To Seduce an Earl by Lori Brighton

pleased with him, or pleased with the fact that she’d embarrassed him thoroughly. Which, he wasn’t sure. Now, hell, she could ask him pretty much anything and he wouldn’t even flinch. Still, she insisted on seeing them. The problem was he wasn’t sure what to say about this latest woman. Grace, was her name. A pretty name. A name for an innocent. A lady. For some reason he didn’t feel like discussing this woman with Ophelia.
    “Have a good day,” James said, making his way toward the door.
    “James.” Alex surged to his feet, pushing aside thoughts of a hazel-eyed innocent. He had a chance to talk to the man when he might not again for days.
    James turned, a look of wariness crossing those green eyes. “Yes?”
    They didn’t talk often. James didn’t trust Alex and Gideon, and had never hidden that fact. He couldn’t understand why they weren’t honored that Lady Lavender had chosen them. They couldn’t understand why he couldn’t see the truth, that Lady Lavender was nothing more than a demon in a beautiful woman’s body.
    “You’re…content here?”
    James shrugged. “What do you mean? I’m fed, clothed and housed much better than I could have ever been.” A clouded looked crossed his features, a painful past memory. “Truth is if I’d continued on the way I was, I’d probably be dead by now. Either from a brawl or from starvation.”
    He painted a bleak picture and Alex remembered the thin, underfed lad he’d been. A street rat. It gave Alex second thoughts about leaving. “I understand. I understand why you feel loyalty toward the woman, but James, think on it. You, Gideon and I, brought here together under blackmail.”
    James bristled, his jaw working. “Not blackmail.”
    Alex released a harsh laugh. “She told you if you didn’t do as she said, your family would starve to death.”  
    James crossed his arms over his chest, a defensive position that told Alex he was wearing thin the man’s patience. “And she was right, we would have. No one gets anything for free, Alex. She expected me to work.” He smiled, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “There could be worse ways to make a living you know.”
    “Indeed,” Alex said softly, although he could think of a hundred different things he’d prefer. But he didn’t have a choice. She and her henchmen made sure of that. He resided in a gilded prison, but a prison all the same.  
    “She’s ready.” Wavers appeared in the doorway, imposing, threatening in his silent way. Alex couldn’t help but wonder if the man had overheard their conversation. If he had, Ophelia would find out soon enough and there’d be hell to pay.
    “Brilliant.” He swept by the man, feigning nonchalance. “Wavers, you’re an arse.” He gave the man a brilliant smile.  
    The huge bull didn’t even flinch. No matter how he ridiculed, the man pointedly ignored him. It drove Alex mad.
    With a sigh, Alex moved down the hall, the massive double doors at the front of the entryway beckoned freedom. How he wished he could walk down those front steps. Walk away from this insanity. Thoughts of freedom sent his mind spinning, his gut clenching. The men standing on each side of the door weren’t butlers. The moment he started toward those doors, they’d make sure he was promptly turned around. It didn’t mean he couldn’t find a way out…if he wanted. So why, in the twelve years he’d been here, had he never tried to escape? Because the thought of freedom, for some reason, made him scared as hell.    
    He paused at the second door on the right. A white painted panel. Like every other door. There was a knick on the bottom left corner. A scratch at the top. He raised his hand and hesitated. A hard wood that rubbed against his knuckles in an irritating way. How many times had he stared at this door? He’d intentionally lost count. He let his fist fall, thumping softly once before pushing the door wide.
    “Come in, Alex.” Ophelia was sitting.