomas Pent.”

  Michael swiped it from her and read over her precise handwriting. “There are no addresses here.”

  “I told you I was not stupid. If you had the addresses, you would have no need for me.” She stood as he swept a shirt over his head and stepped forward to grasp the material. Keeping her gaze on his, she began tucking the material into his trousers, purposely pushing her hands lower and against his cock.

  “You think I would cheat you?” He arched a brow as she reached around him to tuck in the back, pushing her breasts against his chest.

  “I think you want to kill Josiah Hurst as much as I want to be free of Lewis Brisby.” She lifted her hands and began combing them through his hair. “That doesn’t make you a cheat.”

  “You are a manipulative wench.” He finally lifted his hands to her waist and she smiled slyly. “Why are you here? I know you were frightened of me last night.”

  “I had all night to consider that fear. How should your being a wolf instead of the devil I’d thought make much difference in our arrangement other than I may still have a chance to avoid damnation?” Her hand slid down to his face. “And…well, I also considered how you were with me. You could have taken what you wanted. I offered it freely and instead you gave me pleasure too. Most wouldn’t have done that in the same situation.”

  Michael said nothing as she leant into him.

  “And you could have beaten me for stealing from you, beaten me for striking you when I tried to run. You didn’t. Even when you were changed, you warned me of what danger I was in.” She took a breath. “I do recognise kindness and that wasn’t part of the deal. And kindness is appreciated for I do not know it often.”

  Michael wanted to go to the apartment across London, wait for Lewis to arrive and rip out his throat. This woman, who’d obviously seen her fair share of ugliness in the world, had not been broken. She fought. She survived. She grasped hope and triumph wherever she could find it, no matter how large or small. A slave to a man, and yet she blackmailed constables to get what she wanted.

  “You are smiling, almost look as if you are laughing at me,” she said.

  “I’m attempting to imagine a constable bending to your will,” he admitted and she grinned devilishly.

  “He turned three shades of red and threatened to have me thrown from his home into the street. He might have followed through but I asked him how he would explain it to his wife when I tore open my dress and wept at his steps for him to take me again and again as he had the night before.” Her eyes glittered. “He sputtered and huffed then blurted out the information I asked for.”

  Michael did laugh that time, he couldn’t help it. “I’ve only met one that matched your power of seduction and manipulation.”

  “I suppose you hate her too.”

  Michael shook his head. “No, I love her as I love no other and yearn to return to her as soon as Hurst is dead.” She saw her eyes widen.

  “Love? Truly? Who is she? What is her name?”

  “The Atlantic.” He released her and strode to the door. “Come, we will have time later to explore what desires you mean to fulfil. My brother will need to be filled in on our plan and may be able to offer advice on how to proceed.”

  Elle sat quietly in a chair in the study of Ashton Manor, watching Cadence Ashton as she busied herself in keeping the men’s cups filled with coffee. Her gown was expensive silk and jewels sparkled at her throat and ears. When Victor looked at her, she could see the depth of love he felt for the woman.

  “Hurst’s business continues in his absence.” Victor leant back in his chair. “I’ll send someone to Portsmouth to see if he’s taken residence at the Bucket Inn. But I suspect he is here, somewhere in London.”

  Michael looked at Cadence, “Where do you think he might go to hide?”

  The woman settled on the settee and waved a hand. “I haven’t the slightest. I wasn’t even allowed into his study. He never told me anything.”

  “How do you know him?” Elle asked.

  “I was married to him.” Cadence’s revelation surprised Elle. She glanced at Victor then Michael. Victor was married to the woman that was once married to Hurst.

  “You took his wife?” She looked at Victor but it was Michael that spoke, holding up his hand.

  “After he took my arm and burned my ship and all that it carried, including my crew.”

  Elle inclined her head adding, “After you attacked his ship.” She glanced at Cadence. “Perhaps if he thought you wanted him back?”

  Cadence leant forward. “You mean I could lure him out of hiding? He might be tempted, for otherwise he would not be so foolish to show himself while there was the threat of one of these two coming after him. He did see Victor in full wolf form.”

  “Absolutely not,” Victor interrupted. “I will not use you as bait and if he even so much as looked at you, I would carve out his eyes.”

  “You would do no such thing, for you know Michael’s mood would then be intolerable,” Cadence laughed, rolling her eyes.

  “Then what would I do, wife, since you assume once again to know?” Victor raised a brow and Elle watched Cadence open her mouth and close it again as her cheeks flushed deeply. “I think you do it purposely,” Victor accused in a quiet voice as he rose from behind his desk and stepped behind his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders.

  “I only meant…” she stopped wh
en he leant forward, his lips next to her ear.

  “Do you do it purposely?”

  Elle almost stood, ready to leap on the man if he meant to raise a hand to his wife but the small smile that turned on Cadence’s lips stopped her. Those eyes cut up at her husband and for a moment their gazes met.

  “You know well I only do as I wish.”

  Victor’s gaze dropped to her smile, his own mouth curling. “So you do.” He straightened and moved away, back to his desk. “Cadence, despite her test to my patience, is right. Hurst will not show himself until he can either prove the rumours he’s spread of our family is true or he feels there is no longer a threat.”

  “Or he believes to be meeting with someone he trusts,” Elle added, “someone like Thomas Pent. I did not find out all that I have without thinking things through. If we pay for Pent to be watched, and see that he is indeed meeting with Hurst regularly, it would be easy enough to find out where and be waiting for him.”

  “And how would we do that?” Michael asked.

  Elle grinned, “Men tend to reveal much when there is a chance for a romp with a woman. I’ll go to him and ask for work. I will do anything he needs me to do for a small price that will buy a loaf of bread to feed my younger brother. He will suggest a meeting later that evening to discuss how I could be of use to him, but I cannot in the evenings for I couldn’t leave my poor brother alone at dark. Instead I suggest the time, but he has a meeting and cannot. Where is it, I innocently inquire, and I shall wait for him after the meeting.” She shrugged. “Then you have where and when.”

  “And what if he is one who, once propositioned, will not wait?” Michael asked.

  “Then I pretend to enjoy the rutting pig and ask for him to meet with me again,” Elle answered. “Either way, we get what we are after.”