Wolfsgate Read online

  She gasped. “What a thoughtful husband you are, Lord Graven.”

  “Is there anywhere else you require my assistance, madam?” he asked, his thumbs rubbing her nipples.

  “The folly.” She arched her back.

  “Ah, yes. Absolutely.” He bent his head and took a nipple in his mouth and sucked on the tip. She let out a whimper.

  “And you, Brandon?” She combed her fingers through his hair keeping him close. “Do you have any requests? We’ve covered the kitchen, your parents’ chamber, my chamber, the parlor.”

  His lips brushed hers. “The great oak tree.”

  “Hmm.”

  “I do have another.”

  “Where?” she asked, her breathing now irregular.

  “My old bed,” he said. His tongue lashed across her other nipple. “Yes, definitely.”

  Her eyebrows snapped up, and she pulled back from him slightly. “Have you entertained on that bed?”

  He smirked. “I tortured myself with fantasies on that bed. Utterly ridiculous fantasies.” He sucked on her breast, kneading the other as she held her breath.

  “Why were they ridiculous?”

  “Because my reality today is so much better than I could have ever imagined back then as a smug, young fool.” Her mouth found his and they kissed hungrily. “Jus, I want to give you so much,” he murmured against her lips. “But I’m not sure it’s enough.”

  Her forehead creased. “Brandon you give to me all the time.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do. Every time you smile at me or take my hand.” She took his hand in hers. “Every time you laugh in appreciation of my fantastic wit.” She laughed softly, her hand stroking over his at her breast. “Every time you touch me, you give to me.”

  His eyes flashed. “Yes, but you should have—”

  “Fine clothes? Jewels? A roof over my head? New horses?” You’ve provided me with all that, not to mention a title, Lord Graven. I like this, Brandon. This, right now.”

  “I want to give you more,” he whispered. His tongue trailed behind her ear. A shiver stole through her, and her hand slid down his breeches curling over his hardness.

  “Lord Graven, I thought you were controlling your urges.”

  “My urges for you are particularly strong these days. The one happy aftereffect of the opiate. It ceaselessly demands satisfaction.” He glanced up at her. “Is Martin working today? He’s always hanging about.”

  She shook her head. “He had to help his aunt with a repair at their cottage.”

  “Good. I have to taste you right now,” he whispered against her lips. “Then I’m going to take you.” Her hands slid up to his biceps and gripped them. The dry straw crunched underneath their bodies. “And I won’t be gentle.”

  Her eyebrows lifted at his words, and his hands disappeared under her skirts exploring her every curve. She melted helplessly under his warm, insistent. “Turn over, Jus,” his voice was thick, his hand pressed at her waist. She did as he asked.

  Brandon raised himself up and lifted her skirts, his breath spiking at the beautiful sight of her bare rear. He slowly caressed her soft flesh until she squirmed with need. His fingers slid in between her cheeks and she whimpered. “You’re magnificent,” he murmured. Her fists tightened in his cloak as his fingers glided through the wetness between her legs. Once slick with her juices they glided back up to tease her tight bud.

  She cried out at the sweet invasion. “You like it there, don’t you?”

  “So do you, my love.”

  He explored her secret flesh with his fingers and his mouth until she pleaded with him in muffled words and moans. He bit a cheek, and she groaned raising her arse higher for him, her thighs trembling. He forgot everything else. There was nothing but this, this giving to Justine and her yielding to whatever he gave her. He finally released his throbbing cock and thrust all the way inside her sleekness, ending their torture, ripping his breath away.

  “Jus…” He let out a hiss of air.

  Her harsh panting breaths filled the stable with every quick, hard thrust he gave her.

  “Christ, Justine…”

  An overwhelming need to watch her face as she found her pleasure overtook him. He pulled out of her, turned her over onto her back and raising her legs high against his chest, thrust back inside her, the both of them groaning. He held her steady and plunged into her hard and fast. She cried out as her release seized her, her fingers biting into his arms, and he followed.

