Martina’s face turned red. “This is all your fault! If you could have just curtailed your excesses for a time, then maybe the gel wouldn’t havefled!”
Locklynsnorted andignoredthe barbs directed at him. He smiled at her tolerantly over the rim of his tumbler and spoke with a slight slur, but it wasn’t as though he cared. The alcohol dulled his senses for a time, or at least his ears. “On the contrary, Mother, you might point the finger of blame at yourself. You were the one who couldn’t hold on toyourhusband. None of this would be necessary if you had been the wife you should have been.”
The gasp of outrage that followed wasn’t surprising.But when she walked over and slapped him hard across the face, causing the crystal to slip from his grasp and shatter on the floor, it was the last straw.
“You’re nothing but a worthless drunk!” she screamed at him. “Kolin didn’t leave because of me. He was the same as you are, an idiot who couldn’t keep his cock in his pants! He nearly squandered away our entire fortune on booze and loose women.You’re more stupid than I realized if you believe my sister was the first woman to fall prey to his charm. She just happened to be the first tocoercehimto leave and taint my reputation!”
“Then tell me,” he said slowly, while trying to keep his rage in check. “Why should you wish to take out all of your vengeance onMiss O’Malley?”
“Because she was foolish enough to fall for it,” she returned with a huff. She glared down her nose at him. “Now clean yourself up and look presentable. We have a meetingthis afternoon with a potential investor. You would do well to remember that it is solely because of my business acumen that you have been able to enjoy such lurid pursuits for so long.” She narrowed her gaze. “But that may soon end if you don’t comport yourself more favorably.”
Locklyn rose to his full height andstraightened his jacket.He’d had enough of her threats.“I regret to inform you that you will be on your own today, Mother.”
Hebrushed past her, but as usual, she couldn’t resistshoutingafter him, “Yes, that’s right. Get yourself anotherwhoreto solve all your problems. You’rejust like yourne’er-do-wellfather!”
He allowed thedoortoslamshutonhis departure.
Locklynliked to tell himself that her wordsdidn’tsting, because at times they did.It wasn’tthatthey hurt, but rather annoying, like a colony of ants running over his skin.Frankly,healsodespised being compared to a man he hardly even knew.
Hoping to regainsome ofhis good humor, he enteredhis favoritelate-nightestablishment with purpose.His latestparamourwas standing by the bar and looked surprised to see him in the light of day, but when shenoticed his expression, shecould obviously tell that something was amissfor she led the way upstairs to her rooms.
A quarter hour later, Locklyn groaned as the frustration within him was released onto the coverlet. No matter how drunkhe was,orhowangry he was,he made sure never to make a mistakeand father a bastardthat would haunt him for the rest of his days.
Hecollapsed onto the bed, his chest heaving with his exertions as the womanlyingat his side propped her head on her elbow. She wasn’t even undressed. He’d been in such a rush to expend himself that he’d unbuttoned his trousers and lifted her skirts for a rushed coupling. She looked as if she didn’t even mind that she hadn’t found her pleasure, but thenshe generally enjoyed payment of a different kind.
He considered tossing afew notes onto the bedand taking his leave, but hismind wastwisted and gnarled from his mother’sharsh, unforgivingwords.
He ground his teeth, for after alltheseyears,he was still nothing more than Martina’s little whipping boy. He had yet to earn her respect, even though he’d devoted his entire life to try and gain her approval.She always called him aworthlesswomanizer, but he suddenly realized that’s what shewantedhim to be, because it would give her a good excuse to hate him as she had his father all these years.
He would never be good enough.
He cracked his neckto ease the tension, butthe hands of constrictioncrawled up his spine. The familiar urges he’d long fought off returned with a vengeance andbefore he knew what was happening, he had lunged for the whore. His hands were around that pale throat and squeezing. Her mouth opened wide on a scream, but no sound emerged, and while she clawed urgently at his arms, his grip was strong and sure, for her face had blurred into that of his mother.
Whenher strugglesfinallyceased,Locklyn released herlifeless body.She crumpled to the floor,eyes frozen in fear duringthe last few moments of her pitiful existence.
Locklyn looked down at hisbarehands—amurderer’shands—andclenched them into fists. It had been years since his temper had caused him to lose all control. The last timehe’d acted so rashly,his attentions had been scorned by a passionate fury that had turned out to be one-sided. Hismother had managed to repair the damagethen, but it had nearly destroyed both of their reputationsin the process.
This time he wasn’t so sure she couldsweep asidesomething so damning, even if the victim was somelowly,tavern harlot.
Thatonlyleft one option. He had to leave Southampton. Tonight. Before the alarm was sounded and he was taken before the magistrate.
But where would he go?
He stopped suddenly.
Ireland.
That was the answer to everything.It always had been.
Fallon O’Malley was the keyto his freedom. If he could retrieve the chit for his mother, she would be so pleased thathe wasfinallythe dutiful son shehad alwayswanted thatshe would have no choice but to make things right.He wouldn’thave to worry about any repercussions because she would save him.
Just like before.
He had the chance to finally gain his mother’s acceptance at long last.
The very thought was calmingand just what he neededbefore he set out toward the docks.
Chapter Sixteen
