Page 87 of Last Night with the Duke
“No, don’t say it,” she whispered on a winded gasp of despair that pushed from her aching lungs. “You don’t understand. Finding Napoleon helped her get over her father’s death. He means the world to her. I don’t want her to hurt anymore. I want her to have Napoleon back.”
“I want that for her too. But I believe she meant it when she said she didn’t want the other little girl to lose him again.”
“I don’t care about the other little girl.” Esmeralda swallowed a sob. “I only care about Josephine.”
“You don’t mean that, Esmeralda.”
“I do,” she said earnestly, her heartbeat surging inside her chest, her shoulders shaking from holding tears at bay once again. “I do mean it. Josephine’s been hurt enough. Too much, and I’m asking you to get him back for her.”
His eyes remained soft, his expression concerned. “Josephine is going to be fine. She’s thought this through. She’s made her decision, and it was her decision to make.”
He was making too much sense for her distraught state. She didn’t want to hear it. Defying his claim, she argued, “Josephine is twelve. She doesn’t know what she wants, and she doesn’t know what’s best for her. I do.”
“I would try to move heaven and earth for her if she wanted me to, but I won’t go against her wishes.”
“Fine,” Esmeralda whispered, brushing away strands of hair that had fallen to the side of her face. “I’ll find a way to get Napoleon back for her by myself.”
“You don’t want to do that, Esmeralda.” He spoke softly.
“I will,” she insisted.
“I don’t know what kind of man Chambers is, but as far as I’m concerned only a monster would take a dog from a crying girl’s arms and run away with it. You aren’t that kind of person, Esmeralda. You couldn’t take Napoleon from another child and leave her with the pain Josephine is enduring.”
But she wanted to.
Oh, she hated it when he was right. And he was right again. She had to let go of Napoleon the way Josephine, had but it was so hard to watch her sister suffer again.
“Just go, please,” Esmeralda said. “Leave us alone.”
“You don’t want me to go.”
She lifted her chin and sniffed. “You’re wrong. I do.”
“Then prove it. Open the door.”
Her chest heaved with emotion. She looked at the door but didn’t make a move.
Why was he making it her choice whether he left? He must know she didn’t really want him to go. For heaven’s sake, why didn’t he take the decision from her and either leave or sweep her into his arms and carry her into her bedchamber?
Time stretched on. Neither of them moved. She could tell herself all day long, and all night too, that she didn’t love him, that she didn’t want to be in his arms, but that wouldn’t make it true.
“If you want me to go, open the door, and I’ll go out it. But know this, Esmeralda, I’ll be back tomorrow and the next day and the next.”
“Don’t do this to me, Griffin. You know I can’t resist you.”
“Then let me hold you.”
His strong, masculine arms went around her, pulling her gently against him. He put his hand to the back of her head, cupping her to his chest and sealing her inside the comfort of his embrace. Esmeralda closed her eyes and leaned against his warmth, his strength, and hid her face in his shirt.
Griffin’s clothing was still damp from Josephine’s tears. After kissing the top of her head, he laid his cheek against her hair. One hand moved soothingly up and down her back, over her shoulders, and around her neck. She heard the steady beat of his heart, and relaxed.
“You can cry if you want,” he murmured. “Or I can just hold you until you fall asleep.”
There were no more tears to be shed. All the emotions of despair, anger, and revenge swirling around inside her were impossible to fathom, so she didn’t try. She must let all go. All of them. The only emotion she kept was her love for Griffin. It welled up inside her and wouldn’t be denied.
Esmeralda moistened her lips and raised her head. “Will you kiss me?”
He looked down into her eyes and, saying nothing, slid a hand to the back of her neck. Dipping his head, he covered her mouth with his in a long, gentle, and sweet kiss.
