The Duke's Love (23 page)

“Stop, not yet. We need to talk.” Ana immediately ceased her advances.

“Jake
,
I would like to go first
,
” she spoke up.

“Go ahead
,
dear.” H
e started massaging her back and she was momentarily distracted with how good it felt.

“I was a little bored earlier
,
and I went in
to
your room to look around
,
”
s
he confessed
and then waited
to see what he would say. “I found the box beneath your desk.” Jake stopped massaging her
, so she
half turned around to face him.

“Ana you meant the world to me and you just walked away. The things in that box were all I had left of you. I couldn’t bring myself to part with
them,
”
h
e said sincerely.

“I love you
,
Jake. I never stopped.” She started to kiss him, but he pushed her away.

“Did you reject my proposal because of your parentage?” He asked her. Ana didn’t want to go into the subject, but knew she did not have a choice. He deserved honesty.

“Yes, your mother would have never accepted it.” She turned back around and continued to wash herself.

“I would have
,
though
.
Surely
you knew that
,
” Jake said. Ana remained
quiet
. She was thinking of the best way to go about telling him her reasons were just. She opted for the truth.

“I loved you
too
much
to put you through that,” she said.

Jake continued washing her back. “I’m a bloody
Duke
. I can go through anything and the ton would accept it. They would have never
directly
cut you as my wife
,
”
h
e said harshly.

Ana turned around in the tub to face him
again
. “I’m sorry Jake. I don’t know what else you want me to say. I can’t change the past
,
”
s
he said quietly.

“It’s alright
,
love. We will get married now and start again
,
”
h
e said as he started kissing the back of her neck.

“I won’t marry you
, Jake. J
ust because you know my secrets and we made love.” Ana said turning back around, causing more water to splash over the rim. The damn tub wasn’t big enough she thought. 

“Ana
,
I know you are not that naïve, you could be pregnant
,” he said.

Ana paled and said, “I doubt it. It is way too soon to tell anyway.”

“Regardless. I need a wife and you’re it
,
”
h
e said impatiently.

“I’m it? That’s awfully nice of you
,
”
s
he said
with a bit of sarcasm
.

Jake sighed. “I’m not going to fight with you
,
”
h
e said in placating tone.

“Fine! We won’t marry and I’ll be happy
,
”
s
he declared.

“So you’ll agree to be
come
my mistress?” He asked
,
outraged.

“Well, I’m officially ruined, so what’s the problem with that?” She
asked
carelessly. 

Jake
stood
up and climbed out of the tub. He was grabbing clothes and jerking them on.

“Why? Why are you so set against marrying me?” He snapped at her.

“I just don't want to marry you
,
” s
he said
,
knowing it was the wrong thing to say.

Ana stepped out of the tub and toweled herself dry. She was very aware of Jake watching her every move. Jake grabbed hold of her arm and
led her to the bed
.

“Well then, let’s have some fun, shall we?” He bit out. He pushed her down on the bed and watched her with narrowed eyes
,
as he undressed himself and climbed on the bed and
lay
down
on top of her. “If you
wish being
treated like a whore, I’ll treat you like one
,
”
h
e said savagely.

He shoved her legs open and his fingers came down to the apex of her legs and entered her. She gasped and tried to close herself against the intrusion, but couldn’t with Jake’s muscled body in the way. “Ana, you're wet and ready
,
”
h
e said in her ear.

“Jake
,
please stop. Not like this
,
”
s
he pleaded.

“You want to be
come
my mistress, remember love? This is how
a
mistress is treated. It doesn’t matter what you want
,
”
h
e said hatefully.

“You made your point
,
I’m sorry
,
” Ana
whispered
.
Jake pushed himself up and off her and turned his back in disgust.

“Get dressed
,
I’ll meet you downstairs for dinner
,
”
h
e said as he walked into his dressing room. Ana jumped up
,
got her robe on
,
and hurried
from
his room.

Jake was trying to get his breathing under control. He had his arms bracing against the shelf in his closet. He thought about fetching his valet, but he wasn’t in the mood.
In haste,
h
e dressed himself and went downstairs. He was angry with himself with how he
had
treated Ana. He was so close to just taking her without thought. She was so naïve and innocent, it tore at him. After he was properly dressed, he went downstairs to face her. He stopped short in the doorway of the dining room.

Sarah was sitting there with his mother, neither one attempting to talk.

