The Villainous Marquis Is Obsessed With Me

Chapter 79: Not Tonight

"The Emperor wants me present?"

Penelope blinked, utterly stunned after reading the elegant script on the parchment. The missive did indeed state, in no uncertain terms, that the Marquis’s wife must accompany him to the imperial palace. But the demand felt entirely suspicious now, especially considering the Emperor had made no mention of her in the initial summons sent a week prior.

She looked up at Vincent. He had crossed his arms, leaning back against the edge of his heavy mahogany desk, his sharp features shadowed with contemplation. It was clear he shared her exact misgivings.

"Why does the Emperor want me there as well?" she pondered aloud, the paper crisping slightly beneath her fingers. "Is there to be some sort of grand event hosted at the palace? From what I gathered, we are not the only noble house invited to this sudden gathering."

"That could certainly be part of it," Vincent replied, his stormy-gray eyes fixing on the map behind her. "It’s the Imperial Palace. There’s always some event going on."

He exhaled softly. "But unfortunately, His Majesty’s mind is notoriously difficult to read, and the timing of this amendment is far too sudden for my liking. Perhaps it would be wisest if we journeyed together. Once we arrive at court, I can offer a diplomatic excuse to the Emperor explaining why you will not be able to stay for long. The matter here is just as important as obeying the decree, and I believe we can make it work. Plus, it arrived a day late. I’ll think of something when we get there, so you don’t have to worry about it."

"Are you sure? I am also deeply concerned about the estate," Penelope added, stepping closer to him. "If we both leave for the capital now, who is going to handle the investigation here?"

"It shouldn’t take much of our time, hopefully," he replied, his tense posture relaxing just a fraction to put her at ease. "I’ll handle the arrangements, so rest your mind. I don’t think we’ll be spending that much time in the capital anyway, so I don’t believe it’s anything serious. Maybe His Majesty just misses my face and wants to see the lovely woman that I married, hm? If there’s one thing I remember about him, he’s quite nosy about things. And maybe I wish to brag about my lovely wife. Only if you’re interested in accompanying me."

A faint, roguish smirk played at the corner of his lips as he reached out, catching her hands and gently drawing her into his space.

"Really? You think I’m lovely?" she teased, the sudden lightness in his tone coaxing a soft smile from her lips despite the weight of their secrets.

"Beautiful, amazing, sometimes infuriating, but I love everything about you," Vincent murmured, pulling her close enough that she could feel the steady warmth radiating from him. "What can I say? You have made a thoroughly wrecked man of me. If you dare to run away from me again, I’ll bring back those iron cuffs, but I’ll ensure you’re cuffed directly to me this time around."

He lowered his head and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to her knuckles, his intense, stormy-gray eyes never once leaving her face.

If Penelope didn’t know better, she’d believe he was bluffing.

"Is that so?" She narrowed her eyes at him, a playful yet sharp glint returning to her gaze. "Hm, perhaps you won’t need me there after all. You’ll have plenty of high society acquaintances to keep you occupied. I heard Lady Catherine might be in attendance at court as well."

"Hm?"

Vincent blinked at her, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden turn of the conversation.

"But she’s not my wife," he countered smoothly, recovering his footing instantly and tightening his grip on her hands. "I need you to keep me company. How about this—I will make sure you return to the province early, but please, come with me. Or do you not wish to explore the Imperial Palace with me?"

Penelope let out a soft sigh, looking down at his hands enveloping hers.

The mention of Lady Catherine was merely a lighthearted jab to mask her deeper anxieties, but Vincent’s earnestness made it difficult to argue. If the Emperor’s command was truly an absolute decree, defying it openly could bring a different sort of ruin down upon the Marquisate.

She would not wish to present herself to the Emperor in a bad light either.

"You speak as though navigating the imperial court is as simple as a stroll through the gardens," she murmured, looking back up into his stormy eyes. "Alright, fine. We’ll have it your way. But— you must hold true to your word. The moment we can find a diplomatic exit, I am returning. This investigation cannot wait indefinitely."

"Perfect," he murmured, a dangerous, dark satisfaction filtering into his voice. "But how about we set our worries aside first? You still owe me something."

Penelope blinked. "I do?"

