Sinful Possession Read Online Free

one should take lightly. It is not a
game.”
    “Are you married?” She knew
he was not—an aunt had muttered as much—but she was trying to make a snide
point. It was odd. She had spent her whole night being pleasant and charming, but
with this man, to whom she owed her life, she could not seem to summon her
carefully practiced manners.
    “I am not.”
    Lila gave a tiny triumphant
smile, but it seemed to be lost on him.
    “Any one of those men could
be the killer.”
    A tiny giggle escaped her as
she imagined Lord Curly Wurly brandishing a knife. “Do not be ridiculous.”
    “For all you know, it could
have been someone attending the party tonight.”
    “I think I would have
recognised him. Besides, I hardly noticed anyone attired in blood-soaked
clothing, did you?”
    “The best place to hide is
in plain sight.”
    “And you’re an expert on
this are you?”
    Ash’s jaw twitched as he
eyed her. “You really are determined to get yourself hurt. I should go to your
family and demand they protect you.”
    “And they shall laugh just
as I have. They no more want to end my stay here than I do. A good match shall
be good for all of us.”
    It was true. Her father
owned a baronetcy and her mother came from good family, but they were wanted more
for her—all of them. From a young age, Lila had been seen as their great hope.
Blonde, pretty, sweet-natured. And then she’d grown into a woman with an
enviable figure and her mother had told everyone that there was simply no way
that she would not attract a wealthy, powerful man, because why else had she
been born so blessed? Born into a family of generally awkward and slightly
scatter-brained relatives, Lila had always been aware she was different from them
all.
    And yet not so much. She’d
been awkward once. Her brain liked to jump from place to place too. But she had
worked hard to become graceful and to focus on whatever the eligible gentleman
in front of her had to say. Lila had become an expert on being the perfect
debutante—all from her own bedroom. Those hours of practice and pretending were
paying off.
    She suppressed a yawn. It
had been more tiring and less exciting than she’d thought it would be.
    “You should get some rest,”
Ash told her.
    “Some of the guests are not
yet gone.”
    “And you have just witnessed
a murder. I am sure they will understand. Bloody hell, you’re a stubborn mule, are
you not?”
    Lila fluttered her lashes in
surprise. She hadn’t meant to rile the man. Really, she was most grateful to
him, but whatever she said came out wrong. Ash Cynfell was an eligible
bachelor. Why could she not use her charms on him?
    Too tired, that was it. She
needed some rest and tomorrow she would offer him her heartiest and most
charming thanks.
    A gentleman approached, and
Ash stiffened. Lila remembered dancing with him but couldn’t recall his name.
As he came closer, the familiar scent of too much cologne also reminded her how
she’d had to breathe through her mouth lest she pass out from the overpowering
smell.
    “Miss Radley.” He dipped
low. “Thank you for a charming evening. I am so sorry it ended like this. I
hope you will not object to me calling upon you in the near future.”
    Lila glanced over the reedy
man with his hair covered in so much pomade it looked as though one could ice
skate upon it. What was his name? He was an earl, perhaps. Or maybe even a
duke.
    “I-I thank you, my lord.”
She almost whispered the last part for fear of getting it wrong, but he
accepted it. He couldn’t be a duke then. Thank goodness.
    He reached for her hand and
she was going to let him take it, but Ash stepped in and slapped his hand away.
Before she had quite registered what had happened, Ash had the man pinned
against the railings outside of the house. The lord’s face grew purple.
    “My lord, what are you
doing? Release him.” She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away but never
in her life had she felt so powerless.
    “The blood on