“You can’t mean that.” Jerking her hand out from beneath his, she appeared stricken, and he wondered if he could locate someone to flay his back before dawn, even as he knew turning her away unmercifully was the kindest thing he could do.

“I’ll want to see the child, of course. In secret.” Always in secret because they couldn’t risk anyone noting any similarities in appearance between the twelfth Duke of Lushing and a man who owned a gaming hell and a notorious club that catered to women’s fantasies. “We’ll work out the details later. Send word when you’ve given birth.” He was amazed by how cool he was able to keep his tone when everything inside him was being shredded into useless bits.

Fire burned in her eyes. He preferred the fire to the sorrow, knew she would find the strength to move forward. It was one of the reasons he loved her. She would not be cowed or deterred. “It seems I misjudged you, Aiden Trewlove.”

“More’s the pity. I’ll walk you to your carriage.”

“Don’t bother. I can see myself out.”

Her strides were filled with purpose, her arms swinging with her righteous anger.

“Lena?”

She stopped but didn’t look back at him, and he admired her restraint, her fury. “Find a man who loves you.”

“I thought I had.”

She jerked open the door and gave a startled yelp. His floor boss was standing there, his fist raised as though he were in the process of knocking.

“What the devil is it, Toombs?” Aiden barked.

“There’s a woman to see you, sir. I escorted her to your office. She’s waiting for you there.”

Lena swung around and skewered him with her gaze as though his man had just delivered evidence of his unfaithfulness to her. “Have her return in the morning. I’ll see her then.”

He wasn’t in the mood for a meeting with some high-bred woman wanting her daughter escorted out should the young chit visit.

“She says she’s your mother.”

Alarm spread through him. His mum never came here, didn’t completely approve of the place. He was charging through the doorway before Lena continued her journey through it. “Escort the lady out,” he told Toombs as he edged past him.

“I don’t need—”

But Lena’s words trailed away as he rapidly put more distance between them. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. His mum wouldn’t be here otherwise. A dozen scenarios went through his mind, all involving his siblings and a dire accident.