T. A. Chase

Angel’s Seduction-Part Thirty

Angel’s Seduction copyright (c)2006 T.A. Chase

Part Thirty-

Greyson moves, waking me up as a knock sounds on the door. I open my eyes to see the duke climb out of bed.

“Will you be down for breakfast, your grace?” Johnson stands in the doorway.

“Bring a tray up for us,” Greyson orders the valet while moving to the dresser.

“Yes, sir.” Johnson leaves.

I admire my lover’s form. Tall and muscular, he isn’t a man who has let the late nights and rich drink of the Ton ruin his health. My prick tells me how much it agrees with my mind. Greyson turns and smiles at me.

He holds my robe out for me to slip on. “The rest of our discussion was postponed last night. I’m sorry.”

I cup his cheek, turning his gaze to mine. “Don’t apologize. Do you feel better now?”

He nods. “Yes, I do. I guess I still had some mourning left to do. I never realized how guilty I still felt about Maria. Thank you, love.”

Our lips meet in a benediction. Promises are made as we kiss. I put my hand on his chest to feel his heart beating. Another knock sounds and we move apart. Greyson puts on his own robe while I stand out of the way for the servants delivering the breakfast trays.

“Johnson.” Greyson stops the valet before the man could leave.

“Yes, your grace?”

“Make sure we’re not disturbed. Not by anyone for any reason.”

“Yes, sir.” Johnson bows and shuts the door behind him.

“We’ll be able to talk without interruption now.” He gestures towards the table.

We sit, quietly taking the edge off our hunger. My body aches from our loving earlier that morning, but I’m beginning to welcome those feelings. After a while, Greyson fills his cup with coffee and leans back in his chair.

“Shortly after I abandoned my wife in the country, I returned to Town. I fell into my old habits, but lucky for me, some powerful men were keeping an eye on me.”

I stay silent. It is his story to tell and I can’t rush him. He stands, making his way over to the window.

“One night I was approached by someone in the Home Office. They needed some information on a certain nobleman. Unfortunately none of their usual employees ran in his circles. It seemed we shared the same interests. The man asked me to befriend this lord and gather what information I could.”

Unease tries to settle in my stomach. Will Greyson tell me he turned in a man like us? I’m not sure how I feel about that.

“I was reluctant at first. I didn’t feel right about spying on a fellow member of our club.” He gives me a small smile and a wink. “The Prime Minister’s man assured me they knew all about his perversions. They didn’t care about them.”

He laughs. “Perversions such as ours are not talked about in polite society. Yet people tend to know about them and ignore what happens behind closed doors.”

“Why were they interested in this particular man if not for blackmail?”

“Rumors had surfaced about a slave trafficking ring. White slavery. White girls were disappearing and sold to foreigners as slaves. Usually for sexual uses.”

Something in Greyson’s voice makes me think this type of slavery is the thing of nightmares.

“And this man had something to do with it,” I ask, not wanting to dwell on the actual slavery.

“Yes but the Home Office wasn’t sure how he was involved. They wanted me to find out. So I did. At first I did it to get rid of my boredom. Then when I began to see what these slavers did to these girls, I became angry and determined to shut them down.”

Coming back to the table, he sits his cup down and takes my hand. I stand in response to his tug, allowing him to lead me to the couch opposite the bed. He sits and pulls me onto his lap.

“We shut that ring down and thus began my service to the Crown. I travel in circles most of their spies can’t obtain, so I hear things they don’t.”

I rest my head on his shoulder. “Are you always so busy?”

“Normally no, but events are starting that could change the world and England must be ready for them. Each day, more information comes to light and it worries me.” He sighs.

I wrap my arms around his waist and press close to him. “You have so many obligations, why would you chose to open your life to me?” I’m not looking for him to flatter me. I’m just trying to understand why.

He pushes me away so he can look down at my face. “It’s no hardship to love you, Angel. You’re the brightest spot in my life. Now that I’ve met you, held you and loved you, the rest of the world dims in comparison and I’m not concerned about it. You are the most important thing to me and I’d do anything to make you happy.”

Tears glisten in his eyes and my gaze blurs with my tears as well.

“I believe you,” I whisper against his lips. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He presses kisses across my cheeks and eyes.

“For loving me. For trusting me.”

“I have no other choice but to love you. For you’ve stolen my heart, Angel.”

The kisses we share are slow and gentle. Just as the passion is about to burn out of control, Johnson’s voice sounds from the other side of the door.

“Your grace.”

“I thought I said we didn’t want to be disturbed.” Greyson rests his forehead on mine.

“I’m sorry, sir, but the same gentleman who showed up here the other night is back. He says it’s important.” Johnson sounds apologetic.

“Damn.” Greyson smiles at me. “England calls, love. I’d prefer to stay up here with you all day, but the outside world says no.”

I chuckle and climb off his lap. “I don’t mind. I’ll go for a ride. Maybe visit Uncle. If you’re free when I return, we’ll find something to occupy us for the afternoon.”

The sudden flare of heat in Greyson’s eyes tells me he’s already thought of an activity. I find myself resenting the busy life my lover leads.

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