Sins of a Duke(64)

The door closed softly on Lady Calydon’s exit, and the veneer of civility Calydon had been showing stripped away. The man advanced on Lucan and cold satisfaction settled in his gut. He did not resist when Calydon jerked him by the lapel of his jacket and pushed him against the wall with controlled violence. Lucan smiled and welcomed the icy rage bleeding into his veins. The pain roiling in him needed an outlet. He wanted to howl, to fight, to do anything to stop the torment of imagining how his sister must have despaired.

“I cannot express the sorrow I have lived with for years in regards to Marissa. When she was happy she was such a radiant thing, but when things did not go exactly as she wished she could be destructive. I knew that, but never did I dream Stanhope would really start beating her. Nor did I ever imagine Marissa would take her life. It gutted me, and I eschewed all female companionship until I met my Duchess years later,” Calydon growled. “I deserved your anger. I deserved you trying to damage my business investments, and I assure you Mondvale, you have had some success. But what you have done to Constance is unforgivable. You hurt her. My cherished sister, when she was innocent in all of this. The harm you have caused her and Anthony is enough so that I promise I will ruin you.”

The ruthlessness Lucan had only read about glared from Calydon’s blue eyes. They were so cold, Lucan thought it was a wonder Calydon’s teeth did not clatter. Lucan creased his lips in a cruel smile, pain and rage edging him. He gripped Calydon’s hand where it crushed his jacket and pushed from the wall, standing toe to toe with him.

“It is not a pleasant thought is it, Calydon?” Lucan taunted, a deeper coldness encasing his heart. “What kind of thoughts filled when you thought I fucked your sister and abandoned her to the cruel fates of society? Did you not hear the whispers that taunted my sister? ‘Marissa the Used,’ ‘Marissa the Abandoned’.”

Speaking of Constance in such a crude manner left a vile taste in Lucan’s mouth, but something raw in him demanded that some of the hatred, some of the pain he had lived with for years be felt by Calydon.

Calydon stilled rage lighting his eyes, then doubt.

“Is Connie untouched?” he demanded.

Lucan’s slow smile was deliberately sensual, remembering how he had touched Constance and letting the knowledge seeped into his eyes.

He was impressed with how intimidating Calydon suddenly appeared. If Lucan was a lesser man he would have been quaking in his boots. In fact, he was doing everything in his power to resist smashing his fist in the man’s face. Lucan could see the dark need in Calydon to offer him violence as well. Probably Lucan had underestimated the effect of the duchess’ presence. Without her, Calydon had no need to still the roiling rage inside of himself.

Calydon dropped his hand, and Lucan saw the fist coming. He could have dodged it. Hell, he could possibly have had Calydon on the ground before the man realized what was happening. But Lucan deserved it. Constance was all that was pure and lovely, and should never play any part in his vengeance again.

Lucan’s head snapped back from the force of the punch, it rocked him back on his heels. He raised his hand and wiped the thin trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. “I deserved that, for Constance does not merit my vulgarity or insinuations. But I assure you it will be the only free hit you get, Calydon.”

Calydon’s eyes narrowed. “If you had thought to ask for her hand, it is denied. The only reason I am not ripping into you is because I know how tirelessly you have been working for society to welcome her back into their folds. That is the only reason, Mondvale.”

A hollow sensation formed in the pit of Lucan’s stomach and he dismissed it. “Your threat is irrelevant. Lady Constance will not have me.” At least not yet, but he would do everything in his power to have her fall back in love with him. Lucan was resolved, for he could accept no other outcome. Living without her smiles and kisses have been too bleak.

Calydon’s eyes remained hard and unforgiving. Lucan fully understood.

“You proposed to her?” Calydon demanded.

Lucan thrust his hands in his pockets. “I did,” he answered. “Constance rejected me.”

“Connie has not mentioned this,” Calydon said, surprise evident in his tone.

Lucan raised a brow. “It is not for me to speculate why Lady Constance felt she could not confide in her own brother.”

Calydon stiffened, but Lucan ignored him.

“I doubt you and I will ever be friends,” Lucan said. “But I have considered how young you and Marissa both were. My intention today was not to force any confrontation.” His mouth twisted in a wry grimace. “I had only intended to lay what haunts me to rest so I can relinquish all need in my heart for vengeance.”