by Penelope Sky
I was afraid the same had happened to me.
I told myself that would never happen because it didn’t seem possible. My heart had been broken and humiliated, and I was too angry to feel anything besides spite. But I cut back on drinking, stopped seeing other women, and London was the only thing I thought about exclusively.
How did I get here?
Dimitri knocked on the door and popped his head inside. “Sir, may I come in?”
“Yes.” I didn’t miss Dunbar at all. Ever since he’d been put on tower duty, he hadn’t had any conflicts with London. It was an easy fix.
Dimitri approached my desk with an envelope in hand. “London asked me to give this to you.”
“Lady London,” I corrected as I took the envelope from him.
He nodded his head. “My apologies, sir.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.
I examined the letter and had no idea what she was up to. Why send me a letter when she could just come down here and speak to me? I preferred our conversations when she was sitting right on my lap.
I ripped open the sleeve and pulled out the small piece of paper that had been ripped from a pad of stationery. A single sentence was written in her feminine handwriting.
* * *
Sir,
Come upstairs and fuck me in the ass.
-Lovely-
* * *
I stared at the paper and felt my hand shake. My fingers grew numb, and I dropped the sheet on my desk, my pants suddenly feeling tight from the sentence I just read. It was quickest I’d ever gotten hard in my life.
I left the desk instantly, refusing to keep my woman waiting.
I finished donning my black suit, one of my most expensive ones that I reserved for special occasions. Everything I wore was nice and designer quality, but some of the finer things were always kept in special storage. I didn’t even expose those outfits to air for fear of fading or wrinkling.
I looked at myself in the mirror and adjusted my tie for the last time. My appearance wasn’t just important because of the royalty who would see me. The only opinion I really cared about was London’s. Sometimes she looked at me with desperation in her eyes, her hands usually pressed hard into my chest. She was turned on with just a single look.
I liked that.
I walked down the hall and entered our bedroom where London was getting ready. We had to leave soon, so she should be almost finished.
When I walked inside, she was just as beautiful as I expected. The dress fit her perfectly, as it had when she’d first tried it on in Italy. It reached the floor and covered her heels, and it fit her bust like it was made for her. Her slender shoulders were round and led to a graceful neck that had been smothered with countless kisses. Her hair was pulled back with two small braids intertwined with her hair. A diamond necklace hung around her throat, and her makeup was done to highlight her features subtly. A beautiful woman like her didn’t need much makeup anyway.
I admired her from the doorway and watched the hairdresser make the final adjustments. He looked at her reflection in the mirror and nodded in approval. “You’ll outshine the Queen.”
“What?” she blurted. “The Queen is going to be there?”
“According to her assistant, she is.” I stepped into the room and came to London’s side, unable to take my eyes off her. She looked exactly the same as she did during Holyrood week, but to me, she looked like a whole new person. My arm circled her waist, and my lips moved to her ear. “You look perfect.”
Her features melted, and a smile formed on her lips. “I like your suit.” Just as I hoped, her hand moved to my chest. It was the clear-cut sign that she wanted me, that if we were alone together, my pants would be around my ankles.
I pulled her into me and kissed her hairline. “Thank you, Lovely. Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah…” Her bright features suddenly softened. “I think so.”
I noticed her unease immediately. “What is it, Lovely?”
She broke eye contact. “Nothing.”
The hairdresser silently excused himself so we could be alone together.
I turned her toward me, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Tell me.” There was nothing she couldn’t say to me. I was patient and understanding. I showed her more compassion than I’d shown anyone in my life.
“I don’t want to see him, that’s all.”
I knew exactly whom she was talking about. “You have nothing to be afraid of.”
Her eyes moved down again.
“Look at me.”
She took a deep breath before she met my gaze.
“You know I would never let anyone touch you. Right?”
She nodded.
“You know I would never let anyone ever make you feel uncomfortable. So relax.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
I kissed the corner of her mouth. “Then let’s go.”
11
London
Man, my heart was racing.
It thumped in my chest sporadically, pounding hard against my rib cage and nearly making me shake. I sat in the back seat of the black car with Crewe beside me, my large dress taking up the chair and the floor. When I arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. Joseph would be waiting to make his move, and the monster that haunted my dreams would be there as well.
I didn’t know what to do.
I couldn’t be alone, even for a minute. If Crewe excused himself to use the restroom or to speak to someone important in private, I would have to cling to his side anyway. If I had to pee, I would be forced to hold it. If Joseph got me alone, I would be powerless to stop him.
So I had to make sure Crewe never left my side.
This night was gonna be long.
Crewe held my hand on his thigh, his piercing gaze examining my face. “You’re flushed.”
“Just nervous.”
“You’ve done this once before.”
“Doesn’t make it any easier. You never get nervous to entertain a room full of the most important people in the world?”
He shrugged. “I’m used to it. I’ve been doing this sort of thing for over thirty years.”
“Well, I haven’t. How am I supposed to introduce myself?”
