Page 72 of To Break the Rules

She watched as his eyes drifted to Dharani, and then to her.

He gave a snort of disgust. “It’s her,” he said to the short man who stood at his back. “The late earl’s mixed breed bastard.”

Aashini felt the jolt of fury surge through Silas and gripped his hand tighter.

“Shut your damned mouth or I’ll do the job for you,” he said, staring at Ulceby with undisguised loathing. “You’re not fit to look upon her, let alone speak of her.”

Ulceby laughed, a low mocking sound that made unease slide beneath her skin. “I see she’s leading you around by your prick, same as she has the rest of the male members of the ton.”

The earl sneered. Silas let go of her hand and surged forward, smacking both hands down on the man’s desk with such rage that everyone jumped.

“Insult my wife again, and I will forget my promise to her to do no violence today.”

“Your wife?” There was a flash of anger, and something that might have been concern in the man’s eyes at that.

A claim from an illegitimate, half-breed Indian girl was no doubt something he’d believed he could overcome. The wife of a viscount, however….

“Yes, my wife,” Silas growled, and Aashini could feel the power of his anger, the desire in him to hurt the man who had caused her such pain. “And you’d best keep a civil tongue in your head or, so help me, I’ll eviscerate you.”

The earl stared back at Silas, apparently unmoved, but Aashini had seen him flinch, and seen the way what little colour he had bled from his face. He was afraid.

Nonetheless, the earl was a powerful man, and one motivated by greed.

“I tell you what, Cavendish,” he said, his eyes settling on her husband with stark hatred. “Leave now, and I’ll not tell the world about her heritage. Everyone can go on believing she’s simply a Spanish whore, at least that won’t close quite so many doors to you as the truth.”

“Silas!”

His name rang out in the bare second before he lunged across the desk, but he stilled, turning to her.

“Please,” she said, shaking her head at him.

She saw the effort it took to control himself, but he did so because she asked it of him. He took a step back, and Aashini moved forward to stand before the earl, meeting his gaze.

“How strange,” she said, as much to herself as she looked him over. “My whole life you have been such a huge presence, like a terrifying monster waiting in the dark. Yet, you aren’t a monster at all, are you? You’re just a man, a weak and greedy man who would stoop to murdering a child to get what you want.”

She was gratified as he flinched a little, and the stuffy little lawyer gave a gasp of shock.

“I can destroy you,” he said, the disgust in his eyes as he stared at her blatant. “I will, if you’re so foolish as to try to claim—”

“Claim what’s mine?” Aashini interrupted him, realising she really wasn’t afraid. Not any longer. “Yes, I shall claim what is mine, what my father always intended should be mine, and no, you won’t destroy me. That is not in your power.”

“Oh, but it is, I shall tell the ton just what you are, and they shall revile you for it.”

Aashini gave a soft huff of laughter. “And you think that can destroy me?” She shook her head and turned to look up at her husband, who was staring at her with such adoration that she felt any hatred she had for the bitter man before her fizzle away. She didn’t have room in her life for such destructive emotions, not any longer.

She turned back to the earl. “I will tell the ton who I am. I haven’t the least intention of hiding it. I only did so to hide from you until I was strong enough to face you. I am strong enough, and there is nothing you can do to hurt me. I pity you,” she added, realising she meant it. She could see strain of living in his eyes, the weight of too many years of hatred and loathing poisoning his soul.

“So you should, Aashini.”

She turned then, seeing a dangerous look glittering in Dharani’s eyes as her grandmother stepped closer to the earl, with Mr Davis supporting her.

“Kali comes for you,” she said, giving him a smile that even unnerved Aashini. “You who have defiled your body and soul with your love for gold, a love so great you would have slaughtered one of her children to line your pockets. Such arrogance, such attachment to earthly pleasures…oh, she is displeased, and she hears my prayers, my lord.”

Aashini turned back to Ulceby to see him staring at Dharani, his face ashen.

“Superstitious heathen nonsense,” he scoffed, but there was no one in the room that believed him unmoved. He would dream of Kali with her garland of severed heads, sword in hand, coming for him.

Silas moved back to the desk, staring at Ulceby with loathing as Fred joined him and put a sheaf of papers into his hands. Silas threw them down on the desk.