He remembered when Scarlett had taken it upon herself to make them an impromptu dinner one night. She liked to cook, like him. They’d stood chatting in the large conservatory kitchen while she made a risotto. Ross did his best to undermine her the whole time, commenting on her technique of chopping the vegetables, how she stirred the damn food in the pan, moving it from one hob ring to the other because in his eyes she had it on the wrong one. The whole time was spent criticizing his wife, snatching the vegetables from her like a child to chop them because she was too slow or doing it incorrectly in his eyes. He always stood his tall frame in front of her as though to block her out from existence. It was an effort to bite his tongue but every now and then Alexander made a sly sarcastic comment about his European Manager. If he hadn’t been so damn good at his job and not financially supporting Scarlett, he would have punched him out for talking to her like that and fired him on the spot. Scarlett deserved so much better than that man yet she stayed with him and was loyal because she had sworn vows to him. The bastard had broken her down with his mental cruelty making her feel as if every time he shouted at her, which was most of the time, it was always her fault.
It had taken all of Alexander’s strength to do as she asked and leave her to deal with him and make decisions about her own life after he had broken Ross away from her after he’d shouted and sworn at her in public, physically pushing her out of a shop because, according to him, the spoiled brat had wanted to go home. There were rumors of infidelity but Ross had always been able to talk his way out of them and convince her otherwise. When Alexander had caught them fighting and Ross had pushed her to the floor, Alexander had expected her to leave Ross, perhaps even take him up on his offer of assistance to help her do so. But for some reason he couldn’t fathom, she had begged him to let Ross keep his job and now they were five months down the road and she still hadn’t walked out on the womanizer and gambler.
Now Ross had become violent, Alexander wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Whether she liked it or not he was going to take charge and force her to confront what Ross had done to her. She was coming home with him even if he had to spank her and throw her over his shoulder to carry her out. He had Ross Blackwood exactly where he wanted him and there would be nothing he could do to prevent him from taking his wife. Time to tell her about her new life.
“Alexander, I didn’t realize you were here I…”
Her speech was halted when he moved close to cup her face in his hands and possessively kiss her. To his satisfaction she didn’t try to push him away and responded. He swept his hand around her back and pulled her close. He heard her sigh with deep pleasure and when the kiss came to a natural end she rested her head on his shoulder making him tighten his embrace loving the feel of her in his arms. There was no pretense this time, no sleight of hand flirting. He had made his declaration of love in the most primitive of terms and whatever her actions afterward, he now had confirmation his love was returned just as he had believed it would be.
He stroked his fingers through her long curled black hair and kissed the top of her head. His actions speaking much louder than his words could have done at that moment.
“Why are you here? We didn’t expect you until Friday,” she whispered pressing her face against his chest.
He prickled at her use of the word we.
“I came for you. I came to take you away with me.”
She sighed.
“I can’t go back to the States with you. I have to stay here. You don’t understand.”
Alexander cupped her chin and raised her face up to his.
“I don’t understand. He treats you like crap, Scarlett.” It was an effort to keep calm. “I know he is having an affair, honey. I met her today. I am not leaving this house without you. We don’t have to go to the States, I will take you back to my residence in the Lake District.”
“I can’t go. Believe me I want to. But you will be making a big mistake with me.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” he demanded. “There is no one I want more than you. I knew from the moment I saw you I wasn’t going to rest until you belonged to me. You never belonged with him.”
She pressed her delicate hands against his chest and looked up at him with those beautiful baby blue eyes. She was so beautiful, so fragile it took all of his strength not to kiss her again, sweep her up into his arms and carry her to his room to make love to her right there and then.
“I am older than you for a start and you are so handsome. All those beautiful tall, skinny models I have seen you with. I can’t match up to them. I am only five feet, three inches, with curves and baggage.”
He caught her chin and shook his head at her.
“I am not going to listen to you put yourself down. You out class every
