The Duke's Dastardly Mistake (Unlikely Pairs Book 2) Page 9

  With a gentle shove, Levi propelled the young man towards Lord Pepperton who'd just been dragged back into the room, his face swollen and bruised from Levi's hits. “That man over there could use your liquor more than me. Run along.”

  Levi couldn't help but smile as he went back to where his belongings sat on the bench. It felt good to be admired and to have successfully won his first match. He pulled a shirt over his head and let the neck hang lose before running his hands through his unruly hair. He knew he had quite a while before his next fight, so decided he'd watch the competition to see what he was up against.

  Several men patted him on the back and cheered as he escaped from the back room and made his way to where the fights were being held. He smiled at their attention but otherwise didn't stop to talk. He wanted to study the other competitors and see how they fought. As he approached the front of the room, people slid out of their way to let him through. One man even handed him a cigar, which he declined, as he settled in to observe.

  Time seemed to disappear as he watched men of various skill and size compete. He wasn't sure what it was about watching two men fight that intrigued him, but he couldn't take his eyes away.

  He lost track of time completely and was quite startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Your Grace, it's nearly time for your fight.”

  Levi nodded and quickly peeled his eyes from the current match and followed the man to the back room where he at once began getting ready. Stripping his shirt from his body, Levi began going through strategies in his mind, envisioning the fight in his head as if it were real. Gentleman Jackson had taught him the skill of visualization, and he found it helped keep him focused.

  He'd been full of excited energy in preparation for his first fight, but this time he was overflowing. He bounced back and forth from one foot to the next as he waited eagerly to begin. Excitement coursed through his body and he felt more than ready to start.

  “Gentleman, we welcome the Duke of Ludington back to the ring,” the announcer shouted as Levi stepped forward. The roars of the crowd were deafening. “We also welcome back his opponent, the formidable Lord Devereaux.”

  Levi glanced at Lord Devereaux, a well-muscled man with a black eye and a crooked nose, presumably from a past boxing injury. The man bared his teeth and growled in Levi's direction then spit upon the ground between them. Levi glared back.

  Soon, an umpire came and escorted both men to their respective corners before signaling the start of the match. The familiar game began, both men dancing back and forth, engaging eye contact as both of them waited patiently for the right time to strike.

  Lord Devareaux moved first, striking so swiftly it caught Levi off guard. His fist hit Levi squarely in the jaw, causing his neck to snap viciously to one side. Before he had the chance to right himself, Lord Devareaux was hitting again, this time on the side of his face. The air whooshed out of Levi's lungs as he stumbled backward and barely caught himself from stumbling.

  He quickly righted himself and put his hands back into position before his face and darted forward, eager to enact justice. His natural inclination was to pounce, go straight for the man's gut, but something told him to be patient and wait. He managed to hold back, barely skirting away from another one of Lord Devereaux's hits.

  One of Levi's greatest skills in the ring was his agility. He shook his head clear and focused solely on moving back and forth, away from Lord Devereaux's punches until he'd managed to wear the man out a bit. Finally, seeing that his opponent had grown slightly tired, he moved in, ready to strike. His fist caught Lord Devereaux in the side, knocking the air out of the man. Over and over he hit him in the same spot until the man stumbled to the side. Levi took advantage of his weakness and used his other fist to punch him in the gut.

  The crowd's cheers grew to a deafening pitch, but Levi did not let it distract him. He was about to punch Lord Devereaux in the face when the man, seemingly out of nowhere, got his second wind and charged Levi, barreling into him with both fists and sending him sprawling to the ground. Dust flew up all around him, causing him to cough.

  Levi scrambled backward as Lord Devereaux went to kick him in the side. He was barely able to escape the punishment and scurry to his feet and resume his fighting position before Lord Devereux was on him once more, growling angrily through his swollen lips.

