Page 20 of A Duchess to Reclaim (The Devil’s Masquerade #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY

“T his was a mistake,” Amelia whispered, staring out into the red-light drenched ballroom.

Her stomach had been in terrible knots for the last two days, and now that she was standing at the threshold of the Devil’s Masquerade, she felt like she was going to vomit. No longer did she feel the rush of excitement or power that she used to by coming to the illusive party, but a strong sense of foreboding.

At her side Theo gripped her hand. She was practically dancing in place with excitement, and the constant movement at Amelia’s side only worsened her sickened feeling.

“You worry too much,” Theo whispered back, peering over the groups of entwined people through her mask. “I feel better already. Don’t you remember how fun this was? Come on, let us go find some gentlemen to mingle with.”

Though she’d made Theo promise that they would stick together, Amelia felt unable to move.

“You go on,” Amelia replied, shaking her head. “I will keep watch of you from afar.”

Theo looked toward her with a frown.

“Your husband broke your heart,” her friend replied. “Not once, but twice. You owe him nothing. Now you look amazing. Your dress has never looked better on you and you are practically glowing from behind your mask. Come with me. Find someone tonight who can nurse your broken heart, or at least provide you a distraction.”

Amelia ached upon hearing Theo’s words. On some level she was sure her friend was right…and yet she still found herself immovable.

“Go on,” she urged, her tone full of sorrow. “I will join you when I am ready.”

Theo looked into her eyes for a long, steady moment; her pity clear even in the dim light. After a while though she sighed, nodded, and let go of Amelia’s hand.

“It is all right to move on from heart ache, Amelia,” she said, stepping away. “That is what I am doing. And you should too.”

Amelia said nothing as she watched her friend walk to a nearby group of masked men; all of whom had been intently watching the two women from the moment they’d walked in. They parted for Theo immediately, and one laced an arm around her lower back as they all eagerly began to talk to her.

A few months ago, Amelia would have willingly walked into the group, and would have felt a surge of immense power as she pulled those men into her thrall. Now, though, all she could think of was Dominic, and how much she wanted to be in his arms.

He was so close! Had the carriage drove a few more minutes to the west she could have arrived at his London house, walked through the door, and saw him. But she was terrified of what she would find if she did so. Had he moved on already? Was there a woman in his bed right now? Two? Wrapped around him and enjoying his expert skills of seduction?

She shook her head at the thought, knowing she was only hurting herself more by imagining such things. Amelia drew in a shaky breath, doing her best to push the heartache away, and forced herself to take another step into the room.

Perhaps Theo is right, she thought, braving another step. Perhaps this is how I move on from my broken heart.

“What a beautiful dress,” a masculine voice purred into her left ear.

Amelia jerked at the sound, then cursed herself for not paying attention. She knew better than to let her mind wander in a place like this.

“Thank you,” she replied, turning toward the man.

A shiver went down her spine as she took in the man’s well-tailored navy blue jacket and the tamed sandy-colored curls that framed his simple black eye mask. He smiled at her, his thin lips spreading even thinner as he showed off his white teeth. There was something familiar about this man…

He held up a champagne drink in each hand, and offered one to her.

“A beautiful woman like you deserves to always have a drink in her hand,” he said, “It is a shame no one has brought you one already.”

“The drinks here are a little too strong for my liking,” she replied, forcing a smile as she stepped away. “Besides, I am not thirsty. Thank you, though.”

“Oh, come now,” he said in a patronizing tone, following her. “A strong drink helps lower our inhibitions. You want to relax, do you not?”

Another shiver went down Amelia’s spine as she wracked her brain. His voice was familiar as well. She knew this man. And while at one time that would have amused her, she now grew nervous over the fact.

“Not at present, sir,” she replied, less polite this time.

She glanced back at where Theo had just stood, and she began to tremble with worry as she saw that she was nowhere to be found.

“If you’ll pardon me, I promised to keep an eye on my friend, but I have lost track of her,” she told him, walking away.

“Allow me to help you,” he replied.

“ No,” she demanded, her tone harsh as she began to take more determined steps.

“This room is full of willing women, sir. I suggest you go find one who wants your company.”

Not caring if she offended him or not, Amelia straightened her shoulders and walked away with purpose. Familiar or not, she wanted nothing to do with him, and now she had to make sure her focus was entirely on finding Theo. She walked by each group in the main ballroom, studying the masks carefully at a distance so that she wouldn’t have to interact with anyone. When she found no trace of Theo, her heart sank even further. Now she would have to leave the main room and look through the private ones, and Lord knows what she would stumble upon in there.

She had just finished checking the second room to no avail when, as she was stepping back into the hall, was grabbed by the arm. Amelia’s head whipped toward the person with the tight grip, and her alarm turned to anger as she saw the man from before.

“I am not interested!” She seethed. She tried to wrench her arm out of his grip but it was too tight.

