Page 45 of Duke of Chaos

“Something else?” Ezra asked, turning a bored look toward Ambrose as he stopped.

Ambrose huffed a laugh as he took a casual stance by the door.

“Well, yes, actually,” he answered, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Ezra drew a brow up at him and waited.

“I want to say that, even though I did not approve in the beginning, I am happy that you and Lydia have wed. Now that I have seen the two of you together, I can clearly see that there is something genuine between you two, and I just want to apologize again for misjudging you, old friend.”

Ezra felt his gut clench tightly as the thoughts he’d so carefully pushed away came flooding back. Lydia. Her touch, her taste; never had he been driven so wild by a woman. He seemed to lose so much control over himself whenever she was present, and it irritated him greatly.

“Your apology is accepted, just as it was before,” Ezra stated blandly, his face void of emotion. “But perhaps you should worry about your vision, old friend, for I assure you there is nothing between Lydia and I for you to see. We are a partnership. Nothing more.”

Ambrose’s light-hearted expression slipped a little, and he drew in a deep breath through his nose as he nodded.

“As you say, brother,” he answered, his tone resigned.

“I have matters to see to while I am here,” Ezra stated, done with the conversation. “We will speak soon.”

“Take care, brother,” Ambrose called after him thoughtfully as Ezra finally walked down the hall.

He did not respond and continued walking until he’d reached his office door and let himself in. He was both annoyed and caught off guard when he found Maria lying naked across his desk. Her brown eyes glistened as she watched him walk in and her red-painted smile drew into a seductive invitation as she waved her fingers at him.

“Bloody hell,” Ezra muttered. Was he ever going to get some peace?

“Good evening, Your Grace,” Maria purred sweetly, arching her back like a feline.

Ezra did not react to the seduction of her movements as much as he noticed how they scrunched and mussed the papers she had not bothered to remove from beneath her. Papers with deals, debtor’s notes, loan requests; papers that meantmoney.

“I thought you said you were done giving me your time,” Ezra said, his tone dull as he slipped his hands into his pockets and walked to his desk.

Maria’s smile slipped a little, but she quickly recovered, pulling up on her elbows to thrust her chest higher toward him.

“After some contemplation, I have chosen to forgive you, Your Grace,” she replied, her tone both sweet and sharp. “After all, it was my honor you offended, not my body.”

She brought up a hand, her eyes riveted to his, and slowly stroked her fingertips from her tilted chin all the way down to her parted thighs. She squeezed her palm to herself when she reached her sex and let out a whimper.

“And my body is what misses you, Your Grace.”

“Your coffers miss me too, no doubt,” he muttered back.

Ezra gripped the edges of a wad of papers and pulled it out from under her with a sharp tug, making her gasp and lift her bottom so that she was forced to hold herself in a backward bow on her feet and elbows.

“Stay there,” he commanded sharply as she began to lower herself.

She stilled immediately, remaining in the uncomfortable position. He took his time gathering the papers, keeping his eyes purposely off her body and on his task. When he finished, he took the papers to a side table and took his time organizing them.

“Your Grace, may I…”

“No, you may not,” he stated harshly, interrupting her before she finished her request.

It was only then he turned back to her, his eyes null of emotion as he met hers, and he weighed his thoughts. She was trembling from the position, growing more uncomfortable by the second, but he said nothing to release her. Perhaps he should give in, if anything to prove to himself that he was still as unfeeling as ever, or at least to confirm what sex was supposed to be like for him. It was supposed to be fierce, harsh, and painful. It was a way to gain control when he had none.

With Lydia, it was the opposite. It was as if she had stolen that power from him and made him a slave to his needs. With Maria, he could regain his control. After all, Lydia had given him leaveto do as he wished, even encouraged him. Yet as he tried to think of what he would do to Maria, he felt disgust rise in him and he sneered.

“Our business, as you stated the last time we met, has been concluded,” Ezra said, turning away from her to walk to his drink cart. “Get down, put your dress on, and leave.”

“Your Grace, surely we can come to an agreement,” Maria urged, her tone almost desperate, “I spoke in haste before, truly, and I beg your favor.”

---