Page 44 of Devil in Her Details

Dagger scoffed. “In advance? A bunch of gutter rats like you? Are you that trustworthy?”

“He said he had his ways to know if we did the job or not! Said he’d be back if we didn’t, and we’d lose our heads!”

“I’ll have Serpent sniff around the Stag,” Reaper said. “There might be some of his men nearby. We’ll find his trail.”

Dagger cursed, pinching the bridge of his nose hard. He hadn’t wanted to leave their dungeon without the information he needed. Damn it. How the hell was he supposed to face Lilly with no answers? “Fine.”

“What do we do with these fools?” Reaper asked.

Dagger sneered. There was only one damn thing to do. “Set them free.”

“Are you sure?” Reaper asked skeptically. “We can let them rot for a few weeks first.”

“No. They might lead us right to Calvington. Or better, when that arse learns they were beaten, he might even show himself again.”

“Very well. As you wish, frère.”

Dagger nudged the man with his boot, taunting. “You have a problem with that, boy?”

“No!” the man spat.

He nodded to his two unconscious comrades. “Will your friends have a problem with that?”

“They won’t! I promise they won’t!”

“Good.” Dagger considered them. “On second thought, let’s keep them for a day or two, allowing the suspense to thicken. Send some rumors around town that the fools who thrashed a milliner’s shop have been captured by Dagger Fury.”

“You sure you want your name out there, frère? Give up that advantage? Right now that nob might not know your identity yet.”

“I want him to know. Want him to come.”

Reaper grunted. “Maxen won’t like this. You still haven’t experienced the sting of his tongue after your little thumb incident. He doesn’t want any aristocracy in town near his wife.”

“Unrealistic.” If he wanted no aristocracy in town, he should have burned that eyesore the Prince Regent had built to the damn ground.

“You think I don’t know that? Since marrying, he and Drake have turned into worse damn beasts when it comes to their women.”

Lilly’s face rose in his mind.

He couldn’t blame them. He’d have done the same. He might even outdo them. Considering all his brothers, Maxen and Drake might be the tamest in that respect. This big-mouth Reaper might even turn out the worst. If he ever married. Then again, not one of them had ever thought they’d take a wife. Dagger certainly hadn’t. This life of theirs . . . it was too tumultuous. He’d never begrudge his brothers their happiness, but Dagger didn’t know what they were bloody thinking.

If love made one make such questionable decisions, let him never love.

“They’ll deal with it or they won’t. It has already come to this point. I can’t undo what I’ve done.”

“You can undo some things.”

Dagger eyed his brother. “You’re talking about Lilly.”

“Cut ties.”

“That won’t stop that madman from coming after me.”

Reaper crossed his arms. “It will if you don’t put your name out. Let the little cat handle her own affairs.”

Dagger shook his head. “I made a deal with her.”

“Seems to me you saw to your end of it,” Reaper remarked, motioning to the man at their feet.