Page 99 of The Duke's Vice

Frederic laughed before standing and pacing back and forth between the two chairs. “You’re unbelievable, you know that? You always think you’re the only one who can fix things.”

Ezra looked up to his friend. “What do you mean?”

Frederic stopped his pacing and looked down at Ezra. “Your sister? Beatrice? You think your solution is the only viable solution.”

Ezra stood toe-to-toe with Frederic. “If I remember correctly you were with me every step of the way when it came to avenging Harriet.”

“And Beatrice?” Frederic asked.

“What of her?” Ezra spat.

“What does she say about the ending of your relationship?”

Ezra bit his tongue. He could still see her heart breaking as she sat on his bed listening to him give all his reasons why he can’t be with her.

“She understands my position.” He voice was low and gravelly.

Frederic put his hands on his hips. “Did she? Or was she too hurt to counter? Because I’ve been in fights with you, you can be exhausting.”

Ezra rolled his lips and rubbed his temples. “I’d ruin her.”

There.

He said it.

“She’s already ruined.”

Ezra’s hands dropped from his face and tightened into fists at his sides. “What did you say?”

Frederic looked around at the other gentlemen who were too busy in their own world to pay any mind to them. “I know you, Ezra. I know you better than you think. There is no way you didn’t lay claim to that woman. And it’s not only because she was willing, anyone who saw you two together knew there was a deeper connection there than either of you let on. She opened something within you, Ezra. Why close it back off?”

“Because…” Why couldn’t he think of an answer? He always had an answer. “Because!”

Frederic laughed to himself. “Because is not a reason, Ezra. Why?”

Ezra ran his hands through his hair. “I’ll make her miserable. It’s what I do.”

“Was she happy when you parted ways?”

Beatrice’s blood shot eyes, pinched in the corners to stop the flow of tears flashed in his mind’s eye. She looked broken and desperate. She looked miserable.

“No.” He admitted.

“Was she happy before you told her you couldn’t be with her?”

Damn Frederic and his questions.

Ezra took a breath. “Very.”

“Seems like by trying to keep her from being ruined and miserable you made her… ruined and miserable. Well done, old chap.” Frederic clapped Ezra on the back.

Ezra narrowed his eyes on Frederic. “And what do you suggest I do? She’s supposed to marry Amos tomorrow. It’s done.”

The two men stood in silence for a moment. Ezra could see an excited Beatrice walking down the aisle, only the man standing at the end wasn’t him. It was Amos. He heart thudded at the realization of what he gave up.

He sat back down in his chair and signaled for another whisky.

Frederic extended his hand to his friend. “Since when do we let things go without a fight?”