Page 45 of Devil in Her Details

“We have a deal that I will protect her until she returns to London.”

“Then we drive her back to London if we must. This isn’t our trouble, frère, or have you forgotten we have our own?”

“I bloody know that.” How could he damn well forget? They’d found another brother and that brother had betrayed them. Their uncle was out for their blood. Or their sanity. The man belonged in Bedlam. And they were operating blind. But Lilly Trenton and her troubles had become his, and they weren’t going to go away just because he cut ties. He’d made an enemy of Calvington. An enemy for life. Whether the man discovered his identity now or later, it was all the same. “And the marquess might already know who I am.”

“You don’t know that.”

The sound of footsteps approached, followed by Saint entering, his gaze sweeping over their prisoners before back at him.

Dagger instantly caught his displeasure. “What’s wrong?”

“The woman’s gone.”

Dagger’s heart dropped to his boots. “What the devil are you talking about?” he growled.

Saint stared at him for a long minute, jaw clenching. “Knight and I escorted her home.”

Dagger’s face darkened, cursing his infernal brothers. Could they not have come and gotten him? “Why the hell would you do that?”

“She wished to leave.”

Damn it. “That doesn’t excuse you for not coming to bloody get me.”

Saint shrugged.

“Where is Knight now?” Dagger demanded.

“He stayed behind to make sure there wasn’t any unwanted company hanging about.”

So they hadn’t lost their minds fully yet.

“This might be for the best, frère.”

Dagger shot Reaper a hard look. What the devil did he know? And why did she want to leave? Was this because he hadn’t answered her questions and drawn a clear line? She would have to be a fool not to sense the distance he wished to create, and Lilly was no fool. She was clever. Too clever for her own good. But what was she thinking returning home after what had happened today?

He strode from the dungeon, tossing over his shoulder. “Lock them in.”

Reaper cursed, and Saint, this arse, followed on his heel. “You didn’t have to go out with Knight,” Dagger said darkly. “You could have come for me.”

“I know.”

Dagger whirled on his brother. “Then why the devil didn’t you?”

“Because it’s already decided. Maxen wants her gone, Drake agrees, and I wasn’t about to let you stop her. It’s done. Walk away.”

Dagger lunged forward and grabbed Saint by the collar. “And who the hell are you all to decide that?”

“It’s for the best. I told her she doesn’t belong here. To return home.”

Dagger knuckles whitened around Saint’s collar. “You did what?”

“She doesn’t belong here.”

“You don’t get to decide that,” Dagger roared. And yes, he sounded bloody hypocritical, but damn it, this was his business.

His brother said nothing.

“Get the hell out of my sight,” Dagger growled, pushing his brother away from him in disgust, not sure for how much longer he could keep his rage in check.