“He’s the third son of a duke,” Rivers breathed. “You’ll…be transported. Or…or hanged.”
Ellis nodded. There it was. The consequence he’d been trying to ignore. The one that rose up in his nightmares. The unavoidable end to his worthless life.
“I know,” he whispered.
Rivers’ jaw flexed and his gaze left Ellis’s. He said nothing as he took the glass of whisky and downed the rest of it in one long swig that showed no respect to the expensive quality of the drink. “Can I help?”
Ellis sagged a fraction at the question, at the kindness being offered through it. “You already have. Leonard attacked a few weeks ago. It went badly for him. That’s why he’s been in hiding. You helping me bring him out is enough. And as I said, I would never take care of the problem in these halls. I just need to find where he is so I can do it elsewhere.”
“I don’t like this,” Rivers said softly.
“You and I ran the streets for a long time, friend. Most of the men out there have some kind of code. Leonard doesn’t. He’s a sadistic brute, rabid with violence and power. He’s a dog that needs to be put down.” Ellis replied. “And since I’m the one who set this dangerous animal loose on my family, on innocents who don’t deserve the consequences, it’s my job to end it.”
Rivers ran a hand through his hair, but Ellis could see he wouldn’t argue. Because Ellis was right and they both knew it.
“Are you putting your house in order then?” Rivers asked. “With all those people who you say you love enough to protect?”
Ellis froze.Thatwas a question he’d been trying to avoid as much as the others. By one means or another, his life would be over in a matter of days, maybe weeks. And he did have things he’d left unsaid and undone. Ends he recognized he should tie up, because once he made his move, he wouldn’t survive it. When he’d seen Gabriel in the crowd, he’d felt it even more powerfully. And their meeting, while brief and casual, had been tinged with all the love he felt for his brother. And the knowledge it might be the last time they spoke.
“I know I need to,” he said.
Marcus got up from his desk and came around to where Ellis sat. He leaned against the edge of the desk and looked down at him, his expression drawn with worry and sadness. “Then do it, friend. Say what you need to say if this is the only way. And do it fast.”
Ellis pushed to his feet and the men stood staring at each other for a long moment. What felt like an eternity. Then he extended a hand. “You were a friend to me and to my cousin when we needed one,” he said softly. “And you’ve done more than be a friend now. Thank you, Marcus.”
Rivers’ mouth turned up in the slightest of smiles at the rare use of his first name. He shook the offered hand. “It’s always been a pleasure, Ellis.”
Ellis sighed as he stepped away and pushed this connection aside. “And now I’m going to go drink myself utterly stupid in your club, lose all my blunt and find a woman to tup.”
“Ah, that’s the real payback then,” Rivers chuckled. “The woman you’ve been stalking through my halls the past two nights?”
Ellis ducked his head at the mention of Juliana. At the memory of her mouth on his. “I don’t think she’ll be back.”
Rivers arched a brow and tossed a glance over his shoulder. “She’s down there right now.”
“What?” Ellis snapped, racing to the window to look down over the debauchery below. His gaze narrowed as he instantly found the figure of Juliana Shelley in the crowd. He ground his teeth together. “That womanneverlistens,” he grunted before he pivoted on his heel and headed for the door.
Behind him, he heard Marcus’s laughter echoing as he called out, “Sounds like she’s your perfect match then, mate.”
Ellis ignored the jab as he clattered down the backstairs and stalked across the room toward her. He saw the moment she realized he was there. Saw it in the way she straightened ever so slightly, the way she veered toward him as if she were a divining rod and he water. Her eyes went wide under that plain mask she wore, and she took half a step back as he reached her.
He ignored the retreat and caught her elbow, guiding her across the room without speaking. He motioned to the man at the entrance to the private hall and he nodded, holding up four fingers to indicate which room they were to take for their “fun.”
“Ellis,” she whispered but didn’t tug against him as he hauled her into the room, slammed the door and locked it.
He glared at her as he raised a finger for her to wait. She watched, brow wrinkled as he crossed to the opposite side of the room. There was a screen there that he pulled down and latched before he spun around to face her.
“Juliana—” he began, trying to modulate his tone.
She cocked her head. “What was that? What did you do on the wall there?”
He gritted his teeth. Her innocent question proved his point that she shouldn’t be here. And it set his body on edge as he growled, “Some people who come to this establishment like to watch others in their private fun. Some like tobewatched. A fine combination, so the rooms are rigged for such things. I closed the screen so no one could spy on us.”
Her full lips parted and she stared at him, then the wall, then back at him. “To watch?” she repeated.
He glanced up at the ceiling and took a slow count to five. “Yes, angel. Fucking is a spectator sport for some. It’s rather invigorating. What the hell are you doing here?”
She swallowed hard as his voice elevated, grew sharper. But she didn’t back down. Instead, she lifted her chin. “I don’t know why you think I wouldn’t come back. I haven’t gotten what I came for.”
