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last update publish date: 2026-03-16 23:46:41

“Your Grace,”

They both turned to find one of the staff in the doorway. Anna wondered how long she’d been standing there watching them. How much she’d heard.

“I just wanted to let you know that lunch is ready,” the woman said.

“We’ll be right up,” Cedric told her. “Thank you,”

The woman turned and left.

“Actually, I think I’ll skip it,” Anna said. “I’m still pretty full from breakfast. I think I’ll take a walk in the gardens instead.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I think the fresh air will do me
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  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    105

    As the bartender nodded and began mixing her drink, Susan’s mind raced. She was playing a dangerous game with Leo, and she knew it. But every time she thought she was ready to walk away, something pulled her back. Maybe it was the fear of what would happen to Samuel. Maybe it was something else. Something about him.The bartender placed her drink in front of her, and Susan took a long sip, the alcohol burning its way down her throat. The buzz settled into her veins, calming her nerves for a brief moment. But the tension was still there, lingering just beneath the surface. And deep down, she knew it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. __________Leo hadn’t expected Susan to take him up on his offer, not with how furious she’d been when she stormed out of the lounge. But as he watched her from the shadows, standing there at the top of the stairs, he noticed something flicker in her. Her steps faltered, and instead of heading straight for the door like she had intended, she veered toward t

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    104

    I’ll return them tomorrow. Get the real money back.That was the plan. She had to stick to the plan. But deep down, she knew this was only the beginning. Leo wouldn’t stop at five thousand. He’d expect more. And as much as she wanted to scream, to run from it all, she knew she couldn’t. Not while Samuel was still tangled in Leo’s Web, and now so was she. As she finally pulled into her driveway, Susan sat in the car for a moment, her hands still gripping the steering wheel, her heart pounding in her chest. She was in too deep now, and there was no turning back.____________The Summit nightclub was eerily silent when Susan walked in. The usual pulse of loud music and vibrant chatter was absent, replaced by an unsettling stillness. The place was empty—no patrons, no bartenders buzzing around. She walked on, her heels clinking against the floor as she began to climb the stairs that led to the private lounge. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she was in the right place, but then h

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    103

    Susan turned slowly to face him, her heart hammering in her chest. His eyes were dark, burning into hers, and the tension between them flared to life once more, crackling in the air like electricity. He was too close—close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin, smell the faint scent of whiskey and something darker, something dangerous.Susan nodded, her throat too tight to form words. She couldn’t trust her voice, couldn’t trust herself to speak without giving away just how rattled she was by his presence. Leo’s gaze flicked down to her lips for the briefest of moments before he stepped back, breaking the spell between them. Without a word, he opened the door. Connor was already standing there, his expression neutral but watchful.Leo’s voice cut through the silence. “Connor, please walk her to her car.”Connor nodded, and without looking back at Leo, Susan stepped into the hallway, her heart still pounding. As Connor led her away, she could feel Leo’s eyes on her back, th

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    102

    Leo stood then, unfolding himself from the chair with a slow, deliberate grace. He took a step toward her, his presence filling the room, his eyes locked on hers. “No choice?” he echoed, his voice smooth and mocking. “I gave you a day to decide. You waited until the last minute, and now here you are… breaking my rules.”She felt her heart race in her chest as he closed the distance between them, his gaze like fire on her skin. Her breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t back down. She couldn’t. “I didn’t come here to argue about rules, Leo. I came to tell you—”He cut her off, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. “Do you really think you can come into my world and make demands? Do you think you are in any position to negotiate?”The proximity between them was intoxicating, and though every instinct screamed at her to step back, she stood her ground, defiant. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the overwhelming sense of power he carried with him like a shadow. For a long, te

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    101

    Susan’s breath hitched, her pulse quickening. She could feel her resolve slipping, the fear for her brother creeping in like a shadow over everything else. But there was something more—something about Leo’s casual cruelty that both terrified and intrigued her. He was dangerous in a way that made her want to run, yet she couldn’t seem to stop her heart from racing every time he was near.“No,” she said, her voice cracking. “You can’t ask me to do this.”Leo’s smile softened, almost as if he found her resistance charming. “I’m not asking, Barbie. But you have until tomorrow. I suggest you think carefully.”Susan stood abruptly, her shoes scraping against the floor. She couldn’t sit there any longer, feeling trapped in his gaze, in the invisible strings he was pulling. She needed air. She needed to get away from him.Without another word, she turned and left the café, her heart pounding in her ears. The cool air outside did little to calm her. Her mind raced, replaying his words over and

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    100

    Of course he did, Susan thought warily, but aloud she said, “I can imagine he does,” She hadn't meant to sound judgemental even though that was the way she felt, but she obviously didn't do a very good job because Leo smiled again, as if her disapproval amused him. She shook her head, “I'm sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” “Oh you did,” said Leo, still smiling as he relaxed in his chair, “You think we're bad people, don't you?”“I… I… I don't think my thoughts matter in any way here,” she stammered,” And it's none of my business either. I'm more concerned about my brother's situation…”A waitress in uniform approached their table to take her order. Susan ordered a bluebird smoothie and waited for the waitress to leave before she continued speaking. “You're not going to go after him again. Are you?”“I haven't gone after him again… At Least not yet,” said Leo remorselessly, “You bought him some time, but I still want my money. One way or another,” The scent of freshly brewed cof

  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    12

    “Actually, people agree to the strangest things when money is involved.” He gave her another smile, non-threatening and pleasant. “But I can see you’re not convinced. Well, that’s fine. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to try,” Pushing himself out of the armchair, he rose to his feet. “Don’t fret, Anna.

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    40

    No, that was wrong. She was a real wife. And she’d agreed that their lives wouldn’t be separated. They may not be in love, but if they were going to be sleeping in the same bed and being intimate physically then that didn’t mean she couldn’t help him out emotionally when that was needed.“Cedric,”

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-26
  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    36

    She was also quick to laugh, quick to apologize, and had a huge amount of empathy. He suspected that she was a woman of deep emotions and perhaps her father hadn’t appreciated exactly how deep. And he knew himself what it felt like to be unappreciated. To be dismissed and rejected. His entire child

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-25
  • A LADY FOR A DUKE    13

    “However, it’s not for you, I can see that,” he murmured, because now that he’d piqued her interest it was time to send her on her way to think about it. “Your father must be waiting for you. Please don’t allow me to keep you.”Anna stared at him for a long moment, her eyes narrowing. Some part of

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18
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