Redeeming-Love-By-Francine-Rivers

R E D E E M I N G L O V E
“Look around you, my dear. There’s a fortune to be made here.” His
smile was taunting. “I came to take my share.”
Virgil saw them and came toward them. Her look didn’t warn him away.
Quite the contrary, he came all the more quickly. He looked Duke up and
down and glanced at her in concern. “You all right, ma’am? This man bothering
you?”
What did the poor fool think he could do about it? “I’m fine, Virgil.”
Duke gave him a cold smile. “Aren’t you going to introduce us, my
dear?”
She did so. Virgil had clearly heard the name before and looked stunned.
“You know this man?”
“Angel and I are very old and dear friends.”
Virgil looked at her, and she felt the need to say something more, to try
to explain. But there was little she could say. “We were acquainted in New
York. A long time ago.”
“Not all that long ago,” Duke said, his tone possessive.
“Don’t you own that place across the square?” Virgil asked. “The big one?”
“Indeed,” Duke drawled, amused. “Have you frequented my tables?”
“I haven’t been able to afford it,” Virgil said dryly.
“Shall we go, Angel?” Duke said, his hand tightening beneath her elbow.
“Go?” Virgil looked at her. “Go where?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Duke said warningly.
Virgil drew himself up to his full five feet. “It is if she don’t want to go
with you.”
Duke laughed.
Angel was surprised and touched that Virgil would willingly defend her,
even against a man like Duke, who could plainly destroy him without much
effort. “I—” She felt Duke’s fingers bite into her arm and was afraid what he
would do to Virgil if she even hesitated to go with him. “I’m sorry, Virgil.”
The poor little man looked so confused and hurt. He looked at her, and she
felt she had betrayed him, too, by not being truthful from the beginning.
Did she really think she could have a different life? What right had she?
“You’ll have to find yourself a new cook,” Duke said. “She’s coming back
where she belongs.”
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