Prologue

He had to be in the wrong place.

Noise assaulted his ears until his hands itched with the urge to cup them. Vincent Latrice was quite used to hustle and bustle, accustomed to loud and abrasive men shouting at him to get their businesses done. In his line of work, Vincent assumed that he had interacted with all walks of life. But this? This was unlike anything he had seen before and he wanted to leave.

Only the single sheet of paper in his hand kept him where he was as he stared at the sight before him. Roars erupted into the night sky, which was oddly devoid of light. It seemed both the moon and the stars were hiding from the violent scene below. Only a few paces away from him, two men grappled with each other, one of the men putting the other in a headlock. Onlookers shouted their encouragements, while others stood off to the side placing their bets.

He was at a fighting ring.

Not just any fighting ring, though. The likes of which were often whispered in hush tones among men, the outcomes talked about for days until the next. Vincent couldn't believe that it was happening at the very same dock he would accept shipment of his goods.

With a quiet sigh, he looked down at the hastily written contract he'd done just before leaving his comfortable manor to come to…this place. The terms were simple, he thought. Yet weighty enough that he wasn't sure if the other party would be willing to sign.

Vincent looked up when the crowd roared again. One of the men was struggling to get to his feet while the other stood over him with his fists raised. Vincent's eyes remained on the man standing. He wasn't nearly as bloody and bruised as his opponent and the size difference between them marked him as the clear winner before the match even began. Those who had placed their bets on the man still attempting to stand shouted lewd things at him, their frustration obvious.

A burly man stepped into the ring just as the struggling fighter collapsed. The crowd erupted, the noise so deafening that it was a wonder they weren't disrupting the nearby neighborhood. Vincent couldn't even hear the victor being announced.

He studied the man's face. He didn't smile, didn't even seem to care that he had won his fight. He just sauntered out of the ring, in Vincent's direction.

"My lord." Vincent stepped in his path. The man's eyes flashed with irritation before his entire expression curled with it.

"Do not call me that here," he hissed. Then he looked Vincent up and down. "Who are you?"

"Should I call you by your given name then?" Vincent asked. All he received were narrowed eyes in response. "Austin then. I have been looking for you."

Austin didn't deign to reply. He crossed his arms and waited.

Vincent ignored the tickle of apprehension at the base of his spine. He'd dealt with more dangerous men than him, he reminded himself. Then again, there weren't many bastards who could say they'd claimed an earldom. Austin Thomas might be more dangerous than Vincent gave him credit for.

"A friend of mine—and I suppose of yours as well—told me where I could find you," Vincent explained. "I have a proposition for you."

"I am not interested."

Austin attempted to walk away but Vincent caught his shoulder. At the look Austin gave him, he quickly let go. "It will be worth your while, I assure you. I have done my research and I know you are in need of money, which I have. All you have to do is—"

"I said, I am not interested." The ice in his voice could have frozen a volcano but Vincent would not be deterred. Austin was his only hope. If he didn't want to take him up on his offer, then his sister was doomed.

"Read it first." Boldly, Vincent shoved the crumpled contract into Austin's hand and quickly backed away. "My address is stated on that paper. If you would like to take me up on the offer then visit me. If not, you may ignore it."

"I said I don—"

"Thank you!" Vincent turned and jogged off, not daring to look back. He listened for footsteps behind him and only breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that he wasn't being followed.

That didn't mean he was going to accept his offer, however. Vincent understood that but he didn't dare to consider the possibility. He couldn't. His sister's future was riding on Austin's acceptance. Or else she would die a spinster.