WARNING: this chapter contains scenes of attempted rape.
***
Diana trembled as she watched Reginald come closer. Fear crypt her heart like a vice. She was about to be ruined.
Reginald stepped even closer, his eyes fixed on her mouth. Without warning, he yanked her to him, his lips crashing against hers for a rough kiss. He growled with pleasure, forcing his tongue past her lips and twisting it with hers.
Diana whimpered with panic, trying to push the bastard away from her. But it was no use, he was much stronger than she was. She was trapped.
Reginald moved his putrid hands down her body, squeezing her breasts and twisting her nipples roughly through her gown. His fingers moved lower, lower, toward her skirts. He bunched up the delicate fabric between his fingers, pushing it up her legs.
Suddenly, Diana's fear turned into resolve. She wouldn't be ruined, wouldn't be touched, by this bastard. With a growl, she bit down hard on his lower lip, raising her right knee and kicking him square in the groin.
Reginald gave a high-pitched cry of agony, staggering away from her and dropping to the ground. He clutched his most prized possession, glaring at her. "You filthy bitch!"
Diana quickly fixed her gown just as the doors leading onto the terrace burst open. Relief flooded through her as she saw Anthony and George rush outside. Then her eyes turned back to Reginald, and she glared right back at him. "Mr. Birmingham, I do believe your pride has been wounded."
Reginald massaged his groin. "Yes, because you are the one who ruined it!"
Anthony. "What happened?"
Reginald. "This bloody harlot wouldn't accept my advances!"
Diana crossed her arms, her voice calm and collected. "This bloody bastard tried to ruin me. However, he did not succeed."
George glanced at her. "Are you all right?" His eyes quickly traveled down her body, searching for any injury.
Diana gave her brother a soft smile. "I am perfectly fine George. Mr. Birmingham got the brunt of the pain."
Anthony glared down at Reginald. "You always were a rake Birmingham."
Reginald glared back at him. "And you weren't?"
With one swift motion, Anthony pulled Reginald up by his neck and threw him against the wall. His dark chestnut eyes blazed with rage. "You will leave my house at once. You are never to touch Miss Azarian, or my sister for that matter, ever again. Do you hear me?"
Reginald was gasping for air, squirming under Anthony's grasp. "All right, I understand. I will never step foot into your presence again."
Anthony dropped the other man to the ground as if he was a sack of potatoes and nothing more. "Good, now get out."
Grimacing with pain, Reginald stood up, glared at Anthony, then walked back into the ballroom and disappeared. Climbing into the carriage that was waiting for him at the back of the house, he settled against the tufted seat and asked his driver to take him home.
Anthony turned to look at Diana, the rage disappearing into concern. He stepped forward, taking her face between his hands without even thinking. "Are you all right?"
Diana nodded. "I'm fine, I assure you."
Anthony relaxed. "Good, because I don't want anything to happen to you."
Diana took his hands away from her face, intertwining their fingers together. "And I don't want anything happening to you."
George cleared his throat. "I do hate to interrupt, but I believe we must go back into the ballroom. We can't have any suspicion of what has happened."
Anthony and Diana nodded with agreement, following George back inside. They knew that Reginald Birmingham wouldn't bother them again. They could finally focus on each other without having a scandal attached to their names.