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“That’s all I was? A project you took too far?”

Hugo said nothing as he kept his eyes on the flames.

“Answer me!” She screamed.

“Yes.” He grit out, his eyes snapping back to her. “Much too far. But I need to do the right thing now and back away.”

Something between a humorless laugh and a heart-wrenching sob tumbled from her chest. How?How,after all they had revealed last night, could this be true?

“I guess the rumors were true,” she said in a shuddering breath. “You do destroy women. I just did not think it would be this way.”

A horrid, aching sound came from Hugo as she turned her back to him, and though her entire being begged her to stop,Seraphina pushed herself forward out of the room and all but ran to the carriage.

“Your Grace,” the carriage driver said, his tone full of worry as he saw her hurrying outside.

“Get me away from here this instant!” Seraphina demanded, fighting to find breath.

The driver reached toward her shoulder, but seemed to think better of it, and took a step back. His mistress was usually a kind, even tempered woman, but this- this was someone else.

“Are you all right?” He asked, “Where is His Grace? Is he not coming back with you to Merrivale?”

“No he is not,” Seraphina sobbed, covering her face as best as she could with her kerchief. “And neither am I.”

Even if it was hers now, she could not go back. Not without Hugo. Even if it had become her home. There was no way she could enter any room and not look for him. She gave the driver Theo’s house number as the footman helped her into the carriage.

The moment the door closed, Seraphina doubled over, and a brutal, guttural cry poured from her. And it did not stop, even well after she reached Theo’s home and was pulled, with utter confusion into the collective embrace of her friends’ arms.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“Ease up, Fenwick,” Ezra Fernside, Duke of Frampton warned as he ducked another punch from Hugo.

“I do not want to wreck you, but so help me I will.”

But Hugo lunged, throwing his entire body into the punch aimed for Ezra’s jaw. Hedidwant to be wrecked. Wanted to be punished. There was too much fury in his moves, compromising his skill, and Ezra once more stepped out of the way and delivered a shuttering blow to his kidneys.

“Tap out,” Ezra growled, squaring up again, “Tap out now before this gets worse.”

With a roar of rage Hugo charged him, fists flying, and tackled Ezra to the ground. Ezra was no unskilled boxer, however, and the fight was equally matched blow for bloody blow until the others hurried into the ring.

“Hugo, enough,” Dominic growled, pulling him off of Ezra and pinning his arms behind his back.

Ezra got himself off the ground, ignoring the blood gushing from the cuts on his face, and grabbed ahold of Hugo’s shoulders.

“Your anger and your remorse willnotbe the reason I don’t go home to my wife and children!” He roared into Hugo’s face.

Duncan and Ambrose Curtis, Duke of Colborne, each grabbed a hold of Ezra’s shoulders to haul him back.

“Let me go!” Hugo roared, trying to break free from Dominic’s hold.

“Not on your life, old friend,” Tristan said, rushing into the ring to help Dominic. “Not until you calm down.”

Together his two friends wrestled him out of the ring and into a chair, then Tristan turned to Ezra, Ambrose, and Duncan.

“Is he all right?” He called.

Ezra looked ready to lunge out of his chair at any moment toward Hugo as he held a towel up to his bloody face, but his friends stayed close to his side, ready to prevent it if need be. Ezra’s heavily muscled chest heaved in deep breaths as he stared daggers toward Hugo, but nodded his head.

“He’s going to be fine,” Ambrose replied, “But I think that’s enough boxing for today.”