Chapter Eighteen
Lord Kendrick, Duke of Alton
I cut through a side entrance at the theater with the single-minded purpose of confronting Gavin about his unacceptable behavior. My jaw ached from clenching it, and I nodded to the stage manager as he passed with a costumed actor. I was an investor in the theater and often visited backstage. Nobody questioned my presence.
The door to Gavin’s dressing room was partially cracked. I pushed it open to see him standing with his back to me, naked from the waist up. He held a gray tunic and was plucking at a stray thread. There was a point I would have slipped inside and seduced him before the rehearsal started.
Today I did so with another purpose in mind. “Gavin.”
He glanced over his shoulder at my entry. Blond brows shot up and his mouth quirked at the edges. “Kendrick, this is a pleasant surprise.”
I shut the door behind me, cutting off the noise from beyond. “Colt told me you showed up at my residence. Uninvited.”
With a flippant shrug, Gavin released a contemptuous snort. “I simply paid a call on you. He was over-reacting as usual.”
It was an old argument, one I wouldn’t become distracted by. Colt’s job was to insulate me from distractions, and he often fielded my appointments. Gavin took exception to being denied access to me whenever the whim caught him. I sided with Coltevery time, which further caused a rift between the two men. “He wasn’t the only household member to witness your forced entry.”
Chin jutted out, he nodded. “Fine, I was out of line, but I wanted to see you, and Colt was being his usual priggish and pompous self.”
“He was doing his job.” I curled my fingers around the handle of my walking stick. Colt was anything but pompous or a prig. He was a sensual man whose dry wit was a constant source of amusement for me. Our encounter in the library revealed an additional layer to his personality, which held me enthralled.
Gavin tossed the tunic onto the chair and turned on his heel to face me. A practiced smile enhanced his angular jaw. He took a step closer and tilted his head. Lifting his gaze to mine, he licked his lips. “He’s always been jealous of our relationship.”
My fingers flexed on the warm silver knob as suspicion crowded my mind. Gavin was as self-absorbed as I was. Had he noticed Colt’s desire for me, or was his comment grounded in something more tangible? Shifting my stance, I waited for him to continue. I wouldn’t give him any ammunition.
“Let’s not fight. I’m glad you came to see me. I missed you.” Noticeable lines rimmed his eyes where the heavy theatrical makeup settled into his skin. The lights in the dressing room made the space overly warm and boosted the powerful odor of stale scotch that emanated from him. He was fond of drinking until he was soaked, and I had given up on trying to curb his impulse.
He put his palm on my chest, fingers splayed. Heated eyes skimmed my face. His blond hair was slicked back to prepare for his role as Hamlet, enhancing his regal brow.
“You have an interesting way of showing it. I tried to talk to you multiple times, and you spurned my every attempt.” Not too long ago, the mere sight of him aroused me. My indifferenceto his touch signaled the end of my infatuation. While I was relieved, the ability to turn off my emotional need for someone I had been enamored with was a pattern I couldn’t seem to shake. Yet another way I was like my father.
“I was mad at you. That woman almost caught us because you insisted I pose outside and not in the bedroom like I wanted.” He drifted his hand down my belly, stepping close enough I could feel his body heat infiltrate my waistcoat. “Do you blame me?”
“You had a right to be upset, but that doesn’t excuse your conduct.” I clasped his wrist to stop his downward momentum. Muscles flexed beneath my grip. The depth of his seductive smile became more pronounced.
Our game of cat and mouse was my fault. Underneath the handsome façade was a calculating man who manipulated those he perceived as weak. Unlike our previous encounters, I was unmoved by his attempt at persuasion. Before, I was the only person affected by his behavior, except that had changed. I was an engaged man with yet another responsibility placed on me. However, Lillian was a blessing that brought joy into my life. She would never be a burden.
“I’m sorry, Kendrick. I, well, I missed you, and I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I ... words fail me. Let me show you how much I missed you.” Lust reflected in his eyes, along with insincerity. The nonchalant detachment cut me to the core. I had never been in love with him, but my infatuation had blinded me to his faults. His rejection had pushed me in Lillian's and Colt’s direction. If nothing else, I would be grateful to him for that gift.
“That is not a good plan, Gavin.”
“It is an excellent idea. I will be your Lord Golden, my dark knight. Isn’t that what you wanted?” he asked.
Per usual, he ignored my wishes. He leaned towards me.I shook my head, halting his momentum by side-stepping hisadvance. His mention of Lillian’s characters from her novel sparked my already volatile anger. I dropped my grip on his wrist. “I have rescinded the offer.”
A sneer replaced his earlier smile, and he rested a fist on his hip, color pushing through his makeup to redden the apple of his cheeks. By the way he glowered, he found it challenging to rein in his annoyance. “Did you find someone else? Is that it? You’re buggering some other bloke?”
The last thing I would do was admit to having an affair with Colt. We had enjoyed an encounter in the library, and I expected more of the same in the future. Thanks to Lillian, the woman who would be my wife. Pride swelled my chest at the thought of my intended. I was growing fonder of her daily. “I am engaged. Lady Lillian Tapper has accepted my proposal.”
“Lady Lillian?” He released a snort of derisive laughter and snatched up his tunic before pulling the material over his head. “You’re a duke. Surely, you could have managed a more beautiful woman than her?”
I clutched the walking stick tighter, and, using every bit of willpower I possessed, I kept the tip on the floor and not in his gut. Any residual fondness I might have felt for him disappeared. The arrogant prick had done the unthinkable. He’d insulted Lillian. “Don’t you ever speak about my intended like that again,” I said out of clenched teeth.
The confident smirk lessened, and he straightened the material over his hips. Tension rested between us, raw and charged.
