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you and me. Would that be okay, Jenny?” He eased her back so she was lying down and watched the battle going on behind her eyes. “Thirty minutes of quiet and you could rest with nobody bothering you.” He pulled a crown out of his pocket to slip into her hand.
    She nodded, but her expression was still wary. She finally closed her eyes and tucked her hands beneath the pillow, her frown slowly sliding away.
    “Good girl,” King whispered and stroked her head. He went back to his chair in front of the fire and couldn’t stop his thoughts from turning back to Lady as she’d nursed him after the fight. He’d hated being so harsh with her, but the brush of her fingers across his palm seemed especially bitter as she asked if they shouldn’t have choices with Mr. Adams.
    But there was nothing else he could have said, like there was no way he could have touched her like he’d truly wanted. Looking back, he probably should have stayed silent, let her wash him up, then sent her back to Mr. Adams with a polite thank-you, but he couldn’t. He could have no more treated her as blandly as he did Jenny as he could have stopped his hands from bleeding. There was something about Lady that was under his skin as sure as the blood that was trying to seep out.
    He grabbed a glass, determined to wash away the taste of Lady’s lips under his. Down that road only lay pain, misery, suffering and heartbreak, possibly worse depending on Mr. Adams. He poured the last of his whiskey into the glass and with each splash, counted what he had.
    Money, power and prestige from doing what came naturally to him—fighting.
    Rent-free rooms in a whorehouse where he could have almost any of the girls he wanted for free.
    A good, uncomplicated life that most men in this part of London would kill for.
    Nope. He swallowed the blessings of his life. A kiss from a whore, even if that kiss made him feel more a man than he ever had before, was nothing to throw that all away for. Nothing at all.
    * * *
    As soon as Mr. Adams was dressed, Lady slid out of bed and pulled on a peacock-blue silk robe with flowers and hummingbirds embroidered at the hem and sleeves. It had been a gift from Mr. Adams after a particularly profitable shipment of his vases from China. Ever since then, Lady wore it for his visits.
    “Let me walk you out, Mr. Adams.” She straightened his collar and gave his tie an extra tug.
    “Aw, my girl can’t get enough of me, is that it?” He grinned. His cheer was holding and Lady was thankful. He was easier to control in this kind of mood.
    “I just want to make sure you’re taken care of,” she said in a purr as she left the bedroom in a lazy walk. The touching was over and she was walking him out the door, so if it took a little swing in her step to hasten his departure, she could do that.
    She gathered her robe so Mr. Adams wouldn’t step on it and led him downstairs to the front door. She opened it and leaned against it, casting a coy smile at her owner. “I’ll see you soon, won’t I?”
    “Soon enough, pet. Soon enough.” He stepped outside. Shade emerged from the shadows to stand behind his master as Mr. Adams turned back to face her. “I want you to know how good it makes me feel to have you caring for King. My best girl helping my best fighter, just like any proper family, eh? Makes me so happy, it does. Maybe you could go check on him tomorrow, make sure he’s healthy and ready to fight. Here, this is for a doctor or medicine if you need it.” He slipped a few bills into her hand. “And speaking of medicine, I had Mrs. Henderson send him one of the girls tonight. Let me know if that’s the tonic he needs. I’ve always got more.” He laughed at his joke and Lady chuckled as she was meant to.
    “Anything for you, Mr. Adams.” She winked and closed the door slowly. The instant the door clicked shut, she closed her eyes and leaned against it, listening as Mr. Adams and Shade left in his small coach. Her protector