Page 37 of The Beast's Unwanted Duchess
Alice stirred again, turning to face him. Victor took a steadying breath, watching her peaceful expression for a moment. His gaze lingered on her as she lay beside him, her features softened in sleep. She didn’t look feisty in her slumber. In fact, she appeared rather innocent, far removed from the fiery woman who liked arguing with him.
The sunlight seeped into the room, shining almost directly on Alice’s face. Victor noticed this and instinctively raised his arm, shielding her face from the harsh light. The soft tendrils of morning light played across her features, and he couldn’t help but admire how serene she looked in that moment, completely unaware of his presence.
Somehow, he found himself wanting to cherish that moment. Part of him wanted to reach out, to brush the stray strands of her hair that tickled her face, but he held himself back, knowing he couldn’t let his guard down so easily.
After a moment, he reluctantly turned away, slipping silently out of bed to clear his thoughts. He needed to start his day, but he also needed some sort of distraction to loosen up. As he prepared for the day, putting on a fitted shirt and black trousers, he decided to visit the training yard where he could meet Andrew for a boxing match. It had been far too long since he’dlast seen his friend, and he knew he owed him an outing since he was back at the estate.
Once prepared for the day, Victor made his way out of the estate. As he reached the grand staircase, he paused under the ornate archway, spotting Roberts standing nearby, carrying a stack of documents.
"Roberts," Victor called out to him.
"Your Grace?" he answered, stepping forward.
"I’ll be at the training yard for the rest of the morning," he said to him, adjusting his collar. "Do me a favor, encourage Alice to have breakfast. Just because I’m not here does not mean she should skip it."
"I will let her know, Your Grace," he said. "Is there anything else you require?"
"I need my horse," he said. "Inform the stable hands to prepare him for a ride."
"Of course, Your Grace," Roberts replied, nodding before making his way to the stables.
Victor stepped out into the crisp morning air, the scent of dew and fresh grass awakening his senses. Once the horse was ready,he made his way towards the training yard. The boxing arena was by the side of the field. Andrew owned it and was there almost all the time, training people, boxing to blow off steam, or conducting business.
Victor was greeted by the familiar sounds of fists striking leather echoing in the open space when he walked in. He found Andrew already in the ring, his shirt clinging to him as he sparred with another fighter. On seeing him, Andrew paused and smiled brightly.
"Well, look who it is," he said and shook his head, bringing his hands to his hips. "Come to join the fray, or are you just here to spectate?"
Victor smirked. "I’ve come to remind you who the better boxer is."
Andrew gestured for his boxing partner to leave the ring, and the man obliged, greeting Victor with a nod as he stepped out. Once they were alone, Andrew turned back to Victor. "Where do you get your confidence from? You have not boxed in months, and you think you can take me on?"
Victor chuckled, rolling his shoulders as he loosened up. "Confidence? It’s called knowing you’re due for a good thrashing."
Andrew chuckled. "If you say so. Just don’t get bitter when you lose."
Victor stepped into the ring, feeling the familiar adrenaline surge through him. He squared his shoulders, settling into a fighting stance. Andrew mirrored him, and they began to walk in a circle in the ring.
"So, I heard you’re back into society," Andrew asked, throwing the first jab.
Victor easily dodged it. "You could say that."
"Do the rumors really bother you that much?" Andrew asked. "You have never paid any mind to them no matter how many times I ask you to address them. There have been rumors about you for years now. This is the first time you are actively working to curb them."
Victor had known Andrew for years. They had attended the same university together, where a shared friendship formed between them. Over time, Andrew became the only person who truly understood Victor, knowing every detail about his troubled past. To the outside world, Andrew was a charming gentleman, effortlessly captivating the attention of ladies with his wit and charm. Yet Victor was aware of the deeper scars that lay beneath the surface. It was probably the reason their friendship thrived; they both had difficult stories to tell.
"They said I killed my wife," Victor said. "That I let her die a slow, painful death. Do you know how many people confronted me about it? It was frustrating. I figured the sooner I fixed it, the better."
"You even danced with her at the ball," Andrew said. "Three times! The rumor spreading now is that you both probably had a secret affair. That’s why you got married so quickly."
Victor shrugged his shoulders. "That is much better. I can live with that."
"I must say, Her Grace was rather stunning last night," Andrew remarked, a teasing glint in his eye. "Quite beautiful, I must say."
"Don’t talk about my wife," Victor replied, throwing a punch that landed squarely on Andrew’s jaw. Andrew staggered back and winced.
"All right, now I know something is bothering you," Andrew said. "That punch was weak, even for rusty old you. Why did you decide to come here today?"
Victor reluctantly dropped his hands and let out a loud sigh. "I told Alice about my father."
