Chapter Twenty-Two
Simon
Icy rage filled Simon as he stared down at his trembling wife.
Penelope’s beautiful green eyes, still sparkling with unshed tears, now filled with a mix of both trepidation and lingering anger.
It was probably the first time she’d spoken so freely to him, and while Simon found himself fascinated by her bravado, it was infuriating to realize she’d been the brunt of malicious attention.
But if I had been with her, I could have shielded her from that…
His teeth clenched. His failure to protect his new wife had led to this.
“Names?” Penelope stuttered. Her ice-blue gown shimmered in the light spilling from the ballroom onto the terrace.
She was as beautiful as an elusive garden fairy, so light and ethereal that she almost did not seem to be real.
Sweet and kind and submissive…she was the perfect victim for those seeking to hurt her. “You want names?”
She attempted to pull away from him, but Simon wasn’t about to let her go. Not now, when his mistakes were so glaringly obvious and needed to be rectified. “Yes. Names. All of them. Anyone who was cruel to you. Anyone who thought they could lay claim to you when we both know you are mine alone.”
She was silent for a long moment, then said in a soft, weary voice, “Why press the issue, Simon? Is it simply to prove your ownership? Or because you are suddenly experiencing an unfortunate sense of responsibility?”
Simon slid his hand away from the back of her neck and cupped her jaw in his palm. Running his thumb over her trembling lower lip, he considered her accusations.
If Penelope only knew how difficult it had been to stay away from her, she would not ask that of him.
He was tragically and utterly obsessed with his wife, and for her safety and his own well-being, he had determined it was best to maintain some distance between them.
Otherwise, he would lose control and commit every depraved act imaginable with her, whether she was willing or not.
So, for his sanity and her safety, he limited the time spent with her.
“I’ve no wish to see you harmed, Penelope.
And the men who dared proposition you have done so because of my neglect.
Their lack of respect demands an answer, and I am happy to provide it at the end of my pistols.
Now,” his voice turned low and dangerous, and again she quivered.
He briefly closed his eyes, reveling in her reaction to him even as he reminded himself that it was sick to enjoy her fear.
“You shall provide me with their names so this does not happen again in the future.”
“Is it your intention to challenge them all to a duel?”
“Precisely,” he replied calmly. “Names, Penelope.”
An intriguing expression crossed her delicate features, the green of her eyes darkening into a shade that reminded Simon of a secret forest glen. “No, I do not believe I shall do that.”
Simon cocked his brow at her quiet defiance. “You refuse to obey me?”
She nodded. “If you wish to avoid future instances like this, then you must accompany me to social events and deter those advances by the sheer force of your presence.”
Despite himself, Simon’s lips curved upward. “So, you think you can bribe me into escorting you around London?”
“It is hardly a bribe, Simon. It’s more a matter of common sense. I would never condone something so violent as a duel…especially for what are nothing more than minor transgressions.” Her tiny chin lifted stubbornly. “And it is ridiculous to think you could challenge everyone who has slighted me.”
“My inclination is not only to challenge them but to string them up by their entrails for the crows and buzzards to feast upon,” Simon murmured before sitting back.
Penelope’s lips thinned at the bloody threat, but she primly folded her hands in her lap and regarded him. “Why have you come here tonight? Earlier this evening, our butler informed me you had business to attend at one of your many clubs.”
Something that felt like shame squeezed Simon’s chest. “I apologize for my inattentiveness.”
Penelope let out a ladylike huff of disbelief. “Inattentiveness is not the word I would use.”
Curiosity got the better of him. “What would you prefer?”
“If you were honest, you might use a word like…evasion.” Penelope shrugged.
“Not that my expectations have changed since we exchanged our vows. You did a fine job of warning me that this was how it would be. I only find it surprising that you believed others would not notice or comment upon it. Your blatant disregard has made me a target for the cruelest members of society.”
