Forever Yours: Series Bundle 2 by Reid Stacy & AuthorsDesigns

Author:Reid, Stacy & AuthorsDesigns
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stacy Reid
Published: 2019-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Inside the Club was decadent. Verity’s pulse skittered alarmingly and she hovered at the entrance almost scared to step into a place of sin and depravity. Fear and a dash of excitement coursed through her veins. Her breath trembled on her lips. The decor was one of luxury, red and green carpets covered the floor, and swaths of red and golden drapes twined themselves around massive white Corinthian columns. Dozens of tables were scattered in an organized sprawl on this lower floor, and many lords she recognized sat at tables playing faro, Macao, whist, and vingt-et-un.

Smoke wafted through the air from the many lit cigars, glasses clinked loudly as it appeared every gentleman had a drink in hand, and the clattering of dice echoed as they rolled on the tables. Verity swore she could hear the fine shuffling of the cards as they were flicked, cut, and shuffled with artistic expertise. Elegantly clad women with filigree masks on their faces, and a fortune in jewelry at their throats and ears reposed on chaise longues chatting and drinking champagne. This could have been a masquerade party held by a lady of the ton, or even one of the risqué parties the king was rumored to host, a nod to his wild and wicked days when he had been the Prince Regent. Yet, there was such an air of wickedness and conquest at this club that she doubted would ever exist at a society ball.

Atop the second-floor railing, stood a man she recognized. Viscount Worsely, a man rumored to be dangerous and unpredictable. The man had a distinctively captivating presence, impeccably dressed in the first stare of fashion, and his dark blond hair shone like burnished gold under the thousands of candles hung suspended from magnificent chandeliers. He surveyed the crowd as if he were king, and the gambling lords and ladies his subjects. There was a rumor in the ton the viscount was part owner of a notorious club, but Verity hadn’t paid any attention to it, for it did not concern her.

She glanced at James who seemed to be assessing her reception to his den of sin. It was as if he expected her to act missish and wail to be returned to her sanctuary. Somehow his air of expectancy inspired her to be spontaneous, naughty…scandalous. She sucked in a harsh breath and pushed away the ridiculous feelings. “So, this is how the sinful half live?” she asked archly.

The air crackled with the intensity of his stare, and she felt the ridiculous urge to remind him she was disguised as a lad. Another surely would not stare at a gentleman in such a disturbingly wicked manner. She glanced away briefly, and upon meeting his gaze, once again his expression was neutral. Had she imagined desire?

Or was it her unpardonable awareness she was foisting on the earl? He was truly irresistible, with those burning dark eyes and endearing smile, and a somewhat crooked nose.

“Follow me and keep close,” he murmured.

They made their way through the tables toward the winding staircase.

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