Page 28 of Once a Gentleman
“Ifnothing that passes between uswouldhave the slightest bearing on your position, Hewlett, then why are you so bloody determined to prevent me from approaching you, or speaking with you, in the most banal of ways now that somethinghaspassed between us? Hmm?” Hewlett flinched, his mouth pressed tight, and rage gave way to triumph.Good. Let the bastard feel it as I do. “Since it seems you, and not I, are the one incapable of maintaining friendly and businesslike relations, now that we have—well, I won’t mention it, shall I? Since it offends your sensibilities to speak of something you yourself have done only hours ago. But that being the case, then—then I’ll leave you in peace as you so urgently desire me to do. I’ll live my life with no reference to you, and leave you to your blasted ledgers, since you prefer them to flesh and blood.”
Andrew spat out the last words as he would have a mouthful of venom, and gloried in Hewlett’s pallor, the rigidity of his posture, the flash of something like pain he couldn’t hide in his eyes.
He turned on his heel with an officer’s precision, stalked to the study door, and let himself out.
His hands trembling with anger, he carefully restrained himself, shutting the door softly with only the slightest click. Slamming it would lose him whatever high ground he had won.
Andrew would ignore Hewlett completely. He had tried to amend his behavior, to force himself into a mold he clearly didn’t fit. To be better, when clearly he could never be good enough.
For Hewlett only disdained him all the more for it.
A drink. A whore. And possibly a drunk whore on top, or beneath, or in any position Andrew could manage, given the laws of physics—that was what he needed.
Hewlett could go to Hell, and perhaps Andrew would be there waiting for him.
