Page 94 of The Grand Duel

“It matters.” He frowns. “Arthur’s a bastard for a brunette. Remember when he swung for me freshers week? All because that pretty vet girl would rather talk to me.”

“No.” Mason frowns. “That wasn’t how it went. You spilt your drink on him that night,” he corrects.

“I didn’t.”

“Youdid. You just weren’t aware because you couldn’t sniff a pint without needing to be put to bed back then.”

“You nasty bastard,” Elliot says, sounding wounded.

I shake my head at them both. “It’s one night. Two days. Lissie will be fine. She’s more than capable of holding her own in the office. Trust me.”

Truth is, it’s them who should be terrified.

“She could work from here?” Elliot suggests. “We’d take good care of her.”

“I’d rather leave her in the lion’s den at the zoo.”

“Is that not what you’re doing by sending her to the offices? Did you hear about Ollie and his missus breaking up?”

“What?”

Elliot nods at me. “Couple weeks ago now. Lucy heard about it from someone in the shop.”

Ollie Francis is one of my best advisers. He’s also a good few years younger and a good-looking fucker.

“I’m just saying, Lissie is more than welcome here with us.”

“No.” It’s one day, for fuck’s sake. I run my hand through my hair. “Drop it.”

“What time do you leave?” Mason asks.

“First thing.” I need to pack when I get home, but I still need to make it out to visit Lance today, and knowing that Lissie has a shift tonight means I’m unlikely to get a thing done until the club closes.

Been that way for weeks now.

I was being an irrational prick the day I paid Bronwyn to keep her out of the rooms, but right now, with the headache I have forming above my eyebrows at the mere thought of her in those rooms, it was worth every penny.

I’d pay it twice over every day for the rest of my life if it meant I didn’t have to worry about her sleeping with any man that isn’t me ever again.

“Ollie fucking Francis,” I mumble under my breath.

“You alright over there, Aldridge?”

“I’m fine,” I grate out.

Fuckers know more than I’d like.

“Have you ever been this transparent?” Elliot muses.

“I don’t think he has.” Mason grins.

“You should tell her, mate,” Elliot says. “If you like her, tell her.”

I stare at his stupid blond head. “Who?” I try, but they start laughing. I run my tongue over my teeth and stare out at the city beyond the glass.

“I heard Ollie had three women in one night on his ski trip. He’s really enjoying newly single life.”

“Three? I heard it was four,” Mason corrects.