All the Things You Never Knew Page 15

  “No,” he said, turning to look at her. “Tell me why you lie about loving Lansing and having your engagement consummated before–”

  “Because I want you to be jealous!” she blurted shockingly. Curse him for that. “Because I want you to care.”

  “I do care!” he bellowed. “I do!”

  Gosh, she’s not going to turn this into an argument.

  “Leon,” she started, choosing her words carefully. “I–I’ve decided that I want to be with the person that I love. That person I love isn’t Lansing. I can’t imagine life with him at all. Although I’ve tried and thought it well to be a success, everything always deflates at the end. The image of him and I becomes the image of you and I. I–”–she shook her head despairingly and closed her eyes as she let the words slip out– “I love you so much. I can never ever let anyone else replace you in my heart. You can have anyone, be with anyone; I don’t care. In my heart, you will always be mine. I want you, Leon. I need–”

  To Rose’s surprise, Leon pin her back down on the bed and claimed her mouth taking every breath out of her. She submitted without hesitation and savored his lips on her. Their tongues entwined and dances along a rhythm of passion and desire.

  Before Rose even knew it, her hands had slipped down to Leon’s breeches and snap the button loose. She could feel Leon doing the same with the buttons down the back of her nightgown and broke the kiss to help him by throwing it off her head revealing herself.

  She should be ashamed but with Leon, how could she resist?

  “You’re quite determined,” he smiled, running his gaze down her body.

  “Be quiet!” she laughed, rolling on top of him. “Take off that shirt before I go mad!”

  He chuckled and did so obediently, revealing his broad shoulders and masculine feature. She has never seen anyone as big or beautiful. He was like the very image of the Greek God Adonis, strong and muscular in every turn. She can’t imagine at all what it would be like if him–down there– was to be like his well-shaped body and…

  “What are you thinking?” Leon asked, interrupting her thoughts.

  “What?” How long had she been musing out?

  “Should we carry on?” he inquired with a rise of his brows. “Or are you afraid?”

  Afraid? The word sounded ridiculous. She had dream of this.

  With a seductive grin, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, letting her hands roam free on his body as he did the same with hers, touching places where she shouldn’t allow him.

  “Rose,” Leon murmured breathlessly against her lips. “I think we have to get on with this a little faster.”

  He pulled back from her desiring mouth and shed off the last of his hessian and breeches, exposing himself in full view.

  The last thing she wanted to see was down there, but her eyes trailed enticingly to it anyway. She nearly gasped out loud to see such a manly creation.

  Could God have created anything more beautiful than her Adonis?

  Rose only hope now that she will have what it takes to satisfy his needs.

  Leon was surprised to see the amusement in Rose as she scans him over with her eyes. He had thought for her to be terrified and retreat to keep her chastity before it’s too late.

  But was her virtue still intact?

  There were still some doubts that lingered in his mind. She’s

  taking him so smooth and willingly that it was hard for him to believe that Lansing didn’t take her virtue and that everything was a lie.

  “Leon!” She rose up and pulled him eagerly down to her, cutting the thought out of his head.

  If he wants to know whether Rose was telling the truth or not, he will have to test it out now and see for himself.

  “Oh, Leon,” Rose moaned in pleasure as Leon bent his head to claim her breast in his mouth, teasing and flicking her nipples with his tongue.

  She was clutching onto his back so tightly that Leon fear he’s going to get all marked up by the end of their lovemaking.

  “Rose,” he groaned, as he trailed small kisses down from her breasts to her nicely shaped hip and deeper down.

  “Leon.”

  He feels he shouldn’t do this but Rose has sparked a flame in him that is too strong to burn out. Besides, he has been waiting for this. He has been longing to have this fiery moment with Rose–and Rose alone. Never in his right mind had he ever dream of being with another woman but her. It drives him mad to have that lingering thought of that bastard Lansing doing this to Rose, making her cry out and pleasure and clutch on to him like it’s the end of the world.

  “Please, Leon,” he heard her beg as he trail his lips to kiss her thighs and then to the most intimate part of her body.

  “No,” he heard himself say, dazed from her sweet scent. He has to taste her. God, he has to.

  “Leon!” she cried in startled as his tongue stroke her. “What are you…”

  Her protest to his action soon turns into cries of yearning and pleasures that she allowed him to continue to have his way with her, hanging on to keep his head there.

  She was the first and will be the last that he will ever experiment this on. After tonight, Leon knew that no matter what happens, he can never leave Rose again.

  “Leon…” Rose cried out, stroking his hair. “I’m…”

  Leon suddenly stopped and raises his head up to look at her with a lazy smile.

  She was gorgeous with her eyes closed looking all warm and hot with desire. Her milky skin glows in the moonlight, her breast so beautifully shaped and build just rightly for him.

  Her eyes suddenly popped open in astonishment when she realizes that he had stopped, followed by a sudden blush when she saw him staring at her so enchantingly.

  He can’t let her enjoy the pleasure alone. He has to be with her.

  “Leon–”

  Before she can say more or less, Leon leap up and take her mouth once more before setting himself at her entrance and slowly drove in.

