AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 32
Lavinia expected anger and accusations. She expected slurs hurled her way, not because she’d ever seen Sebastian do this—no, he wasn’t the kind—but because that was what she was used to. She didn’t know there was another way to react to the revelation of her mistakes.
Even a small misfortune would earn scathing rebukes from her father. If he tripped, she was to blame for being in the vicinity. If men leered at her, she must have done something to provoke that behavior. And if they were lacking funds, it was her fault for needing gowns for the Season.
He would find a way to blame her for everything that happened around them, whether it was her fault or not.
And now there were actual, real things that she was to blame for. Shehadkilled her father. His deathwasher fault.
She should have told Sebastian about this earlier. She should have told him so he wouldn’t find out this horrible secret of hers via a note from the stranger. She shouldn’t have withheld this information from him. If he knew that she was a murderer, perhaps he’d never have touched her…
And that was exactly the reason why she hadn’t told him. She’d lied to him by omission, so she could keep him close to her. Lord, she was as bad as William.
Perhaps even worse.
Although she hadn’t married Sebastian yet, she’d still managed to ruin his life and those around him. And it was all for naught. Because who would agree to marry a murderess? Everything that was awful in his life had been her fault.
Sebastian raised a hand, and Lavinia jerked, her eyes squeezing shut as her fingers curled into fists, and her entire body tensed. She was prepared to receive a blow, only it never came.
Lavinia slowly opened her eyes. Sebastian paused in the act of plucking Miss Gale off his shoulder. He frowned and placed her on the floor. The cat licked herself in irritation and then sauntered away.
“Did you think I was going to hit you?” Sebastian asked as he straightened.
Lavinia froze. Did she? “I—”
His jaw tensed, and a vein appeared on his forehead. “I would never lay a hand on you.Ever,” he growled.
Lavinia nodded. “I know.” And she meant it.
She had never been afraid of him. Not once. She had spent numerous times with him tête-à-tête, and she had never been afraid of him.
There was always trepidation when she’d danced with other men. She was always afraid to say something that would ignite their ire. Even with Dane.
Dane would never hurt her, she knew that consciously. But he was a powerful man. And that power ignited the sparks of mistrust within her.
Sebastian was powerful, too. Not a duke, but a marquess. Not as rich as Kensington, perhaps, but rich nonetheless. He was athletically built, strong, and yes, quite powerful.
Only she had never been afraid of him. Not physically. With Sebastian, she felt free to be herself.
Except for this little secret. And now she didn’t know what to expect of him.
Sebastian patted a place beside him on the bed. “Please, sit.”
Lavinia hesitated. She didn’t want to be close to him. She didn’t want to feel his heat, to smell his scent around her, only to see the disappointment in his eyes. Only to be rejected.
And yet, she moved toward him as if she were tugged by a thread. She sat by his side, her hands on her lap, her eyes on her hands.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
Lavinia breathed out, preparing herself for the worst. When she finally looked at him, she didn’t see any anger or disappointment in his gaze. How could that be?
Just kindness and something else, something unfathomable in the depths of his dear green eyes.
He raised his hand and reached for her with agonizing slowness. He didn’t want to spook her. Lavinia leaned into him, unable to bear the torture of not feeling his touch on her skin. And then his finger trailed her cheek lightly, reverently.
“He hurt you,” he said. It wasn’t a question.
Lavinia’s lashes fluttered down, just as the tears escaped her eyes.
