Page 57 of Bad Duke

“Of course, I’m sure. I took in every detail I could. Leah deserves better than how he’s treating her.”

Alex scrambles up from the floor and starts getting dressed.

“What's wrong?” His urgency and the fact he’s looking angry again, has me panicked. He ignores me, tucking his shirt into his trousers and then fastening up his belt.

“Alex, what's going on?” I yell at him.

He offers me his hand to help me off the floor and once I’m standing he takes my face in both his hands and forces me to focus on him.

“Go into the living room and stay put. Do not leave the house,” he tells me firmly.

“Alex, tell me what this is.” I don’t know what’s got him spooked but it has something to do with that girl and I don’t like it.

“Just do what I said. Please.” He looks so desperate that I find myself nodding my head, and when he races out the door I try to ignore the sick feeling in my gut as the dogs come rushing back in and nudge me with their noses.

ALEX

“Sir, I’m sorry about the—” I grab Levi by his throat and slam him into the wall.

“I told you to make sure you had fucking eyes on her.” I squeeze so tight he starts to choke.

“I’m sor?—”

“Save it, she’s coming out of the office now. You watch her.” I point my finger in his face before I release him and storm out of the house towards Will’s cottage. All kinds of thoughts are going through my head and I can’t believe I didn’t consider Beatrice being a part in all of this before. Did I really just buy her story and believe that she wasn’t interested in making her claim on our father’s money?

After I learned she was my sister I met up with her and agreed to continue paying her her allowance, but I sensed something about her was off. I’d gotten the feeling she was hiding something from me. She could have been part of Nicolas’s plan, and the thought of Will being in on it too, makes rage heat the blood in my veins.

I make it to his cottage and when I see her car parked up next to his truck, I crash through the door without knocking.

Will’s pouring water from the kettle into two mugs but I don’t care about getting scalded when I shove him hard and knock him back against his fireplace.

“Alex!” Beatrice stands up from the kitchen table and launches herself at me, grabbing my shoulders and trying to pull me back.

“Is it you? Are you Fox?” I ask my best friend, with adrenaline pumping in my veins instead of blood.

“What? No!” Will tries to push me off and looks at me as if I’m crazy.

“Then what the fuck is this?” I release him and look over my shoulder at Beatrice. She’s not looking like her confident self anymore, she looks worried and very fucking guilty.

“Is it you? Did you think fucking him would convince him to help you with your plan?”

“Alex, you don’t know what you're saying,” Will intervenes.

“Help me do what?” Beatrice looks clueless

“Are you Fox?” I step into her space but she stands firm, looking up at me and refusing to show fear.

“I’m your sister,” she reminds me.

“Alex, get away from her and sit down. I’ll make us some tea. We all need to talk.” Will grips my shoulders and eases me down.

“This isn’t what you think,” he whispers

“Well, it has to be someone who knows me. And even if you're not the person trying to hurt Olivia, the last I checked, best friends don’t sleep with each other's sisters,” I remind him coldly. I may barely know the girl but it’s poor form on his part.

“Alex, me and Bea aren’t sleeping together. Trust me.” I notice how his body stiffens just from the thought of it.

“So, what is this, then?” I look between them, waiting for some answers. When she shrugs her shoulders at him, he drops his head and closes his eyes.

---