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Grace stiffened, her bravado faltering under Gunning’s penetrating stare. His closeness, his heat, had an unsettling effect on her.

Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin in a defiant resolution. His gaze briefly dropped down her length, eyes roving over her figure in a way that made Grace’s stomach twist.

“I thought you left Hades’ employ,” he murmured.

“Indeed, I did.” Grace clasped her hands together so she wouldn’t fidget. The thief-taker’s gaze followed the subtle movement.

“And yet here you are entangled in another brothel scandal,” he noted.

“Hades has nothing to do with the House of Pain and Pleasure. You, of all people, should know that. Isn’t he your brother-in-law?” She arched a brow.

“Do you have anything to do with—?”

“Why are you here?” she demanded, cutting him off impatiently.

He let out a deep sigh as if disgusted by his own mission. “I’m here to help you and your friends. William said you could use my assistance.”

Grace groaned inwardly. “William is an idiot.”

“I’m not arguing that. But since he did ask for my help, it means you likely have no other choice. Hades is off on a romantic trip with my sister…”

Grace tensed but remained silent. She was loath to admit, even to herself, that she dearly wished Hades were by her side right now. She had always been there for him when he was in trouble. Yet where was he now?

Off on his late wedding trip with his wife. Granted, they earned it after everything they’d been through. Hades’ hell had been burned to the ground and they’d needed to fix it before trotting off into the sunset. In the meantime, Eloise had published a rather lurid book that was subsequently banned in most of the country. It took them a few years before they could celebrate their joining with a romantic adventure.

It was clear Grace hadn’t been his priority for the past few years. Perhaps she never truly had been.

“You have no one to rely on.” The thief-taker deftly rubbed more salt in her wound.

“And how can you possibly help me?”

“Well,” he shifted his weight from one foot to another, “the House of Pain and Pleasure has been closed since Lord Portsmouth’s murder. The King’s men are hunting every harlot, every worker, to interrogate. And they are known for… less than gentle methods. People are scattered, homeless. You likely want to resume your solitary life in this house, or whatever your life looked like prior to this predicament. And you might want to avoid false persecution for your… associations. So, if I solve this murder quickly, you can return to your charmed existence.”

She eyed him skeptically. “And in return?”

His lips relaxed slightly, eyes gaining a new, intense focus. “By arranging a meeting between me and one of the key witnesses.”

Grace stiffened. “And that would be…?”

“Madame Tricheuse.”

Grace fought very hard to stay still, not giving away her distress. “What do you want with her?”

“She is the prime suspect in the murder. I want to question her.”

A soft snort left her lips. “You want me to give her up so you can detain her?”

“Grace,” he said slowly, every letter lingering on his tongue. “That’s your name, right?”

Her heart quickened. “Right.”

“Listen, Grace. You seem like a very clever, level-headed woman despite your lack of judgment when it comes to selecting a vocation.”

“Vocation?” Grace let out a derisive sniff.

“An aristocrat is dead,” he said sharply. “And I will find the person responsible for his death. Right now, Madame Tricheuse is my only link to him. The way the murder was executed makes me think the killer is intimately familiar with the brothel. This makes me think that the brothel workers might know who this person is even if they don’t know that he or she is the killer.”

Why in the hell did William ask the thief-taker of all people for help? Especially the one who harbored hatred toward brothel and hell owners. She supposed if she wanted to find out who the real killer was and be exonerated, he was the man to contact. But what if he decided she was the killer?