She had no idea what the viper was up to. She’d never talked to her about Devons. In all honesty, she rarely spoke with the lady.
“Don’t be shy, Diana,” the lady said, winking at her as if they were friends.
Devons’s eyes darted between the ladies, and he emanated with anger.
“Devons—”
“If you will excuse me,” Devons said before Diana could deny the lady’s words.
He walked away as if he had no worries, but Diana sensed it was a show. She wasn’t sure what Lady Wesley was up to, but the woman had used her. Fury swelled in her. “How dare you! We are not friends, nor would I be friends with someone who treats others in such a way.”
The lady’s eyes raked over her. “Devons is mine.”
Had the lady insinuated they were friends to Devons so he wouldn’t speak to Diana? And what must he think of LadyWesley that she was confident he would behave that way? A dark laugh escaped Diana, drawing stares their way. “I hope he has enough sense to choose better.”
She spun on her heels and headed in the same direction as Devons. Diana needed to explain she was not friends with Lady Wesley, and they’d never discussed him. She flushed. He couldn’t think she’d planned to proposition him. She was one of the uneventful ladies, the moral backbone of society. She quickly made her way down the hallway she saw him take. She didn’t know what she would say to him but she—
Diana let out a gasp as strong arms from an alcove grabbed her and pulled her against the wall. Her eyes widened in alarm as she stared up at Devons. He looked furious as his black eyes assessed her. She flushed.
“So, you were talking with Lady Wesley about me?”
Diana shook her head but froze as Devons leaned in and nuzzled her neck. Her stomach dipped. “Do you think of me when you’re alone?”
She felt his lips graze her neck, and Diana trembled, causing him to chuckle darkly. “Is this what you want, my lady? A tryst in a darkened corner?”
He nipped at her ear, and she let out a moan, shocking herself. “Do you wish I would have taken you to bed that night all those years ago when I brought you home from the Den? Your husband wouldn’t have ever known. What a charmed life that would have been. Married to a soon-to-be duke and taking the King of the Den as your lover.”
Devons’s last words chilled any desire racing through her body. She would have never betrayed Stuart. What was she doing? She was almost ready to submit to a man who thought she would betray the one person who had held her entire heart and still did. She pushed at his chest. “Release me.”
He stepped back and smirked at her. Gone was the charming man she observed in the fountain or the man who spoke with her son. Now, he was replaced with a hardened person that she didn’t like—no different from Lady Wesley herself.
“You’re an arrogant ass!” she hissed.
His eyes widened at her use of profanity. She stared at him haughtily, not embarrassed. He leaned against the other wall, his eyes raking over her. “I can tell you desire me by how flushed your cheeks are and how you tremble when I lean into you.”
“Unlike you, Mr. Devons, I require more than physical attraction to bed someone. I came here to apologize for what Lady Wesley said, but now I see that the two of you deserve each other. I suddenly don’t feel the need to explain anything to you.”
She pushed past him, hating him but also hating herself because as much as she wanted to deny it, her body had reacted to him.
*
Sebastian stormed intothe Den. He climbed the stairs leading to the walkway overlooking the club’s main hall two at a time. His eyes swept over the room. It was late afternoon, but some gentlemen were already starting to arrive, ready to play at the card tables. He hated that Lilah had gotten a rise out of him. To be honest, it wasn’t she who affected him.
Lady Hensley had triggered his fury. Though he didn’t know her well, not once had he assumed she was friends with Lilah or viewed people the same way his ex-lover did. He didn’t care that she played the proper society lady. Plenty of women did. That was one of the primary reasons the Den’s decadent balls required masks. What Sebastian couldn’t tolerate were lords and ladies who believed they were better than others because oftheir untainted lineages. Beliefs held by Lilah and, from what he gleaned, Lady Hensley as well.
He shouldn’t give a damn about what the mousy woman thought of him. Then why was he thinking of her? He knew why. He desired her. Sebastian scowled, denying it to himself. She wasn’t his type. A flash of the lady in her wrap and her disheveled hair falling around her shoulders appeared in his mind. He pushed the thought away. It didn’t matter. He had no plans to see her again.
Sebastian turned to one of the four doors along the walkway and made his way to his office. He threw himself into his chair and grabbed the stack of messages left for him. Most were requests asking for an extension on credit. Even Lord Wesley was on credit at the Den. Yet he had been good enough for Lilah. Her words from their last night together attempted to push to the front of his mind, but he wouldn’t allow it. He had never felt bitter that he wasn’t a lord and wouldn’t now.
He stared at the familiar scrawl on one envelope and smirked. What did Addie want? There was gossip she was up to something. Sebastian still couldn’t believe her husband had taken her best friend Eleanor as his lover. Thetonwas all agog over it. He had to admit it was rather shocking. He liked both Addie and her husband Lord Hawley. The man never struck him as someone who sought attention, so the fact he’d committed such a public transgression was rather appalling.
It shouldn’t be such a scandal. They’d been separated for a decade, but Addie loved to thumb her nose at society. In return, they gleefully shared any disparaging gossip they could about her. He opened the envelope and pulled out her message.
Devons,
I have an exciting venture I must speak with you about. I promise you won’t want to miss out. Please pay me avisit on Thursday afternoon to learn more. I can’t wait to share with you the adventure that awaits you.
Lady Hawley.
