He closed the door and pulled her along to his sitting room. Pacing the room, he ran his fingers through his hair. Glancing at her, he saw her staring back at him. Her blonde hair was in disarray around her shoulders. She wore no make-up. The skirt looked crinkled as well.
“Did you let that fucker touch you?” he asked. Seeing Charles near her had sent alarm bells ringing through his head. He didn’t want any other man touching what was his.
“No. He was there, and I didn’t know he would be. I thought my parents wanted me to have dinner with them,” she said.
He saw the confusion on her face. He had never acted like this in front of her. It had been only recently that he’d started making demands from her.
“I don’t want any other man touching you,” he said.
“Why?”
“Do you really need me to answer that?” he asked.
“You’ve never shown an interest in me before. The kisses and whatever that was at the charity ball has been the only kind of attention. What’s changed? Why don’t you want any other man touching me?”
She had a valid argument. “Because you’re mine, and I intend to keep what’s mine.”
She glanced at him and then looked around the room. “You keep saying that, and I don’t know what you mean by it.”
Tony stared at her across the room. She looked innocent and perfect. His control was breaking, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d lose the battle.
“I don’t know what you want from me, Tony,” she said. “First you tell me we’re not going to have the proper kind of marriage other couples have, and I accept that. When I serve you divorce papers you come and manhandle me out of my home. Now I’m here, and you’re telling me you want me to be your wife?”
He didn’t offer her an answer. Taking the few steps forward he stood in front of her. “I want you,” he said. “And what is killing me is you don’t know how much I want you.”
“You said....”
“I don’t give a fuck what I said before. That was over two years ago. My God, I didn’t want to be attracted to you, but I was.”
He heard her gasp and ignored the sound. “Do you have any idea what it’s like wanting your best friend’s sister? Not only are you Richard’s sister, Opal. You’re fucking younger than me.” Tony had never said anything to her about the attraction he felt. “I feel like a dirty old man. You’re twenty-two years old. You should be out dating and screwing around with men your own age. Not married to me.”
She stood frozen where he’d put her. Tony wanted to hear her screaming back at him. To hear how disgusted she was with him.
“But I can’t do it. I can’t let you leave me. I won’t sign those divorce papers. You’re the one thing I refuse to give up in this life.”
Tears slid down her cheeks. He hated being the one responsible for putting them there.
“Don’t cry,” he said.
“What do I say?” she asked. He closed the distance between them. Tony wrapped her in his arms and breathed a sigh of relief. Her arms stayed by her side.
“Tell me you don’t want the divorce. Give us a chance,” he said.
“What about Rita Brooke?”
He hated that woman’s name. Since their affair had ended all she did was plague him for something more. “She means nothing to me. The only woman I want is you. Please, Opal. Give me a chance to show you how good it can be for us.”