When a Stranger Loves Me (Love at Pembroke Palace Book 3) by Julianne MacLean

Author:Julianne MacLean [MacLean, Julianne]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Julianne MacLean Publishing Inc.
Published: 2020-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Blake strode into the library where Sebastian, Chelsea, and Melissa sat in chairs, each with a glass of brandy.

“We need to talk,” he said to Chelsea, then turned to the others. “If you will excuse us.”

Melissa stood and hurried out, but Sebastian was reluctant. “I will not excuse you if you are still inclined to hit things.”

“Hit people, you mean.” Blake was feeling impatient and did not want to dally there while dancing around the point he intended to make. “No. You already satisfied my killer instincts sufficiently well, thank you. I’m quite over it now.”

“I’ll be all right, Sebastian,” Chelsea said, touching her brother’s arm.

Her brother rose and crossed the room, stopping beside Blake to deliver a warning glare. “If you lift one finger to harm her...”

They stared at each other heatedly for a few seconds, then Sebastian walked out.

“Your brother is suddenly quite adamant to be your heroic protector,” Blake mentioned as the door swung shut behind him. “Too bad he’s so selective in that regard and didn’t come to your rescue when I was helping myself to your virtue. If you could call it that. I doubt you know the meaning of the word.”

Chelsea swallowed the rest of her brandy and set the glass down on the end table. “Must you be so vulgar?”

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t be. Ours was a vulgar affair from the beginning. It’s not as if there was any affection between us. You said it yourself, we were using each other.”

He saw her throat bob as she swallowed. “What did you want to discuss with me? I take it you are leaving?”

“Yes, first thing in the morning, and you are coming with me.”

She drew back as if he’d swung a wooden plank in her direction. “I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me.” He paced around the room, fighting to keep his animosity under control, when so little else was within his power. Ever since he woke up on this godforsaken island, he had felt completely lost, with nowhere to go and no one to trust except this woman—and that turned out to be a bloody, ridiculous sham.

Now he was again finding himself plunked down upon a road not of his choosing, with a family who claimed they would do anything for his happiness, while they were dragging him back to England in a mad dash so that he could marry someone—anyone—before the year was out.

All this to protect their inheritances.

His anger rose to a boil and he spoke harshly. “You could be carrying my child in your womb, Chelsea. Perhaps even a son.”

“And if I am? What will you do?”

Recognizing the anxiety in her voice, he continued to pace the room. “If that turns out to be the case, we will be married and the child will be heir to my fortune and property, which evidently is quite substantial.” He stopped, looked up and met her shocked gaze head on. “You didn’t actually think I would allow a child of mine to be raised by false, charlatan parents, did you? And scheming ones at that.

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