AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He had not needed to dig too deep to find the answer. Thus, this little meeting he had orchestrated between himself and Jonas. While it seemed ridiculous to put months of effort into bringing Jonas through the doors of Perdition, it had been completely necessary. They had not seen nor spoken to one another in years, with Jonas determined to avoid Derek at all costs. The stubborn bastard had ignored his letters and made it a point to vacate London whenever Derek was in town. For years, Derek had tried to do the honorable thing. If Jonas did not want to see him, he ought to respect that. However, now that Derek could hardly sleep for thoughts of his former lover, honor had fallen to the wayside. Derek had given Jonas time and space, becoming lost and miserable in the process. He had to know whether, by some chance, they could recapture what they had lost. Derek had grown weary of waiting and hoping that by some miracle Jonas might come to his senses. Fate was a fickle mistress, and sometimes she needed a bit of help.
“Here we are,” he said, pushing open a door and motioning Jonas inside. “After you.”
Derek’s lips twitched with amusement as Jonas peered into the opening as if afraid he might be ambushed. Jonas visibly relaxed as he took in the lavish furnishings of Giles’ bedchamber. The molly whore used the space to entertain his clients, but for a few pounds he had been willing to give Derek the room for an hour.
Jonas’ eyes widened as he examined his surroundings. Upon first glance it appeared innocuous, but closer inspection revealed walls crawling with erotic art of a specific kind. The furious red blush to Jonas’ cheeks at the sight was more than a bit humorous. In one painting, a nude man reclined with his hands propping up his head. He gazed down upon a second man, also nude, who sprawled between his spread legs and aimed parted lips at his cock. In another, one man was positioned on his hands and knees, while another entered his arsehole from behind and a second fellow stuffed his open mouth. There were other titillating paintings covering the walls; naked men stroking long cocks bulging with veins, men fondling one another with bliss painted across their faces, and men being whipped with paddles and riding crops. Derek inspected the framed paintings, his arousal exacerbated by the lurid images. Since he had cut himself off from physical pleasures, he felt like the string of a crossbow wound taut. One pluck and he would vibrate with ripples of ecstasy.
Jonas’ shocked eyes lifted to his, the color in his face deepening before he dropped his gaze to the floor. He was just as Derek remembered him—tall and broad, with the sort of bulk through his shoulders and chest that made him appear out of place amongst the other men of theton.Son of a viscount he might be, but Jonas had the rough-hewn figure of a common laborer. Such a trait had been only one of several drawing Derek to him from the moment they had met. That large, broad body could display impressive feats of strength and agility, but it could also be reduced to a quivering mass at the right touch of hands or lips.
The heavy sweep of mahogany brown hair that fell over his eyes invited fingertips to brush it back so that one could look into crystal clear, blue eyes. Derek might drown in those sapphire eyes if Jonas could find the courage to look at him. As it was, he seemed determined to look anywhere but at Derek or the obscene paintings.
“Christ, Derek,” Jonas grumbled. “Must you be so vulgar?”
“I am not the one who decorated this room,” Derek quipped, leaning against the door with his arms folded over his chest. “If the atmosphere of Perdition is not to your liking, perhaps we might meet someplace else? Of course, you would have to actually answer one of my letters or show your face in London when I am here for that to happen.”
The fabric of Jonas’ coat stretched taut over his shoulders as he turned and began to pace, hands curled to fists at his sides. “When someone makes it clear they do not wish to see or speak to you, the gentlemanly thing to do is accept it.”
Derek scoffed. “You have done an admirable job of avoiding me these seven years. You might have continued to do so if you chose.”
With a rough growl, Jonas advanced, taking hold of Derek’s lapel and hauling him away from the door before roughly shoving him back against it. The impact jolted down Derek’s back and shot straight to his groin, worsening the torment of his needy cock. It swelled against the fall of his breeches as a dozen vivid memories assaulted his senses. It was Jonas’ scent that set his mind on such a course. Seven years, and he still smelled of sandalwood, pepper, and bergamot. The aroma made Derek want to draw his tongue up the side of Jonas’ throat and dig his teeth into the tendons.
“You gave me no choice but to come here, and you know it!” Jonas thundered, his expression downright murderous.
Despite Jonas’ ire, Derek gave in to the mischief within him. Arching his back, Derek grabbed Jonas’ hips and drew him closer.
“No choice?” he purred, giving Jonas’ firm buttocks a squeeze. “Did you miss me that much, Jo?”
Jonas pushed away from him with a low growl, but not before Derek detected the answering surge of his cock. Derek’s desire flared hot and furious at the evidence that he wasn’t alone in his physical feelings if nothing else. He had starved himself for this moment and found a deep satisfaction in knowing Jonas was not as unaffected as he pretended to be.
“You know very well I would not have come here if not for you,” Jonas spat, pulling away from Derek. “I knew that you were capable of more than your share of wickedness, but I never would have thought you could do something so despicable!”
Derek crossed the room to sit on Giles’s bed, leaning back onto his elbows. “I have been accused of much wickedness throughout my life. Perhaps you might be more specific.”
“I returned to London at the behest of my mother, who has been beside herself with joy that my sister has nabbed herself a respectable suitor for marriage. Imagine my absolutehorrorwhen I arrived a few days ago to be informed that that suitor isyou!”
“Are you suggesting that I should not court your sister?” Derek drawled. “Whyever not? She is a lovely girl with many accomplishments to recommend her. Any man would be fortunate to have her as his bride.”
“I know that,” Jonas growled. “My issue is not with Julia, but withyou.A more inappropriate match I cannot think of.”
“I am the son of a baron,” Derek pointed out. “Though I am not his heir, my inheritance will prove more than enough to see to the needs of a wife and children. I am a gentleman by name and position, if not in my actions. Though, I have been told that marriage can do much to reform a sinful man such as myself. If I am to grow to my full potential as a respectable gentleman, I could do no better than having your sister at my side. Mrs. Julia Dryden has such a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“You will never marry Julia. I won’t allow it.”
Derek sat up straight and gave an indolent shrug of one shoulder. “I hate to disappoint you, old friend, but there is naught you can do about it. The decision of whom to grant Julia’s hand in marriage is your father’s, and he and your brother seem to approve of the match. Not to mention, your mother adores me. She has since we were in school together, you know.”
Jonas pounded his fist atop the mantel, rattling a collection of tiny, erotic figurines. Derek fought back a laugh as the small statue of a nude man wobbled side to side, its cock waving about. His amusement seemed to further enrage Jonas.
“Goddamn it, Derek, this is not a game. My sister is not some trinket for you to toy with. She has always wished to marry for love, and I know that you could never really love her.”
Derek raised an eyebrow and gave Jonas a pointed look. “How could you possibly know that? As you have pointed out, we have not seen or spoken to one another in seven years despite my efforts.”
“Oh, I know you. I know you as well as I ever did, despite how long it has been. That my only choice in speaking with you was to descend into this—this cesspit of vice tells me everything I need to know!”
“Plenty of men have lived less than reputable lives before their marriages,” Derek argued.
“And how many of those men are like you?” Jonas challenged, raking his gaze derisively over Derek from head to toe.
With a grin, Derek spread his legs and rested a hand on his thigh. Jonas dropped his gaze to where Derek’s hand rested, then followed it as it slid up to his groin. Derek cupped his half-erect cock and gave it a squeeze, delighting in the bright spark that erupted in Jonas’ azure eyes. There was no mistaking the hunger in that gaze, shown in a moment of raw vulnerability Jonas wouldn’t have wanted him to see. But Derekcouldsee it as clearly as he always had. Jonas was not as good at hiding his feelings as he supposed.
