In Bed With the Devil by Lorraine Heath

I flirt with her not at all. You can have only one woman, Luke, and you have claimed Frannie. I will do with Catherine as I please.”
    Luke came to his feet with such force that his whiskey sloshed over the sides of his glass as he towered over Jack. “You will leave her be.”
    He didn’t like the way Jack was studying him, with a speculative gleam in his eye. Nor did he particularly like the fury emanating from him at the thought of Jack giving Catherine any attention at all. What was the matter with him? What did he care who gave her attention? But just the thought of her with someone else set his blood to boiling.
    â€œAs you wish,” Jack said. “For now. Because you are my friend. But never make the mistake of thinking that you are my master.”
    Luke eased back and set the glass on the desk. “I’m off to play cards.”
    He needed something to distract himself from his unsettling thoughts. He’d almost smashed his fist into Jack’s face, almost ground out that Catherine was his. He’d never had such a visceral reaction where Frannie was concerned, so why did he feel so possessive of Catherine?
    She was nothing, simply a means to an end. While Frannie was everything.
    Â 
    â€œYou need to be wary of Jack Dodger.”
    It was nearly three in the morning, and Catherine was completely drained of all energy. They were traveling in the coach without benefit of light so they had little risk of being seen and recognized, not that she thought there was any chance of anyone she knew being about this time of night. He’d also drawn curtains over the windows. She thought the precautions extreme, but then she suspected he was accustomed to lurking about and knew best how to achieve anonymity.
    â€œWhy is that, my lord?”
    â€œYou intrigue him, and like me, he would ruin you without remorse.”
    â€œAnd you think I’d fall under his charms?”
    â€œIf he sets his mind to it, yes. Many a woman has.”
    She laughed lightly. “I assure you he doesn’t interest me in the least.”
    â€œHe’s a handsome devil.”
    â€œAgain, my lord, I’m amazed you’d think me so shallow. My opinion of a man is not influenced by something over which he has no control—such as comely features. I base my opinion solely on his character.” Which was the reason that she had such a low opinion of Claybourne. His character was questionable—in the extreme. But in spite of that, he still fascinated her— Drat him! “How is it that you know Mr. Dodger?”
    â€œHow much do you know of my past?”
    â€œI know you were orphaned. I know you spenta part of your youth living in the streets. Other than that, and what you’ve so kindly revealed, very little.” Still, a shiver went up her back. Here she was in a coach, in the dark, with a man who’d admitted to murder and deception, a man who’d taken her to a gaming hell as though it was the proper place for a woman.
    â€œHe was one of Feagan’s lads,” Claybourne said. “As was I.”
    â€œAnd who was Feagan?”
    â€œThe kidsman who managed our little band of child thieves, taught us our craft.”
    â€œHow many of you were there?”
    â€œA dozen or so. It changed, depending on who was caught and who was recruited.”
    â€œAnd Frannie?”
    â€œShe’s one of us as well.”
    â€œYou’ve had a very different upbringing than most lords.”
    â€œIndeed.”
    â€œIs that where you learned to kill?”
    â€œNo, it’s where I learned to steal.”
    â€œTo pick pockets?”
    â€œI was more prone to fleecing. Jack was the pickpocket.”
    â€œAnd Frannie?”
    â€œThe distraction.”
    â€œDo you miss it?”
    â€œWhat? Living on the streets? Being filthy, cold, and hungry? No. Never.”
    She wished she could see him more clearly in the shadows. She knew she shouldn’t be