Free A Lover of Men by Julia Talbot Page A

the bed to stand next to Phineas. “You stay here with your lady.”
    “No. I need to see if Ned’s brother is behind this and deal with it.” Phineas stared into Rafe’s eyes, and fire burned between Lelia’s legs at the sight.
    Rafe nodded sharply, then put one hand behind Phineas’ head to pull him close for a kiss that appeared rough and desperate. “If you’re not back in an hour—”
    “Then you may come look for me.” Phineas bent and grabbed his boots, then came to Lelia, pressing a kiss to her mouth as well. “Be safe. I’ll return soon.”
    “Please.” She wanted to cling to him, but he needed to do this for himself, she thought. Perhaps for Ned.
    Phineas turned and left them, and Lelia would have followed, but Rafe caught her. “He needs to do this.”
    She whirled, hands clenched. “How can you say that? He’ll be killed.”
    “No, he won’t. He’s a soldier, and this Richard is a coward. Phineas will find him in public and call him out.”
    “Call him out? Are you mad? That’s illegal.” God, she had to catch Phineas.
    “He will not need to stoop to a duel,” Rafe told her, holding her in place. “But you will never be rid of this man if Phineas does not confront him.”
    “Let go.” She slapped Rafe’s chest. “I need to— mmph.”
    He kissed her as he had kissed Phineas, deep and desperately. He held her tightly, until she couldn’t catch a breath, until she slumped against him.
    “We will save him if we need to, woman,” Rafe told her. “For now we will wait for him.”
    Lelia nodded slowly, then offered her mouth for another kiss, needing reassurance. She had no idea how this was meant to work between the three of them, but somehow there were three, and she thought that was important.
    Rafe hugged her, and when Jack arrived with the tea, eyebrows as high as his hairline, they both dissolved into laughter.
    Now all they could do was wait.
    ***
    Phineas found Lord Richard Mattheson in a gambling hell. Oh, he’d tried White’s, but apparently the fellow was no longer welcome there. Something about him punching a young lordling in the nose.
    He had only a few minutes left in his hour by the time he found Mattheson sitting in a room that reeked of smoke and alcohol, trying his hand at whist. Rafe wouldn’t come after him for another hour, at least, as the man was quite familiar with London. The time limit had to be a bluff for Lelia’s sake.
    “May I sit in?” Phineas asked at Mattheson’s table, and was rewarded with a visible start from Ned’s brother. He paled, as well, and Phineas knew this had to be his man.
    “Sit, sit!” A florid older man waved him to a chair. “Always happy to have a new player to fleece.”
    Phineas pulled out a few notes. “I do not fall so easily, Sir.”
    “We shall see. Henry Barnaby. That’s Mayhew, and that’s Mattheson. You are?”
    “Sir Phineas Moore.” He nodded at the table at large. “Thank you.”
    “Don’t thank me yet, lad.” Barnaby winked at him, then dealt a new hand.
    “I understand you’re recently engaged, Sir Phineas,” Mattheson murmured. “Congratulations.”
    “Indeed. She is a delight.” Now, what was this about? Was Mattheson going to play this out so publicly?
    “I hope you will both have whatever you deserve.”
    “What a ringing endorsement,” Barnaby exclaimed. “Ante, if you please.”
    “Explain the stakes?” Phineas asked.
    “Very dear,” Mattheson said.
    “What now?” Bushy eyebrows drew together, and Barnaby glanced back and forth between them.
    “I fear I’ve lost my taste for the company,” Mattheson said. “Goodnight, gentlemen.”
    “Ah, but you were the opponent I was seeking.” Phineas stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
    Mattheson rose, nodding shortly to his companions, then left the room without looking back. Phineas followed, ready for anything, but Mattheson truly ignored him as if he hadn’t been trying to kill Phineas’ lovers for days.
    “Why do you hate me