Page 21 of My Beastly Duke

She wondered again for the hundredth time why he had left her bed so abruptly. The racket in his hands gave her an idea.

“Well, since I do not seem to be entitled to the nights either, how about a game?” She lifted the racket along with her shoulders and pursed her lips with raised eyebrows.

“I said I am tired of playing games. I will be at my study.”

“And yet you indulged your brother quite willfully, Your Grace.”

“You are saying that because you do not know Adam. It was the only way to get him off my back.”

“Well, you do not seem to know me either, Your Grace. It will be the only way to get me off your back as well.”

The duke seemed to be considering her words before nodding toward the net. “As you wish.”

Her heart skittered a little as he crossed the net with a single jump, using the pole as leverage. Taking up the position that Aaron had just abandoned, Marina readied herself for the game.

Aaron waited until she was in place before sending the shuttle cock in her direction.

Marina batted it easy back before starting her plan. “Has the relationship with your brother always been so strained?” She gently probed for information.

“What makes you think that the relationship is strained?” Aaron kept his eyes on the game, avoiding looking at her.

“Anyone with two eyes on their head can see that the two of you have a… troubled relationship. There was the argument on the night of our wedding, and he did not seem to take the loss very well just now.” She watched his face carefully as they played.

Aaron’s jaw tightened a little before he answered. “Let’s just say life has not been very easy for us.”

“Life is not easy for any of us.” She ran a little to the left as Aaron gave his shot just a little more pressure.

“It has been harder for Adam and myself, trust me.”

Marina began to regret her decision to challenge him as her corset pressed against her ribs. She had not worn the correct clothing for badminton, yet now that she had him talking, she felt compelled to carry on. “Why don’t we make this game more interesting, then? Every time the shuttle cock is on your side of the net, you have to state something about your life that you think is worse than mine.”

“And when it is on your side?” He raised an eyebrow in question.

“I shall say something that I feel is equal, or worse than what you said.” Her breathing began to deepen as he picked up the pace, forcing her to exert more effort.

Aaron volleyed back and forth for a moment before nodding. “You start.”

Licking the corner of her mouth, Marina jumped at the chance. “My father died beneath his mistress and left us to fend for ourselves against the rumors.” She placed more force behind the shot, thinking of the predicament that their father had left them in.

Aaron reached the shuttle cock with ease and smacked it back. “My father used to pit me and my brother against each other for his own amusement.” His admission caught Marina off guard as she almost missed the shot, reaching it just in time.

“I was jilted at the altar by your brother!” A few strands of hair came loose as she placed all of her weight behind the shot.

“I fought in a war that scarred me for the rest of my life!” He bared his teeth in a fierce grimace, making Marina’s heart pound with fear.

“I had to leave my family behind and start a new life!” She almost tripped as she scurried to make the shot.

“I was rejected by my betrothed because of my scars!” he placed so much force behind the shot that the shuttle cock went singing past her head and missed her ear by inches.

Panting for breath, Marina placed her hands on her hips and looked at the shuttle cock that lay on the grass in the distance.

He was engaged before!

A strange feeling of jealousy and pity clutched at her chest as she turned her head back toward Aaron. She had not even realized how much he had been through in his life. His father had pitted him and his brother against one another. He had fought in a war, and that war had left him with scars.

“Aaron, I’m…”

“Don’t you dare pity me.” His voice was tinged with hurt and anger as he allowed the racket to fall to the ground at his feet.