  She gasped and clutched at his shoulders as he slowly pushed himself in some more.

  “You have never done this?” he asked her to be sure that she was still innocent as she had claimed.

  Infuriation marked her brows as she looked at him and arched up, pulling him down, forcing him to thrust deeply into her, making her cried out in what seems to be hurt and pain.

  “Rose!” Leon withdrawn suddenly at her cry, but she pulled him right back in.

  “Don’t!” she cried, holding onto him. “Don’t stop now! Don’t leave me!”

  He could see that she was wincing with a light sparkle of tears from the corner of her eyes.

  She was innocent!

  He had hurt her. She was telling the truth. Thank God! Why can’t she just tell him to take it slow rather than force himself into her to prove her innocent? Now she’s hurt and it makes him feel guilty to be the cause of it.

  “I would never leave you…again.”

  He wiped the corner of her eyes and settles himself more comfortably between her legs and begins to plunge in more slowly to ease the pain.

  “You didn’t have to do that to give me an answer, you know? It’s to hurt a lot the first time,” he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

  “I know, but you doubted me,” she murmured. “I–I have to prove it to you. It won’t kill me to take a little pain.”

  “Well, it kills me to have you in pain,” he answered, thrusting deeper now that he had broken through her barrier.

  Rose sighed into his neck and whispered, “Just love me.”

  And he did, meeting her cries with each thrust and kissing her senseless. This is what he should have done years ago. He still can’t believe what a lucky bastard he was to still have this opportunity with Rose when she should really be wedded off and experiencing it with her husband. But then he had decided something else. Something most dangerous.

  “Rose.” He gave Rose one last kiss before they reach the climax of their love and collapse o
n top of her; they both panting with full pleasure and delight.

  “This is so…wonderful,” Rose said, stroking his hair when they finally caught their breath. “I love you, Leon.”

  Leon smiled at her words and turned to kiss her breast. He loves her too, more than words can say. Is that even possible? It has to be because he had never felt this strongly toward anyone.

  “Rose,” he whispered, rising up to look into her eyes.

  “Yes?” she asked, cupping his face in her hands.

  Leon doesn’t know whether it’s right to say this or not but he can’t let this moment slip. He has to ask her this question. It may be most dangerous for Rose but he has to or it’s going to be too late and the dream he has had for so long would shatter.

  “Will you marry me?” he managed to break out. “Will you just please marry me instead of Lansing?”

  For a moment Rose just looked at Leon blankly in shock, not knowing what to say.

  Had he really just ask her to marry him?

  Didn’t he tell her that he wasn’t safe for her?

  Rose wave the question out and look back into Leon’s eyes.

  Was he truly serious or was it because they had just made love and he felt guilty for taking her innocence? Most men are like that, but then Leon is not most men. He’s just…him. And if he’s true to the question, why should she reject?

  “Yes,” she answered cheerfully, pulling him close. “I will. I have dreamed of it, Leon. I will. If that means you will never leave me again, then I will. I will marry you.”

  That brought a beam from him and he drove into her again since he never did withdraw himself from her.

  “I love you, Rose,” he answered, claiming her mouth.

  She loves him, too. She can say it a million times and still it would be true. She love his kisses, his touch, his lovemaking, his everything! There’s no man that she would love more than her Leon. Even if he’s taken for a bastard, it doesn’t matter.

  Why would she need a nobleman when she can have one so charming and wrong in all ways? He’s capable of doing the things any living male can. She doesn’t need anyone else. With Leon, she should be bliss and satisfy for the rest of her life.

  “I’m really going to have to get rid of Lansing, then, if I’m to win your hand,” Leon said to her after they have reached another highpoint. “Probably have to persuade your father, too, huh?”

  Rose smiled at him, and rubbed his back.

  She loves the feel of him. It brings joy and warmth to her. She just wished that they can stay like this forever.

  “You do,” she answered, bringing her fingers to trace the contour of his face. “Father’s not going to let me break off this engagement easily. I doubt Lord Lansing will too. I’m expected to be his wife. I can’t easily back out of it like some theater performance.”

  “I can help you,” Leon put in, raising some hopes in her.

  “Can you really?” Oh, how she wish he could.

  “I can do anything if it’s for you,” he answered, rolling off her and pulling her into a warm embrace. “But I need you to help me.”

  “Help you?” She looked inquiring up at him and asked, “What is there that I need to do?”

  He rubbed his chin briefly as to think and then snapped his fingers.

  “I need you to just try and delay your wedding for as long as you can until I get Lansing off,” he told her. “I plan to do it quick. After that, we can proceed on to having our own ceremony.”

  “I already told him that I want another half year to think about it,” Rose replied, trailing her fingers down his smooth muscular chest. “Plus, I heard he got…beaten pretty badly at the brothel. That should add to the delay.”

  She felt Leon tensed suddenly and cursed out as she spoke those last two sentences.

  “Oh, damn it,” he said, throwing an arm over his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, securing her arms around his neck.

  “Rose, I’m sorry,” he said, looking down at her. “I was the one who did that to him.”