  Back and forth they went, in a dangerous dance of fists, both men getting equally battered. Levi felt his strength begin to wane as the fight continued on, much longer than the first one. He knew that matches could go on for an inordinate amount of time, but he'd never participated in one that had. He found that he had to focus more fully to avoid getting distracted by his exhaustion and the chaotic crowds surrounding him.

  Soon, an uppercut to his jaw sent Levi flying backward. His back met the ground with a loud thump, and all the air in his lungs was forced out of him. His head throbbed from the hit, both the one from Lord Devereux and the one from the ground. He rolled to his side and groaned as he struggled to get to his feet.

  He closed his eyes as his head swam and tried to convince himself he could do it, he could stand up and continue the fight. Though he was bloodied and bruised, Levi was unwilling to give up and concede to Lord Devereux.

  Pushing himself up on his hands, he hung his head for the briefest of moments before he heard a vaguely familiar voice call out from the crowd, “Levi!”

  His head snapped towards the voice, and his eyes rapidly scanned the hordes of people, all blending together in the gray monotony until they settled upon striking waves of green and he gasped. If Lydia had come to this match disguised as a boy, he'd kill her.

  Anger filled him, blinding him to anything else, causing him to bolt to his feet in a surge of adrenaline. The crowd let out a collective gasp as he exerted all of his energy and charged at Lord Devereux, though all he truly wanted to do was dash into the crowds and discover if the skinny young man had truly been Lydia in disguise. He had to finish the match before he could discover for himself if it were true.

  With a new-found strength, Levi began punching Lord Devereux's face, rapidly and forcefully, until the man nearly tipped over. Blood shot from his mouth and his nose, splattering violently across the ring, and Levi, with every hit that he took. Feeling nothing but rage at the thought that Lydia might have been foolish enough to come to the boxing match, Levi continued on until Lord Devereux fell to his knees and shortly after collapsed to the ground, defeated.

  The crowd roared so loudly the walls shook, but Levi had no time to revel in his victory. His eyes scanned the crowds hungrily, looking for flashes of sea green until they settled on a curvaceous young boy scurrying from the crowds, heading straight for the exit.

  Lydia's heart threatened to beat from her chest as she watched Levi boxing. She'd been shocked speechless when he'd been escorted to the ring and announced. She had no idea he participated in such sketchy pastimes. Her mind, however, was quickly distracted by the fine figure that he cut.

  Standing shirtless in the ring, she couldn't help but admire his physique. His broad shoulders were connected to a well-defined chest which slowly tapered down into a slender waist. Her stomach clenched tightly as she glanced at the ripples in his abdomen that disappeared into the top of his breeches. She'd never seen such a perfectly sculpted man before.

  His first fight had been brief, with Levi clearly coming off conqueror. She'd watched, mesmerized, as he skillfully danced around the ring, his chestnut locks falling haphazardly across his brow. He exuded virility and just watching him made her hunger to touch him, to throw herself into his arms and give herself to him completely.

  She'd been so caught up in her wicked fantasies that she'd forgotten Lady Sophia was at her side until her friend nudged her in the side and admitted, “He's glorious.”

  She shook her head in agreement, but inwardly Lydia was seething. How dare Sophia admire her man? Her thoughts instantly brought her back to reality. Levi was not hers, nor would he ever be. She tri
ed to ignore the sadness that threatened to well up inside of her as she attempted to re-focus on the match. By then, Levi had already won and was being escorted from the ring. Lydia watched him until she could no longer see him, then sighed.

  “I told you-you wouldn't regret coming,” Lady Sophia said smugly.

  Lydia glanced up at the girl's cap and noticed a golden curl had escaped its confines. “Tuck your hair inside,” she quickly instructed.

  Lady Sophia did so, then quickly scanned the crowds shrewdly. Lydia noticed her friend was constantly taking in her surroundings and wondered if the girl was more nervous about being there than she let on. She tried not to let that add to her nerves and turned at once back to the fights.

  Lydia and Sophia watched several more matches, but Lydia had to confess that none of them held the same appeal for her as did watching Levi fight. His body looked as if it had been sculpted by Greek Gods, the epitome of perfection, and she had to admit to herself that she hungered for it in a way that made her feel very, very unladylike.