Before she could even begin to wrack her brain to guess what phantom debt he was referring to, Vincent’s hands settled firmly at her waist. With effortless grace, he lifted her off her feet and sat her directly onto the edge of the heavy desk.

Startled, her hands flew up to rest against his broad shoulders, her gaze snapping to his eyes, which were now twinkling with something dangerously close to absolute mischief.

"Hold on, Vincent—the map—" she protested softly, feeling the parchment crinkle slightly beneath her.

"I have another one," he dismissed without a single glance backward, stepping deep into her space until she was completely trapped between his frame and the mahogany desk.

The moment she opened her mouth to utter another word of protest, Vincent seized the opportunity. He dipped his head down, capturing her lips and claiming her mouth in a deep, breath-stealing kiss that effectively silenced the rest of her complaints.

The map was entirely forgotten the moment Penelope’s fingers tightened against the fine fabric of his shirt, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. The cool wood of the mahogany desk beneath her contrasted sharply with the sudden, overwhelming warmth of his embrace.

She gasped softly when he nipped playfully at her bottom lip, a low murmur vibrating in his chest before he trailed a line of feather-light kisses toward the corner of her mouth.

"Consider this your partial payment," he whispered against her skin, his breath warm and uneven.

Penelope’s cheeks flushed a pretty, vibrant rose as she looked at him, her eyes bright with a captivating mix of indignation and affection. Refusing to let him have the final word, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him back down, and kissed him fiercely this time.

Vincent welcomed it without restraint, his hands sliding down to grip the undersides of her thighs and pulling her flush against him. Penelope gasped into the kiss as she felt the hard, rigid length of his desire pressing directly against her center through the layers of their clothing. He was entirely unyielding, wanting nothing more than for her to feel every single inch of the intoxicating effect she had on him.

He smirked against her lips, feeding on her reaction and the sounds she made before diving back in.

Though Penelope had initiated this second embrace, she found herself completely swept away by the rising tide of her own desires. The friction of his solid weight against her sent a thrilling ache low in her belly, scattering her remaining thoughts to the wind.

Vincent broke the kiss just long enough to anchor himself in the space he had claimed.

"You know..." he murmured, his breath hitching as his dark, heavy gaze swept over her flushed face and swollen lips. "We have never quite utilized the study in this manner before. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a try, would it?"

If Penelope truly gave in to the burning temptation in her mind, she was certain Vincent would end up postponing their departure entirely. She wanted nothing more than to surrender herself right here and now—to be claimed wholly and thoroughly—but she knew the consequences. If they succumbed to this desire now, they would never manage to leave for the capital on time. Pulling away was the absolute last thing she wanted to do, but duty demanded restraint.

"Vince—"

She whimpered suddenly when his lips dropped to the sensitive skin of her throat, his teeth grazing over her pulse point with an agonizingly sweet pressure that threatened to shatter her resolve completely.

"Are you worried you won’t be able to handle it because of tomorrow’s journey?" he asked, his voice a low, gravelly vibration against her skin. His fingers were already sliding beneath the heavy fabric of her skirts, tracking a slow, tantalizing path upward that brought him perilously close to dangerous territory.

"You can take it, right?"

Penelope’s hands gripped his shoulders tightly, a gasp catching in her throat as his touch threatened to undo every ounce of her restraint. She opened her mouth to speak, finally forcing herself to summon a denial, but before the words could leave her lips, Vincent suddenly chuckled against her throat—the sound deep, vibrating, and undeniably hot.

He withdrew his hand from beneath her skirts and took a slow step back, the separation leaving her skin instantly cold.

"We are about to be interrupted in a few minutes," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he exhaled a heavy, ragged sigh. He was clearly still very unsatisfied, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"I will have you, Penny, but not tonight."

He stepped back into her space just as quickly, leaning down until his lips were a mere breath away from her ear. His dark eyes burned with an unyielding promise that made her core ache.

"Relish this brief reprieve, my love," he murmured, his voice dropping to a gravelly, lethal register that sent an exquisite shiver straight down her spine. "Because the moment we return from the capital and this business is settled, I am going to lock us away. I will devour every single inch of you, thoroughly and without mercy, until you are crying my name. Mark my words, I will certainly collect every ounce of this debt."

Before Penelope could even find her breath to respond to the sheer heat of his promise, the distant, distinct sound of approaching footsteps finally echoed down the hallway outside.