  “Did you?” That stunned her for a moment and then indignation followed, making her pull away from him to sit up. “And why were you at the brothel?”

  Had he just deceive her?

  Please, don’t let that be it.

  She had just given him her body, love, and soul. He can’t betray her again after all she had given him. He just can’t do that to her.

  Realizing Rose’s anger, Leon got up and pulled her back to him. “Don’t think wrong yet, all right,” he said as she reluctantly sets her head back down on his chest. “I didn’t go there to do what you were thinking.”

  “And what is it that I’m thinking?” she asked, annoyed from his reply. She hates the talk of brothels. It angers her every time, especially when he’s in it.

  “Like what you always thought,” he answered. “But I assure you I was being honorable this time, basically because I was drunk.”

  “Basically because you were drunk? How unreasonable,” Rose humphed. “If you weren’t, then you would have been doing exactly what I was thinking. Why were you drunk anyway, may I ask?”

  “Because of you,” he whispered, nuzzling her against the neck. “You made me that way.”

  “How so?” she wondered. “I never told you to drink.”

  “You made me need to drink; otherwise I will be dying a slow death of grief and pain from your killing words that day in the woods,” he said, stroking his finger through her hair.

  “Really?” It made her glad to hear, despite the fact that he got himself foxed over it. “Yes,” he answered with a devilish smile. “You shall have to pay for it now and marry me for the pain.”

  She laughed out at his charming remark and kissed him. “I shall be glad to.”

  “I left Lansing in a really bad state, you know,” Leon told her as he caresses her back slowly. “For a moment I thought I had killed him because he made me so angry.”

  “What did he do?” she asked, curious about the reason.

  “He tossed you aside for those whores at Phillipa’s,” he said despairingly. “I couldn’t tolerate that after what you’ve said to me. He can’t do that to you!”

  Ugh! That place again.

  “Oh.” How charming of him to do such a thing for her sake. Perhaps he really did love her as he had said.

  “So…you thrash the life out of him for that, didn’t you?”

  “Yes,” Leon answered bleakly. “I couldn’t…I couldn’t control myself. I have to kill him or get as close to it as possible to be satisfy.”

  “You’re so sweet, Leon,” she said, moving herself to sit on top of him. “That must have been the best thing any man has ever done for me.” She bended down and kissed him soft and slow, feeling his arousal coming alive against her bottom.

  “You’re not angry…are you?”

  Rose smiled and shook her head. “Why would I be when you’re doing the honorable thing of beating up an unfaithful betrothed? I am most pleased.”

  “You are?”

  “Yes,” she nodded, and bended down to whisper in his ears, “Should I prove it to you, again?”

  He laughed at her response and adjusted himself inside her, fondling with her breasts as she moans in joy. She should really keep her pleasure to herself but he made it impossible to not cry out to their love.

  “You know, we’re probably waking up the whole city with your cry,” Leon joked as he thrust into her, slower and faster at the same.

  Darn, he had made her forget about everything.

  “Be quiet,” she managed to say and lean down to claim his mouth to hers once more.

  Oh, she can never get enough out of him. How embarrassing it will be to think back after all this is over. But with him taking her high to ecstasy, every discomforting feeling was soon forgotten.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Lansing Villa

  “Stupid weakling son!” roared Luther Gustaveas Dent, the Marquess

  of Lan
sing, as he looks down at his son’s unconscious body that laid before him on the couch. “Who did this to him?” he asked the startle servant that stood beside him.

  “A young gentlemen at the brothel, m’lord,” the servant answered shakily.

  “What is his name? How dare he step down on my son so low?”

  “Not sure, m’lord. The men in the brothel identified him as a friend of the Earl of Longsword and the Duke of Hargate by the name of Leon Heartily.”

  The old marquess tensed and narrowed his eyes as he heard the name. “Heartily you say?”

  “Yes, m’lord.”

  The old marquess threw his head back and laughed.

  Leon Heartily.

  No doubt he’s the son of Rafael Windsor who had lived under the false name of Solomon Heartily, the one he had been trying to find for years ever since that day he obliterated the boy’s father.

  Little Leon Heartily.

  How much does that boy know of his plan to attack his son?

  He had used his son Marcus as a cover for him while he stands behind to watch for any sign of the returning Heartilys who are actually bastard Windsors that had no clues.

  He intended to have it that way, but he need to get his hands on them.

  They had what he had been seeking for years, those little bastards.

  How lucky of him to have one roaming back into his clutch.

  “Where is that bastard now?” the old marquess asked the servant. “Ask a runner to find him. I’ll like to have a word or two with that Heartily bastard. He’s going to pay for this.”

  “Yes, m’lord!” the servant nodded and rushed out to send for a runner as requested.

  The old man turned to look at his son’s bloody state and cursed to himself.

  He had been trying to keep hidden for as long as he could as a dead man, but his foolish son had failed him.

  He must rise out of his tomb and handle things on his own.

  Why should he be afraid of a little Windsor? He had finished the whole generation off already.

  This tiny one won’t stand a chance.

  He even tried to use the little old flame of that bastard to try and woo him closer.

  That was the only reason he was making his son marry the chit.