Tempest of Passion by Elyzabeth M. VaLey

if he left her here, alone,
without protection, they’d kill her? How could he tell her that his
father lay dying because he’d been unable to be at his side and
protect him? That he was probably dead because of him? He would not
make the same mistake with her. Upon his honor and soul, he’d keep
her safe. Even if it cost him her love.
    “ Is that all you can say to justify your actions, Mr. Dalton?”
She steepled her hands over her nose and took in a deep breath.
“Please leave.”
    William
stared at her. Disappointment shone hard through her
eyes.
    “ I can’t leave, Emily. And no, I could not write to you from
London. A weeklong separation has driven me to the brink of
madness. I do not know how long I will remain in London, but I do
know that I need you to be with me.” He needed to find out what had
happened to his father. The letter he’d received had been remiss of
details, but fear for his family had him packing his things and
preparing to rush to London without a care for the council’s order.
However, he couldn’t leave Emily here alone. Whoever was trying to
destroy his life would hunt her down. He had no doubts about
it.
    “ And what about me? What about what I want, Mr. Dalton?
Doesn’t that matter to you?”
    “ Yes, of course it does.”
    “ It does? So why then, pray do tell, why did you speak to my
father before speaking to me? Why did you not come to me
first?”
    William’s
nails dug into his palms. He wanted to erase the pain in her voice.
To rid her of the sadness and anger he’d created by his actions. By
God, he wanted to explain. He wanted her to see that what he did
was for her own protection.
    “Emily…”
    “ Don’t, don’t Emily me. You are just like the rest of them.
Speaking sweet words to tie me down to a marriage I never asked
for.” She snorted. Tears shone in her eyes.
    “ Emily, had I waited, had the possibility of writing to you
from London existed … would you not have refused?”
    “ Of course I would have refused.” She fisted the soft material
of her skirt. “I could never marry a man like you. You are
conceited and presumptuous.” She shook her head, chewing on her
bottom lip for an instant before plunging on. “For some reason,
you’ve believed you can make me yours out of sheer will. You
cannot, Mr. Dalton.” She smiled sadly and smoothed out the wrinkles
on her skirt before raising her head to look him squarely in the
eyes. “I will not marry you, Mr. Dalton.”
    William’s
wolf whimpered in distress. Sweat ran down his back as he heard
himself say the words that would doom his love forever.
    “ You have no say in the matter. Your father has agreed to the
marriage. We wed in two days’ time.”
    William
took a step toward her as the blood drained from her face. She
raised her arm, staving him off.
    “ My father has consented? He has not spoken to me.” Her words
came out so softly he wasn’t sure they were meant for
him.
    William
thought back to the conversation he’d had with the Bunsbury head of
family earlier that day. He had been glad to find a man interested
in his headstrong daughter. William had explained that he thought
she had feelings for him, but of course, they both knew she would
refuse any marriage proposal. He’d shown him the letters and
explained his need to travel to London urgently. Mr. Bunsbury had
not been entirely convinced until he’d told him he did not need a
dowry.
    “ I asked him to allow me to speak to you first.”
    “ Why are you doing this? Why do you wish to destroy my
life?”
    “ I do not wish that, Emily. Do you not see I want to keep you
alive?” he burst out.
    “ Alive?” she shrieked. “Alive, protected, safe. I led that
life until you appeared, William Dalton. I don’t know what you want
from me, except to destroy everything I ever had. You cannot make
me marry you.”
    “ That is no longer your decision to make,” he said,
quietly.
    Her hand flew to her mouth as if he’d physically slapped