Page 47 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction

“I am settling the debt in full,” Leo replied, his voice deceptively calm as he regarded the overweight man across the cluttered desk.

Even in his fancy coat, Giles looked like a man who preyed on the vulnerable.

Giles’s eyes widened as he examined the bank draft. “This is… most unexpected. And most generous.” His fingers caressed the paper with disturbing reverence. “Though I note the amount exceeds the agreed-upon sum.”

“Nine thousand, two hundred and forty pounds to clear Lord Asquith’s debt,” Leo confirmed, maintaining his rigid posture. “The remainder is to ensure your discretion.”

“My discretion?” Giles repeated, feigning innocence.

Leo leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a register that had made braver men than Giles tremble. “The debt, the payment, and most importantly, any connection to my wife—all of it remains private. Should you ever approach the Duchess again, should I hear even a whisper of her name from your lips, should any rumor of this transaction reach society’s ears…” He left the threat deliberately unfinished.

“I—of course, Your Grace,” Giles stammered, color draining from his florid face. “Complete discretion. You have my word as a gentleman.”

“You are no gentleman,” Leo corrected coldly. “But I trust you understand self-preservation.”

Giles swallowed audibly. “Perfectly, Your Grace.”

“Excellent.” Leo rose in one fluid motion. “Then our business is concluded.”

Leo walked out of Giles’s office without waiting for him or offering a goodbye. Giles’s obvious fear would do more to keep him quiet than any threats could.

The fresh spring air felt good after the stuffy room, and Leo took a deep breath as he headed down the steps toward his waiting carriage.

“Home, Your Grace?” his coachman asked, opening the door.

Leo paused. The dressmaker was scheduled to visit the house today, preparing Marina’s new wardrobe. He ought to go home to oversee things and make sure his duchess had everything she needed.

But Marina’s reaction last night stuck in his mind—how quickly she’d pulled away when he touched her, how stiff and formal she’d become. Facing her again right away suddenly felt awkward.

“No,” he said finally. “Take me to White’s.”

The short drive gave him a moment to sort through his thoughts.

Avoiding uncomfortable situations wasn’t his style—usually, he tackled them head-on. But Marina’s reaction had gotten under his skin more than he’d expected.

Then again, she hadn’t exactly rejected him. Their marriage was purely practical. He had no right to expect genuine affection from her or the kind of response he got from other women.

Yet, he’d noticed a flicker in her eyes before she’d pulled away—a brief hint of interest or desire quickly hidden. That momentof vulnerability, combined with their surprisingly comfortable conversation, had stirred something in him he wasn’t ready to think about too closely.

The carriage pulled to a stop outside the exclusive gentlemen’s club, and Leo descended, nodding to the doorman, who recognized him immediately despite his long absence from London.

“Your Grace! What an unexpected pleasure,” the club secretary greeted him. “Lord Blytheton is in the card room. Shall I inform him of your arrival?”

“No need,” Leo replied, handing his hat and gloves to a waiting attendant. “I’ll find him myself.”

The familiar scent of leather, tobacco, and fine brandy enveloped him as he moved through the club’s hallowed halls. Here, at least, was territory he understood—the bastion of masculine privilege where rules were clear and expectations straightforward.

He found Noah engaged in a game of whist with several other gentlemen. His friend’s face lit with surprise and pleasure at his appearance.

Leo had barely been married a day, and already, he found himself at the club.

“I thought we’d lost you to marital bliss,” Noah teased, rising to shake Leo’s hand. Turning to his companions, he added with a smirk, “Gentlemen, excuse me. My friend here has just returned from his honeymoon.”

The amused laughter that followed made Leo’s jaw tighten though he kept his expression neutral as Noah guided him toward a quiet corner. They settled into leather armchairs near the stone fireplace.

“Brandy?” Noah suggested, signaling to a passing servant.

“Please.”

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