Duke of Manhattan

Frederick sniffed and wiped the end of his nose with the back of his hand. “Victoria is a very attractive woman.”


“Yeah? I reckon you haven’t had head since you married her.” My jaw tightened. I was pissed at Frederick and irritated at myself for letting him affect me.

Merriman cleared his throat as Frederick grimaced.

“Gentleman,” Merriman said. “Can we concentrate on the matter at hand?”

I turned back to Merriman. “Sorry.” What I wanted to do was punch Frederick out and go back to the house. I’d expected Frederick to bait me, been waiting for it. But why had I let him get under my skin? I didn’t usually. I just didn’t like the way he was talking about Scarlett. She was an innocent party in all this. How dare he talk about her like that? “You have my full attention,” I said, nodding at Merriman, not able to hear a word he was saying. Frederick had barely spoken to Scarlett. Who was he to judge her so quickly? If he’d bothered to get to know her, he’d realize that she was a sweet, feisty, sexy, funny woman who any man would be lucky to marry.





Sixteen





Scarlett


I glanced around the dimly lit circular relaxation room with the gold, domed ceiling. In different circumstances, this place would probably be a great getaway. But right now I’d rather be almost anywhere than at a spa with Victoria and Aurora. I’d thought that Ryder had said they weren’t particularly friendly with each other, but watching them chat at the juice bar, completely ignoring Darcy and me, they looked thick as thieves.

“Don’t worry about them,” Darcy said from next to me. We were on day beds, waiting for the next treatment. The spa was quiet and I hadn’t seen any other guests. After the full body massage I’d just had, and the countless orgasms last night, I should be more relaxed than I was.

I smiled and turned toward her. She put her magazine down and looked at me. “I’m not. I’m just relaxing.” I settled my mango and ginseng smoothie onto the floor and started to look through the magazines littering the small side table.

“I bet Ryder told you the story regarding Aurora, but probably left out all the details that matter. She’s been after him since she got her braces taken out. She’s been a total mess since he announced your engagement.”

I glanced over at the two of them again. “Ryder said they were never together.”

Darcy swung her legs off the bed and leaned in close to me. “No, they never dated. I think when he was about fifteen they kissed, but that was it.”

I found that really hard to believe. Who could be hung up on a guy for so long if he’d never given her any reason to hope?

“Ryder has always been very clear that he’d never marry. He used to joke that George Clooney stole his idea,” Darcy said.

“But she thought he’d change his mind?”

“I guess. But Ryder never even had girlfriends. There was nothing to suggest he was going to settle down.”

“Unless she thought he was playing the field and one day he’d come back, make a life and children with her.”

“If that’s what she thought then she’s delusional. Ryder is as ruthless with his women as he is in business dealings,” Darcy said, then paused, her expression turning guilty. “Though I’ve never known him to deliberately upset someone.” She tossed her magazine onto the bed and picked up her sludgy green drink. “I told him to marry Aurora. I knew she’d be willing.” Darcy shrugged. “But Ryder wouldn’t agree to it, said it would hurt Aurora that he could never be a real husband. So I don’t think he led her on.”

“Did she know he’d only inherit if he married?”

Darcy glanced over at the juice bar. “Everyone knows that, though I don’t think it was the money she was after.” She paused, frowning. “Well not entirely, anyway. I think she liked the idea of the whole package—the title, the social status. But mostly I think she loves him.”

“And you two are friends?” If Darcy knew about our arrangement, would she have told Aurora? And if she knew, would Victoria find out?

“Yes, we’ve always been friends. Though my feelings are not so warm where Victoria is concerned. The woman doesn’t have friends.” She laughed. “That sounds bitchy, but I’m being factual.”

“But Aurora and Victoria look close,” I said with a nod toward the bar.

“They’re not close. Victoria’s probably pumping her for information about you. But Aurora doesn’t know anything. She might suspect ulterior motives—she knows how Ryder is, after all—but you and he were so cute at dinner last night. More than anything else, I imagine she’s jealous.”

“What are you two talking about?” Victoria asked as she sat on the bed next to me.

“My brother,” Darcy said. “I was just telling Scarlett how cute they look together.”

Victoria rolled her eyes but at least she didn’t say anything.

“How did you say you met again?” Aurora asked.

More questions. It seemed like I was being thrown a rope so I could hang myself. “As I said last night, I don’t remember the first time we met. It was at a party a couple of years ago apparently.” Aurora took a seat at the end of my bed and I had to shift my legs up to make room for her.

“You have amnesia or something?” Victoria snapped.

“No. He asked me out and I said no.”

“I thought you didn’t remember,” she said.

I shook my head. “I don’t, but Ryder’s told me the story more than once. Of course, he could be totally making it up. But then, I was married. I wouldn’t have been paying attention to other men.”

“Married?” Aurora asked. “And you’re divorced now?”

“Well she’s not about to commit bigamy, is she?” Darcy laughed. “The wedding is the day after tomorrow, for goodness’ sake.”

I smiled. “Yes, we’re divorced now.” It was the first time that the mention of my divorce hadn’t caused a physical pain. Perhaps my heart was healing as everyone had promised it would. “My ex and I grew up together, were childhood sweethearts.” I cringed as I realized I was describing a situation close to Aurora and Ryder’s. “We started dating at fifteen. Got married at twenty-one. We were too young.”

Except, I hadn’t been too young. Violet had told me more than once that people came in and out of our lives, travelling with us through different parts of our journey, and that my ex-husband had been my companion through my teens and early twenties. For him, I’d been a temporary part of his life, but I’d been happy to spend the rest of my life on the same road together. And now instead of sharing the minutiae of lives, I had no idea where he was even living. And he would have no clue that I would be in England and about to be married. Things change so quickly.

“And it’s amicable?” Victoria asked. “Or was it a bad breakup?”

“Victoria,” Darcy said, shooting her a dirty look.

“It’s as amicable as these things can be. Definitely better now that some time has passed.” And that bit was true.

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