Page 84 of A Duchess to Unravel
“Stay with me,” Alistair whispered, then kissed her again; his lips so warm and sweet that she immediately settled back down beside him.
She gave in to the dream entirely. Not realizing that the shouts, the crashes, and the single shot of a pistol, were all real. The feeling of being picked up and carried away was the dream, not her moment with Alistair.Hewas what was real, and the barely subtle sounds and sensations of being put into a carriage. Ofhaving her hands bound and her body groped by strange hands--those were the nightmare.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Ah, lovers quarrels,” Everett sighed, pouring himself another drink.
“Everett, enough,” Dominic commanded, he and Alistair circling one another. “We are trying to box here.”
Alistair, struggling to remain focused through his rage, threw a jab at Dominic that he easily side-stepped.
“Yes, well, that seems to be the only time we box anymore,” Everett egged on, throwing an exhaustive look at the two men in the makeshift boxing ring. “When one of you lot have women problems.”
“Quiet,” Alistair growled, then ducked, barely missing the left hook that Dominic threw.
“I am just stating the obvious,” Everett went on, grinning like a fool as he raised his glass and looked on at his friends.
“Everett,” Alistair warned, taking his eyes off Dominic to glare at him.
“Well, is she here?” Everett asked. “No. Have we spent the last few days boxing and drinking instead of working? Yes.”
His anger turning into rage, Alistair sidestepped Dominic’s next hit then turned on his heel, delivering an illegal jab to Dominic’s face with his elbow. Alistair cursed, dropping his gloved hands as he tried to apologize, but Dominic growled at the blast of pain and then launched himself at Alistair.
Alistair did nothing to stop the vengeful blow, and welcomed the pain as Dominic landed a heavy punch to his stomach. It knocked out his rage and his breath, and Alistair fell to his knees with a grunt.
Dominic muttered a curse, wiped the sweat and blood from his brow, and then dropped down on one knee in front of Alistair. He flung his gloves off and then grabbed him by the shoulders.
“That got a little out of control there,” Dominic huffed, “Are you quite well?”
Alistair drew in a deep, pained breath, and nodded.
“That was on me, all the way,” he coughed out. “I’m sorry, Dominic, that was poor form on my part.”
Dominic shook his head, clapped him on the shoulder, and then offered him a helping hand.
“Well, so was my vengeance,” Dominic replied, pulling Alistair to his feet. “I can get a tad reactionary.”
Alistair managed a pained chuckle and replied, “Which is why I am happy to have you on my side. Ye can be lethal when crossed.”
Dominic smiled devilishly, and the two men walked over to the table. Alistair swiped the bottle right out Everett’s hands just as he was about to pour another drink and took a long swig.
“Rude,” Everett grunted.
Dominic cuffed him on the back of his head, twirled a chair around, and sat down with his arms leaning on the back of it.
“Why are you being such a duckling and sitting out our practices, anyway?” Dominic asked Everett.
“Becausethat,”he emphasized, pointing to the fresh cut on Dominic’s brow, “Seems to be happening more often than not. “And I am far too pretty to be taking such blows to the face.”
Alistair finished his swig, chuckled, and then acted as if he were handing the bottle back to Everett. Just as Everett reached for it though, Alistair changed directions and handed it to Dominic.Dominic let out a rueful chuckle as Everett scowled and took a long swig himself.
“Scoundrels,” Everett growled. “The lot of you. Being punished just because I have made a factual point.”
Alistair’s smirk faded, and with a sigh, he sunk into his chair.
“Oh, give him the bottle Dominic before we make him weep,” Alistair sighed.
Dominic, having finished his drink, handed Everett the nearly empty bottle of whiskey and turned his focus to Alistair.
