Read Online Sinful Possession by Samantha Holt - Free Book Online

asked.
    Anna looked up and shook her
head. “I’m afraid not.”
    “Damn.”
    “You cannot keep her hidden
forever.”
     “I know, but I’ll be damned
if I let her come to harm.”
    She gave him a sad smile. “You
always were the hero.”
    Guilt struck him as it often
did with Anna. She’d been quite attached to him during their younger years, and
he could not help feel he should have done something—counselled her or talked
with her. He didn’t know what, but something.
    “Are you happy here, Anna?”
    “Of course.”
    “You don’t miss society?”
    She released a mocking
laugh. “Why would I miss them? Anyway, now they come to my doorstep, begging to
come into my house.”
    “I hate to say it, but you
sound bitter.”
    “Ash, you are hardly the
sort of man to be talking of such things. Are you not a cynic of the world? Is
that not why you hide yourself away from society?” She motioned between them. “We
are more alike than you realise.”
    They were not. But she did
not need to know the real reason he had appeared to have given up on life and
why he avoided society.
    “Is Lila well?”
    Something flashed in Anna’s
eyes. “I am not her nanny, Ash, but Harris is watching her. I promised you she
would be safe here.”
    “I know you would not let
her come to harm,” he replied stiffly.
    He hoped Harris wasn’t
keeping too close an eye on her. His brother was too charming for his own good,
and he didn’t like the way Lila giggled when he talked to her.
    “I shall leave you to your
work.”
    She didn’t respond, merely
turned her attention back to the papers on her desk. He couldn’t fathom what he
had done wrong, but she was being distinctly cold toward him. If only he
understood women better. He could swear out of all his brothers, he was the
worst with them—and that was saying something considering his brother Julian
had been a practical ogre before his marriage.
    He headed up to Lila’s room
and paused with his hand to the doorknob. Taking a step back, he knocked
several times and waited.
    “Lila?”
    His heart picked up speed a
little. Images of her lying on the ground like Westerling, her throat cut and
blood everywhere seared his mind. Ash shoved open the door and swung his gaze
about. No sign of her. Bloody hell, where was she?
    He stomped downstairs and
was about to disturb Anna once more until a familiar laugh reached his ears. He
took the double doors through to the gambling hall and stopped to peer around.
The tables were busy for a week night. Men lined the bar, drinking to excess no
doubt, and the rattle of chips and the flick of cards rang in his ears. Every
now and then, the low murmur of male voices was broken by that laugh.
    Lila’s laugh.
    He searched the crowd until
his gaze landed upon her. She was playing craps. And worse, she was surrounded
by men. He could tell they were all enamoured with her and who could blame
them. Decked in a sumptuous deep purple gown, she shone like a star. No one
could possibly keep their eyes off her. Perhaps he’d been wrong about pastel
colours.
    Aware he’d wasted too long
gawping at her, he strode over and grabbed her arm. Lila let out a gasp, and
her eyes rounded when she faced him. For a brief moment, she beamed at him. And
then he saw the annoyance darken her eyes.
    “Whatever are you doing?”
    “You should not be here.”
    “It’s perfectly safe,” she
hissed. “Anna would never let strangers in here.”
    “Firstly Newton is no fool,
he could sneak in easily enough, and secondly, have you not seen how these men
are looking at you?” He leaned close to say the last part in her ear. “You are
in grave danger, let me assure you of that.”
    Her mouth worked, but she
didn’t say anything. He tried to tug on her arm, but she yanked it from him and
offered the gentlemen her apologies before striding ahead of him. Ash raced to
catch up, finding that the men present were far more eager to move aside for a
beautiful woman than