Page 10 of Devil in Her Details

“I don’t normally work with leather.” Her arms remained crossed.

A chuckle nearly escaped. “Leather is a remarkable material.”

“And just how will you deal with my . . . pest?”

He couldn’t miss how her mind raced as she stared at him. Dagger did chuckle then, all sorts of images flashing through his mind. “It’s better that you don’t know, love.”

“Don’t call me that, and I don’t trust you.”

“Smart.”

She stared at him for a moment. He couldn’t tell if she was going to take offense or count his word as a compliment.

“Very well.” She perused him again from top to bottom. “I shall make this dagger belt for you. However, since I’ve never made one, optimistically, I estimate it should take me about a week. And I can’t promise the end product.”

Dagger inclined his head. “A deal.” He wasn’t used to facing a woman like this, didn’t know what to say next, so he turned to head out.

“You’re not leaving, are you?” Her head cocked to the side. “I must take your measurements.”

He glanced back over his shoulder to her. “I’m taking care of your problem.”

“Not now!” she hissed, eyes rounding as she glanced worriedly through the window before returning her gaze to him. “He’ll know I sent you!”

“He’ll always know.”

“Urgh! You’re impossible.” She stepped in front of him, actually stepped in front of him, which, given the difference in their sizes, was rather admirable of her. She glared up at him, jabbing a finger to the back of the shop. “Since we have a deal, I’ll take your measurements first. Or do you believe I’m so good I don’t even need those?”

Dagger let out a grim breath of resignation. All his past experience with women had always been a fair trade. Favor for favor. Nothing about this encounter with this woman could be considered fair. That would imply willingness on all scores. He’d been begrudgingly compelled against his better judgment. And she was begrudgingly compelled, given his threats. But despite all that, he knew, without doubt, this woman would circle him with that sharp tongue of hers and leave him coughing up blood on his knees if he didn’t comply.

“Very well. Lead the way.”

Chapter Three

Lilly led the giant man to her backroom, questioning what madness had possessed her to agree to this his request. However, perhaps even unfortunately, that wretched pursuer of hers proved a throb in her temples greater than a leather belt strap for daggers—whatever that entailed. But what concerned her even more was how word had gotten out to this ruffian-looking behemoth to the extent that he even knew about Allie and Leo. Though, she had tried her best not to react to that drop of information. She didn’t want to reveal how much they meant to her in case the situation escalated in the wrong direction.

Was she being tricked?

Could Calvington be behind this?

But she couldn’t fathom him being acquainted with this rugged, raffish man. However, this Dagger Fury knew things. Knew things he shouldn’t know. And what sort of man called a woman smart because she didn’t trust him?

The dangerous sort.

The confident sort.

Not even to dwell on the fact that a belt in exchange for sorting out her “pest” was a wildly uneven measure of cost. But that was neither here nor there anymore. A bargain had been struck. So there was nothing for it but to see it through. In any event, if this wasn’t some sort of trick, and he dealt with her pest as promised, didn’t she win?

Lilly retrieved her measuring tape from the table, keenly aware of his towering presence at her back. At least he did not invade her personal space and kept a proper distance from her. Perhaps he was as wary as she was. The passing thought caught the pulse of her heart. Ludicrous. Why would a man like him be wary? “First, I shall measure you.”

Her brow furrowed at the shuffle behind her. She glanced back at him.

And froze.

The man shrugged out of his coat and tossed the garment on her workstation, then promptly pulled his shirt over his head and flung it aside as well. Blazes. He stood before her like a black-haired Viking, bare-chested and magnificently, absurdly broad. The living definition of strength.

Fire flashed across her cheeks.

“What on earth?” Lilly snapped even as her pulse faltered at the scars mapping his chest. “Put your shirt back on!”