Page 73 of The Duke of Fire
“Earlier, you denied being a whore. I almost believed you.” Finch’s mouth curled with disgust. “I was right, wasn’t I? You are a liaranda whore. Just like your mother.”
Amelia blanched. She staggered back as if her half-brother had slapped her. “It is not what you think.”
Finch was already moving, storming toward her. His hand shot out to grab her arm. But Sebastian moved faster. He caught Finch’s wrist midair, shoving it away with a force that sent the other man stumbling back.
“Touch her, and I will make sure you will regret it. Badly,” he warned, as he swatted Finch’s hand like one would a fly. The other man stumbled backward, but his rage had not abated.
“You have got quite the nerve,” Finch spat, his eyes blazing. “Taking advantage of my sister and then daring to lecture me!”
Sebastian did not flinch. “Nerve?” he echoed, his voice a slow, simmering growl. “What I have is sight—sight clear enough to see a man failing his duty to protect his own blood. I know how you and your wife treat her.”
Finch’s mouth twisted. “You may be a duke, but you have done something to her. Ruined her. Tainted her—”
“No, Warton. The only one who has ruined anything is you.” Sebastian stepped forward, a dangerous calm overtaking his tone. “You have let her live in fear, in the same house you both grew up in. You strike her, belittle her, isolate her—and then pretend you are the one who has been wronged? I have seen the bruises. I have seen her shrink under your gaze.”
“Please, don’t, Your Grace,” Amelia begged, tugging at his sleeve.
But Sebastian did not stop.
“I will say it again so even a coward like you understands: if you lay one more hand on her, I will destroy you. I will do it slowly until you are nothing more than a story people whisper among themselves.”
Finch would not back down easily, sneering at the duke. However, unease was evident in his eyes.
“She is my sister,” he snapped, weaker now. “You think you can play the hero? She belongs in my house. I will deal with her as I see fit. And if thetonfinds out whatyou havebeen doing—”
Sebastian scoffed. He took a few more steps toward Finch, who stepped back instinctively.
Sebastian laughed softly, darkly. “Oh, Warton. Do you thinkIfear scandal? I was born in it. I have done worse things than seduce a woman, and I did not even bother hiding most of them.”
He took another step forward, watching Finch’s bravado falter with every inch of ground he gave up.
“But she—Amelia—sheshould not have to pay the price for your failures.” His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. “You were supposed to protect her. She deserved better. Still does.”
“Please just stop,” Amelia whispered.
Sebastian looked at her then—really looked. Her shoulders were shaking. Her eyes glistened with shame and pain she was too proud to show. That was when he turned to her gently and said, “Go inside. Quickly, before the servants wake or anyone sees us.”
Amelia hesitated, but nodded her understanding and slipped inside. She opened the door. It creaked. No one dared move as it did. Then, it closed with a soft click. There were no sounds andno hints of commotion from the inside. Sebastian hoped that it meant she was safely in her room.
“Now that she is inside,” Sebastian said, his voice turning to steel, “we can finally speak plainly.”
“You cannot intimidate me,” Finch snapped. “You may be a duke—”
“I do not need my title to ruin you.” Sebastian’s voice was low. Controlled. Lethal. “But I do have something else—knowledge. Andyouhave secrets.”
Finch’s face paled. “What secrets?”
Sebastian smiled coldly. “Your debts. The ones you thought no one knew about. White’s. Brook’s. You have been gambling away your inheritance. And your sister’s dowry.”
Finch froze.
“You—you cannot prove that.”
“I already have.” Sebastian leaned in, speaking slowly. “Your lenders speak freely when a duke asks nicely. You are weeks away from ruin. All it would take is a single whisper to the right men, and they will come knocking—not with polite requests, but withpromisesof collection.”
Finch turned white. “Y-you would not do that.”
“You know I will. Must I send the information to the papers? Oh, what about your dear, spoiled wife? Does she know? Will she leave you if she finds out that you are close to losing the whole estate? She is with child, and she does not even know if that child will inherit anything.”