Her effort only made the man’s smile grow wider.

“You are here, are you not?” He asked, pushing her against the wall. “That immediately makes your statement untrue. Or is this your game? You like telling men no. Men that have a right to you. So that they must force you. Is that it, Amelia? Did I play my game too softly with you before?”

Amelia’s blood ran cold as she heard her true name leave the man’s lips. Suddenly all of the points of familiarity connected, and she realized who the man was. She reached up her free hand with a quickness and pulled the man’s mask off; confirming her suspicion.

“Roland,” she whispered, dropping his mask to the floor.

“Did you miss me, darling?” Her former betrothed asked, pulling her closer. “I need something from you. And you are going to give it to me.”

“Get off of me!” She seethed, pushing at his chest. It was no use. His grip was much stronger than hers, and he pinned her to his body easily.

“I missed you,” he went on, ignoring her outburst. “You wouldn’t believe what that little harlot did to me overseas.”

“Whatever she did you deserved it,” Amelia shot back, still struggling against him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Roland replied, a sick amusement glittering in his eyes.

“All this time I thought you were a prude. So you see I was quite surprised when I arrived back in London and find you not only here, but a favored visitor to the Devil’s Masquerade. Men loved when you came here, even when you gave them nothing but charm and conversation. When I saw that, I simply had to start talking. Let people know once and for all you weren’t as innocent as you acted.”

The pit in Amelia’s stomach worsened for many reasons. Him? It was him that started the rumors? That had caused chaos in their lives? And now he was here, revealing himself to her and demanding what she had refused all those years go.

Still she lifted her chin, refusing to show her fear.

“I should thank you, Roland,” she replied icily. “The rumors you spread only served to bring my husband and I closer.”

“Oh, really?” He scoffed, “Where is he then?”

Amelia lost some of her bravery, realizing that she truly was alone. Even with her shouting, no one had come out of the rooms to check on the raucous. And since Dominic had no idea where she was…

It is not what you think,” she told him, her trembling tone betraying her. “I am not here to offer anyone anything. Especially you. Now you are going to let me go. I am going to find my friend. And then I am going to leave.”

Roland’s blue eyes grew dark as a sneer formed on his thin lips.

“You mock me, woman?” He asked, giving her a shake that made her gasp with fear. “Every one can have you but me, is that it?”

“My husband is the only one that can have me!” She shouted, “And he will destroy you if you do not let me go right now!”

Roland’s sneer deepened as his grip on her remained firm.

“He must not be much of a husband if he allows to you frequent places like this alone,” he replied, then tilted his head as he raised a brow.

“Or have you made him a cuckold as you so obviously made me?”

Fury sparked through Amelia’s veins at Roland’s words.

If you are going to square up to a man you better make your first hit good. It will probably be your only one.

Dominic’s words rang clear in Amelia’s mind, and as he taught her, she pulled the energy of her anger into one precise move, and swung with all her might.

It was vastly more difficult than her training, as Roland was holding most of her body captive against his own. But Amelia’s fist managed to find some momentum from her side, and her knuckles connected powerfully to the bottom of Roland’s chin. Pain screamed through her fist as bone connected with bone, but the shock of the hit was enough to jar Roland.

He stumbled back, letting go of her waist, and she immediately lunged away from him. His grip on her other wrist never broke though, and before she could get very far, she felt pain surge up her arm as he roughly yanked her back to him.

“Teasing whore,” he seethed through bloody lips, capturing her jaw with his other hand.

“I’m going to make you pay for that.”

“The hell she is,” a familiar voice came from behind, and as Amelia began to weep with relief, Dominic’s arm care around Roland’s neck, dragging him backward.

* * *

“Dominic!” He heard Amelia cry as he dragged the disgusting man from his wife. From around the corner came Tristan and Everett, who quickly worked to free Amelia from Roland’s grip.

The moment he saw she was loose from him, Dominic wrenched the man around and shoved a fist directly into his nose.

“Oh, I have been looking for you,” Dominic chuckled darkly, gripping Roland’s lapels as he cocked his fist back again.

“You filthy vermin. You poor excuse for a man. I had a feeling it was you spreading these rumors.”

His fist landed again, forcing a cry to break from Roland’s lips.

“You must have hid in the worst places if you were able to keep away from my spies. Like the cockroach you truly are.”

Another hit. Another painful moan from Roland’s busted lips.

“You put your hands on my wife? MY WIFE?!” he screamed, his fury and pent up pain finally finding an outlet.

He stopped punching only to grab ahold of Roland’s limp hand, and crushed.

“I will make sure you hands are not fit to put on anyone!” He boomed into Roland’s bloody, wailing face.

He let go of the man’s ruined fingers and cocked his fist again, but before he could punch him another time, Tristan and Everett flew at him. He was wrestled to the ground as he let out a roar of rage, and the once-empty hallway suddenly filled with curious onlookers.

