Free Black Jack by Lora Leigh Page A

starting to piss her off now. And he seemed to
    realize that. Travis was almost amused.
    Travis watched as the other man took careful control of himself and attempted to repair the
    damage.
    “I regret I haven’t given you the information I received,” he stated, and there seemed to be
    sincere regret in his tone. “The psychologist you were seeing in the hospital suggested it
    might be best that you remember certain things on your own. In the interests of your health,
    we elected to wait.” He cast Travis and Nik a harsh glare. “Victoria, please . . .”
    “Lilly,” she informed him, the quick, sharp tone of her voice drawing a reaction from her,
    as well as surprise from Desmond. “Please, call me Lilly.”
    Travis cast the other man a tight smile of victory. She was Lilly Belle, Lady Victoria
    Harrington be damned.
    “Lilly.” Desmond obviously didn’t approve of the name. “Please, dear. Let’s return to the
    house, and we’ll discuss this. The limo is waiting outside.”
    “I brought the bike. I’ll follow you back.”
    Desmond frowned, obviously caught off guard. “What bike?”
    “My motorcycle,” she stated, watching him carefully now. Travis could feel the tension
    radiating from her now.
    Desmond shook his head. “You have no such thing.”
    “Really, I do.” She strode across the room. “I’ll meet you at home.” Pausing at the door, she
    turned back to Travis. “I’ll be in touch.”
    “I’m certain I’ll enjoy the experience,” he taunted her, to remind her of the few stolen
    moments they’d had in the kitchen.
    Amusement gleamed in her green eyes before she pushed through the kitchen door and, he
    knew, strode to the garage.
    “Henry, make certain the garage door is open for her,” he ordered the butler as he hovered
    silently on the other side of the room. “And make certain Miss Harrington has access to the
    house whenever she wishes.”
    “Very good, sir.” Henry nodded stiffly and followed her.
    Travis turned back to Desmond. He was watching the door with a sense of bemusement, as
    though the woman that had stepped through it were a stranger rather than the niece he had
    once been rumored to love.
    “She’s not the woman you lost six years ago,” Travis reminded him quietly. “Try to turn her
    into that woman and you’ll make an enemy of her.”
    Her uncle turned back to him slowly. “If I allow you to have your way, she’ll remain one
    step above a criminal,” he said hollowly. “Or slip those final inches and be lost to us forever.”
    “Lord Harrington, I didn’t return to destroy Lilly’s life, I returned to save it,” Travis
    informed him.
    Desmond grunted rudely. “Your past actions do not speak of your desire to save her.
    Training in demolitions and explosives. Military and martial arts training in Asia for eighteen
    months while conducting so-called ventures into pirate-held territories. And that doesn’t count
    the dozens of near arrests, near fatal crashes, and God only knows how much weapons fire
    she’s faced while she’s played your whore.” By the time he finished his face was bloodred, his
    blue eyes snapping with rage, and his accent more clipped than usual.
    Travis tilted his head and watched curiously. It had been a while since he’d seen such a
    blue-blooded tantrum.
    “Perhaps I should remind of you the reason why she was learning how to fight, how to kill,
    and how to protect herself,” Travis stated calmly when the other man had finished. “Because
    you and your polite, well-heeled English society, your blue-blooded aristocracy, allowed her
    to nearly be murdered. You accepted her death, gave her a nice tear-filled burial, and went
    about your lives without once questioning the results you were given, despite the
    inconsistencies. Get your head out of your ass, Desmond. She’s a big girl, she’s been a big girl
    for a long time, and she’s damned sure more woman than your prissy little English boys can
    handle. You can