“How do you know what I think?” Vice raised one eyebrow.
“Stop fecking teasing him.” Exile banged his hand on the table. “Tell us what happened already.”
He did. All of it. Well, he left out the kiss with Minnie. Somehow, he didn’t want to share that with them. What happened between himself and her wasn’t any of their business. But he told them about the countess’s threats and about how Minnie had defended him.
His story was met with absolute silence. Not one man spoke as he finished talking. “Well,” he snapped. “What do you think? What should I do?” When had he become so damn indecisive?
Malice spread his hands across the table. “Just so we’re clear. Not only is the Chase woman hiding our secret, but she’s going to risk her own reputation to protect us?”
His shoulders hunched. “I can’t let her do that, you all understand that, right?”
No one answered. Which Tag took as a sign of agreement.
He scrubbed his scalp again. “You’ll have to replace me, or not. Buy out my shares.” With the words, the hectic feeling inside calmed. “I’m going to marry her. I need to keep her safe. I can’t allow her to ruin her entire future for a fecking gaming hell.”
Exile nodded. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said since this entire affair began.”
“What does that mean?” Bad growled out, his dark brow pulling low over his eyes.
Exile, a massive Scot, didn’t even blink. “It means that the woman is willing to give up her entire future to protect that lug over there. He’s a duke. He has to marry. Can you think of a better woman to raise your children?”
Again. Silence.
Tag smoothed out his dark hair. “Exile’s right. It’s my duty to beget children, I can’t deny that she’ll make a loyal wife.” He also couldn’t deny that she was nothing like Lady Abernath. Strength aside, she wasn’t selfish and mean. Minnie was…kind, caring, loyal. The question that plagued him was, could he avoid the sins of his parents? For her sake, he had to be brave and try.
“There’s another issue we have to discuss.” He cleared his throat. “With Jack married to Emily, at least that’s what we assume they are doing, and my marriage to Minnie, I doubt the ladies will share our secret. They’re not just protecting us but their own kin.” He drew in a deep breath. “But in keeping us safe, they put themselves in danger.”
“Damn it all to bloody hell,” Bad growled out. “I’m not marrying the chit.”
Vice put all four legs of his chair back on the floor, the clunk of wood on wood filling the room. “Me either.”
“It might not come to that.” Daring stepped up to the table. “But you’ll protect your assigned lady’s reputation and safety or you’ll face me.”
Malice waved his hand. “Relax, Daring. We’ll figure all of this out. Anyone kill a woman before?”
If they touched one hair on a Chase’s head...“I’ll kill you first.”
Malice blinked. “I’m not talking about Cordelia. I already said I wanted to marry her, you egit. I’m talking about Lady Abernath.”
That made Tag’s head snap back. “We can’t go around killing ladies of society, no matter how terrible they are.”
Malice nodded. “You’re right, of course. I was just testing the theory out loud. Seemed the simplest option.”
Vice curled his fingers around his glass. “We can, however, fight fire with fire. The lady has a great many secrets, most of which she would not want her husband to know. And we own a club that services many of the men who likely keep those stories. We could threaten her with her own ruin should she try to hurt us or the Chase women.”
Daring relaxed, the knot of tension in his chest unfurling. “That’s a bloody good idea. We’ll start first thing tomorrow night.”
“Bonus, you don’t have to marry if you don’t want,” Bad said, standing and slapping Tag on the back. “No need to retire.”
/> He shook his head. “As Exile said. I don’t know where I’d find a more loyal woman. I shall marry her anyway. I am going on thirty after all.” He was eight and twenty. Past time for a man of his station to settle down. And he suddenly had the urge for a quieter life.
“Loyalty?” Bad shrugged. “That’s one of the least interesting reasons for marrying I’ve ever heard.”
The men all laughed. Even Tag. He was sure there were parts of being married to Minnie that were going to be quite interesting indeed. The only problem. He hadn’t actually asked her yet. But surely she’d welcome his advances. He was rescuing her, after all. Surely, she’d appreciate his request for her hand. But his gut niggled with doubt. He’d already hinted that he’d marry her and she had not been all that eager. Would she refuse his offer?
Chapter Fourteen
Minnie patted her cheeks, then touched the bags that were surely present under her eyes. She’d hardly slept.