A Pearl Pleasured: An aspiring composer ignores the scars between them in order to protect a talented harpist in peril (5 Pearls for the Earl Book 2) by Andrea K. Stein & Louisa Cornell
Author:Andrea K. Stein & Louisa Cornell [Stein, Andrea K. & Cornell, Louisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muirgen Publishing, LLC
Published: 2024-07-02T00:00:00+00:00
8
Joshua had not spent so much time in taverns and the dark alleys of London since he first arrived as an ambitious musician at the age of eighteen. Then again, heâd never allowed himself to be dragged from one low, disgusting place to another by a ten-year-old boy either. Not that he hadnât seen the inside of some of these places before tonight. Heâd boxed for money at the Lamb and Flag, often called the Bucket of Blood, more than once as a student home from school and as a penniless composer too. Home being Lady Camillaâs St. James Square townhouse. Once his father disowned him heâd never returned to the family estate in Hampshire again.
None of that mattered now. All that mattered was Sophia and her safety. Yes, sheâd lied to him, but sheâd confessed. Her husbandâs cruelty incensed him, and he deeply regretted the man was dead. Not that heâd told her that bit of news. One of his many sins of omission against her. The idea of lying to her, of his real reason for moving into her home and her life, gnawed at him like a hungry terrier. Heâd see her safe first and then tell her the truth. She deserved that much.
He loved her. He knew that now. She cared for him and even if she could never love him, that would be enough for him. It would have to be. Heâd awakened to an empty bed after their tryst in the music room, but things had been wonderful between themâstolen kisses, composing together, meals with long talks about music and his ambitions for his opera house. And torrid nights in his bed where he did his best to show her how beautiful she was in every way that he could. He sensed he was standing ever closer to a precipice and that the fall would destroy him. He didnât care.
âAre we going to stand out here in the rain, guvâ or are we going inside before we drown?â The night had turned frigid and the rain fairly sluiced down from the starless sky.
âDrowning might be safer,â Joshua replied as he and the lad, Dickie Jones, made their way to the back entrance of the Prospect of Whitby. Even in the dark, the sound and smell of the Thames told him they were well and truly heading into one of the more dangerous taverns in London.
âYer right about that. âSpecially when the Runner and the earl find out I brung you here.â
âTell them I bribed you.â
He snorted. âThey know that without me telling âem. I donât do nufink for nobody without my palm gets crossed.â
âYou helped Mrs. Hawksworth for nothing,â Joshua reminded him as they squeezed their way through the crowd at the back of the tavern. The stench of stale beer and stale bodies came at him in waves.
Dickie turned and glared at him, his expression half anger and half surprise. âThat were different. I wouldnât have come back here for anyone else.â
Come back here? Dickieâs ominous, almost fearful tone gave Joshua pause.
Download
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.
You by Caroline Kepnes(5988)
Driven by K. Bromberg(5782)
Holidays With the Walker Brothers by Nicole Edwards(4782)
Temptation (Club Destiny) by Edwards Nicole(4146)
Travis - An Alluring Indulgence Novel by Edwards Nicole(3989)
Infatuation A Club Destiny Novel by Nicole Edwards(3766)
Addicted (Club Destiny) by Edwards Nicole(3665)
Infatuation - A Club Destiny Novel by Nicole Edwards(3518)
My best friend's daughter by Jordan Silver(3207)
Fueled by K. Bromberg(3083)
The Beasts' Breeding Dungeon 2 by Bree Bellucci(2938)
Sex Piston (Biker Bitches) by Begley Jamie(2911)
The Billionaire and The Pop Star by Jordan Silver(2895)
Until Lilly by Reynolds Aurora Rose(2585)
Total Abandon by Alice Gaines(2463)
Raced by K. Bromberg(2446)
Liberating Lacey by Anne Calhoun(2420)
Oak, Sophie - Siren Enslaved [Texas Sirens 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Sophie Oak(2369)
Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair(2159)
