Page 70 of Bad Duke

“Please don’t hurt him, again. Please!” His mother grips the sleeve of my jacket and sinks onto her knees. “Please, sir,” she pleads, but no amount of that is going to save her son. He’s the Fox, and all this time I’ve spent underestimating him has put Liv in more danger.

“I know what your son is, and so do you. It’s time for you to face that,” I tell her, almost feeling sorry for the woman. It’s clear how much she loves him, she’s proof that there are parents out there who would do anything for their children.

“Please. He wouldn't hurt her like the others. She was always different for him. He loves her.”

“The others?” I stare at her in disbelief, when I recall all that Winslow found.

“Do you not even remember their names? You know what a monster your son is and you allow him to be near women and children, every day!” I grip her by the throat and pin her to the wall.

“He’s my son,” she tells me simply, and unapologetically. I see love overcome the fear in her eyes and it’s something I can relate to.

“He’s never been charged. They all took the first offer I made them, and that little girl's mother was a liar.” She chokes against my grip and I watch her skin start to turn purple.

“I’m going to kill your son,” I whisper, holding her firm as she cries and thrashes against me.

“Please, I can’t be without him. He’s all I’ve got.” Her tears spill as she attempts to shake her head.

“It’s okay.” I keep my voice calm, trying to offer her some comfort in her last breaths. “You won't have to be.”

She’s just as responsible for what those women suffered as he is, she deserves to die, but I feel something strange as I watch the panic in her eyes turn to relief. I’ve never killed a woman before, I vowed to myself I never would, but for this mother, who loved her son so hard that she’d take all his sins to hell with her, I make an exception. Her death is the end to an incurable pain. It’s a kindness.

I let her body drop to the floor when I snap out of it and remember why I’m here.

“Lewis,” I call out his name, looking up the stairs and waiting for him to show himself.

“I killed your mummy, Lewis!” I shout out, wondering where he’s hiding. I cautiously take the stairs and after checking a few rooms and finding nothing, I open a door at the end of the hall and freeze when I flick on the light.

There are hundreds of pictures of my wife pinned to the wall, most are of before we met, others have been cut from magazines or newspaper articles, and some have been taken from a distance and are amateur. Any that would have contained me have been cut and when I look to the corner of the room and see a cradle that's filled with baby clothes, I know I’m dealing with a different level of fucking crazy to what I am.

“Did you really kill her?” A weak, pathetic voice comes from behind me, and when I turn around Lewis stands in front of me, looking frail and small.

“She deserved to die. She let you hurt all those girls, and she would have allowed my wife to be next.” I breathe through my nostrils

“No. No!” He shakes his head adamantly. “It would never have been like that with Olivia. They were practices so I could have made it perfect for her.” He talks calmly as if he’s making perfect sense.

“You aren’t the right person for her.” He seems to find some confidence as he shakes his head and moves towards the cradle. “Having children was never part of my plan. It was just supposed to be me and her, but after what you did to her, I’ve had to make adjustments.” He grips the edge of the cradle tightly in his fist.

“You really are fucking crazy.” I stare at the man as he gathers his composure and takes one of the baby grows in his hand.

“Olivia loves me, and you came along and fucked with her head. You took her from me, but I can forgive her. I can make her happy.” It sounds like he’s trying to convince himself of that, more than he is me.

“She hates you, she quit her job because the lie you told made her skin crawl,” I remind him, just wanting to get this done so I can go home to her and hold her in my arms.

“No, she was upset because I let slip what happened.” He scratches his head in frustration. “She only married you because of your title, she was put on this earth to be something grand. I knew that right from the moment I saw her. But she’s supposed to be on the stage, where everyone can see her.”

“And what about the women you hurt, all those people your mum paid to silence? Do you think she’ll forgive you for those?” I question him.

“They were begging me for it, all of them. They’d bat their pretty lashes at me and beg me to notice them.”

“You raped them. Olivia would never forgive you for that.”

“Of course, she will, she’s my soul mate. We’ll forgive each other for anything. That’s how we’re going to move on from you.” None of this makes any sense. I know the guy in front of me is crazy, but so far all I’m hearing about are his plans for a future with Olivia.

“So, why the fuck are you threatening to kill her, why did you kill her brother?” I ask, stepping closer.

“Kill her?” His face screws up in confusion. “I would never… I don’t want her dead.” He starts to breathe heavily like he’s getting mad.

“You’re Fox, and I got your threats. I got them, loud and clear, and now I’m here to ensure that you don’t get to hurt her.” I’m dealing with a man who doesn’t know a lie from the truth anymore.

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