The Duke's Passion

"Excuse me." Sam took a large step over the body, bleeding on the floor, and then escorted me as well!

This dumbfounded me to the core, and my body could only follow. Sam… can't you read the situation?

"Ha!" The red-haired man chuckled, but Sam and I didn't stop.

Why? Because Sam didn't think that mocking laugh was meant for us.

"Interesting." The red-haired man commented.

I snuck a glance at him, and he was staring at us. My hand around Sam's arm slightly trembled.

Those pair of scornful eyes sent a chill run down my spine. It reminded me of those tough years where…

I stopped my thoughts and looked down. I should forget about those almost forgotten years. Forget about it, Lil.

Suddenly, Sam stopped and moved his attention to me.

"Are you alright, love? You're shaking." He asked.

Slowly, I raised my head. Sweats broke out from my forehead.

With a nod, I sported a force smile. "I think… I'm just hungry."

Lies.

Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously as his brows furrowed. I looked away, afraid he would be able to read me at this moment.

"What a lovely couple!" Suddenly, I heard the red-haired man exclaim, which was followed by a clap.

Yet Sam's attention remained on me. I tried to ignore the other man as well.

"Haha! You there! The white-haired man and that beautiful young lady!" Getting no response from us, the red-haired man called us by describing us. This time, he was successful.

Sam slowly turned around, blinking. "Beautiful young lady?"

He asked, tilting his head to the side. I tugged Sam's sleeve, as I was afraid he would be in a fight.

However, unlike what I had expected, the corner of his lips gradually stretched into a grin. The next second, Sam raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

"You mean my wife?" Sam's eyes brimmed with pride. "I know, right? She's the most beautiful woman a man could ever lay their eyes on and she's mine!" 

Silence. The establishment fell into nothing but silence. I nearly choke on hearing him boast.

Even the red-haired man's smirk instantly died down. I discreetly looked around. Sam's carefree attitude dumbfounded others; while the rest of the crowd looked at him as if they were looking at a foolish man.

Just moments ago, those sorts of gazes were for the woman and that man lying over there. But now, those eyes were for us.

I could not help but shrink behind Sam. I tugged his sleeve lightly. Alas…

Sam suddenly stepped aside. His hands spread open as if presenting an excellent product.

"See? From head to toe, she's perfect! No matter what angle I look, my wife is just perfect! And we're just talking about appearance here, we haven't gotten to her character! I can talk about her all day — no! For years! I don't think I can ever stop complimenting her…"

Sam went on and on without a pause to breathe. He sounded so proud, but…

Was he trying to sell me?

I gripped my hand tightly and bit my lower lip. My fear gradually transformed into embarrassment. 

He was praising me to the heavens. Goodness… I believed Sam was the only one who could see the "beauty" in me. I couldn't even see the beauty he had been saying all this time whenever I look in the mirror.

"What a fool." Amidst Sam's tattling, the red-haired man sneered.

His comment abruptly halted Sam. "I am, indeed, foolishly in love with my wife. Isn't that obvious?"

"Sam…" I whispered, reaching to his sleeve. Sam turned his head to me and tilted his head, baffled.

I sighed, seeing his clueless expression. So, instead of explaining it to him, I pointed my chin towards the man lying down.

Sam slowly shifted his gaze from me to the "strange floor decoration" he commented about. Still didn't understand my point. Sam looked around. All eyes from the restaurant's establishment were all on him.

But Sam didn't seem to care. Instead, he continued to travel with his gaze. When it landed on the woman who stopped stripping, a disdain expression resurfaced on his face.

"This is a whorehouse?" Sam gasped faintly and immediately faced me. "Oh, goodness, love! I think they deceived us…!"

Silence. Again, silence enveloped the entire restaurant. They were as dumbfounded as I was.

Sam's obliviousness confused me whether to laugh or cry. But what I'm certain, his oblivious behavior soothed me.

How hypocrite of me to say I'm not afraid because he's with me. There would always be this fear in me that would never go away.

"Hahaha!" After a long silence, the red-haired man burst out in laughters. "What a great idea! How about we make this a whorehouse for real?"

A wicked grin plastered on the man's lips. He gazed at the woman earlier with those scornful eyes.

"You. Why did you stop?" The red-haired man queried. Now, we've returned to square one as his attention returned to the poor woman.

The latter trembled and gritted her teeth. Her shaking hands continued where she left off. However, the cheers and eager eyes from earlier already vanished.

The red-haired man didn't care, though. Instead, his attention returned to me and Sam.

"How much?" He asked.

Sam furrowed his brows in puzzlement, tilting his head to the side.

"How much?" Sam repeated in a baffled tone.

"Your wife, I mean. Since you praise her to the heaven, telling us she's perfect at any angle, I want to see it for myself." The red-haired man smirked, shrugging nonchalantly. 

"Oh." Sam nodded in understanding. "She's not for sale."

"We can buy everything or anyone in Whistlebird. Can't you see him?" The red-haired man cocked his head towards the man lying in his own pool of blood.

Sam gazed at the man. "Obviously, I have eyes."

"Sam." Again, I tugged Sam's sleeve, which caught his attention. I said nothing further and just looked at him in the eye.

After sharing eye contact with him, Sam finally nodded as he understood the current ordeal. However, his demeanor didn't change. Instead, he offered me a reassuring smile.

"Ahh! My wife is so pretty I didn't notice this situation!" Sam chuckled and clapped his hands.

"Now that makes sense! I was wondering how come this vampire is lying here bleeding! I thought it was his occupation! Playing dead for a change! How silly of me!" 

What? I furrowed my brows. Did he say that the man on the ground was a vampire?

Just then, I recalled the red-haired man shouting about, showing fangs. This realization shook me to the core.

This man…? This man who was beaten almost to death was a vampire? But how come?

"Hah." Not pleased at Sam's attitude, the red-haired man sneered viciously. "It seems you're not from here."

But Sam paid him no attention. Instead, Sam trudged towards the man on the floor. He pulled him by the shoulder and roll it around.

"How pitiful. How did you end up like this?" Sam mumbled, tilting his head to the side.

"Please…" The man struggled to breathe. And yet, he was able to clasp Sam's chest with his mangled hands. "Sa… save her." 

"Tsk tsk tsk." Sam shook his head lightly, clicking his tongue in disappointment. "You mean that girl stripping for you? Why would I?"

Cold and remorseless, Sam refused. I didn't expect him to agree. Still, deep down, I felt… disappointed.

Sam squatted down lazily. His arms on his leg as he just casually chatted.

"Are you not ashamed? That girl is doing this to keep you alive from that psycho. Her situation is your fault because you can't protect her. I don't like the likes of you."