“Yes, that is the room I was assigned.”
She pulled out a paper and scanned it, tapping her lip. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped in a small “O”. She glanced at him. “Oh, dear.”
Fitz’s pulse sped up. “What happened?”
Her brows pinched, and she grimaced. “It appears there was a slight mix-up. It appears your assignment was accidentally switched with someone else.”
His assignment was switched? Did that mean…
“I promise you, sir, this hasneverhappened before. I have just hired a new assistant, and it appears they will not be long for employ here. This is completely unacceptable. I assure you we will make this up to you. Tonight is free of charge, along with another visit as recompense.”
He waved her apology off. He just needed to know what this meant and where his wife was. “What do you mean, my room was switched?”
“It means you and another gentleman were assigned each other’s rooms.”
Fitz’s eyebrows shot off his head.Another manwas going to his wife’s room right now? Another man was going to walk in and see his wife—possibly naked? He started backpedaling out of the office, his heart drumming a chaotic rhythm in his chest.
“What room?” he barked out.
“Room 3B.” She glanced down. “It appears your assignment was exchanged with the Duke of Ironcrest.”
His heart fell out of his chest.What?He took off at a run.
Dear God, he had just sent his wife to a brothel and presented her with everything she had ever desired on a silver ducal platter.
Fuck, fuck,fuck!
His chest heaved as he made the climb to the third floor, but he barely noticed. He didn’t need air, every part of him too focused on getting to his wife. Before he was too late. HE bared his teeth. If the bastard touched her, Fitz would cut the man’s bloody hands off. He snarled. He’d disembowel the man and he would revel in it.
And after that, he was havingwordswith the Madame. Because this was completely unacceptable. Inexcusable.
He slid to a stop and slapped a hand on the wall next to the plaque. 3B.
He threw open the door.
46
Georgiana
Crash!
The door ricocheted off the wall—right back into her husband. Georgiana winced. But the door was already hurtling back into the wall again with a thundering bang, Fitz’s palm outstretched. Georgiana’s eyelids stretched round, her hand frozen on the Duke’s chest. Fitz took a step forward, his chest heaving, gaze darting between her and the Duke. It settled on her palm, and his eyes went black.
Oh dear. Her husband was murderous. And Georgiana should not be melting into a puddle of lust at the sight. But a fanatical Fitz? Curls wild, nostrils flaring, jaw sharp and clenched, hands balled into fists? She sucked in a shuddering breath.
“I would ask you to step away from my wife. Immediately,” Fitz ground out, his eyes not leaving Georgiana.
The Duke cocked his head, gaze slowly moving between Georgiana and Fitz. His eyebrows lifted slightly, bored, bemused. He stepped back, and her palm slid off his chest. Fitz growled, and the Duke let out a soft chuckle. There was a warning in that chuckle.
Apparently, it didn’t faze her husband.
“It appears there was a mix-up,” Fitz said, his voice low and lethal. “Your assignment is in room 2A.”
Oh,buon Dio. That voice? Georgiana fanned herself. Perhaps she could convince him to do some role-play where he was her captor. Because she desperately wanted him to talk to her inthatvoice.
Fitz’s gaze finally moved from Georgiana to the Duke. They locked gazes, neither moving. Her husband wasn’t as tall and not nearly as broad and muscled as the Duke, but right now? If Georgiana was a wagering woman, her coin would be on her husband. Her husband reminded her of the little mongoose she had seen at a menagerie once. It was said a mongoose could take down a King Cobra. So, a Duke should be no task at all.
Either the Duke agreed or had something of a conscience hiding inside his dark exterior, because he took another step back. “Your wife was just telling me she didn’t want to sleep with me.” He paused, the only sound in the room Fitz’s rough breathing. “Not the most flattering thing I’ve ever heard.”
