The Scotch Series: The Complete Series (Scotch #1-3) - Penelope Sky Page 0,74

You aren’t welcome here.”

She rose to her feet, the tears falling freely. “I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry for that. I know I made a mistake—”

I stayed by the door so I wouldn’t slap her. “It wasn’t a fucking mistake. You chose him over me. Plain and simple. You cared more about his wealth and power than settling for the Duke of Rothesay—a man who actually loved you. So enjoy your loveless, passionless marriage to a man who will fuck his concubines every time you’re out of the country.”

She wiped her tears on the back of her hand and sniffed. “Crewe—”

“Get the fuck out, or I’ll drag you out.” I walked out of the room, my shoulders bunched and tense. I wanted to punch a hole in the stone and watch the castle crumble down. I wanted to hurt Josephine for everything she’d done to me.

I wanted to break her the way she broke me.

“I don’t want you to be like this.” Her tearful voice came from behind me. “I don’t want you to be this angry.”

“Too fucking bad. When someone betrays my trust, that’s it. It’s gone.” I kept walking, heading to the front door so I could get rid of her for good. “And I wouldn’t be so angry if I didn’t have to look at you right now.” I reached the front door and tore it open. “Disappear, Josephine. Don’t speak to me again. When we run into each other, pretend you don’t know me. Because I’ll pretend I don’t even remember your name.” I grabbed her by the elbow and shoved her through the threshold before I slammed the door.

Once the solid wood was between us, I took a deep breath and controlled my temper. My knuckles still craved to slam into something. My body wanted to demolish the foundations of this castle. I wanted to go back out there and make Josephine understand just how much she ruined me.

I finally turned around, needing to drink this problem away so I wouldn’t think about it anymore.

London stood at the bottom of the stairs, wearing leggings and a pink sweater. Her hair was thrown into a bun, and her face was free of makeup. First thing in the morning, she always looked like a flower that had just blossomed. For a second, her beauty made me forget my anger. Her emerald eyes made me forget my pain. Her noticeable curves, even in baggy clothes, made me think about our nights together.

But the sympathy in her eyes fueled me all over again.

I walked away from her, refusing to speak about the conversation she’d just witnessed. I refused to answer the hundreds of questions running through her mind. I refused to answer to anyone but myself.

Josephine had already turned me into a fool—for the whole world to see. I didn’t trust anyone because no one was trustworthy. I was always one step ahead of my enemies, intent on making them into the fools. My heart was dead, along with everyone else I cared about. Now all I wanted was revenge for all the things that happened to me.

And one day, I would get it.

20

London

Crewe avoided me all day, hiding out somewhere else in the castle. He didn’t join me for meals or conversation. He didn’t want me for sex.

I gave him his space for as long as I could. But my curiosity was getting the best of me. His relationship with Josephine was far more serious than I had realized. And she must have done something terrible to him because I’d never seen him that mad.

Not once.

I searched the castle to find him, and eventually found him in the second drawing room on the opposite side of the castle. He was sitting alone, reading a book while his cigar burned in the ashtray and a half bottle of scotch sat beside him.

I crept into the room so he wouldn’t notice me. But when I was fifteen feet away, he heard my footsteps and looked up. He watched me with eyes blacker than coal. Nothing about his exterior was welcoming. He threatened me with his silence, commanding me to leave the room or there would be consequences.

“I’m not here to talk.” I slowly crept closer, stopping at the chair near the window.

His shoulders relaxed slightly when he heard my declaration.

I moved between his knees then crawled into his lap, pushing the book aside so there was plenty of room.

When he let the book drop to the ground, I