AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What was?” she asked.
“Watching you reject that poor man in front of everyone.”
“How long were you listening?”
“For a while. I wanted to observe you. I wanted to see what it is about this life that calls to you.”
She snorted indelicately. “I would give up all my undergarments for rabbit stew and one of your baths right about now.”
“This life is easier.”
“For whom? Listen.”
He frowned. “Listen for what?”
“Listen to how they speak of me.”
His eyes took a faraway look, but he stumbled nary a step in the graceful dance. His eyebrows raised. “Would you like me to kill all of them?” And bless that man, he sounded absolutely serious.
“I cannot win here,” she murmured. “I am chess piece here, nothing more.”
“You are so much more than a chess piece though, Eliza. Surely you understand you are more.”
“I am more in Texas.”
His eyes dipped to her lips.
“Garret?” she asked softly. Oh, she knew he had sensitive hearing and would hear it over the string instruments guiding their dance. “I’ve truly missed you.” Her eyes filled with emotion, and she dropped her gaze to hide from him.
He eased them to a stop and rested his hand on her throat, guided her chin back up to the gasps of so many.
He looked down at her with those striking blue eyes, took his thumb, and stroked her jawline so intimately. And right there for all to see, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, hand on her throat, other arm still up to hold her in the waltz.
“I’ll dance like them, but I’m not doing fancy words like them,” he rumbled.
She let off a huffed laugh and asked, “Would you like to be anywhere but here? With me?”
A smile crooked the corners of his lips, and he nodded once, then stooped and picked her up. Just…folded her into his arms and carried her toward the edge of the dance floor like she weighed nothing at all.
“If they’re going to talk about you like this, we will give them something to talk about.”
Slightly taken aback by the weight of everyone’s attention, Eliza steeled herself and slid her arms around his neck, propped her face right near his, and didn’t remove her gaze from them until they were outside on the balcony.
He pulled her up tighter against him, and as he strode down the stairs of that balcony toward the woods beyond, she caught a glimpse of her old life over his shoulder.
Dozens were gathered at the mouth of the balcony doors, gawking and talking. Faraday was in the front looking enraged, but he didn’t know what he was dealing with.
If he had been stupid enough to throw a punch at Garret, he would’ve shattered his hand, and then been destroyed by the monster that dwelled inside of her husband.
She liked that—the confidence she had in her man to keep her safe.
No one here could touch her now.
She wasn’t alone.
They had no idea how monstrous her guard dog was.
The crowd disappeared as Garret made it to the bottom of the stairs, but he didn’t go around the front of the sprawling house to call for a carriage. Instead, he walked directly to the tree line, and beyond. He was surefooted, even though it was dark and the moon was only the shape of an eyelash.