“Easy, man,” Everett growled, hauling Dominic off of the floor. “He’s had enough!”

“Theo?!” He heard Tristan roar next.

Dominic stopped fighting his friends’ hold as he heard the worry and rage in Tristan’s voice. He finally saw through the red mist that had clouded his vision, and saw his wife and Theo a few steps away, holding one another tightly.

“I’m fine,” Dominic said, his voice ragged from screaming.

Tristan and Everett let him go, and Dominic walked across Roland’s crumpled up, sobbing figure and directly to Amelia. Rage, hurt, and jealousy still flooded his veins- but beneath it all was a relief that was quickly overpowering them all.

“Dominic,” Amelia breathed, and to his surprise, she flew into him; her arms going tight around his neck.

“It is not what you think, I did not want to come, I swear, I-”

Unable to help himself, Dominic grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulled her head back, and roughly planted his lips down onto hers. A sob broke from Amelia’s throat as he kissed her and he gathered her closer to him. She was here. In front of him and in his arms. How that came to be suddenly did not matter to him.

“Dominic, old boy,” Everett said, gripping his shoulder, “It is not that I am thrilled that you two are making up, but we need to get out of here. Now.”

Knowing his friend was right, Dominic forced himself to end the kiss and gripped Amelia’s hand tightly. Tristan appeared by Theo’s side, taking her hand as well, and they allowed Everett to lead them outside.

“Dominic, this was me, this was all my fault,” Theo said as soon as they back out in the quiet night air.

“Confound it, Theo, what were you thinking?” Tristan seethed, shoving her hand away now that they were out of the melee. “After everything these two just had to fix!”

“Do not yell at her!” Amelia shouted, surprising them all. “We are ignored day in and day out by the men in our lives. We are told not to have the feelings we are born with, we are told ignore our most inner needs to make the world easier for you.”

Dominic swallowed, shame pouring through him as he remained silent to his wife’s tirade.

“We are in pain,” she went on, her voice breaking as she ripped the mask from her beautiful face, “And you do nothing but ignore it for the sake of your fortunes and titles.”

She let go of Dominic’s hand and walked to Theo, who looked absolutely broken, and put her arms around her.

“I knew this was the wrong way to feel better,” Theo sobbed, looking from Tristan to Dominic, “I knew it. But I needed something more to feel than this terrible reality.”

Dominic’s eyes flicked to Tristan, who seemed to have lost much of his anger.

“It might have been a mistake, but the ladies have a point,” Everett murmured, “We distract ourselves with drinking and fighting and dallying. The only difference is we are clapped on the back for it instead of punished.”

Dominic’s eyes flicked back to Amelia, and she was looking at him with a pleading expression.

“I did not participate in anything,” she said, her tone trembling with emotion. “I only came to watch over her. We have both been in so much pain. And I didn’t want to lose her the way I lost you.”

Dominic knew it was true. There was not a doubt in his mind that she had remained faithful even after he had broken her heart. And that very fact hurt him worst of all. That despite her pain, she was still trying to protect those she loved. And she was doing it alone.

“We need to get out of the street,” Tristan said, fiddling with own mask. “Even with our masks on inside Roland knew who we all were, and those no telling what that lecher is spouting.”

“If he can even talk,” Everett retorted, smirking. “Dominic just about knocked out all his teeth, didn’t you, old boy?”

“No use waiting around to find out,” Tristan said before Dominic could reply.

“Theo, I am taking you home and you are going to have a long talk.”

Dominic watched as Theo and Amelia turned toward another and hugged fiercely. Then brother and sister walked side by side to the Briarwood carriage.

“Where will you go?” Amelia asked, turning to Dominic as their friends drove away.

“ We are going to Ellsworth,” he replied, stepping toward her to take her hands. “And we are going to sort this out.”

Relief filled Amelia’s eyes as he looked down at her, and she nodded as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Pain struck his heart as he watched her cry. It was he that had caused this, not Theo. He that had put those tears in his wife’s eyes.

He was still viciously angry over the two of them putting them in such danger, but for now, all he wanted to do was get into the carriage with her and touch her the entire way home.

“Everett,” he said, turning to his friend as Amelia tucked herself into his chest. “You should come with us. Get out of London for a few days.”

“I will join you later,” his friend replied, sliding his hands into his pockets as he took a step back. “I am going to get Roland, make sure his mouth will not be a problem anymore. Pay off the other guests so they won’t say a word. This business ends here.”

Dominic nodded, and led Amelia their carriage. Once inside, he pulled her into his arms, grasped a fistful of her hair, and held her tightly to his chest. His heart pulsed with joy as she placed a kiss upon his neck and snuggled in. Tomorrow they would argue. For now, though…for now they would celebrate being together again.