“Miss Fairchild, shouldn’t you be in bed?” Jake asked as he sat next to his mother.

“I didn’t really like being all alone and I thought since everyone has left, there wouldn’t be a problem. Is there a problem, your
Grace
?” She asked with feigned politeness. Jake was thinking of a suitable come back to that, but didn’t have time
. Ana walked in at just that moment
.

Jake studied her. She looked flushed,
frustrated,
and incredibly beautiful.
He ached to apologize for behavior.

“I thought you returned to
London
my lady?” Sarah said scornfully.
Jordan
stood up and pulled back his chair,

“Come sit
,
Ana and let’s tell them the news
,
” Jake said, willing her to listen. Ana sat down beside Jake and he noted that on closer inspection, she looked tired and stressed. He promised himself he would make amends.

“It doesn’t matter why she is not in
London
. What matters is we are announcing that we are
being
married
,
” Jake said getting a huge smile out of his mother. Ana gasped. Jake took a hold of her hand under the table and gave it a deathly squeeze, compelling her to agree.

“Why this is wonderful news!” Katherine exclaimed
,
almost jumping for joy.

“What is wonderful news, if I may ask?” Lady Felicia entered and sat down beside Sarah. Katherine repeated what was said
.
Lady Felicia glanced at her daughter, and everyone not
ic
ed
that
she had not said one word
,
yet. Lady Felicia started to say something
,
when Katherine broke the tension.

“When is this lovely occasion going to take place?” Katherine questioned.

“Jake and I still have several things to discuss pertaining to the wedding, so we don’t know yet.” Jake’s grip on her hand lessoned with her acceptance. With the exception of Sarah, everyone began talking about the upcoming wedding.

“Excuse me
,
I think I am going to be sick
,
” Sarah stated in an undignified fashion. Jake watched her hurry out of the room. He felt perpetually bad about giving her the wrong impression. He vowed
that,
without delay, he would find a suitable husband for her before the season ended.

His mother was prattling on and on about the wedding. It gave her a new spark, something to focus on and for this, he was glad. Jake sat and answered his mother’s many questions and Ana put in a word here and there. Dinner turned out a somewhat happy affair in the end. It was noted that Lady Felicia did not go to her daughter’s aid
and
instead jumped in
to
the conversation around the table. She was adding surprising ideas for the wedding.

Jake leaned over and whispered in Ana’s ear,
“I
will be
coming to your room tonight
,
so leave the door unlocked.”

He felt Ana tighten her grip
, letting go of his hand
,
before politely excusing herself and leaving the room.

Sarah
felt as if she were going to retch
. This was not supposed to happen. At first
,
she only wanted to make
Ana
ill to have her out of the way for a little bit, or at least until there was an engagement. Her engagement! She could see now
that
it wasn’t an option. Jake would still go back to Ana. That harpy was stealing her
husband
, her dreams, and her life.
Again!
Who does she think she is? Sarah was not going back to
London
in dis
g
race
. She was not going through that again. She was pacing
,
wondering what the next step should be.

After
a while
,
her mother entered the room and asked her how she was feeling.

“Mother, you have to help me
,
”
s
he decreed.

“I think you need to let it go
,
my dear
,
” Lady Felicia said in a condescending voice.

“Let it go! I will not let it go
,
” s
he scream
ed
and
then
stomped out of the room. How was she supposed to let it go? She knew her parents wanted her out the house. She knew this was lik
ely going to be her last season
.

Sarah knew her parents were planning
to cut
her off. It was not fair! They could all go to hell. As luck would have it, Sarah ran into Ana in the hall. She stopped short. “You won. Are you happy now?” She screeched.

“I wanted to apologize to you
,
”
Ana
said. 

Apologize? Sarah scoffed, as if she would ever buy it. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.” Sarah started to go past her
,
but
as she went by
Ana
,
she grabbed her arm. Without thinking about it, Sarah reached out and slapped her full on the face with as much force she could put beh
ind it
. Sarah continued down the hall before Ana could come to grips with what
had
just happened.
S
arah
was aware of Ana following her. Didn’t she know when to leave well enough alone?

“I guess I deserve that
,
”
s
he said
calmly
. They stopped simultaneously on the top of the landing. The side of
Ana’s
face
was red with the imprint of her hand
. Sarah felt a brief
moment of
satisfaction in seeing th
at
.