Page 90 of The Wrath of the Marquess

Everyone spread around, forming a circle. Mrs. Parker paled to the point of looking about to faint. Lady Kingsley watched the scene through her fingers. Judge Quigley read the document again.

Ethan brought up his fists. Roxbury did the same.

“David will never be yours,” Ethan said with confidence. David’s future depended on his fighting skills.

“You’re going to make a fool out of yourself, Stark.”

Ethan lunged, aiming at Roxbury’s head. But Roxbury was a quick bastard, fast on his feet and coordinated. Ethan would give him that. And obviously, the blow to the head hadn’t been as serious as he’d claimed it to be.

“You’re quick,” he said as Roxbury smirked. “But then again, all cowards are fast. They need the speed to run from danger.”

Roxbury’s smirk vanished. He threw a punch that hit Ethan’s stomach. Dammit. He had to admit that Roxbury was a good boxer too. Ethan squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. The pain caused him to bend over, and Roxbury took advantage of the vulnerable position to punch Ethan’s shoulder. Immediate agony burst through his body. His muscles locked in reaction to the blow.

“It’s too easy.” Roxbury didn’t breathe hard. Not a drop of sweat glistened on his skin. “I’ll take everything from you, Stark. Although Cora and David have never been yours to start with. They are and always will be mine.”

No. They were Ethan’s family now. They belonged to Ethan, and Ethan belonged to them. Roxbury’s taunting only fed Ethan’s wrath further. He was so angry that the searing pain coursing through him became a dull throb.

He spun on his feet and caught Roxbury under the jaw with an uppercut. The impact hurt his own knuckles and burned his shoulder. He poured all his anger and hate into the punch. Roxbury spun on his feet in an elegant pirouette and dropped to the floor with a soft thud.

Ethan remained tense and ready, waiting for Roxbury to stand up. But he remained on the floor.

Finn rushed to the unmoving earl with his uneven gait and crouched.

“Is he dead?” Harry asked with too much excitement. “I bet a shilling on that.”

Finn rolled Roxbury onto his back and touched his neck. “Knocked out.” He staggered to his feet and raised Ethan’s arm. “Lord Stark wins.”

Then cheers exploded. Cora and David threw themselves at him. He hugged and kissed them among their tears and sobs. His shoulder hurt like the devil, and his legs trembled, but he’d never felt stronger.

epilogue

CORA DIDN’T WANT to cry. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t. But as she sat at the banquet table in her wedding gown after her wedding ceremony, she couldn’t stop tears of joy from welling in her eyes.

Next to her, Ethan looked handsome in his dark groom suit. His friends and soldiers filled the garden in a chaos of rising glasses and loud chatter. After Ethan had defeated Jacob, Judge Quigley had done nothing but complain about the legal situation of the centre and the poor management on Ethan’s part. Ethan had listened at the accusations without complaining. The judge had put money, resources, and effort into making the centre legal, likely because his sister was involved. But never mind. The Royal Veterans’ Society would stay where it was. No one would be kicked out. Jacob had lost the favour of London’s peers, opting to move to Bath. He wasn’t going to win the award for the most likable earl any time soon.

David never left Ethan’s side. Every time he called Ethan Papa, a burst of love made her happy. Ethan said it was the first time he’d been called Papa, but it was the first time for Cora and David as well. Never would she have thought her life could be so full of love and joy. It wasn’t just her wedding with Ethan thatmade her happy, but David. Watching him laugh, smile, and be a happy boy was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Ethan wiped her tears with his thumb. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

“Yes, to whatever you want.” Her voice sounded tiny although joy roared within her chest.

He laughed. “I’m afraid you’ll have to listen first because I need your approval.”

“What is it?” She jolted when Harry caused something to explode. It looked like a pine cone.

“I want to adopt David.” A little crease appeared between his eyebrows. “I want him to be legally and officially my son.”

“You’re his guardian. Do you really want to adopt him?”

“Absolutely. If he agrees.”

She couldn’t have imagined her joy could be greater. “That would be wonderful.”

She rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. He gazed down at her and kissed her hand.

“I’ve found my family,” he said, wrapping an arm around David as well.

“We both have.”

THE END