  Lady Sophia had explained to her that since Levi won his first match, he'd be fighting again later that night. That knowledge kept Lydia in eager anticipation all evening, helping her to tolerate the other matches that were not nearly so interesting to her.

  It quite shocked her to learn that her delicate sensibilities were perhaps not so delicate after all, for the raw brutality of boxing did not upset her the way she imagined it might most women of the ton. Pugilism was not revolting to her, as she imagined it would be to most gentlewomen. She found it to be most exhilarating and quite fascinating.

  As soon as the current match was finished, two new opponents were escorted to the ring, and Lydia gasped. Lord Whitworth sauntered to the middle of the ring, reminding her very much of a peacock strutting about.

  Her head snapped toward Lady Sophia to get her reaction as she exclaimed, “Your brother is here.”

  Lady Sophia rolled her eyes. “Yes, do you not remember that I divulged his secret to you upon our first meeting?”

  Lydia sighed, “I must've forgotten. Shall we flee before he recognizes us?”

  Sophia laughed. “Are you serious? Gilbert wouldn't recognize his own mother if she were here undisguised. When he's here, he's fully preoccupied with his sport. He has a lot of money riding on the outcome of this match. Be quiet and enjoy yourself, for I can assure you he will never notice us.”

  Why did Lady Sophia always sound so confident? Lydia wondered as she glanced back to the ring. Was she foolish to trust her new friend so implicitly?

  Watching Lord Whitworth box did nothing for Lydia. Though he was solid and had muscles just as defined as Levi's, his appearance failed to turn her insides into mush or stir her in such a way that she wanted to abandon everything she'd been taught just to spend one night in his arms.

  Unsurprisingly, Lord Whitworth won his match without much competition. He strutted about the ring; one fist raised victoriously in the air as he the crowd chanted his name over and over again. Lydia rolled her eyes and wondered how long he'd prance about reveling in his own glory.

  Her irritation was soon forgotten, however, when Levi was once more escorted to the ring. Lady Sophia leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I've got some business I need to attend to. Excuse me for a moment, will you?”

  Fear gripped Lydia's heart. “You're going to leave me alone?”

  “Only for a moment. Stay here and watch the fight. I'll return before it's over.”

  Having no other choice, Lydia nodded her head then watched as Sophia turned and disappeared into the crowds. Feeling unsettled, Lydia turned her eyes back to the ring and quickly became distracted by Levi. His solid chest flexed as he got into fighting position. His gaze was trained on his opponent, and she could tell he was focused on nothing other than the fight.

  The fight faded before her as she found herself increasingly distracted by the way the muscles in his arms rippled or the way his chiseled abdomen flexed. How could one man be so perfectly sculpted, she wondered, unwilling to take her eyes off such a manly display of perfection.

  It soon became apparent that this fight would not be as easily won like his last. Lord Devereux was a formidable opponent and showed Levi no mercy. Lydia cringed as she watched him get hit over and over. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she wanted to cry out when Lord Devereux hit Levi's jaw so hard it sent him sprawling to his back. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see him hurt.

  All around her the crowd began chanting his name, encouraging him to get up and continue fighting. Lydia reluctantly opened her eyes just in time to see him hang his head dejectedly. No! He couldn't give up now.

  Without even thinking, she stepped forward and called out, “Levi.” She wanted so badly to go to him and help him to his feet.

  He must have heard her, because his head whipped in her direction and his brown eyes settled upon her before filling with rage. Lydia gasped and immediately took a step backward into the crowd as she watched him jump to his feet and turn on Lord Devereux.

  He couldn't have recognized her; she reasoned as her heart beat so rapidly she felt as if she might swoon. She had to get out of there. She had to find Sophia and leave before his match was finished and he could find her, confirming her presence there. She ducked her head and ran through the crowds, pushing up against sweaty, dusty bodies as she went.