He smiled. “You remember your name, don’t you?”
“I mean, what am I to you?”
“No one will ask.”
“Uh…I think they might. I can’t say I’m your girlfriend.”
“Why not?” he asked with furrowed eyebrows.
“I didn’t think dukes had girlfriends. Don’t they just choose someone to marry, and that’s it?”
His expression didn’t change. “We live in modern times now. If it comes up, you’re my girlfriend.”
I was? “Okay.”
The travel to Edinburgh was painfully quick. We got there in no time at all. My heart was still pounding in my chest, and I wanted a time machine just to get through the night as quickly as possible. I wanted to avoid Bones and my brother without getting stuck with some duke from Iceland in the corner, talking about politics I didn’t understand. I was glad Crewe took me as his date because I obviously meant something to him, but I’d much rather be at the castle waiting for him to come home. “Ariel didn’t have a problem with you taking me?” It was the one time I relied on her to help me. I knew she hated me and would have done anything possible to prevent this from happening. But she dropped the ball on that.
“I don’t care if she had a problem.” He kept his eyes out the window. “She’s just my business partner. Her opinion about my personal life is irrelevant.”
Damn.
We arrived at the distillery minutes later. We were an hour early before the party actually began, probably because it was customary for the host to greet the guests as they arrived.
Crewe helped me out of the car and circled his arm around my waist as he guided me inside. The place was constructed of stone-white and brown bricks, and the trees outside were covered in white lights. In my mind,
I was picturing a warehouse of some kind. But this place was beautiful.
We walked inside to see a beautifully decorated hall. It could easily fit a hundred people, and I wondered what was usually stored inside. I imagined there were barrels of scotch everywhere, ready to be shipped to large businesses or wealthy clients. Waiters and workers were still preparing everything, and Crewe dropped his hand from my waist to give further instruction.
It was starting.
I immediately moved to his side and stuck to him like glue, taking a step every time he did. There was no way I was going to be left alone, even for a second. Joseph could be watching me at that very moment.
Waiting for the perfect opportunity.
12
Crewe
The party was in full swing, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. I greeted the Queen at the entrance, and she remembered London from the first time they met. Despite her old age, she was as sharp as a tack and refined as ever.
I introduced London to other members of the nobility, and she smiled and remained polite. She hardly said anything other than pleasantries, probably because she was so nervous. I’d rarely seen London show her unease when she was out of her comfort zone, but she was definitely showing her vulnerability tonight.
When I had a moment to breathe, I guided London to the side and waited for a waiter to appear with a tray of wine. “You’re doing great, Lovely.”
“I am?” she whispered. “Because I feel utterly terrified right now.”
“What’s there to be scared of?” My hand was glued to her waist because I wanted everyone in the room to know she was mine. She wasn’t just my friend or an employee. She was the woman sleeping in my bed every night.
“Uh, are you kidding?” she asked. “I just met the Queen—again. How many people can say that?”
“A lot of Brits, actually. She makes a lot of public appearances.”
“That’s like me meeting the President of the United States. It’s unbelievable.”
Her reverence was cute, and I couldn’t help but smile. “If it makes you feel better, I can barely tell you’re nervous. You’re doing great.”
“It’s because I downed a whole glass of scotch when we walked inside.”
“Well, there’s always more if you need it.” I’d been good at cutting back every day. I managed to get by with three glasses of scotch instead of nine. It was hard in the beginning, but it got easier as time went on. I actually felt better because of the change.
“I may take you up on that offer.”
I glanced at the door and saw Josephine walk inside with Sir Andrew. He wore a deep navy blue suit and stood a foot taller than her. With features typical of the Irish nobility, he had bright blond hair and searing blue eyes. He was ten years older than her and not really as good-looking as me.
But she made her choice.
Josephine’s eyes landed on me, and she stared at me without blinking.
After that night when she called me, I didn’t think about her again. My thoughts had been filled with London exclusively.
But my duty required me to greet both of them. The best way to kill scandal was to absorb it. By inviting them to my gatherings and being civil to them, it made the fiasco look less dramatic. But it was all an act.
I hated both of them.
I guided London with me as I approached the happy couple. Andrew’s arm was around Josephine’s waist, and she wore a cream-colored dress with a red shawl. She looked like typical royalty. I could spot her in a crowd instantly. “Good evening. Thank you for coming.” As customary, I kissed Josephine on the hand even though I’d rather throw up on it.
Josephine watched my movements, the sadness in her eyes.
I shook Andrew’s hand next, pretending this interaction was perfectly normal. “Great to see you.”
“The pleasure is ours,” Andrew said with his Irish accent. “I can already tell it’s going to be a night to remember. Congratulations on your success, Crewe.”
I didn’t care how polite he was. I still hated the bastard. “Thank you. Have you met London?” I squeezed her into my side.
“No, I haven’t.” Andrew looked at her just the way I did, like her beauty was impossible to mistake. “Lovely to meet you.” He shook her hand. “I’m sorry, what is your title?”
