Page 104 of Ruthless with a Rogue
“Do you need me to pour it down your throat?”Rafe jerked his chin in the direction of Derek’s glass.
“I fell in love,” Derek blurted.
Rafe spit his whisky all over Derek.
“Unnnghhk.”Derek grimaced and wiped the spew from his face.“Bloody hell, Rafe.”
“Bloody hell,me?Did youhearwhat you just said?”Rafe’s knee bounced erratically, and he sloshed more whisky into his glass.“Now fucking drink.”
They downed their whiskies.Derek really did need liquor right about now.
“So, how was the estate?Was it as bad as your steward—Thomas?Timothy?—made it out to sound?”
“Theo,” Rafe spat.Spat so violently, Derek retreated farther into his chair.What in the bloody hell?“And you’re redirecting.I could have sworn I heard the wordlovecome out of your mouth.And it wasn’t followed by quim.So, I’m not sure I understand.”
Derek’s lips twitched.There was a bit of Rafe’s usual self.But he couldn’t brush off the feeling something more was going on.There was something different about his best mate.
“I know you have only been gone a month, Rafe, but my entire world has been turned on its head.”He paused, then whispered.“Because of a woman.”
Rafe stilled.His gaze shot away from Derek’s.He threw back more whisky.“This would be the love you speak of?”Rafe said, but it was strained.
“Yes, while you were gone…” Derek stared down at his whisky, hesitating, and finally took a sip.“This slip of a woman stole my clothes, and along with them, my fucking sanity.I bloody fell in love with her.I…”I don’t understand how it happened.I’m having trouble believing it’s actually real.That I actually deserve this.
Derek met Rafe’s eyes, searching.But his friend didn’t have any more answers than Derek did.If anything, Derek only saw questions clouding Rafe’s dark grey gaze.
“You…?”Rafe asked.Then his eyebrows shot up, and he blinked twice.“Pardon, did you say she stole your clothes?”
Derek downed the rest of his whisky and slammed the glass down on the table.“Yes.And I’m going to fucking marry her.”And there went his throat closing up again, panic wrapping its fingers around his neck.
Rafe’s knuckles were white on his glass.It was like he shared Derek’s panic.They’d always been nearly perfectly attuned.“And this chit wants to marry you as well?”
Derek nodded jerkily.He had no doubt.
“I’m not exactly an expert in the field, mate.”Rafe threw back another finger of whisky and bared his teeth through a hiss.“But isn’t that a good thing?You both want to marry each other,” he said bitterly.“Why the bloody hell were you sulking in the dark?Why do you look like you’re about to shite a brick?”
Derek opened his mouth, hesitated.Then closed it.Grunted.Opened it again, but nothing.He growled.He didn’t know how to voice what he was feeling.
Rafe stared dumbly back at him.“Were there supposed to be words accompanying…all of that?”
Derek shot him a glare.“I don’t deserve her, Rafe.I’m not a good man.I’m a fucking arse, and I know it.And I can’t help but think I’m just waiting for the final blow to fall.That this is all a sick jest by fate.Everyone always leaves.Except for you and Dorothea.You two are my constants.It’s hard to believe I could have someone else too.”
A grimace flashed across Rafe’s face.“Christ.This is really awkward.I’m exceedingly uncomfortable.”
“I know,” Derek gritted.He and Rafe did not dothis.
“Listen, Dare.You both want to fucking marry each other.Just do it.Could it all go to shite?Yes.It could be a fucking disaster of Shakespearean proportions.She could rip your heart out and place it on a stake for the buzzards to feast on.Or your ballocks—I’m not sure which would be worse, probably the ballocks.But what are your other options?At least she wants to bloody marry you.”
Derek blinked at his best mate.“Was that supposed to make me feel better?Because I think I might actually feel worse.”
“That was my best effort.”Rafe threw back the rest of his whisky.He shuddered.“All this speak of emotions has me twitchy.”
Derek snorted a soft laugh.“You and me both.You should have seen me when I first realized I hadfeelingsfor her.”His stomach flipped over.It was still unsettling.Clearly.He rolled his glass between his hands, staring at the amber liquid.“I know it might sound simple,” he said softly.“But a lot has happened since I met her.Obstacles.Things like the foundling home’s funding.”His gaze flicked up to meet Rafe’s.
Understanding dawned in his friend’s eyes.“We’ll figure that out, mate.Things weren’t as dire as they first appeared at Ironcrest.”He stiffened and then appeared to force himself to relax.“I still cannot fund the entirety of the home, but depending on what we draw up for the payment schedule, I may be able to assist with the later payments.”
“That is fantastic news, Rafe,” Derek said.
That was bloody fantastic news.And not even because of the foundling home.He could only imagine the stress Rafe had been under, facing his demons at Ironcrest and having no idea what sort of disaster he was walking into.If he was about to lose his main source of income.
