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But my Trix had already taken her position, raised, a breath in, and the loud rapport of the pistol going off. She’d taken aim and shot so fast my heart didn’t have time to have a beat of fear or register Hero’s shrill scream. I grunted at the cut of splinters biting into my left cheek, splinters that had come flying out of the wood panelling where the bullet was no doubt lodged.
“Dear Goddess!” The clatter of the pistol was the only warning I had before arms wrapped around me and her rich rose scent engulfed me. “I could have killed you.”
“Oh, Trix, you are too good a shot.” I ran my hands down her back, relishing in the warmth of her body. And my body? It reacted as an alpha’s would to his mate. My cock became hard so fast I nearly fainted. She noticed, her body stiffening in my arms, but she didn’t move. Our hearts raced in time. Everything in this brief moment was too perfect to last.
And Pax would be the one misguided enough to charge over and pull us apart. But I held on to her hand like a lifeline. “What were you thinking? Both of you. Reckless beyond measure. I’m not sure which of you deserves—“
“Lord Paxton, I think you need to calm down.” Hero inserted herself into the tense conversation.
“Hero, I am certain that his lordship means no harm. We took a risk.” I let go of Trix to address the clearly distressed girl. “Please, Hero. Calm. Trix is an excellent shot, look.”
I stooped to pick up the candlestick. Or rather the two halves of the candlestick, for she split it perfectly.
“Vixen…” He growled in a clear attempt to quash the violence in his anger towards the situation.
“Yes, my lord?” she smiled sweetly but her scent was now bitter.
“Will you give me your cheek?”
“No.” said she her eyes wide and cheeks pink.
“Oh?”
“Pax.” I moved between my mate and my friend.
“I do not need your protection. I’ve a sense Lord Paxton would like to box my ears. And I’d not like that.” She looked at Hero. “Come, Hero. I’m craving candied ginger. I’ve some in my room but I think that I need help up the stairs.”
“Trix,” I gave a warning growl. “We are not finished talking. Hero wants to learn to shoot. I’ll stand target.”
I felt pathetic, offering to be a live target for a girl who’d never picked up a pistol before, solely to spend more time with my mate.
“Perhaps I am jealous you shot Pax and I’d like my turn,” I said in an undertone before I could think about the wisdom or repercussions of my words. Still, they brought a flush to her face that spread down her neck. Whether it was from anger, or because she felt the heat of my body against hers, I did not know, but now I wanted my shot at her. “I’m a good, large target for you to practice on.”
“Don’t you dare! How dare…” She pulled away. “I’m not yours to—“
“La! La! La! What’s this I find?” Mrs Markham, her hand on Stimpson’s arm, swanned into the room. “Hero, dear. Mr Stimpson was looking for you.”
“I’m to help Bea…”
“But you promised to show me your sketches… Remember?”
“Oh, yes. I remember.” A girlish blush creeped over her cheeks.
“Go, sweet girl.” Beatrice made a shooing motion as if the simmering tension counted for nothing. “I should be going as well. I promised Viola I’d help her edit her manuscript. My Lord, Colonel. Thank you for helping in my demonstration to Hero.”
She made a sweeping bow to me, and I looked on with some amusement as Pax watched her ample backside. Had she planned that? Taunting him with her body? Or, was my mind so dominated by her that all my thoughts revolved around even the most innocent words and actions, searching for a possible softening on her part. Mrs Markham clucked her tongue. “Now Beatrice, shall we go find the duchess?”
The older omega led my mate away, neither looking back, their heads together, and Beatrice throwing her hand in the air.
“Now that they’ve gone, we can go on our walk.” Stimpson grabbed Hero by the arm just above her elbow, and hard enough for the girl to wince. He pulled her out after him. Hero smiled over her shoulder, waving at us, then tripped over her feet because she could not keep up with him. He didn’t pause, but hauled her to her feet and kept walking. Youthful folly or exuberance did not excuse the rough treatment of the young, much smaller beta.
“Jack, I do not like him,“ Pax growled. “We should follow.”
“Goddess, don’t. Find something else to do, Benedict. Your temper is not safe in this mood. But I must write to my army friend and ask him about Stimpson.”
“To find out more?”
“Yes, I am beginning to be of your mind.”
