Page 98 of Her Beast

Instead of taking his hand, she spread her thighs enough that he could see her slick skin, and then laid her hand over his placket, smiling up at him. “Are you sure I can’t doanythingelse for you, sir?”

He mustered a faint smile for her effort. “Not tonight, sweetheart.”

Malcolm left through the panel door that was set into the wall. The women would leave through the main door, which connected to the suites where his “guests” usually stayed.

All except Julia, the only guest he’d ever kept so close to him. The same woman he would stroke himself to later on tonight when sleep eluded him.

Malcolm never should have bothered with Amanda or Maisie tonight because he certainly didn’t feel satisfied. If anything, he felt even more disgruntled than he’d feltbeforehis session with the two women.

Could that be because neither of them looks at you the way I used to do, Mal? The same way Julia does now: like you’re the most interesting and desirable man they’ve ever met.

Christ, Sukey, you must think I’m an idiot if you expect me to believe that!

I think you’re an idiot,she agreed,but for other reasons entirely.

Instead of opening the panel to his study, Malcolm rested his forehead against the cool wood and sagged against the wall.

He squeezed his eye shut and wished like hell that he’d never seen Julia Harlow that day. Before her, his life had been—

Miserable, Mal—don’t lie to yourself. Julia Harlow is the best thing to happen to you since me, and you know it.

Malcolm groaned.Being obsessed with her is bad enough. Being obsessed with her and destroying her family is a fucking disaster.

So don’t do it, Mal. The cost of revenge is too high.

Those last words weren’t Sukey’s, but Smith’s.

Malcolm admitted that his friend had been right—the cost was proving to be catastrophically high.

He suspected that he would be paying for a long, long time.

When Malcolm opened his eye, something glittered right beside his shoe.

Chapter 20

“Are you sure it isn’t in there?” Julia asked Kemp for the fifth or sixth time.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but the only jewelry in the safe is what Mr. Barton has given you.” Kemp hesitated and then said, “I don’t recall the last time I noticed the bracelet as you’ve never taken it off.”

“I know, I know,” Julia muttered, pacing back and forth, anxious and irritable—at herself, more than anyone. How could she have lost the bracelet without even noticing?

Kemp laid a hand on her shoulder, her expression kind and concerned. “I’m sure Mr. Barton could find you a similar one if you—”

“It was my mother’s.”

“Ah,” Kemp dropped her hand.

Julia hadn’t taken off the bracelet—other than to bathe—since her father had given it to her five years ago.

Well,he’dnot given it, he’d sent a servant to give it to her—along with a few other trinkets that had belonged to her mother.

The bracelet wasn’t expensive, but it had still been nice enough that Nadine hadn’t complained—at least not too loudly—when Julia insisted on wearing it all the time.

Netta, on the other hand, had nagged her relentlessly. “It’s just a cheap trifle and doesn’t belong at a duke’s dinner table.”

Julia didn’t care; it gave her strength to wear it,especiallywhen she’d had dealings with Sebastian and his horrid family.

And now she’d lost it.

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