Rising to his feet, Simon dragged her up along with him, his hand firmly gripping hers. “Come walk in the gardens with me, Penelope.”
She glared at him, her face pinched with suspicion. “Why would I do that?”
“I wish to speak with you alone, and there are too many possible interruptions here on the terrace.”
Penelope laughed as if truly amused. “If you are worried that my mother or father might come looking for me, I have taken care of that.”
“Come with me, Penelope. I am not requesting this. I demand it.”
“Fine,” she surrendered with a mutinous sigh. She put up no resistance as Simon tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and escorted her down the stone steps of the terrace.
The garden’s pebbled walkways were illuminated by several lanterns, casting a warm glow over the hedges of flowers and evergreen boxwood.
Deeper into the spacious area were dark, mysterious alcoves with benches tucked within, and beyond the terrace’s view was a small gazebo overlooking a tiny fishpond.
A bubbling fountain tinkled merrily, although it was not loud enough to drown out the faint strains of the orchestra in the mansion’s ballroom.
Simon assisted Penelope in climbing the stairs to the structure, then immediately pulled her into his embrace. She stood stiff in the circle of his arms, distrust apparent in her posture.
Brushing his lips over her brow, Simon waited until she relaxed a bit.
Her sweet scent surrounded him, the lavender-and-vanilla fragrance reminding him of their wedding night when he’d taken her virginity.
He had taken her silently and quickly every night since but had not subjected her to his preferred methods of dominance.
Other than that first spanking, he had restrained himself from using her in such a manner.
All the different ways he could punish her for this current display of defiance, while also giving her immense pleasure, ran through his head now.
The lust that rose within him, the possessive need to both fuck her and protect her, had the power of erasing everything else.
Even the close call he’d encountered outside Brooks’s dissipated from his thoughts as he held her.
For the second time in a month, he’d very nearly been run over by a hired coach.
A quick-thinking doorman standing outside the exclusive club grabbed the back of Simon’s coat, yanking him out of harm’s way and saving him from a terrible accident.
The logistics of such a thing happening twice were highly unlikely and very disturbing.
Giving a mental shake of his head, Simon focused instead on his wife.
I’ll think about it later. Not now. Not while I’m holding Penelope in my arms like this.
“Have you any objections to my embrace, wife?”
Her hands gripped his forearms as she silently shook her head.
Simon traced her lips with his own and took a deep breath.
“Do you really wish that I paid more attention to you, Penelope?” The uncertainty in his question troubled him.
Would she reject his awkward peace offering?
Did she truly want him to act the husband?
Doing so conflicted with every lingering resolution he still carried that she must be punished for her part in trapping him into marriage.
He had not married her to coddle her, nor to dance attendance to her every whim.
He’d married her because he was forced into it, and rakehell or no, he could not ruin an innocent girl and not have it reflect upon his family.
Penelope hesitated before replying in a tiny voice, “I’ve no wish to be a burden to you.
” Biting her bottom lip in a way that seemed designed to drive him mad with desire, she stared up at him, her eyes searching his in the moonlight.
“But the distance you insist upon only increases the difficulty in adjusting to our marriage. And when there are whispers of annulment, I find myself wondering if it might not be for the best. The scandal of it all would ruin me, of course, but I’ve never cared to be confined by society, and I’ve never enjoyed being forced to take part in its banality.
In all honesty, banishment would be a blessing.
And if you were decent enough to release my inheritance, I would be financially secure and not forced to rely upon anyone else. ”
Simon froze. What the devil was his wife talking about? “Annulment?” he choked out in surprise. “Who would dare suggest such a thing? Tell me this instant who is filling your head with this nonsense.”
“It doesn’t matter who has said it,” Penelope said quickly. “But if you did desire one, you must understand that I would not fight you on it.”
Closing his eyes, Simon battled for control over his emotions.
That Penelope thought she could escape him so easily now that he was completely addicted was disturbing.
