In the Dark with the Duke by Christi Caldwell Page 0,47

man who set the rules of this arena.

Maynard looped his thumbs into the waist of his trousers. “Handing out lessons, is he?”

Aye, talking over him, cutting him from the discourse—this was very bad, indeed.

Bragger continued his cold scrutiny, and Hugh reflexively positioned himself squarely in front of Lila, blocking her off from the other man’s fiery rage.

Again, she stepped out from behind Hugh. “He is.”

Of course the spirited minx wouldn’t know better than to let it be.

“Lila,” Hugh warned. He spoke in hushed tones reserved for her ears. “We’ll continue another day.” Because nothing good could come from her staying here, and certainly not in her debating one like Bragger. “Now—”

“You’re done here,” Bragger stated with a finality that brooked no objection.

Lila frowned. She moved her focus over to Hugh. “But the papers say you’re a part owner. Are you not? Because if you are, I don’t see why—”

“Why is she still here?” Bragger called over, his low baritone echoing around the empty arena.

Hugh pressed his eyes closed and prayed for patience. “It is a minority partnership.” One that saw him with the least earnings raked in after fights, but if he lost that, he’d be the same pathetic, poor bastard in a tattered crimson uniform, wandering the streets with his palms extended, pleading for handouts.

“But surely whatever that amount in fact is, you’ve the ability to make a decision as to how you spend your time?”

“This isn’t the time to discuss my damned percentage share.”

“What the hell are they talking about?” Maynard puzzled aloud.

“Perhaps I can reason with him?” Lila continued.

“No.” He’d spare her that effort. “You’re wasting your—”

Lila lifted a palm like a lady calling out for a hackney. “Mr. Bragger, is it? Mr. Savage and I”—she swept that hand toward Hugh, bringing his partners’ gaze swinging his way. As if there were another Mr. Savage she might somehow be referring to. And he resisted the urge to yank at his shirt—“we’d some time remaining—”

Bragger cut her off. “I meant, you’re done here, completely. Not this lesson. All your lessons. Any of them. That’s not the kind of business we’re in.” With that, his partner angled a shoulder dismissively. “See her out, Savage.”

Aye. He’d no intention of reneging on the agreement he’d come to with her but knew enough that it wasn’t in his best interest to dispute his partners over it. Hugh reached for Lila’s hand.

She stared at his fingers, then lifted that disapproving gaze to him. With a distinct slowness, she edged away from his touch.

And not for the first time in his life, he found himself humbled . . . from the sense of his own inferiority. For now Lila, who’d sought him out, making him out to be someone more than he was, had seen his worth, too. On the heels of that red-hot shame came a stinging fury. With his partners for commanding his days. With her. With himself for caring about her and her ill opinion. He set his jaw. To hell with her and her judgment. She knew nothing about him or the debt he owed. “We’re done,” he said, reaching for the door handle.

“We have a v—” Bragger went on.

“I’m not leaving.”

And with that, Lila managed what had otherwise been an impossible feat: she’d gone toe-to-toe with Bragger and effectively silenced the ruthless warrior of the streets.

He took a step toward her. “What did you say?”

“Lila,” Hugh said curtly, lightly taking her by the arm.

And with a breathtaking display of courage, she tipped her chin up. “What gives you the right to decide whether or not Mr. Savage provides me with instruction?” Good God, if he weren’t so exasperated by her stubborn refusal to quit, he’d have been further entranced by her.

Entranced?

Hugh rocked on his heels. Where in hell had that come from?

Maynard whistled slowly, and gave his head a slow shake.

Bragger smiled coldly. “Everything gives me that right. Everything.”

“But—”

“Lila.” Hugh caught her by the wrist. Bragger wasn’t one to be crossed. None of them were. But the other man’s reputation had him as one who’d ruined men . . . and women alike. “You have to go.”

And she must have seen something in his eyes, for this time when he opened the panel, she lingered just one moment more . . . and then left.

“Angus is here,” Maynard announced the moment the door panel had clicked shut.

“Angus?” Hugh echoed.

A cool smile played on Bragger’s lips. “Angus, the man who’s been our eyes and ears in London. The man helping