The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies) by Michaels, Maddison (short books to read TXT) 📕

Sebastian, who was sitting at the head of the table. “I hope you have measures in place to ensure this will never happen again.”

Sebastian lowered the paper he’d been reading. “I do, and it won’t.”

“Good,” her aunt announced.

They all went back to eating when a moment later the footman interrupted with a note for Sebastian.

Pushing back his chair, Sebastian stood. “If you will excuse me, ladies, there is something I must attend to immediately. Though, might I have a quick word with you, Lady Olivia, out in the hallway?”

She’d just poured herself a coffee and stopped short at his words, plonking the silver pot back onto the table with a thud. “Yes, of course.” Livie was glad her voice sounded calm, because her heart had started racing at the thought of being alone with him, even in the hallway. He came around the table and pulled back her chair for her.

Then he picked up her cane and handed it to her, the pads of his fingers brushing against her hand, sending a jolt of energy down her arm. She took in a sharp breath and for a split second she saw the desire burning bright in his eyes before he carefully masked his expression and indicated with a wave of his hand for her to go ahead of him.

She was vaguely aware of her aunt and Charlotte discussing what they were going to do after breakfast as she made her way out of the room and into the hallway, Seb following and closing the door behind them. Livie strode down the length of the empty corridor until they were well out of earshot before stopping and turning around to face him. “What is it then? And if it’s anything to do with last night, don’t bother saying a word. You made your point loud and clear, and I do not wish to revisit the matter.”

Chapter Forty-Four

“I have no intention of revisiting what we discussed last night.” Seb dragged a hand through his hair in a habit she was coming to recognize was his way of dealing with a mix of frustration and annoyed acceptance. “What I wanted to tell you, out of earshot of the others, is that I received word from Lance.”

All her frustration with Sebastian was immediately forgotten. “And?”

His lips pressed into a hard line. “It appears he’s found the last of the Lads, including the leader. They are holed up in some tenements on the other side of the Thames.”

“Oh…” Livie was glad they’d found him, but not so glad of what she knew Seb was thinking of doing. “What do you intend to do now?”

“I’m going to travel back to London shortly, but I want you ladies to stay here.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger against her lips and silenced her. Annoyance flooded through her that, regardless of how angry she was with him, his very touch still made her body leap in awareness.

“I intend to end this tonight, Livie, once and for all. To do that, and without distraction, I need to know you and my sister are safe. If you are here with my men protecting you, then I won’t be distracted worrying about you. Do you understand? I need to know you are both safe.”

Livie nodded and Seb lowered his finger. “But surely there’s a way of apprehending him without you having to be involved? What about the police?”

“No. They are too easily bought off.” Seb shook his head. “The Lads have gone well beyond merely crossing the line with their actions. I cannot have men like that roaming my streets. You know what I must do.”

“But they’re not your streets, Sebastian.” How could she make him see reason? “Why can’t you have the police arrest him? If I were to tell my father what happened, he would make certain the authorities apprehended him.”

“He not only had you kidnapped, Livie, but he was going to kill you for money, and God only knows what he had planned for Charlotte, too.” Sebastian ground his jaw. “A man like that does not deserve to live. I cannot let such a thing go unpunished. That’s not how it works in my world.”

“I’m sick of hearing you talk about your world and my world as separate entities.” Livie felt like hitting him. “It’s our world, Sebastian. Our world. You can choose a different path going forward.”

“Do you think you can change me?” His voice was a harsh growl. “Do you think just because you know some of my past that you know all the terrible things I’ve done? Well, you don’t. You wouldn’t have touched me if you knew all that I’m capable of.”

“Why do you keep attempting to push me away by trying to scare me? You’ve killed people, I know that, but like I said it’s in your past, if you let it be there.”

A laugh escaped him, but it was without humor. “My past is my present and my future. It is always with me and informs everything I do. And if you think the leader of the Lads is merciless, do you know what I did to the man who raped and murdered my mother, nearly eleven years ago to the day? The terrors I visited upon Edward Flintock for daring to defile my mother and then kill her?”

The pit of her stomach fell. “I imagine you killed him in return.”

“You would think so, wouldn’t you? But actually, I didn’t.”

“You didn’t?”

“No. He’s very much alive to this day,” he assured her. “Not the same man he once was, but alive, nonetheless. You see, after he did the things he did to my mother, I caught him. I beat him. I locked him in a basement. Then I went and fetched a doctor.”

That didn’t really sound too terrible, but Livie could tell by the tense line of his shoulders that there was more to it than just that. “That was good of you…”

He gave a