London eyed me as if she didn’t know what to say.
“She’s my girlfriend,” I said. “She’s an American doctor who recently moved here.”
I knew London would argue that wasn’t true since she never received her license, but it was the quickest way to explain her hobbies.
Josephine’s face immediately paled when she realized what London meant to me. Her eyes dropped, and her mind drifted away from the conversation as the truth hit her hard.
“That’s lovely,” Andrew said. “Welcome to Scotland. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
“I already do,” London answered.
Andrew returned his hand to Josephine’s waist and guided her away to join the rest of the festivities.
London released the breath she was holding and looked at me when we were alone again. “Is that the same Josephine who came to the house a few months ago?”
The question was pretty much rhetorical because she already knew the answer. “Yes.”
London watched Josephine join the crowd with Andrew, her eyes glued to every movement she made. “She loves you. I can tell just by looking at her.” She turned to me for confirmation.
I didn’t like keeping secrets from London anymore. It was easier to be honest with her since I was sharing my entire life with her. She was there every second of the day, sharing my bed every second of the night. “She does. But I don’t love her anymore.”
She couldn’t hide the surprise on her face when I shared something so personal with her. Her eyebrows were high, and she parted her lips in a sexy way. The braid that was pinned up with the rest of her hair made her look more graceful than usual. She was by far the most beautiful woman in the room that night. “So you used to be together…”
“Yeah. It ended about a year ago.” I didn’t get into the specifics just in case someone was eavesdropping. I couldn’t exactly call Josephine a cunt when someone else could overhear it and rat me out. Wasn’t good decorum.
“Oh…” A red tint came into her cheeks, and her expression slowly hardened with every passing second. I’d seen that look a few times and knew exactly what it meant. She was jealous—very jealous. She glanced at Josephine before she looked at me. She came closer into my chest then rose on her tiptoes to kiss me, probably hoping Josephine would see.
I didn’t care if Josephine was looking or not. When my woman kissed me, all I cared about doing was kissing her back. My hands gripped her petite waistline, and I didn’t care about the public display of affection we were showing everyone. It wasn’t classy or appropriate, but I still didn’t care.
When my cock hardened in my slacks, I pulled away before I could get carried away. When we were back in the car on the drive home, she was going to straddle my hips and fuck me in the back seat. But that was a few hours away, so I shouldn’t get too excited.
I spotted Ariel walk inside the front door wearing a skintight black dress with matching heels. Her hair was curled, and she looked ready to have a good time, not sit around and work. Her glasses didn’t sit on the bridge of her nose, and her dark hair looked good with everything she wore. “I’m going to say hello to Ariel.” I knew London would want nothing to do with my business partner. They simply couldn’t get along, and it was easier just to accept it than to force them to play nice.
London grabbed my hand and pressed herself into my side. “I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure? You can mingle with everyone else.”
“No, I don’t want to leave your side.” She pressed closer into me, her breasts rubbing against my ribs.
Hearing her need me was sexy, so I pulled her along with me and walked up to Ariel. It wasn’t until I was up
close that I spotted the other woman with her. Blond, petite, and beautiful, she was close enough to Ariel that their shoulders touched.
It only took a few seconds for me to figure it out.
“You look beautiful tonight, Ariel.” I leaned into her and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Thanks, Crewe. You look nice too.” Ariel looked at London and gave her the fakest smile in the world. Then she turned back to me. “This is Cassandra. Cassandra, this is the man I’m always telling you about.”
Cassandra smiled brighter than the stars then kissed me on the cheek. She hugged London, being far nicer to her than Ariel ever was. She had the complete opposite personality, full of buoyancy and playfulness. “It’s so nice to meet you both of you. Ariel talks about you all the time. You know her, it’s always about work.”
Ariel rolled her eyes. “It’s not always about work.”
Cassandra gave her a firm look full of disagreement.
Ariel shrugged it off.
“Can I get you ladies something to drink?” I asked.
“Nonsense,” Cassandra said. “I can handle that. I’m sure you two want to catch up. You want to come with me, London?”
London clutched my hand with an ice-cold grip. “Uh, I’m okay. Thank you, though.”
Cassandra didn’t care about the brush-off and walked away.
Now that I was alone with Ariel, I felt like I should apologize. “I’m sorry that I made any assumptions before.” I constantly assumed she had boyfriends in her life. If I paid more attention, I probably would have picked up on the subtle hints she dropped.
“You don’t need to apologize, Crewe.” Ariel was always right to the point, borderline heartless. It was nearly impossible to offend her because she didn’t give a damn about anyone’s opinion, another reason why I liked her so much. “We’ve been seeing each other for a few months. I met her in London. She’s wonderful.”
I smiled, feeling happy that she had someone. It seemed like she was working all the time, slaving away over the scotch business and my other forms of revenue. I didn’t want her to revolve her entire universe around work like I did. There was more to life. “She’s lovely. She balances you well.”
