Adams, Eve - The Banished Bride [Brides of Bachelor Bay 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (12 page)

“The hell it isn’t!”

She shrank back at his frightening tone and the lethal look in his eyes. She’d never seen him this angry before. “Andrew, please. Calm down.”

“I most certainly will not. How dare you accuse me of such terrible things and then demand I calm down!”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“You!” He pulled flowers out from behind his back and hurled them across the room. They landed against the wall and fell apart, and scattered to the floor in a display of sadness. “You’ve gotten into me, Amelia. You’re in my veins like a sickness.”

Her fear turned to anger. “Are you comparing me to a disease?”

“That’s what you are,” he countered viciously. “You consume the life of every man who’s ever loved you. You kill them from the inside out.”

She gasped and brought her hand up, striking his face before she had a second thought. “I hate you, Andrew Gallagher.”

His eyes settled to blue steel as he tossed a bag on the floor at her feet. “Get your things. I’m here to escort you to Mildred’s.”

The guarded expression he held frozen on his handsome face left nothing up for negotiation. It wasn’t a request. Period.

He set his jaw and closed the door behind him. It was highly improper for a single man to be in her chambers, especially one who’d publically courted her. Then again, that hadn’t stopped her from allowing both him and Noah into her room last night.

Oh, last night. What had she been thinking! If only she could turn back the cruel hands of time, she’d set this right. But the damage had been done, and as Logan said, nothing she could do or say would make any of this right.

Anger—at herself, at Noah, and most certainly at Andrew after his comment comparing her to a disease—and a wild mix of emotions opened fire on her senses. But, above all else, intrigue and, dare she say, excitement raced through her veins. She’d never seen Andrew with such a dominant look about him.

“I don’t belong with Mildred.”

“Do you know where you belong, Amelia?”

Her heart thumped wildly, spiking her pulse and threatening to pound right out of her chest. “It is most certainly not with Aunt Mildred.”

“How would you know? You are so lost you don’t even know the type of man you want as a husband. Noah and I would make very good husbands. Last night we proved that.”

How dare he make such assumptions. “I know I don’t want you.”

“Then take Noah as your husband.” Even as he said it, Amelia knew he didn’t want that. He wanted her, publicly as well as privately.

“I don’t want him, either.”

He remained silent and widened his stance, crisply folding his arms in front of him. She heard the grinding of his teeth from where she stood. She had no idea he’d react like this. Andrew, the quiet, charming Gallagher. Andrew, the one who went along with whatever Amelia wanted to do without argument. Andrew, the one who, if she married him, would bore her into an early grave.

But
that
Andrew had disappeared, replaced by
this
Andrew. This Andrew had a sense of dominance about him that both thrilled and frightened her.

“Again, how would you know?”

She didn’t know how to answer so instead she turned and went about the task of throwing things into the bag. Not paying attention to anything but the rapid beat of her heart, she filled the contents of the bag with the first things she touched.

“If you’ll excuse me, I must apparently pack and then change into something appropriate for travel. Being callously tossed out to the street does take some preparation on the part of the one being unfairly forced into marriage.”

When he shook his head, she fell silent and swallowed thickly. His eyes were still, yet something wild burned in his gaze that she couldn’t begin to understand. Oh, but how she wanted to.

“You still don’t understand that this is no one’s fault but your own, do you?” he rasped, his tone slicing into the thick air.

“How is being forced to live with your aunt my fault?” She threw a hairbrush into the bag.

“Amelia, it’s time you learn the truth about yourself. Since you are too preoccupied in the world you’ve created for yourself, you’ve forced Logan’s hand.”

“But it was my own flesh and blood to betray me!”

He pushed away from the door and chopped up the distance between them with his well-muscled legs but stopped a few feet in front of her. “You don’t think I understand that? Above all else, I understand that better than anyone.”

“Don’t patronize me.”

He spiked his brow, mocking her very statement. “You don’t think it felt like you’d reached in and ripped out my heart with your pretty bare hands when I walked in to find you with Noah?”

His arrogance infuriated her. “I hate you.”

He rolled his glorious eyes, and she hated the fact that the gesture held her captive. “Do we need to have this talk about original insults again?”

She wanted to scream. Clenching her teeth, she stood there, her breathing labored as she struggled to remain calm. It wasn’t ladylike to lose control and show emotion like this, but if Andrew didn’t at least acknowledge that this was as much his fault as hers, she’d slap him across his handsome face—again.

“Do we need to remind you that I have a swift hand and accurate aim?”

He chuckled and imprisoned her in his heated gaze as he took a step toward her. And then another. Frozen in place, Amelia craned her neck when Andrew stopped a breath from her. He reached up and crooked a finger under her chin. She didn’t appreciate the silent mirth dancing in his blue eyes.

“Do you plan to shoot me? Or is this another failed attempt to have the upper hand? Trust me, sweet Amelia. You will never win.”

“Would you like to find out?”

