Love Amidst Wars

fourteen

"That's the eighth glass, Your Grace," the bartender chuckled as he wiped some glasses with a cloth. Jake scoffed and snapped his fingers, "And? Go make me some more."

The bartender obeyed and went to make some strong alcohol for him. Jake felt his head spinning and rested it on the table, breathing in and out heavily. The door to the bar was slammed open and revealed some noisy noblemen walking in.

They were laughing and talking loudly which annoyed him more. "Bastards," he hissed and drank a new glass of alcohol that the bartender served. As soon as the liquid was finished, he threw the glass at the group of men.

They all gasped as they watched the glass shattered into pieces. Jake's chest was moving up and down as he breathed out heavily. He rolled up his sleeves and ran his fingers through his hair, feeling his body hot due to the alcohol.

"If it isn't the infamous Duke," the men scoffed before approaching him.

"You're being too loud, Lord Clarke," Jake frowned. The nobleman grabbed him by the collar, "But you didn't have to do that, you jerk."

Jake laughed before lunging a punch. He was too drunk to think straight. The other men came to beat him but he managed to dodge all of them. One by one, each of the noblemen fell with a bruised face.

"Your Grace!" The bartender hurried to him and held him back. Jake drunkenly spat at them, "You lowly nobles."

The door opened, revealing Clarissa who was laughing out of amusement, seeing her ex-fiancé intoxicated. She knew something was bothering him but it was too entertaining to watch him in that state. Hence, she just left him be.

"Lady Clarissa! I didn't know what happened but the Duke suddenly got into a fight," the bartender worriedly explained.

The woman sighed, "Leave him."

The bartender hesitantly obeyed and let go of the Duke from his arms. Jake groaned in pain as he lay down on the floor. She squatted down to take a good look before touching his face as if he was a trash she had found.

"My lady! Your fiancé started it first!" Lord Clarke yelled angrily. She chuckled, "He's not my fiancé anymore. Go clean yourself. You look horrible."

She returned to Jake, "If you were still my fiancé, I would probably have the heart to bring you home. But now, seeing your face annoys the hell out of me."

She kicked his stomach before leaving the bar.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Everything was pitch black. That was until Jake felt like being drowned in water. He immediately opened his eyes and saw his mother with an empty pail. Lady Eleanor frowned and slapped his back, forcing him to sit up straight.

"Embarrassing me in front of the Queen wasn't enough, you just had to get into a fight with Lord Clarke!"

"He started it first," he scoffed.

"By doing what?"

"By being loud."

She smacked his back and groaned out of frustration, "I want you to fix your relationship with Clarissa. The engagement is still going to proceed. I can't have you embarrass me like this!"

"I don't want to!" He argued back and lay down on his bed.

"You are a Duke, Jake! Aren't you ashamed of your behaviour? People are going to be speaking about this!"

He sighed before closing his eyes. Lady Eleanor stood up and went to draw the curtains. He squinted his eyes when the sunlight shined into his eyes.

"Mother," he called.

"What?" She answered, clearly still angry with the incidents that had happened. Jake sighed before saying, "Allow me to court Juliette Anderson."

"Are you crazy? That Viscount's daughter?"

He nodded and finally looked at his mother. She needed to sit down for a moment and calm herself down.

"You broke off the engagement with Clarissa to go and court Juliette? Do you know both of their families are not on good terms? Are you trying to create another scandal?!"

He stayed silent and lowered his head. She sighed before leaving the room, "I'm so tired of talking to you. Do whatever you want."

He scoffed before getting off the bed. He walked towards the mirror and breathed out before admiring himself, fixing his hair with his hand.

"I'm not going to let Jay get her. The competition's on."