Marquess of Menace (Lords of Scandal 10)

That should make her feel better. Answers were what they needed. But as she’d watched Bash leave, worry still filled her belly.

It felt an awful lot like when she’d written to her father. The multiple letters he’d never replied to. This is why she’d wanted to be alone.

But all she could do was wonder about Dylan. Sick dread filled her stomach. Why would he have left this morning? After everything they’d shared.

She’d paced for close to two hours before she’d returned to Bash’s office. She needed to know where he was. She couldn’t stand the worry another moment. Why hadn’t he left a note, or something, to tell her where he’d gone?

When she knocked, Bash called out immediately, but he sounded…distracted. Far away.

As she opened the door, she saw him scanning a letter.

Her brows drew together in question as Bash looked up at her. “Menace is a bloody idiot.”

“What do you mean?” A lump clogged her throat as she pressed her hands to her cheeks.

“I mean, I’ve just received a missive from our king. Menace went to our sovereign without me and now our leader has sent him to oversee a shipment of goods likely being poached by the very smugglers who attempted to kill us yesterday.”

“What?” Fear jolted through her, making her knees weak. Then, red-hot anger charged through her. Didn’t he understand they were to make decisions together? Hadn’t she been clear?

Because now she was home again, worried that another man she loved was gone forever and her only job would be to pick up the pieces once again.

“The fool,” Bash hissed, rising.

She clenched her hands. “I completely agree. What are we going to do?”

“We?” Bash groaned as he came around the desk. “You can’t come, Eliza. It’s too dangerous.”

“Give me two minutes so I can get my pistol,” she said, spinning. “If you leave without me, I shall never forgive you.”

“Eliza,” he called after her. “Of course I am leaving without you. You can’t keep coming on these things and Menace isn’t here to protect you this time.”

She frowned as she skidded to a stop. “Don’t you understand Bash? I’ve done nothing but wait for months. Wait and worry. Years, in fact, I watched my mother pine while I helped raise my sisters. They remember the times he was home, his arms full of gifts. But me? I remember the times he was away. The worry my mother held when she thought no one was looking. I can’t be that person, Bash. I won’t.”

He looked at her, his lips drawn tightly. “I allowed your sister, my wife, to put herself in danger at that club. I hate that place, now, did you know that? I hate the idea of you getting hurt. And your father, he hated it too. That’s why he didn’t tell you so much. That’s likely why he allowed Dishonor into his business. To help protect you. It’s what men do for the women they care about.”

“That might be true, but I am strong and capable, and I won’t sit idly by as life happens to me. I’ll make my own way or…” But those words were hollow. She wasn’t making her own way any longer. It was their way. He’d forgotten that, though. “I’m scared for him.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine.”

She spun around to see Dylan leaning against the wall.

Her fists clenched even tighter as she charged toward him. She was going to kill him.

Eliza looked…angry. Her fists were clenched, her chin set in a hard line, her eyes cold.

He’d been worried about this. Until he’d found useful information and then he’d been elated.

He’d come back and with information that would move them one step closer to solving this mystery.

But she didn’t appear as though she wanted to hear his good news.

“Where have you been?”

Bash cleared his throat. “What time did you two set a meeting?”

“I needed to help you—”

“Help me?” He saw her throat working. “I believe I have been completely explicit about how I wanted you to help me.”