The Duke Identity (Game of Dukes #1)(107)

“I don’t dream of riches.” Her voice hitched. “Don’t do this.”

Her father slowly circled Grandpapa, the gun steady in his hands. “This is what we’ll do. I’ll put a bullet in ’im. Then we’ll say O’Toole did it, and I killed O’Toole in revenge. Aye, that’ll make me a ’ero,” he said, chortling, “and Black’s natural successor.”

“No, Father. You know this is wrong,” she pleaded.

“Once I’m king, I can grant you anything you want. Even that bastard Bennett.” His eyes glittered. “I’ll let you ’ave ’im, Tessa: all you ’ave to do is back up my story.”

“She won’t lie for you, you bastard,” Harry growled, shaking the cell bars. “Neither will I.”

Her love: so strong, noble, and good.

“I love you.” The words flew from her lips.

The love in Harry’s eyes would have warmed her for a lifetime. “I love you.”

“You’ve made your decision, Bennett. Dead men tell no tales.” Malcolm Todd’s evil smile snuffed out her last flicker of hope.

While this man may have sired her, he was not her kin.

“What will it be, girl?” He addressed her brusquely. “If you’re with me, you leave the room while I take care o’ business.”

“I will not leave. Nor will I lie.” She stepped in front of her grandfather.

“Go, Tessie,” Grandpapa said heavily. “Ain’t e’er asked you for nothing, but I’m asking you now. Go.”

“I will not go.” She remained facing her father, her head held high. “I am a Black. If you’re going to murder Grandpapa, then you’ll have to kill me first.”

In the background, she heard Harry’s shout of denial.

Malcolm Todd’s brows drew together. Then his expression wiped clean. “As you wish.”

He took aim. She forced herself not to look away as the blast shot through the room.

Death was not as bad as she thought it would be. Her ears buzzed, she felt numb, but there was no pain. Only a strange, floating sort of sensation.

She heard a gasp. Odd, it didn’t come from her…but Todd? Then she saw the red blossom on the man’s chest.

An instant later, he crumpled to the ground.

She remained paralyzed, even as her grandfather scrambled to pick up the fallen gun.

“Is he dead?” A quiet voice…Mama’s?

Tessa’s head swung to the doorway. Mama stood there, a pistol in her outstretched hands.

“Not yet,” Grandpapa said. “Stand back, my jewel, I’ll finish ’im.”

“No.” Mama walked over to the fallen figure of her husband. “I want him to see me.”

“You?” Todd gasped up at her. “You…shot me…”

“No one harms my family,” she said.

His eyes wide, Todd let out a gurgling sound, and his head fell to the side.

Tessa remained frozen, her eyes on the man whose blood ran in her veins, who’d been willing to shed the blood of his own kin. Who now lay dead because of his greed.

And she felt nothing.

She heard the clang of the cell door opening, and, an instant later, Harry’s warmth and strength surrounded her, flowed into her, bringing her back to life. She drew in a shuddering breath as he murmured to her. She felt the familiar scrabble of claws up her arm, and heat pressed against her eyes as Swift Nick’s furry head nuzzled her neck.

“It ain’t o’er,” Grandpapa said urgently. “We got to get—”

At that instant, thundering footsteps sounded outside.

Harry shoved her behind him as the first figure burst into the room.

“Bloody hell.” Ambrose Kent’s gaze surveyed the scene, taking in the fallen bodies and the bound and gagged Ruthven. “What happened in here?”



* * *



An hour later, Tessa stood on the prow of the boat. Dawn hadn’t yet broken, water and sky forming a seamless dark canvas. She was watching Harry talk with his supervisor. A stern-faced Peeler, Inspector Davies hadn’t been exactly friendly to her, yet she owed him nonetheless for the role he’d played in defeating the enemy. At this moment, his men, along with others of her team, were rounding up the villains to bring them into custody.

She couldn’t hear what Davies was saying to Harry, but the inspector clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder before exiting on a lighter.

Harry approached her, and her heart ached at his strength and virile beauty. He was everything she’d ever wanted. And, because she loved him, she had to let him go.

“How did it go with Davies?” she managed to say.

“He offered me a promotion and a raise.” Harry looked bemused. “He even forgave me for suspecting his involvement.”

Do it now. It’ll only get harder if you wait. Set him free.

“You don’t have to marry me,” she blurted.

He blinked. “Pardon?”

“I know you want to do the right thing. But we’re too different, you and me.” Her heart breaking, she forced herself to go on. “We come from different worlds. You need to lead an honorable life, and you will, when the truth of De Witt comes out and the world discovers all you’ve done to defeat evil. In society’s eyes, you’ll be a hero. But you can’t be that if you’re married to me.” Taking a breath, she said, “So I release you from any obligation.”