What Would a Duke Do? by Collette Cameron

Author:Collette Cameron [Cameron, Collette]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Seductive Scoundrels Book 4
Publisher: Blue Rose Romance
Published: 2019-06-18T16:00:00+00:00

Whatever reaction Max had expected Gabriella to have, this wasn’t it. She laughed. Not a dainty feminine tinkle, but a full on bent over at the waist, gasping for breath, belly laugh. His lips quirked of their own accord at her jubilant chuckles. He’d never seen her unfettered mirth and it was glorious. The reason for it, not as much.

Her focus snapped upward, her eyes going wide as she slapped a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders continued to shake, and the moisture pooling in her eyes now the color of turbulent clouds, was humor-induced. Beneath the straw bonnet shading her face, her beautiful gaze rounded impossibly more with realization.

“You’re not serious?” Sobering, she knuckled away the moisture at the corner of her eyes. She leaned away, working her attention over him twice. “Stars above. You are. Are you utterly mad?”

Yes, he probably was.

Rather put a man off having his proposal laughed at, but then again, he hadn’t exactly proposed in the most romantic way. Nothing about this was meant to be romantic. In fact, he wouldn’t call it a marriage proposal at all, but rather bartering terms. She didn’t know that yet, however.

Nonetheless, he knew her well enough to realize she wouldn’t be pleased at what he said next. Would that he could go back six months, when he first recognized his feelings for Gabriella were more than admiration and attraction. Before he found his grandfather’s diary, and Max started them upon this irreversible course.

While he had no doubt she would eventually agree to become his duchess, might even enjoy the physical aspect of their joining, he never believed she’d come to hold him in any regard. Especially after she learned of his terms.

What did that matter?

Most peers married for convenience. For power, position, coin. In this, he wasn’t so very different, except that he meant to reclaim that which had been stolen from his family.

Damn his eyes, but a part of him wished it wasn’t the reason.

She sat silent, her head slightly angled and her keen gaze still roving his face. Her attention lingered on his lips before flitting away. Was she remembering what had transpired between them but a few minutes ago?

Gabriella was attracted to him. The smoldering kisses they’d shared left no doubt.

He didn’t dare ask for more. Didn’t deserve more.

He’d chosen this path, perhaps not knowing all the consequences, but fully aware of what he must do. For justice, for righteousness and fairness. To avenge his grandmother, grandfather, and the child—the aunt or uncle he’d never known. And perhaps, part of this was revenge for himself as well.

His grandfather’s inability to show kindness or love to his son had made Bronson a victim as well. And Bronson, a stranger to affection, had never learned how to love anyone, let alone his only child. Max had never experienced the love of a parent. Or a grandparent’s. Or a sister’s or brother’s.

For all of his many friends at Bon Chance, some he considered as close as brothers and for whom he’d willingly die, no one in the entirety of his life, had ever said they loved him.

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