Page 7 of The Devil Himself (The Devil You Know #1)

Six

“ M y lord? Were you listening?”

Luc glanced up from his desk, where he had been studying account books with his man of affairs. “I’m afraid I was reading. What was that, Finley?”

“I said we might consider selling your interest in that canal improvement. I fear it is going to be a bust, but you can still sell at a profit now.”

“Do it, then.” What on earth was wrong with him? He could scarcely concentrate.

All he could think about the last few days was his supper with Rys Grey. About the way Rys’s mouth had looked when he’d been eating oysters.

And about the way Rys had been obviously erect all through their dinner.

His cock hardened in a rush, and he grunted, causing Finley to frown at him.

“Beg pardon, Finley. Go ahead and sell, then.”

“Yes, my lord.” Finley began gathering up ledgers once he scribbled a few notes, signaling the end of the meeting.

“Is that it, Finley?”

“Yes, my lord. Oh, and young Master Gareth is on his way back to school with the family coach and the two footmen you hired personally.”

“Excellent. Thank you.” He knew that Sauce Box Joe was also on duty. He had received two reports from the man already.

“You are welcome. I shall see you in a fortnight.”

“Yes, of course. Good afternoon, Finley.”

“My lord.”

Finley bowed and left, so Luc snapped the accounts book closed, sitting back to put his feet up on the edge of his desk. Usually sitting in his study, with its gleaming dark wood and leather seating, left him a feeling of satisfaction. Of work well done.

Today, he was simply restless.

A soft knock sounded, and he sighed, putting his feet down so he was not being rude. “Come.”

His butler, a middle-aged man named Buckley, entered at his call. “My lord. Cook would like to know if you will be at home to dine this evening.”

He paused, thinking of Rys and the damned oysters. “I think I will dine at my club. Please tell cook she’s free as a bird this evening.”

Buckley’s lips twitched. Mrs. Buckley was the cook, after all.

“Very good, my lord.”

“None of you need wait up for me, in fact. I might be out all night.”

“Very good, my lord.” Buckley sketched a slight bow, but his smile was wide and pleased. “Good afternoon.”

“Thank you, Buckley.” He rose, striding out of the room and up the stairs, calling to his valet. “Collins, come help me dress for supper, and then you may have the night off.”

“Thank you, my lord. That’s very generous.”

“Is it?” He chuckled. Luc liked to keep his staff happy. “Well, good for me, eh?”

Collins laughed softly. “Indeed. Are you requiring evening clothes?”

“Just in case, yes.”

His valet set to work, and while it was a bit early for full evening kit, he could just sit in the club library until supper and read.

It would take his mind off Rys Grey and his hard cock.

He hoped.

“Call for the carriage for me, will you?”

“Yes, my lord.” Collins left him once he was dressed, and he splashed on a bit of scent, the pleasant mix of bergamot and orange blossom water his favorite.

Rys smelled of sandalwood and citrus, and it made his nose twitch just to think of it.

When he entered the carriage, he told his coachman, “To my club, please.” He needed the distraction, after all.

But halfway there, as his carriage moved through the crush of traffic, he changed his mind. There had been a letter among his correspondence today, the paper heavy and expensive, the handwriting stark and masculine, inviting him to become a member of the Devil’s Playground.

Rys had some sort of motive, and he wasn’t certain what it was, but he was going to take the man up on his offer. If he was to sit and play cards, why not do it someplace interesting?

Luc rapped on the roof of the carriage. “I’ve changed my mind,” he called. “To the Devil’s Playground on St. James, if you please.”

“Yes, my lord!”

He was playing with fire. But Luc found he didn’t care. Excitement curled in his gut, and his cock firmed. What could a harmless fantasy cost him? He would indulge it for now.

The ride took longer than that to his club, and he had to work to keep from pressing a hand to his button fall, to keep from touching himself.

He had always been a man who admired other men, but he had never so much as flirted with the idea of acting on it.

First because he would never be disrespectful to his wife, Viola, and then because he felt he had a duty to Damien to be without scandal.

Rys made him want to explore such things. And he had a good idea that Rys wanted the same.

The carriage finally slowed, his coachman calling to him. “There’s a line-up, my lord. It may take a bit to get to the door. Shall I wait?”

“I’ll walk to the club. That way you can find a place to wait.”

“Very good, my lord.”

When he vaulted out of the carriage, there was quite the crush, indeed.

It was early for supper or for evening entertainment, he thought, but mayhap there was something special going on at the Playground today.

He walked toward the hell, set among tall Georgian buildings, the imposing facade on the corner property barely hinting at what lay within.

He was within ten feet of the door when something in the air around him changed, a feeling of unease touching the back of his neck.

He turned to look behind him, his instincts screaming at him, and that was when the sound of a shot rang out, and icy cold pain seared his upper arm and shoulder, the impact spinning him almost in a full circle.

People shouted, the crush of carriages leaving most of them nowhere to go, and there was a great pounding of feet on the pavement as men ran, trying to escape the area.

Luc staggered, attempting to stay on his feet, and suddenly his coachman was there, wrapping an arm around his waist to keep him upright. “Good God, my lord. You’ve been shot!”

“Have I?” He glanced at his arm, where a red stain was beginning to bloom.

“What should I do, my lord?”

“Get me into the club, Will.”

“The club?” Will’s voice rose in surprise.

“Yes.” His eyesight started to blur. “Rys. Mr. Grey. He will know what to do.”

“Yes, my lord.” Will towed him toward the club, fighting the flow of people, and just about the time they reached the doorman, Luc stumbled, his ears ringing, his knees giving out.

And then the world went dark.