Ten Ways to Ruin

“Drinking in excess and dreadfully bad-tempered.”

“Not that unlike his normal behavior,” Emma commented.

“He is a good person, Emma,” Louisa added. “He’s a self-made man. And very intelligent. He’s a marvelous uncle to George. I do believe he will make an excellent father someday.”

“It matters not,” Emma said. “He doesn’t love me.”

“I didn’t marry three times to have you wed someone you don’t even love,” Tessa scolded.

She didn’t want to marry anyone, even if Simon would likely give her far more liberty to do as she wished than any other man. With a sigh, Emma said, “You are right, Tessa, but would your marriage be the same if you loved Jack, and he hadn’t returned the feeling?”

“He might come to love you,” Tessa replied weakly.

Emma blinked away the tears that threatened to overflow. Even with her sisters around her, she felt horribly alone. She never experienced those feelings when he was near. With Simon around, there was always a sense of strength, comfort...desire. She pressed her lips together to keep the pain at bay.

“Don’t give up just yet, Emma,” Tessa said with a smile toward Louisa. “Anything might happen.”

Emma did her best to smile at her sister. However, she knew that it was too late. She’d done the most foolish thing of all by falling in love with a scoundrel.

“Please say you will still come to dinner Saturday?” Louisa implored. “It’s your birthday. You should be with your family.”

Emma hesitated. Louisa’s family included Simon.

“I won’t invite him. I promise,” Louisa added as if reading her mind.

“Very well, then. I will be there.”

SIMON LOOKED ACROSS his desk at Hardy. They’d spent the past week attempting to track down Richard Park to no avail. After searching each of his gaming hells in Seven Dials, Simon’s frustration neared the brink. He gulped down another whisky and then slammed his glass on the desk.

“Where is he?”

Hardy shrugged. “I sent some of my new boys around to the hells to see if anyone has seen Park. My guess is he found out we were looking for him and is in hiding.”

“Coward.”

“Agreed.”

“Hardy, I’ve been thinking about selling again.” Simon didn’t know why, but he felt some advice might be needed. And no one knew him better than Hardy.

“Again? My offer stands.”

“I had a better offer.”

Hardy jumped out of his chair. “You bastard! Park got to you, didn’t he? I ought to kill you right now with my bare hands.”

Simon tilted his head back and laughed. “Maybe ten years ago, you might have managed that but not today. Sit down,” he waved his hand at the chair. “I’m not talking about Park.”

“Then who?”

“Ainsley and Stanton. Although, I would insist they bring Riley into the deal.”

Hardy rubbed the gray stubble on his chin in thought. He nodded slowly. “I can’t say I blame you if they’re interested.”

“They want to make Hell even more exclusive.”

“So, why now, King?”

“It’s time,” Simon replied with a half-smile. “I have the estate in Kent to look after, and the town home just came available. It’s time I lived like an adult in a home, not on the second floor of a gaming hell.”