My Cherie Amour

CHAPTER SEVEN

"No," he lied. "I was thinking more of marriage settlements and the like. Men in my position have never married for something as plebian as love. What you saw today was my claiming of something you believed was yours. I assure, though she might have been at one time, she is not and will never be. I will of course provide you with the full value of her dowry, but I cannot allow her to marry you, or anyone else. She is mine, as I have shown you and she will be mine until my dying breath."

Unfortunately, Cherie had chosen that exact moment to enter the parlor and had been furious! After ushering him from the room, she had "visited" with the damn boy for more than an hour. Afterwards she promptly locked herself in the suite of rooms adjoining his own refusing to speak to him, muttering something about "overbearing male stupidity" or some such nonsense. His little darling had a red hot temper. Ah, but the make up was twice as fiery. Even if he did have regrets about not taking her back to her family immediately after learning who she was (which he didn't), he felt no such qualms after the she had finally decided to forgive him. They had not left the bedroom for two days. If it weren't for the fact Diego wanted to be as far away from Florida as possible when his estranged ex-wife arrived they might have stayed even longer.

After creating a false trail from Florida, to Cuba, then to Haiti, they finally set sail towards New Orleans. During the entire trip "Dear 'Tienne had done nothing but get under his skin. The boy hovered around his woman constantly. Determined to win her back 'Tienne did not let any opportunity go by to touch her, to assist her in anyway, just to be near her much to Diego's chagrin. He just might have to kill the insolent little bastard and be done with it.

"We will arrive soon, non?"

Well speak of the devil.

"About a week," Diego tersely repled.

Étienne studied the man beside him. He was obviously upset with him and rightfully so. The man believed that he had found a rare treasure only to find someone else had a prior claim. Were the situation reverse Étienne would probably be holding on to Cherie with every bit as much tenacity as the duke. He felt no real animosity towards the older man. But he would not ever give up his beloved.

"Do you not begin to see I can't just let her go?"

Diego raised a brow at the boy's sudden change in tactics. They had never openly acknowledged the battle for the heart of Cherie they were engaged in. It was just implicitly understood.

"I understand completely, pup," Diego growled. "That does not mean I will let her go."

"I can offer her more."

Diego whirled to face him. "Can you, pup? Can you make her scream your name the way she screams mine? Can you make her forget everything except your rod taking her over the edge over and over again? Can you give her a child like the one she carries now?"

He had not meant to say anything. Cherie herself did not even realize it yet, but she was most definitely carrying his child. She had not had her cycle since their first night together, a fact that gave Diego immense pride and satisfaction. Looking at Étienne now, he could tell the pup had known too.

"You will not give her your name, Diego. For whatever reason, you will not give her the protection that comes with marriage. You may be able to take her child as your heir, but would she ever forgive you if you took her baby back to Spain with you? And without the full protection marriage can provide her, she will forever be vulnerable in ways you cannot begin to comprehend."
"I comprehend just fine puppy! I will always provide for her. If I do decide to go back to Spain, I can take her..."

"As what?" Étienne demanded. "Your mistress? Spain is not as tolerant of welcoming as France. She would never be happy there and only the most selfish of bastards would ask that of her!"