  Justine wrapped herself around him, brushing his face with her lips. The dull smell of hay and the pungent odor of horse settled over them. Her fingers absently tangled in his hair. The softness in her full eyes filled him with a ripple of warmth. He folded her in his embrace and kissed her, and she clung to him. Something shifted inside his chest just then, and he stilled and closed his eyes in an effort to contain it.

  Yes, he had to keep it safe.

  “I must speak with you, Lady Graven.” Charles dismounted from his horse. He marched towards her, his boots crunching in the fresh snow which glinted like a thick field of powdered diamonds in the afternoon sun.

  “With me? Whatever for?”

  “How is Graven? Is he doing any better?” he asked.

  “He’s sleeping now.” She smoothed her mussed hair behind her ears.

  After having fallen asleep in Brandon’s embrace in the stables, she had woken up to the rumble of horses’ hooves approaching. She’d carefully untangled herself from his arms, swept bits of hay from her skirts, and threw on her cloak, slipping through the opening of the stable door as quietly as possible. The snow had stopped and had left behind a startling, pristine white landscape.

  “What is the matter?”

  He pressed his lips together. “I wouldn’t have come if it weren’t important.”

  Justine led him away from the stables. “Go on.”

  “I came to warn Brandon.”

  “Warn him?”

  “I saw William today. He insinuated to me that he had put quite a bit of laudanum in Brandon’s drink the other night at the assembly rooms. He was quite proud of himself.”

  Her heart tripped. Of course, William. Why hadn’t she seen it? It was a perfect countermove. Instead she’d easily believed that Brandon had indulged once more.

  Her eyes leveled at Charles. “My stepbrother confides in you, does he?”

  Charles tilted his head at her. “Did you hear what I said?”

  “Yes. I heard you.”

  Charles frowned and glanced back at the stables. “Amanda distanced herself from him immediately.”

  “William was counting on that reaction,” Justine said. “He’s punishing the two of them for their flirtation. She was mortified by the sight of Brandon in the throes of euphoria, wasn’t she? How he knows his wife.”

  “Yes, she spent the rest of the evening squirming yet glued to her husband’s side.”

  “Then he accomplished his goal,” Justine said. “That and Brandon’s public humiliation.”

  “And yours,” Charles said.

  “I don’t give a damn about anything except Brandon’s well-being.”

  He sighed heavily. “Please be careful and stay away from them both.”

  “I always try to stay away from my stepbrother, Mr. Montclare.” Her eyes narrowed. “And I believe I will be staying away from you as well.”

  He pulled his head back, his mouth tightening. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

  “I think you should leave now.”

  “I wanted you to know that I think William’s overstepped. Something’s different in his attitude towards Brandon. It’s harsher than the usual sibling rivalry there always was between them. I can’t explain it, I just know. At least William’s reined in his wife, for the time being.”

  “What does that mean?” Justine asked.

  “You know Amanda.”

  “I cannot say I do. I knew her as a girl, but we have not been in each other’s company for
quite some time.”

  “Amanda is perpetually dissatisfied no matter what she’s been provided with. William indulges her for a time, and she settles with him after her current distractions fade.” Charles sighed. “Those two have a peculiar bond. Her moods tend to vary between excitement, displeasure and irritated boredom and only he knows how to navigate them. More power to him.”

  “You seem to know Mrs. Treharne rather well.”

  A muscle pulsed in Charles’s jaw. “I should go. Do be careful. If you need anything—”

  “I do not need anything from you, sir.”

  “Justine, please.” He reached out and took hold of her hand.

  “What the hell is this?” a menacing voice boomed. Justine snapped her hand out of Charles’s hold. Brandon, his features tight and dark, stood just beyond her and Charles. “What are you doing here?” Brandon asked.

  “I came—”

  “You came to see my wife. Again. Obviously her being my wife is no deterrent to your passions. So desperate to get between her legs, are you?”

  Charles’s body visibly tightened. “Graven—”

  Brandon’s cold gaze was as hard as iron. He had not slept enough, and Justine knew the prickling torment was now scalding his insides.

