“Tell him Handsome Maitland is looking for him.”
The use of his nickname brought the young man’s eyes to him, wide and, Ellis thought, impressed. There were benefits to a reputation, it seemed. Or perhaps it was past relationships. He’d known Rivers since they were children, after all. Street recognized street, even when it dressed as something else.
He waited as his message was taken upstairs, and a few moments later the servant returned and motioned Ellis toward the office above. He climbed the stairs and entered above after a light knock.
Marcus Rivers was sitting behind a huge desk, papers strewn out before him. He had a frown on his face, but as Ellis entered, he rose and a rare grin lit up his face and brightened his green eyes.
“There he is.” Rivers held out a hand to Ellis without hesitation. “You haven’t darkened my club’s doors for what feels like forever.”
Ellis shook the offered hand and forced a smile. “I’ve been…busy.”
He tried not to think of the last year and all he’d done and destroyed. Including the woman who had just stomped off away from him, probably never to be seen again.
Rivers frown deepened, but he crossed to a sideboard, where he poured them each whisky. As he handed over the tumbler, he motioned to the chairs before his fire. They sat together, and Rivers sipped his drink before he leaned forward, draping his elbows over his knees. “You look tired. And you’re injured.”
Ellis shook his head. Fucking Marcus and his ability to see every damned detail. It had served him well when he was stealing for a bastard named Jack Quill many, many years ago. It served him better as a man who ran an establishment built on sin and secrets.
Ellis shifted his shoulder and tried to ignore the pain that still lingered there. A few weeks had helped considerably, but a through and through injury like the one he’d suffered took time to heal completely.
“It wasn’t anything,” he lied.
Rivers lifted both brows and downed the rest of his drink with a grunt. “I’d rather hoped you’d gotten out of the life, my friend. Your cousin did, didn’t he? Married recently, I think. To a respectable lady.”
Ellis snorted into his glass. “Oh yes, he did that. Only a few days ago, actually. The fact that it’s already reached your ears…”
Rivers shrugged. “Means nothing. I heareverythingfirst. It behooves me to do so.”
“Well, it’s done and I wish him well.” Ellis sighed, thinking of the betrayal in his cousin Rook’s eyes the last time they’d spoken. Rook had offered him a way out. Ellis had known he couldn’t take it. Even then he’d been aware there was only one end to this. “But it’s the pirate’s life for me, I think. I’ll keep playing my games.”
“Until they kill you,” Rivers said.
Ellis shifted, for that statement reminded him of why he’d really come here. “I need a favor.”
Rivers set the empty glass down on the table beside him and leaned back. His dark green gaze never left Ellis’s, but it was inscrutable. Then the corner of his mouth quirked up a fraction. “Don’t you owe me one already?”
Ellis shrugged. “Yes. Now it will be two.”
Rivers nodded slowly. “What is it?”
Ellis drew in a long breath because in a moment Rivers wouldn’t be inscrutable at all. He would be livid and questioning and pushing. “Winston Leonard.”
Rivers’ expression went flat in an instant, all emotion leaving his entire countenance except for his eyes, which immediately lit with rage. His hand twitched at his side, pulsing into a fist that he rested on his thick thigh. “That bastard isn’t allowed in my club,” he growled.
Ellis nodded. “I know,” he said softly. “I heard what he did.”
“It took three of my men to keep me from killing him. I wish they’d failed,” Rivers said. “You don’t mess with women in my club.”
“You’ve always been firm on that.”
Rivers jumped out of his chair, the action sending it screeching backward across the floor. He ran a hand through his hair as he paced to the window that overlooked the club floor and glared down at his domain. Ellis heard his friend taking long breaths to calm himself.
“How could you involve yourself with such a man?”
Fuck. So Marcus knew. Ellis stood slowly. “I bolloxed it, Rivers, what can I say? I saw what I thought would be easy money.”
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard you were working with him,” Rivers growled. “You should have known better.”
“Well, I’ve paid the price, I assure you,” Ellis said, wincing. “And so have a lot of other people whodidn’tdeserve it. I’m trying to set it to rights, do you understand? I’m trying to fix what I did. But I can’t do that if I can’t find him.”
