Page 126 of Devil in Her Details

Did they have to be that close? That must have been the most torturous thing in his life he’d endured so far. Second most torturous thing. Her leaving Brighton, him allowing her go—that still held the top spot.

He held her tighter against him.

He wasn’t allowing her to leave his sight again.

He would shamelessly attach himself to her side no matter what.

“Lilly,” he breathed. “Christ.”

A piercing wail pierced his skull.

Hell’s bells. That creature again. He’d never lay a hand on a woman, but he wanted to throttle this one.

He sent her a nasty glare, which instantly shut her up, his gaze catching on the man who his lynx had abandoned.

“Lilly,” he said softly, arching back enough to drink in her face. “Who did you dance with?”

She blinked rapidly at him. “Merrick?”

What a shite name.

“Just a family friend,” a male voice piped up. “Practically family.”

“I’m family,” Dagger growled at the man.

“He’s Allie’s brother,” Lilly said softly. “I was supposed to attend with them, but they couldn’t join in time.”

The tension drained from him. “So not a suitor?”

The nob scoffed. “Absolutely not. But you might want to set the lady down.”

Bloody never. He brought her tighter against him. She also didn’t attempt to scramble from his embrace. Christ, he loved her for that. Not that he could let go. His arms had locked around her, and they weren’t unlocking.

“What are you doing here, Dagger?” she asked, her breath grazing her neck. “I thought you’d never step into this world?”

He hadn’t intended to. He was here only for one look. But one look would never be enough. He could stare at her his whole life and that still wouldn’t be enough. Only, he found himself at another loss. He wasn’t putting her down. Should he simply kidnap her away? Or should he wait for her to signal as to how to navigate their reunion?

Kidnapping, seemed all right.

She suddenly sent him an accusatory glance. “Did you know?”

Dagger stilled. His eyes searched her pure, consternated ones. Had he done something wrong? “Know what, lynx?”

“That I loved you.”

His bloody heart stopped.

Could a heart stop? His damn well did. And then it did other things. Things that robbed him of all air. And grasped for life. One half had died when the morning he snuck out of her bedchamber. The other half of him had shattered watching her leave. All those parts exploded back to life, back into place, at her confession.

“You love me?” he heard himself say. Christ. He didn’t quite believe the word love had left his mouth. Was he still back in Brighton, sloshed? He wouldn’t be surprised if this were some cognac-soaked invention of his mind. He’d never believed a man like him could ever utter or find anything to do with the word love. No one had ever said those words to him before. Not once. Not in his entire life. He hadn’t known, until this moment, that he’d been waiting just for them. “No. Don’t answer that. You love me. You can’t ever take it back.”

Her eyes softened. “I wasn’t going to take it back, Dagger. I love you. My lips refuse to deceive my heart any longer. I love you, Dagger Fury.”

His heart latched onto those words like a bloody lifeline.

Her eyes exploded with suspicion. “You didn’t know I love you?”

How the bloody hell . . .? “How could I know?” he asked roughly. If he’d known . . . he shut his eyes, resting his face against hers. If he’d known, he’d never have let her go. He’d have found a way. He’d have burned down every sensible argument he’d ever made and found a way.