Page 104 of Devil in Her Details

“Dagger,” Carlisle repeated flatly, then sneered, “Quite a telling name. Was carrying you around part of his duties?”

“Of course not,” Lilly hedged. “I scraped my knee.” The lamest explanation ever, but there it was.

Dagger said not a word and remained nerve-rackingly silent.

“Well, that makes everything better, does it not?”

“Carlisle,” Lilly warned. She knew her brother was in protective lion rage, but he didn’t have to be rude.

He dragged a hand through his hair. “Gather your things, we’re leaving.”

Lilly stiffened, hesitating.

She’d known this was coming. From the moment Carlisle showed up before her, there was only one logical conclusion. But she wasn’t prepared to leave yet. All her belongings were still in Brighton. She’d only just met Calliope and Violet. There were still things she had to do. Wanted to do. And there was her panther . . .

What should she do?

She loved her brother, and she didn’t want to hurt him by going against him either. She also didn’t want to set off like this. She had arrived at the inevitable crossroads, and there was no direction that felt good to take.

Dagger spoke at that moment. “Don’t you want to meet Calvington? We have him tossed in a dungeon.”

Lilly’s gaze whipped to Dagger, but his eyes were on her brother.

“You have Calvington?” Carlisle said skeptically.

Dagger gave a single, curt nod.

A purely evil grin formed on her brother’s face. “Well, let’s go, then.”

Lilly blinked at the two men. What was happening right now?

*

“I can’t believe you really tossed him in a dungeon,” Lilly’s brother, the Earl of Kingsleigh, said.

Dagger didn’t bother to answer. The man could see it for himself, and Dagger, well, his attention was on the woman at his side. Her presence curled around him like a Siren’s call. Inviting him to his ruin.

He knew what her brother’s arrival meant.

Their arrangements were over. They were over. Her time for departure had finally come. And damn if he didn’t want to toss the duke into the cell along with Calvington and forget about their existence. That way, he could keep the lynx all to himself, and she would have no reason to return to London.

She’d probably object to that plan, though.

He inched closer to her, keeping his eyes on her brother and Calvington, who looked much worse than before. If he could have helped it, he’d not have had Lilly enter this place that reeked of piss. However, any moment now, she’d leave his sight never to return. He’d take all the scraps of moments left to him. Even the ones he wished to avoid at all cost. In the face of her departure, what did they mean anyhow?

The arse scrambled to his feet, his eyes falling on Dagger first, and with undisguised hatred, no less. They then shifted to Lilly with an equally ugly look, before stopping on Carlisle. Calculation replacing all else.

“Blazes,” Lilly murmured.

“Kingsleigh, I’m glad you’ve come. This is an outrage! Your sister and that devil locked me in this damnable place. I demand satisfaction!”

“Satisfaction will be had,” Kingsleigh said. “But not by you. In fact, these men have done me a service. They’ve spared me the job of hunting you down and dealing with you myself.”

Calvington’s face contorted.

“I’ve bought your debt, too,” Kingsleigh added.

Dagger arched a brow. Seemed that some schemes were the same no matter the station.