Page 45 of Bad Duke

“Do you think I don’t know that?” I look up at her and snap. “You know yourself anyone who works here has to be squeaky fucking clean. If anything about this place, and the men that use it, got into the hands of the press a lot of men’s lives would be ruined.”

“A lot of women too.” She gives me a sarcastic smile as she lights herself a cigarette and tosses her packet over to me so I can help myself.

“That’s the problem with men, they’re always thinking about themselves.” She kicks her legs up on the desk with her killer heels still on her feet.

“If you think the wives of the men who come here don't know their husbands are cheating on them, you’re as naïve as your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s my financée,” I correct her.

“She’s a nice girl, Alex, too nice for you.” Marina’s comment hits me hard because I know how true it is.

“Anyway, half of these men's wives don’t care that they cheat, they like their lifestyle and if they get to keep it without having to satisfy their husbands' little kinks, they’re prepared to turn a blind eye to it.” She makes a very good point, which is exactly why she runs the majority of my businesses.

“I knew for years that Rodger was cheating on me. He stopped trying to hide it in the end and that's when I really knew he’d lost all respect for me.” She flicks her ash into the ashtray and blows a mouthful of smoke into the air.

I know all about Marina’s ex. He was an asshole and yet, every year she sends him an elaborate gift for his birthday. She tells me it’s her way of showing him her appreciation. Even she’ll admit that she wouldn’t be the woman she is today if he hadn't treated her so badly. Leaving him gave her the determination to prove that she was worth something, and she sure as hell has done that. She sent him and his new family, including his wife, off to Florida for a month last year after she heard Rodger’s business went bust. What she didn’t tell him was that I’d bought the company that had stolen all their clients and she’d been the mastermind behind the takedown.

Marina is not a woman who you fuck with.

“Does Olivia know you're here?” she asks, probably guessing that I’ve wanted to keep her knowledge of this place limited due to my lack of presence.

“She does.” I nod, thinking about how sad she looked when I left. I should have taken the time to tell her that I was coming here for business. I don't like the thought of her at home worrying that I’d break the promise I made her.

“And how did she feel about it?”

“You seem very concerned with my fiancée, Marina,” I snap when I don’t want to answer her question. I didn’t come here for this. I came here to figure out who broke the rules and ensure they never do it again.

“I am concerned. I spent the day with her, remember?”

“I don’t see how?—”

“I like her,” she cuts me off. “She reminds me of myself…before.” I see a little vulnerability in her eyes that's never been there before, not even when she came to me all those years ago and pitched me her idea for this place.

“I’m not gonna hurt her like Rodger hurt you. She’s my endgame, Marina. And I know I’m talking soft and you’re not used to seeing me like this but she’s changed me. She’s changed everything.”

Marina slides her legs down and sits upright staring across the desk at me with a smile on her face.

“She’s pregnant.” The words just come out of my mouth. I know we agreed only to tell the staff and Will, but Marina’s the closest thing I’ve had to a mother since I lost my own, and I want her to know.

“Alex Stanley, a father. I think I need another drink.” She gets up from her desk and pours another vodka.

* * *

I sit and talk with Marina for a while longer, and I show her the baby scan photo that I had Dr Stevens email me, after our appointment. The woman hasn’t got a maternal bone in her body but I appreciate that she at least pretends to be interested. It’s surprising how much talking about Olivia and the baby calms me down. Calm enough for me to feel ready to speak to the girl who's been assaulted in my club.

I take the list of members with me and head for the room she’s in. Nodding to the guy who's standing by the door, I knock and wait for her to invite me in before I enter. Marina was right about the security problem, and I have to take full responsibility for what's happened here. I pulled the two best men we had from the security team here and gave them the job of keeping Olivia safe. I’m sure Marina already knows that and she’s saved me my pride by not bringing it up directly.

“Come in.” A feeble voice comes from the other side of the door and when I enter, the girl who’s sitting on the bed instantly looks scared.

“Sir… I’m sorry. I swear I told him before we went into the room that I only did oral. I made it clear and he…” She backs up against the headboard like she thinks I'm going to hurt her.

“Relax, you're not in any trouble. It’s me that came here to apologise to you.” I watch her face screw up with confusion.

“This is your place of work, you were promised safety and today we failed you on that. I’m sorry,” I admit, unable to ignore the resemblance the girl in front of me has to Olivia, she has long blonde hair and small, pretty features, her eyes are blue, too. The thought of my girl being in this position picks up my rage again so I have to quickly snap that thought out of my head.

“I know you're scared but I need you to tell me who did this.” I step a little closer and sit on the end of the bed, then slowly, so I don’t frighten her, push the list across the mattress so she can look at it.

“He told me after that if I told he’d kill me.” She’s shaking so badly I get up from the bed, grab the throw that's draped over the chaise in the corner, and hand it to her.

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