Chapter Ten
Amber woke late, which wasn’t surprising given that she’d stayed up until dawn remembering her evening. But even after being awake all night, she couldn’t stay in bed. Not when his lordship was coming to see her again this afternoon. Not when she was nervous and excited about all the things that might happen.
She knew none of them would. Today they were back to being aristocrat and merchant. He had a plan for how to get the brooch he needed. She had to return to her cage where she dreamed of lovely things but never lived them. Except, of course, for one wonderful night when she had.
She hummed as she dressed.
Until the moment she opened her bedroom door and there, lounging against the wall, was a large man with a dour look, dark circles under his eyes and a maimed hand. “Titan!” she gasped as she jerked backward in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
He was in charge of the bouncers who guarded the doors at the Lyon’s Den. He’d been wounded at Waterloo like so many others, but since he was an officer and a natural leader, Mrs. Dove-Lyon had set him in charge of the others at her establishment. He was kind in a gruff way, and Amber liked him. The other girls adored him because many had reason to be grateful for his help at one time or another.
“I’m called Lucifer here,” he grumbled.
What? But she didn’t get a chance to ask as he pushed off the wall to tower over her. He was a tall man, and she had to fight her instinct to cringe away. Especially as he spoke, his words clipped and angry.
“I know how late you came back last night.”
“I was at—”
“I know your hair was down, your face flushed, and your dress mussed.”
Um…really?
“And I know that you took several circles around Hyde Park.”
Oh, no.
“I am five and twenty, Titan—”
“Lucifer!” he snapped.
Right.“Lucifer, then. I am able to make my own choices.”
He touched her chin, tilting her face up until she looked him in the eyes. “Did he take advantage of you?” There was a growl to his words that made her shudder in fear. He was angry, but maybe not at her.
“No,” she rasped. “He did not take advantage.”
Silence while her face heated.
“Then, you allowed it.” His voice was low, but the violent edge was stronger.
“No!” she gasped. “Well, yes. A little. I… He…”Oh, my.His face was purpling in rage, but no more than hers was burning. She took a deep breath and invested strength into her words. “He asked, and I said no.”
“He asked!” The two words came exploding out of him, and though anybody else would have run away, she was used to loud men. Bellows of whatever emotion rarely rattled her.
“All men ask!” she retorted. “Unlike others, he accepted my answer.”
Titan…er, Lucifer’s eyes widened. “But you allowed him. You said—”
She sighed. “A little, yes. I’m five and twenty. Surely I’m allowed a kiss or two? You know where I work. You know that I’m not respectable.”
“On the contrary,” he responded. “I know exactly how respectable you are. Thisbe, there are any number of good men who would offer you marriage. Lysander and Demetrius—”
“Look more at my jewelry than they do at me,” she said. At least she knew Lord Byrn wanted her for herself and not her family’s business.
Lucifer sighed. “There are others who know the truth about you. Do not throw your lot in here.” He gave an expansive gesture that was meant to encompass what? The entire house? Theton?“They do not play by the same rules,” he said, his voice heavy.
She knew that. Didn’t she see them every night gaming at the tables or taking their pleasure from the upstairs girls? She shook her head about to say that she would make her own decisions. That she already knew all his warnings and had made the right choice last night. But this morning, her heart was singing another tune. Lord Byrn was coming to the house to see her. Her heart wanted to perform arias on the rooftop.