His arm tightened about her waist, his fingers trailing the sweet curve of her jaw before burrowing into the intricate coiffure her hair was twisted into.
She could not pull away from his grip, although she rested her fingertips against his wrist in a silent plea that he show mercy.
“Let me assure you of one thing, wife. I will never willingly give you up.” His voice was hoarse. “Never, do you understand? You are mine. The only way out of this marriage for either one of us is death. So, I suggest you become accustomed to having me around.”
Penelope sucked in a breath at his fierce declaration. “You-you wish to remain married?”
“Yes,” Simon muttered, despising himself for giving in so easily even as a tiny smile hovered on his lips. “How else will I exact revenge for the loss of bachelorhood if I let you go?”
Penelope’s eyes bored into his as she gauged his reaction.
“Perhaps in your quest for retribution, you might consider spending an entire night in our bed.” Then, as she usually did after a little burst of bravado, she dropped her gaze, her cheeks turning pink.
“That is, if the other women you entertain did not object.”
“There are no other women, Penelope.” Simon’s entire body tightened with lust. “However, the possibility of losing control with you is the precise reason why I leave you each night.”
She said nothing for a long moment, then tilted her chin higher. “Should I be frightened of you?”
“Yes. The things I would do, the things I warned you of before we exchanged our vows, would frighten any gently raised woman.”
“Emily and Charlotte do not seem to mind their husbands’ attentions,” Penelope stated stubbornly. “Are they not gently raised as well?”
“Yes, but their situations are different from our own.” Simon clenched his teeth as the rationalization fell flat even upon his own ears.
“But how are they different?”
“Bloody hell, Penelope,” Simon groaned in frustration. “You have no idea what you are asking for.”
“But I want to know,” she persisted. Melting against him, her words came out in a whisper. “I can hardly be expected to understand your reasons if I do not experience these things firsthand.”
“Was the spanking I gave you that morning in my office not enough of a warning?”
She met his stare and swallowed hard. “No. It was not. I-I wish to experience more. To learn how to please you.” Even in the moonlight, he could see that her pale skin was now the color of fresh pink roses as she blushed continuously.
There was a quiet desperation to Penelope’s statement, one that Simon did not understand at all.
However, if she was willing to participate in the sort of dark games he enjoyed, he should take her up on the offer.
After all, he would not entertain the possibility of other women satisfying his needs, nor would he ever.
He only wanted Penelope, and that was the damnable misery of it.
“Very well, my foolishly brave little wife,” Simon crooned, pulling her tighter against him so she could feel the state of arousal she’d driven him to. Her soft gasp of surprise made him even harder. “I shall begin your instruction at this very moment.”
Her eyes darkened to deep pools of emerald-green desire, her pouty lips parting on a breathy exhale. “N-now?”
Simon laughed. “Yes. Now. Here, where anyone might come upon us. Does that excite you? Knowing that we could be discovered? I confess that it is certainly part of the thrill for me.” Pressing a quick, heated kiss to her open mouth, he rubbed his thumb over her lips, then slipped it inside until she automatically closed around the digit.
He swallowed a groan and attempted to give her one last chance to come to her senses.
“But you can still stop me, Penelope. Tell me no, and we shall return to the ballroom. Do you wish to continue?”
Something devilish sparkled in her eyes as she released his thumb from the heat of her mouth. “Yes, my lord.”
A muscle ticked in Simon’s jaw at her deliberate use of those words. She was deliberately taunting him. Provoking him to punish her for ignoring his directive that she call him by name when they were alone.
Heat rushed through him, setting every nerve ending on fire as he silently dragged her to one of the gazebo’s pillars and leaned his back against the cool stone. With slow, deliberate movements, he unbuttoned his trousers and withdrew his cock as she watched with wide, incredulous eyes.
Giving the thick shaft a couple of long strokes, he murmured in a dark, low voice, “Down on your knees, wife. Your true instruction begins now.”