Page 68 of The Duke of Pain

“I never should have left you. Forgive me. I pledge I will never leave your side again.”

“Oh, Gideon,” she sobbed.

He yearned to take her in his arms. Carry her out of here. Protect and love her always.

“I should have told you the other night while you lay in my arms. I am in love with you, Liv. Love: complete and utter passionate devotion.”

He kissed her hands again. “Never have I felt this way. It’s vexing and confusing. Trust me, know I will never see you harmed again. I will slay whoever threatens you. Know this.”

Olivia nodded. “I love you, too. I am sorry that I doubted you.”

His heart dipped clear to the floor. Kissing her hands one last time, he laid them gently on Olivia’s lap and sat back in his chair. For as much as he wished to pull her into his arms and hold her close, they had more to discuss.

“Thank you, about the declaration of love and the apology. Now, let us puzzle this out. Besides us, who knew you were staying at the townhouse?” Gideon asked.

Olivia frowned. “Well, James. I left him that brief note. It was not him, though.”

That smarted. Olivia was quick to deem Sidle innocent yet believed he had instigated her abduction. A stab of regret and disappointment moved through him.

“Did someone here at the club read the note before Sidle could? Someone who harbors some sort of grudge or dislike of you?”

Olivia’s brows furrowed. “No, not that I am aware. We all get along unless I’m more oblivious and naïve than I originally thought.”

“My house staff was aware,” Gideon said. Then he paused, going over his conversation with his wretched stepfather.

Did he let it slip that Olivia was with him? No, he hadn’t revealed anything to Whinstone. But that didn’t mean he didn’t guess at it or contacted one of the Hyde Park Corner servants.

The realization that the duke would set such a horrible plan in motion slammed him. The man had a long reach and was vindictive enough to see it done.

“I’ve hired The Galway Investigative Agency. My friend, Christian Bamford, Duke of Allenby, is married to one of the owners, Eleanora. She and her sister, Althea, have taken the case.”

“Women running a detective agency? I think that is wonderful. Wait—what case?”

Gideon held nothing back. He told Olivia of his meeting with his stepfather—leaving off the horrible names Whinstone called Olivia—his aunt, and the agency.

“My,” she stated, “You have been busy. Why are you doing all this?”

“My life—until I met you—was a loveless wasteland. I didn’t care for anything or anyone. I was a loathsome human, let’s face facts.”

Olivia shook her head. “That is what you outwardly project, but deep down and hidden away was—and is—a decent man, you know this. Or you wouldn’t be making these changes to your life. Reconciling with your aunt, joining progressive causes, cutting those from your life that have done you harm. It shows a strength of character and purpose.”

Gideon raised an eyebrow. “If you believe all this, why did you readily accept the word of a couple of street thugs?”

Olivia exhaled. “As I said, my first reaction was not to believe it. But when trust has been literally ripped from you, it is difficult for it to take root. Again, I am truly sorry. We are both damaged in our ways, which makes any relationship between us problematic. As you said, how can there be love if there is no trust?”

“And how can there be trust if there is no love? We do love each other. Despite all the odds and all that damage, we have fallen in love. Anything is possible, Liv. I believe it to the very marrow of my bones. We are halfway there; we need only commit to each other to allow the trust to take root and grow. And it will. You just have to give us a chance.”

He never spoke with such emotional fervor before, but he meant every word.

“Ultimately,” Gideon continued. “I want us to consider marriage.”

Olivia’s jaw literally dropped open. “You wish to marry—me?”

She sounded so disbelieving.

“I see no reason to delay. As I said, we love each other,” Gideon replied matter-of-factly. “It’s one of the reasons I am kicking Whinstone to the cobbles. I want to make Foxmont our home, our main base of operations, as it were.”

He gave her a warm smile, but she still looked stunned.