  Loud cheers rang out, and she figured Levi must have won the match, but she couldn't turn around and look, she had to keep moving forward. But what if she didn't find Sophia? What would she do then?

  So many questions filled her mind, but she only had one desire, and that was to leave. She scanned the crowds once more, but Sophia was nowhere in sight, so she continued onward until she broke free from the building. The cool night's air did nothing to settle her nerves. She stepped from the curb and breathed a sigh of relief as a hack came into view. She quickly hailed it and jumped inside before it even came to a complete halt.

  “Take me to Berkley Square,” she instructed the driver before collapsing against the seat.

  Lydia felt exhausted by the time the hack dropped her off on the corner of her street. She alighted and pulled her jacket tightly around her as she hastily began making her way towards home. She was halfway there when she pulled to a halt. She couldn't go home; her parents thought she was sick in bed at the Whitworth's.

  Lydia wanted to cry, her impulsiveness making it so she couldn't think clearly. She stood beneath the gas-lit lamp and tried to decide what she should do as her body began to shake.

  “Get inside,” a low voice growled, causing Lydia's head to snap up. In her misery, she'd failed to notice a carriage had pulled up to the curb.

  She shook her head and began backing away, fear slithering around her heart like a snake around a warm rock in the garden. Soon, a strong hand reached out and clasped her jacket, pulling her forcefully inside. She gasped in alarm and tried to break free, but the man's grasp was unyielding.

  “Shut up before you cause a scene.”

  Lydia's eyes adjusted to the dark confines of the carriage and she recognized Levi's voice at once. She was unsure if she should be relieved or frightened. The menacing look on his face suggested the latter was probably most appropriate.

  “What are you doing here?” she managed to squeak out.

  He managed to look nonplussed for a moment before he seethed, “I'll be the one asking the questions. What were you doing at the boxing match tonight? Haven't you learned that dressing like a boy and entering establishments that are not designed for ladies is dangerous?”

  Lydia became defensive. “Haven't you learned that what I do is of no concern to you.”

  It was the wrong thing to say. Levi jumped across the carriage, grasped the collar of her shirt, and pulled her forcefully to his chest. “Everything you do concerns me, you fool. When will you learn that?”

  For a moment, Lydia was speechless. His hardened face was so close to hers she was tempted to reach out and touch i
t. “I was perfectly safe, Levi. Lady Sophia made sure to see to that.”

  “Ha!” he scoffed, not comforted by her words at all. “Lady Sophia couldn't keep a fly safe if she wished to. Two women disguised as boys in a setting full of men of ill repute does not guarantee anyone's safety. When will you learn, Lydia? When will you learn?”

  “I didn't know you'd be there,” she admitted lamely.

  “Well, I'm damn glad that I was. Who would've protected you otherwise?”

  Anger welled up inside of her. “I don't need protected, Levi. I've done a fine job of keeping myself out of harm’s way without you.”

  His body stiffened as he pulled her closer to him. Lowering his face towards hers, he hissed, “Have you so soon forgotten Dead Man's Tavern?”

  Guilt weaseled into her breast, but she quickly tried to squash it down.

  He continued, “Have you so soon forgotten that a man's strength will allow him to do with you as he wishes?” To prove his point, he pushed her down on the seat, flat on her back as he pressed himself atop her. Pinning her hands down above her head he seethed, “I could have my way with you right here in my carriage if I so wished it, and there's nothing you could do about it.”

  Surprisingly, the look in his eyes didn't frighten her; it only exhilarated her. She squirmed beneath him until her hips were pressing against his. “Then do it, Levi. Show me what you've been so intent on teaching me from day one.”

  His eyes flashed with longing, and she pressed up against him again to show him she was serious. Without letting go of her hands, his head dipped to hers, and he caught her mouth in a passionate embrace. Lydia participated hungrily, trying to drink her fill of the man who consumed her every waking minute. She knew she couldn't have him for a lifetime, but she could have him right now, this very minute, and there was nothing that would stop her.