“More than anything.”

Oh, dear Lord. Flames of desire licked her core, delivering a rush of shivers that peppered her skin and a heated gush of liquid between her legs. She ran her tongue along her lower lip, pushing it out enough to brush it against his.

He took the invitation and covered her mouth with his, kissing her as a hungry man would the woman he wanted to claim as his. Her breath caught when he licked her lips open. He devoured her, exploring the recesses of her mouth, and she whimpered as she arched her back to press against him.

Pulling back, he then looked down at her, the wicked need burning in his eyes. “Is this what I have to look forward to? Having a wife challenge my every word?”

“Only if I choose you.”

“Oh, you will.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Noah said and walked into the room. Amelia blinked at him. When did he open the door, and why didn’t she hear him before now?

“Good morning, beautiful.” He elbowed his brother out of the way and cupped his hand behind her neck to hold her in place as he lowered his lips to hers, stirring up memories of last night. He nipped at her lower lip a few times before pulling back, delivering a wink to her that had her knees weak.

“Did you talk to Aunt Mildred?”

He nodded at Andrew. “She’s less than pleased, but after I turned on my playful charm, she agreed to it.”

“Agreed to what?”

Andrew and Noah exchanged wicked looks.

Andrew grabbed her hands and turned Amelia from Noah. He lowered his head down so that his lips barely rested above hers. His breath tickled her face as he spoke. “Promise me something.”

Anything, just please kiss me again.

“When we come for our next visit”—he planted a trail of kisses along her lower lip—“and we will come”—he chuckled and delivered another line of tender kisses, this time down her neck—“you’ll be ready with your answer.”

“And if I’m not?

He looked at her, that smoldering look of determination and dominance in his eyes ready to have her submit to whatever he wanted. “You will be.”

“But—”

Noah stepped up and rubbed her shoulders as he kissed her neck. “We won’t let you go until you’ve made your decision.”

She liked the sound of that.

Chapter 8

Olivia’s Journal, Sunday, August 13
^th
, 1865

Port Steele, Washington Territory

That Lucy McTaggert is at it again, delivering another round of gossip as she picked up a few things at the mercantile before church today. Although I denied everything, I don’t know the truth and desperately need to speak with Lizzie. According to Lucy, Amelia and Noah danced scandalously close at the dance last night and then he escorted her home early. I wouldn’t be so concerned if she were escorted home by the brother with a sense of propriety, but Noah Gallagher has none. I see the way he looks at her. When I lived there I caught them stealing more than their fair share of flirtatious glances. I can only pray she didn’t do something we will all regret. Andrew is due home in a week’s time and if he returns to find his beloved in the arms of another man—his brother, no less—who knows what he’ll do. I really hope Amelia comes to her senses and simply agrees to marry Andrew so Lizzie and I can stop worrying. I still am not convinced Uncle Robert won’t return and try to steal her away. She’s the one he’s always wanted. If she’s not married, he will take her from us, one way or another.

* * * *

Noah didn’t slow until he made his way through town and over to Madam Chen’s. Although she kept the town clean by laundering the shirts and darning the socks of all the lumberjacks that didn’t have a woman at home to do it for them, what Noah wanted wouldn’t be in the front of the shop at all. No, what he wanted could only be found by using the discreet rear entrance.

He walked up and knocked on the door, glancing around to make sure he didn’t have any unwanted eyes on him. Not a soul around, he knew he’d never be discovered.

Visiting Madam Chen’s in broad daylight was a risk. The gossips in town like Lucy McTaggert would surely find this sort of news scandalous, but Noah had to get away. He hated this. What right did Logan have to send Amelia away when she clearly wanted him? After moving Amelia and seeing that look on her face, that plea in those pretty blue eyes, he couldn’t stand it.

And moving her in with Aunt Mildred of all people! Although she’d never said a cross word to him, he didn’t trust the old woman, especially with a fragile flower like Amelia. Aunt Mildred didn’t approve of Noah’s way of life, of the way he loved the women until he grew tired of them and moved on.

What would she say if she knew what had driven Amelia to live with her?

None of that mattered. Seeing how his actions had a part in the act that threatened to tear his family apart bothered him. Hell, it really bothered him. He’d marry Amelia in a single heartbeat if she’d simply say yes.

But what would that do to Andrew? Noah knew his brother cared more for that sort of thing than he did. Image was everything to Andrew. To Noah, it clearly wasn’t.

He needed a drink. Yes, it was noon. Yes, it was a Sunday. Everyone else in Port Steele attended church on Sunday, and Noah attended when convenient.

Services were already in progress, and he didn’t want to interrupt. Besides, Lucy was scheduled to sing another one of her ear-piercing arias. He’d rather slit his own wrists than sit through one of her solos. Those McTaggert brothers must be deaf to tolerate that woman as their wife. When she wasn’t singing off-key, she was spreading gossip around the town. Although since she’d married them, she hadn’t been nearly as destructive.