Page 59 of Trapped with the Beastly Duke

He looked up at his driver and spoke clearly, deliberately, “I feel that I am in need of some air. I shall take a walk. Meet me at Liverpool Street.”

The driver, Mr. Jenkins, raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Are you sure, Your Grace?”

“I am absolutely certain.” Alexander held the man’s gaze.

“I shall make my way to Liverpool Street.” The driver nodded curtly.

“Excellent.” Alexander rolled his shoulders, once more glancing behind him.

No one seemed to be paying him any more attention than usual.

You are being ridiculous.

He began to make his way through the crowd, only half paying attention to where he was going. He kept thinking of the man’s face.

And you let him get away.

He collided with something hard and cold, and realized with a start that he had taken a wrong turn and walked straight into a dead end. Cursing, he turned around, only to find that he was not alone.

“Seems like you’ve gotten a bit lost,” a voice said with glee.

A man stood in front of Alexander, a dagger in one hand and a pistol in the other. His dark hair was matted, slicked back and away from his face. As he smiled, he revealed three golden teeth.

Alexander clenched his fists. “You killed my father.”

The man nodded.

“You’ve been following me.” Alexander tried to keep his voice flat, emotionless as he felt the rage rise within him. “Why?”

The man shrugged, gesturing at him with his dagger. “I’m not sure it should be you who’s asking the questions, seeing as how I’m the one who’s armed.”

Alexander lunged at the man. There was a bang as a gunshot went off. It missed Alexander, and he collided with the man. He knocked the gun off the man’s hand and tried to wrestle the knife from him.

The man bit Alexander’s arm.

Alexander let out a roar of pain and stumbled backward. The stranger swung at him, and he only just avoided his knife.

He needed to disarm him. The sound of footsteps filled the alley, and two armed men appeared behind the stranger. Alexander smiled. The stranger turned around as one of the men lunged at him.

There was a spurt of blood and a groan. The man who had killed his father clutched at his side.

“You’re surrounded. It’s over.” Alexander smiled at his guards.

Mr. Jenkins understood my code.

“Give up.”

The man spat at Alexander’s feet, his eyes darting back and forth like a wild animal. The guards advanced on him, as did Alexander. The man seemed to shrink into the ground.

Coward.

He dropped his knife. Alexander smiled. The man was crouched low, his hands seeming to scrabble in the dirt. A second later, he flung dirt at Alexander.

Alexander tried to avoid it, closing his eyes and covering his face. Yet, that was all the distraction the man needed. Something hard and wet collided with Alexander’s side. He heard footsteps and shouting.

He opened his eyes in time to see the stranger disappearing over the wall, then glanced at the two guards beside him.

“He is wounded, he will not get far.” The first guard nodded to the second.