  Brandon snapped his head at Justine. “Did you think you could play me for a fool? Was this all a big game for you and William? He knew he’d be in trouble if he married you off to anyone else. So why not to me? Half-dead, broken Brandon. Wouldn’t matter to him, would it?”

  “Brandon—”

  “What the hell are you on about, Graven?” Charles asked. “Insulting bastard! You’re mad, you know that?”

  “It’s Charles, isn’t it?” Brandon’s eyes bored down on Justine. “Yes, your ‘friendly’ friend, indeed.”

  She flushed and shook her head. “Brandon, please! Stop.”

  “Graven, listen to me.” Charles wedged himself between Brandon and Justine. He touched Brandon’s arm, but Brandon shoved it away. “I came about William. You’ve got to stay away from Amanda. Did you really think he was going to sit by and allow you to amuse yourself with his wife for old time’s sake?”

  “I did it for his benefit, you idiot,” Brandon said. “I’m not interested in any affair with that woman.”

  “Are you quite sure?” Charles asked. “Because it certainly hasn’t seemed that way to the rest of us. Especially to your wife.”

  “Stop this!” Justine’s arms tightened around her waist.

  “And you’ve made it your priority to know my wife’s mind have you?”

  “I have witnessed her experiencing the Brandon and Amanda spectacle. Painful, my friend,” Charles said. “And yet she continues to put on a brave face and stand by you. Why, I do not know.”

  “Gentlemen, please!” Justine raised her voice, but the men ignored her.

  “I find it fascinating, Montclare, how you happened to be at my wife’s side at every turn of said spectacle. And I find it even more fascinating as you were the one who had encouraged me to pursue Amanda. All those amused looks you’ve been giving me over these past weeks—there I thought it was your smug understanding and approval of my flirtation. When in truth, it was your derision, wasn’t it?” Brandon’s eyes flared. “You were mocking me whilst enjoying your little ploy. Always the master player.” Brandon’s eyes slid to Justine. “What do you think of your friend now, Justine?”

  Justine’s head jerked towards Charles, and he winced as if her horrified expression stung like the bite of an angry wasp.

  “Nothing to say for yourself now, Montclare?” Brandon’s one eyebrow lifted. “You’ve had a hand in all this so that you could get under my wife’s skirts, haven’t you? Just for a laugh, eh?”

  “Dear God,” Justine said, her shoulders slumping.

  “I did not come here today with the intention of pressing my affections upon your wife. I came for your benefit,” Charles said, his voice hard. “William is not finished with you, Graven. I am sure of it. He is incensed. I have come to know the signs. I felt badly for you the other night. It was appalling of him to use your weakness against you. That’s why I came here today, not to amuse myself with your wife, but to warn both of you.” Charles’s hands smoothed down his great coat, his face tight. “I realize you are not well. I shall go.”

  Charles took a step towards Justine. “Have a care, dear girl. I beg your forgiveness for abusing your friendship. I regret it deeply.” He bowed to her and without another glance mounted his horse and rode away at a gallop. Justine held her breath, her eyes remaining on Charles and his horse until the woods seemed to swallow them up.

  “The bastard,” Brandon said on a growl. “I get distracted with Amanda, and he insinuates himself into your heart, and you begin relying on him. First Andrew, now Charles.” Brandon shook his head at her. “Not such an innocent girl, are you? You’ve been lying to me about who you are all along.” His voice had lowered ominously.

  Her heart thudded in her chest. “I have not lied to you. And Charles is not in my heart nor in my bed. There is only you.”

  He closed the distance between them. “Then explain what I know to be true, because I felt it inside you, or rather—” he smirked “— I did not feel it.” His words blistered on her skin like hot coals.

  “Have I upset you, my lady?” he breathed, his tone bitter. His hands gripped her upper arms, his eyes simmered. “Poor Justine. But I’m the one who’s been lied to by everyone.”

  “I’ve never lied to you, Brandon.”

  “Bollocks!” His one hand slid around her neck yanking her close, his mouth inches from her own. “Am I not enough for you? You need your first love or a fresh model with no scars, no limp, no compulsive fixations to better satisfy you?”

