The Duke's Surreptitious Ways (Rafael Benedict Valiente)

Chapter 23: Strike

Raffy's POV

Morrison's piercing gray/green eyes staring fiercely at me. His eyes were like a sword piercing into its adversary's heart, digging deeper. I leveled him with a burning hard stare, eyes glinting fire that could burn a soul. My hands curled into a tight ball, fighting the temptation to beat him into a pulp.

The tension in the room thickening, you could slice it with a knife, yet no one would want to back down.

I smirked.

"Please, William!" Maria begged, pulling him down to his seat. Morrison clenched his jaw and obeyed silently, but his form couldn't hide the repressed anger.

Maria shifted her gaze between grandpa and me. "You grace," she started, eyes lingered on me, and I met her soft brown ones. "My father is expecting the alliances to happen, though I'm quite happy to hear that there will be no arranged wedding, I can't disappoint him. If you may, I would like you to speak to him and explain what happened. I'm afraid he'll think that I did something to jeopardize this event."

I understand her circumstances, and I commend her selfless love for her family and her duties. "Of—"

"Then I'll marry you!" Nikolai interjected causing everyone to snapped their eyes at him, including me.

What in the hell has gotten to him?

Marry? It wasn't in his vocabulary. He never dated anyone. Sure, he had a fair share of women in his life, but he loves his bachelorhood too much to give it up for marriage.

"That still made the two countries allied is I marry her, is it, dedushka?" Just then I noticed Grandpa was staring at Nikolai who was now standing next to Maria.

"Are you sure, Nikolai?" Grandpa asked.

Nikolai stared at Maria. She was staring at him, lost. The two stared at each other while we waited for Nikolai's response. It seemed that there's something we don't know between the two.

"Well," Grandpa broke the silence. "I guess I'm going to talk to Mario. I'll see if he'll agree with the new proposition." I stared at grandpa, hoping that Mario would agree to it. "So Maria," Grandpa said causing Maria to break their staring contest and shifted her eyes to the old Duke. "If Nikolai will marry you, will you accept?" grandpa asked, shifting his gaze between the two.

Nikolai's face gave nothing away. He looked calm, yet no emotions in his eyes.

"It's really kind of Nikolai for trying to save me from humiliation and the wrath of my father, but I don't want to be the ruin of his happiness. I'm sorry, I don—"

"Can't you make me happy?" Nikolai shot back, interrupting her. His muscles taut, lips in a grim line as he stared at her intently. He downed whatever left in his glass, then he deposited it on the coffee table, then stood next to Maria with hands in his pockets.

"I don't love you," Maria swallowed hard, and Nikolai's face suddenly darkened in a repressed fury.

"I don't need love, Maria. Only stupid people believe in one. It was only a figment of their wild imagination. Men only need someone to warm their bed, and I'm sure you're good at tha—"

"Don't talk to my cousin like that!" William rose to his full height and charged at Nikolai, but Maria was quick to interfere, blocking Morrison before he could reach Nikolai. 

"There will be no wedding, Nikolai. And thank you for believing me that I can make you happy, but I'm not willing." Maria clenched her teeth and gave my brother a gaze that could slice through him.

"Go get some rest, Nikolai!" Grandpa stood up, giving my brother a warning stare, and Nikolai stared back at grandpa with repressed anger, but he obeyed anyway. Grabbing his wet coat, he stormed out of the room.