Page 39 of Bad Duke

“Lewis!” I yell out his name over the music. Stepping towards the speaker and ripping it from the wall.

“You're the?—”

“Give us the room.” I dismiss the dancers, who all look just as surprised to see me as the woman on the desk. “And tell whoever's in charge here to gather all the staff, there's going to be an emergency staff meeting.”

Lewis looks like a petrified, little boy as I approach him, and when the door closes, leaving us all alone he starts to back away from me.

“I…I’m sorry if there's been a mis…misunderstanding,” he stutters.

“I think the only misunderstanding has been on your part.” I continue to close the gap between us until his back hits the bar behind him and he has nowhere left to go.

“You told your co-workers that my fiancée slept with you,” I remind him, watching the tiny beads of sweat start to form on his temple.

“She…she wasn’t your fiancée then.” Is the best this little worm can come up with.

“Do you think that's what matters here?” I frown at him.

His arrogance pulls on my final nerve and without any warning I reach my hand around the back of his head, twist his body, and slam his face into the rail his dancers were balancing themselves on. He howls in pain as blood spills from his nose and drips onto the floor.

“Now, I know for a fact that you were lying, I know because right up until Olivia met me, she was a virgin.” I fist his hair and lift his head back up. “I took that, I made her mine, and I don’t tolerate people fucking with what's mine,” I growl in his ear. Keeping my grip on his long, blonde hair, I drag him across the floor towards the door. After I kick it open, I see the old woman who’s walking, with authority, towards us. She stops in shock when she sees me dragging who, I assume, is her son then watches in dismay as I continue to move past her.

“Lewis?” What's happening? Get off him!” She shouts as I make it to the reception where quite a crowd has gathered. There are women in leotards like Olivia wears, men too, and one guy in baggy trousers and a vest that looks a little out of place among them all. Each one of their faces is blank with shock.

“Lewis has got an announcement he’d like to make,” I tell them all, helping a dazed Lewis to his feet so he can speak up.

“Tell them,” I urge him before I really do lose my patience.

“I…I lied. I lied about what happened at the party,” he manages, keeping his head low while his face continues to pour with blood. I look around the room at all the confused expressions, including the one of the woman I assume is his mother.

“And why did you lie?” I ask, narrowing my eyes and lifting his head so he can face everyone.

“I lied… Because.” His eyes dart around him and he squeezes them shut in shame.

“He lied because he knew there was no way Olivia would sleep with him. She didn’t want it and so he punished her for it. He wanted it so bad that he made it up.” I leave them all to think about that and drag the sorry prick towards the door.

“Wait… where are you taking him?” The old woman pipes up again, quickly chasing after us.

“Your son has an apology to make.”

“You can’t take him anywhere. I’ll call the police.” She pushes her chest out and I laugh at her.

“Call them, I’d like to speak to them myself. I think they should do some digging into your son and how he conducts himself around females. Maybe some of the parents who send their kids here should be aware of the allegations.” She gasps and looks down at her son, helplessly.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Riverty, you’ll get him back in one piece,” I promise, as I load the slimy cunt into my car.

OLIVIA

I hear the commotion and quickly place the book, I’m reading, down beside me. Alex drags Lewis into the living room by his hair and presents him to me like a gift. My eyes widen in shock as I take in the sight of Lewis on his knees, crying. His nose dripping blood onto Alex’s Persian rug and his eyes swollen into slits.

“Lewis here has something he wants to say to you, darling.” Alex fists at his hair and raises his head so he’s looking at me.

“I’m….I’m sorry.” His voice shakes just like the rest of him.

“Do better.” Alex kicks him hard in the back.

“I’m so sorry I never meant to upset you and I’m…I’m just sorry, okay, Liv?” He cries helplessly and then looks up to Alex for approval.

“It’s Miss Adams to you.” Alex stares at him viciously.

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