Free The Hellion (The Lady Knights of Barony Book One ) by Elise Marion Page A

course. Lord Kensington and his family had no qualms about including me in their family outings, which included balls and other such events when I was of age. Of course, it was inevitable that I would run in to him again.”
    “Your father?”
    Julian nodded. “Once people saw us in the same room together and made the connection, the gossip spread. Every young lady that ever fought for my attention now spurned my advances in public. None of them wanted to be on the arm of a nobleman’s bastard. Of course, that didn’t stop the young jezebels and experienced widows from trying to sink their claws into me. I received so many clandestine invitations, I hardly knew what to do with them all. After a time, I began to grow weary of them, the entire court and their silly games. I’d had enough of their snobbery, so I left. That’s when I met Simon.”
    “So, you left the protection of Kensington because of a few harmless rumors?”
    “They were not harmless. Those so-called rumors ruined my life. There was no way I could be accepted in their world with my background. No respectable woman would ever marry me and most doors would be closed to me and any children I might have had. I decided to make my own fate and earn my own things, unlike the people I knew who’d never worked for anything a day in their lives.”
    Ava nodded in understanding. “So you hired yourself out.”
    Julian nodded. “I do things other people would rather not do. If someone doesn’t want to dirty their hands with something, they hire me.”
    “Including kidnapping?”
    Julian’s expression hinted at not an ounce of guilt for what he’d done. He shrugged again, a gesture that had Ava’s blood boiling.
    “If the pay is good enough.”
    Her hands closed into fists at her sides and for a moment, she considered using one on him. “You’re despicable!”
    Julian suddenly reared up into a sitting position, clamping his hands around her upper arms tightly. He pulled her forward until she was practically in his lap and thrust his face toward hers until they were startlingly close. Ava’s eyes widened as she took in the masculine scent of him. How was it that he constantly smelled of leather, male, and musky shaving soap? Her heart drummed in her chest so persistently, she was amazed that he couldn’t hear it.
    “No, my lady, ” he hissed, his breath brushing up against her cheek. “I am not despicable. If I were, I wouldn’t have turned my back at the pond to salvage your modesty. If I were so despicable, I would have done what I wanted to do the second I saw you in those damned breeches.”
    Despite her better judgment, Ava found herself asking the one question that was burning in her mind. It would only serve to make matters worse, but she couldn’t help it. She had to know. “What did you want to do?” she asked, her voice a husky whisper that she didn’t recognize.
    His fingers tightened around her arms, flexing with controlled strength and power. Julian’s cold, hard eyes melted into liquid ebony pools as his eyelids lowered over them. His lips parted and her eyes lowered to his scar. Her tongue crept out to wet her own mouth. His eyes widened as it followed the pink muscle on its journey. He groaned and closed the distance between their bodies with a rough jerk.
    “Damn you, Ava,” he growled seconds before slamming his mouth down over hers.

~Chapter 8~
     
    What in God’s name was he doing? When had it come to this? When did his disgust for Ava Longley turn into something else?
    As he pulled her against his body and kissed her thoroughly, he knew that it wasn’t as simple as lust. This was something elemental and primal. He felt this within. It was visceral.
    Julian hadn’t meant to do it, but then she’d touched him. That simple caress on the shoulder spoke volumes. In the short time that her hand was on him, he knew. She actually cared. Her eyes had been filled with sympathy for the boy he had been before life had ruined