  Her fingers dug into his sides. “You’re the only man—”

  “Oh, Justine.” His nose glided along her jaw and icy shivers crawled across her back. “Do not lie to me. Not you,” he whispered. “The game is up.”

  “There is no game.” Tears filled her throat, her fingers curled into his shirt. “No man has touched me the way you have. Ever.”

  “‘The way I have?’ My clever girl.” He took in a shaky breath and hissed out air as he shoved her away. “I do not know what to believe anymore,” his rough voice tore through her. “The one thing I do know is that I cannot bear you lying to me, Justine. Not you. It’s killing me.” A moan heaved from his chest.

  “Brandon, please listen—”

  “I want to believe in you. I do.” He pressed his palms to his eyes and exhaled. “Because you’re all I see.” His hands fell from his face revealing heavy, red eyes. “I feel things for you, things I’ve never felt before.” His voice broke. “It scares me, it hurts.”

  “Brandon—”

  He raised his chin at her. “Ultimately, I am to blame. I gave Charles a free path to you by being so focused on my vain little scheme with Amanda.” A bitter smile curled his lips, and he took several steps back. “But still you will not confess to me. Why not? Protecting your lover?” Justine tore her gaze away from his. “You are so very cruel. That, dear girl, pains me more than the knowledge that you have lain with another.” He charged away from her moving through the snow back towards the house.

  Justine couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Everything had changed in the flick of an hour’s time; the snow had settled, obliterating the landscape into smooth, shapeless mounds, and so many caustic truths had disconnected them, destroying the tenderness between them.

  Justine trudged through the fresh snow as quickly as she could towards the house. Brandon had slowed down at the front staircase, his limp now pronounced, the discomfort etched on his shoulders.

  William stood in the open doorway. “Have I come at a bad time?”

  “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, WILLIAM?” Brandon asked. He stopped abruptly. Justine rushed up the stairs behind him, her fingers digging into her husband’s arm.

  William smiled and
proceeded them into the house. “I had to check on you, cousin. That was quite a turn you had the other night, quite a sight to see. And everyone did see it, didn’t they?” He tossed his hat on the bench in the hall. “You’re sullying our family’s good reputation with all this peculiar behavior. Look at you.” He gestured with an elegant hand at Brandon. “There’s something positively tattered about you.” William’s eyes glinted, his teeth dragging along his lower lip. “Quite extraordinary. You are the talk of the village.”

  “I don’t give a toss,” Brandon said.

  “Maybe you don’t, but I do. We share the same last name, and I have a wife and son to think of and business investments to consider. A family, a future. Do you think I’m going to stand by and allow you to destroy what I’ve built because you cannot control your pathetic impulses?”

  “You put the laudanum in his drink, didn’t you?” Justine spit out.

  Brandon’s posture stiffened, his knees locked, heat flushed through his body. “Is that true?”

  William grinned at Justine. “What an intelligent slut you are.”

  “You rotten bastard, don’t you dare speak to my wife that way!” Brandon’s lips curled.

  “I’ll speak to her any way I like. You, however, will stay away from my wife.”

  A hard grin slowly spread across Brandon’s face. “You didn’t like that did you? She wants it badly from me.”

  Justine’s breath snagged in her throat. “Brandon—”

  “Rest assured, cousin. I won’t be the one to give it to her.” Brandon leaned in towards him. “I don’t want her. Making her prance for me and watching you squirm was all the entertainment I required. She’s not half the woman my wife is.”

  “Indeed?” William narrowed his eyes at Brandon and lowered his chin making the hard line of his jaw more distinct. “Your wife gave me quite a headache once upon a time.” William’s lips twitched. “You know about Andrew, but did she tell you the truth of it? I caught them on a lover’s walk, don’t you know? Exchanging letters, kisses, amorous murmurings at the folly. Seems they had a regular rendezvous there for quite some time.” Brandon glanced at Justine, her frozen gaze was pinned on her step-brother.