Page 83 of A Duchess to Reclaim

The moment he saw she was loose from him, Dominic wrenched the man around and shoved a fist directly into his nose.

“Oh, I have been looking for you,” Dominic chuckled darkly, gripping Roland’s lapels as he cocked his fist back again.

“You filthy vermin. You poor excuse for a man. I had a feeling it was you spreading these rumors.”

His fist landed again, forcing a cry to break from Roland’s lips.

“You must have hid in the worst places if you were able to keep away from my spies. Like the cockroach you truly are.”

Another hit. Another painful moan from Roland’s busted lips.

“You put your hands onmywife?MY WIFE?!”he screamed, his fury and pent up pain finally finding an outlet.

He stopped punching only to grab ahold of Roland’s limp hand, and crushed.

“I will make sure you hands are not fit to put on anyone!” He boomed into Roland’s bloody, wailing face.

He let go of the man’s ruined fingers and cocked his fist again, but before he could punch him another time, Tristan and Everett flew at him. He was wrestled to the ground as he let out a roar of rage, and the once-empty hallway suddenly filled with curious onlookers.

“Easy, man,” Everett growled, hauling Dominic off of the floor. “He’s had enough!”

“Theo?!” He heard Tristan roar next.

Dominic stopped fighting his friends’ hold as he heard the worry and rage in Tristan’s voice. He finally saw through the red mist that had clouded his vision, and saw his wife and Theo a few steps away, holding one another tightly.

“I’m fine,” Dominic said, his voice ragged from screaming.

Tristan and Everett let him go, and Dominic walked across Roland’s crumpled up, sobbing figure and directly to Amelia. Rage, hurt, and jealousy still flooded his veins- but beneath it all was a relief that was quickly overpowering them all.

“Dominic,” Amelia breathed, and to his surprise, she flew into him; her arms going tight around his neck.

“It is not what you think, I did not want to come, I swear, I-”

Unable to help himself, Dominic grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulled her head back, and roughly planted his lips down onto hers. A sob broke from Amelia’s throat as he kissed her and he gathered her closer to him. She washere.In front of him and in his arms. How that came to be suddenly did not matter to him.

“Dominic, old boy,” Everett said, gripping his shoulder, “It is not that I amthrilledthat you two are making up, but we need to get out of here. Now.”

Knowing his friend was right, Dominic forced himself to end the kiss and gripped Amelia’s hand tightly. Tristan appeared by Theo’s side, taking her hand as well, and they allowed Everett to lead them outside.

“Dominic, this was me, this was all my fault,” Theo said as soon as they back out in the quiet night air.

“Confound it, Theo, what were you thinking?” Tristan seethed, shoving her hand away now that they were out of the melee. “After everything these two just had to fix!”

“Do not yell at her!” Amelia shouted, surprising them all. “We are ignored day in and day out by the men in our lives. We are told not to have the feelings we are born with, we are told ignore our most inner needs to make the world easier for you.”

Dominic swallowed, shame pouring through him as he remained silent to his wife’s tirade.

“We are inpain,”she went on, her voice breaking as she ripped the mask from her beautiful face, “And you do nothing but ignore it for the sake of your fortunes and titles.”

She let go of Dominic’s hand and walked to Theo, who looked absolutely broken, and put her arms around her.

“I knew this was the wrong way to feel better,” Theo sobbed, looking from Tristan to Dominic, “Iknewit. But I needed something more to feel than this terrible reality.”

Dominic’s eyes flicked to Tristan, who seemed to have lost much of his anger.

“It might have been a mistake, but the ladies have a point,” Everett murmured, “We distract ourselves with drinking and fighting and dallying. The only difference is we are clapped on the back for it instead of punished.”

Dominic’s eyes flicked back to Amelia, and she was looking at him with a pleading expression.

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