Free The Viscount Returns by Eryn Black Page A

crashing of what he could only imagine to be one of his mother’s vases. She had slept the night through in her drugged induced state, but awoke this morning to find that the last of her drug had been smashed and by now all traces dried up from the floor.
    Now it begins.
    Crossing to the door adjoining their rooms, he gave the door a solid kick, breaking the lock and bringing her attention to him. He did not cross to her or show any sign of concern, but merely stood there in the doorway with his arms at his side and his posture straight and strong. He had not thought to cover himself before making his presence known, but it was not uncommon for men to sleep in the buff and he was proud of the body he had and held no secrets to the woman he was imprisoned with for life.
    “You will wash and join your son and I for breakfast,” he began, holding his shoulders back and his head only slightly angled down to speak to her. She was more than his wife, more than the mother of his son and more than an addict. She was living proof that he had failed his father, his grandfather, his brother and most of all her. Robert looked at Fiona, stricken with pain for what he wished he could do for her, and filled with revulsion for himself in how he had let her down.
    Not ready to take orders and lost in a state of opium hunger, she took a shaky step forward. Her eyes were glazed and lacked the ability to focus and her temples were bright red from where she had been pinching her temples to fight off the pains of withdrawal. “Do you know what you have done? You bastard! You will get me another bottle at once.” Fists clenched in the air, and reaching to beat at his chest, she threw herself at him, ready to attach. Dark circles under her bloodshot eyes were only another indication of the withdrawals that had begun to take hold of her.
    Holding her off at the wrists, Robert showed no strain or any emotion worthy of a label for personal feelings.
    “You will wash and dress before joining your son and I for breakfast downstairs in the breakfast room. Casual attire for casual dining in the kitchen will not be acceptable.” He stepped clear of her foot aimed for his shin. “If you are not well enough for this, then you may remain in your room until I can expect a clean proper lady at my table.”
    “I hurt! You bastard!” she screamed at him. Her hair was a wild mane that fell in her eyes. “I hurt and it is your fault!”
    “And you will not expose my son to your pains and sorrow.” This was the first time he had referred to Sprout naturally as his son in her presence and even Fiona regarded the sentiment with a flinch.
    She was mad with need and it was only then that he saw the bloody scratches on her arms. She had been at this for some time that morning. All of this had progressed sooner than he had expected. Lifting his wife onto his shoulder, he carried her back to her messed bed. No amount of kicking would bring him to let her down anywhere other than her bed. They fought and wrestled over the sheets, and Robert realized that fighting his crazed wife without a stitch on was not the best choice for his safety, but in the end it was the Lady of the house that found herself secured by both wrist and foot to the bed with her curtain tiebacks.
    “Now…” Robert said, slightly short of breath. “You will remain there until I know that you are no longer a danger to yourself or our son. You may do to me as you wish, but you will not expose our boy to any more of your weakness.”
    She answered him with her struggling protests against the restraints. “Do you hear me?" His voice was a slap to her senses that came in full force.
    The hallway door came open and was followed by a scream. Ruth stood there wide-eyed, taking in Fiona’s bondage and Roberts’s nakedness. There was no questioning what conclusion the woman came to and Robert did not waste time to defend himself. He turned back to his room, crossing the doorway in a calm pace,