Thoroughly Whipped

“Let’s bet, bitches!” Novah said, just as the door to the box beside us opened. I was busy reading through the names of the horses. “Ha!” Novah said. “I’ve found your horse, Faith.” She pointed to the page about the next race.

“Why, yes, that will do!” I said and we clinked glasses.

I’d never heard such a fabulous name for a horse as Kinky Whip in all my life. “Let’s go and place the bets.” Novah took my hand. The smile suddenly slipped from her face, and the color faded from her cheeks.“Nove?” I asked.

Amelia hissed out a “Oh, fuck” behind me.

Feeling my stomach clench with dread before I’d even moved, I turned my head, only to have my heart shatter. King Sinclair was taking his seat in the box beside us. Nicholas was there too, along with two other men I didn’t know. But what had my friends worried was the sight of Harry taking his seat, and beside him, a tall, leggy blond.

“Lady Louisa Samson,” Sage whispered, his tone sounding like the entrance soundtrack of the villain on a movie score. Harry seemed stiff, like the uptight man I’d met years ago. The arrogant duke-to-be who didn’t tolerate people who were lesser than he was. But when Louisa whispered in his ear and laid her hand on his chest, right over his pocket square, I lost it. I friggin’ lost it when those pale-pink painted talons brushed over his silver handkerchief.

“Hold my purse,” I said to Novah, passing her my clutch. I started unthreading my earrings from my ears. “I’m gonna kill the fucker,” I said, kicking off my heels and readying to pole vault the partition to show the English rose how we throw down in Hell’s Kitchen.

Sage’s arms wrapped around my waist when I took a step back to make my running leap. I kicked my legs, anger sending a red mist over my vision.

“Let me go, Sage. Let me go!” Our commotion must have alerted the royal booth beside us to something happening, as Louisa looked up from whispering in Harry’s ear and frowned at my laser beams boring straight into her. Her hoity lips tightened, and I was about to go full-blown Hulk-Smash on her noble ass. She nudged her head our way. Harry’s jaw clenched, and with what looked like tired eyes, he saw what had captured her attention. I froze the second he saw I was there. His lips parted and he jumped to his feet.

“Harry?” Louisa asked in her perfect English voice. She peered at me around his legs. “Do you know her?”

“Yeah, he fu—” Sage’s hand covered my mouth, smothering my words. I tried to bite his palm to get him off me. Novah rushed to the door and opened it, and Sage began pulling me through.

“So sorry,” Amelia said as Sage and Novah ushered me into the hallway and toward the bar. “I hope you enjoy your day.”

Traitor! I wanted to shout at my best friend.

“Amelia, wait,” I heard Harry’s voice say, then nothing as Sage pulled me out of earshot. We arrived in the bar raising only a few eyebrows.

Sage deposited me on a barstool, and he and Novah created a human shield around me. “Faith, I get it. What we saw looks shady as hell. But this is my workplace’s box. Don’t make a scene. I’m begging you.”

I was out of breath, but at Sage’s plea my anger faded, the red mist descended from my eyes, and all that was left in the aftermath was a sharp pain in my chest.

Clearly seeing I’d lost all my fight, Novah tapped the bar. “Double vodka. And keep them coming.” The bartender handed me the double shot and I swallowed it just as Amelia approached the bar, quickly followed by Nicholas. Sage jumped up from slouching at the bar.

“Nicholas,” he said, flirtation thickening his voice.

“Sage,” Nicholas said, sounding just as sweet. Then Nicholas looked at me. “Faith, it’s not what you think.”

“Isn’t it?” I said, getting another double vodka and knocking that back. As that filled my stomach and the subsequent warmth flushed through my veins, I wondered when I’d ever been so mad.

“Tell me,” I said and got to my feet. I wobbled in my heels, but Nicholas was there to catch me. “Ha!” I said, snorting out a laugh. “Just like your cousin. Chivalrous to a T. Do they teach you that at school, how to save damsels in distress?” I pushed my hair out of my face and stood up straight. “So, how wasn’t it what it looked like? Because to me it appears like Harry is having his crumpet and eating it too.”

“No, I swear he’s not.” Nicholas held out his hand. “Please, just come with me.”

“And where are we going?”

“To see Harry.”

“In the box?” I said, finally feeling like this had been a mistake. He wanted to see me in front of his father and his bit of English crumpet.