Page 13 of The Duke's Contract

For once, Henry didn’t feel like playing, but he did not know how to offer her comfort, so he consented to her request and took her home. It pained him to do so. After spending the night kissing Sienna’s arse, Henry wanted nothing more than to lose himself in the beautiful redheaded American who had a knack for spinning his head off his shoulders. During the evening, when he could slip away from Sienna and the prying eyes of guests, he looked for Bre. He wanted her near him at all times. But for the majority of the evening, he’d been unable to locate her, much to his annoyance.

When he’s found her drunk, he wanted to throttle her; instead, he channeled his rage into the sex and brought her to two intense orgasms. Getting back to the manor, Henry could still taste her on his tongue. He knew he needed her again, much like an addict needed their next hit.

Groaning, Henry contemplated his predicament. He needed to legitimize himself, at least on the surface, and he needed to do so before the next election. Henry knew, without a doubt, that the Lord’s planned to yank his seat and sub someone else in behind him. Sienna made a perfect candidate for the future-Duchess of Rochester, except that Henry knew who she was, and what she did when no one seemed to be looking.

Sienna Marlbourogh destroyed his sister and forced her to flee, and Henry planned to make her pay by bringing all of her dirty deeds to the surface, and while revenge would taste sweet, Henry also refused to loose his hereditary seat. Henry was a master chess player thanks to his late father, so he needed a move that would allow him to fuck over Sienna, fuck Bre again, and say fuck-off to the peers who threatened his family.

‘Fuck,’ Harry thought to himself his head pounding as he began thinking of all the possible scenarios that might get him what he wanted. Henry never lost, and he didn’t plan to start now. ‘I’m coming for you,’ Henry thought as he drifted off to sleep, contemplating all of the ways he would make Bre his.

Chapter Ten

Three weeks passed since the garden party, and Bre avoided spending time alone with Henry. Whenever he wanted to meet, she sent Matthew in her place. She begged and pleaded with him, citing everything from illness to exhaustion. She wasn’t exactly lying either. Bre barely managed to sleep in the three weeks since her car sexcapades.

Because she maintained Henry’s press, Bre got to experience Sienna and Henry’s courtship via the media. They’d met for lunches, Henry attended a second charity event with her and her family, and he even took her on a date that Saturday to the ballet. Henry’s press seemed to change from him stumbling out of bars, to escorting Sienna all around town. The weeks flew by, and every accolade Bre received from Matthew for a job well done made her want to vomit up her lunch.

It did not help that Thomas Marlborough actively pursued her even though she attempted to avoid him. Thomas proved dogged in his pursuit, and if, the vast arrangement of white roses on her desk gave any indication, he did not plan to stop.

.Sure, Thomas was attractive in that golden-god kind of way, but Bre couldn’t stop thinking about Henry. She thought about him so much, and she sometimes woke up panting in need as her body craved his hard cock. It did not help that he appeared to not give a crap about her.

“Will you stop moping!” Matthew yelled from his desk. “Your energy is bringing this whole room down, and I’ve taken up mediation as per my doctor’s request.”

“Who is your doctor?” Bre asked. “Is he licensed?” Matthew was not one to start citing meditation as a way to reduce stress. When Bre suggested yoga for his lower back pain, he laughed in the face of her holistic medicine and shot down four ibuprofen.

“Some homeopathic quack Jason found for me,” he told her. Apparently, stress causes my high blood pressure and a lack of positive energy in my workplace,” he said, making a face as he said the words.

Bre laughed as she considered how hard Matthew’s partner must have worked to get her crotchety boss to see a homeopathic specialist. “I’m sure the amount of fish and chips I’ve seen you consume in the last few months probably doesn’t help with the blood pressure thing,” she told him.

Matthew shrugged. “What doesn’t help is you sighing every two and a half minutes and glancing at those lovely roses with longing,” he said. Bre was surprised he’d noticed her melancholy.

“I’m not glancing at anything with longing,” Bre bit back. She felt her hackles rising at Matthew’s assessment. He was a great boss and a kind friend, but she knew if she confided in him about why Thomas did not interest her, his disappointment would know no bounds. These last three weeks were particularly difficult on Bre because she couldn’t talk to anyone about her feelings—not Emily and not Matthew.

“Go out with the man. You are young, beautiful, and single. If a man is trying this hard to get you to dinner, you should take him up on it,” he said.

“I’m busy,” she countered. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am fielding all types of requests regarding the Duke and his new girlfriend.”

“My amazement knows no bounds. You managed to create a relationship between the Duke and Sienna Marlborough on the first date. I don’t think even I could pull off such a feat. Henry is not exactly Prince Charming despite the title,” Matthew told her joyfully. “Be sure to thank me when you give an exclusive to The Telegraph,” he joked.

Bre snorted at his assessment. She assumed he would not be so complimentary if he knew she’d slept with Henry the night after he met Sienna.

“The Duke has not sealed the deal,” she said attempting not to choke on the idea. “I will prepare in case he screws this up, which let’s be honest, is nearly certain, so while the idea of going out with Thomas Marlborough is exciting, he’s not for me.”

Matthew exhaled loudly in frustration. “One date,” he pleaded.

Bre rolled her eyes, “No,” she said before turning her attention back to her work.

“Breanne, you are too you and beautiful to say no to a man as handsome as Thomas Marlborough,” Matthew said.

“Don’t worry about me Matthew,” Bre said, attempting to put her boss at ease. “I swear I will go home at a decent hour tonight. Eat a nice dinner, and be in bed by nine to ensure a wonderful eight hours of rest.”

Frowning Matthew replied, “That sounds dismal, but if you wish to waste your youth away, so be it.”

Bre knew that Matthew would hardly let this go, but for now, she’d enjoy her short reprieve.

* * *

The remainder of the day fouled Bre’s mood. She needed a glass of wine, badly. She spent her day either fielding calls regarding a statement re: Sienna and Henry or trying to kill old scandals of Henry’s making. Nothing could work against his wooing of Sienna, and a stripper talking about their sexual encounter might do just that. No matter how she wished to escape Henry, he wormed his way deep into her life.

“I’m shutting down,” she told Matthew. It was well after five o’clock, and she felt bone-tired from staring at her screen all day.

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