Page 65 of Devil in Her Details

“You have more callers, my lady.”

“Callers?” She cast a worried glance at Dagger. “With an s?”

“Yes, my lady. The Furys are seeking an audience with you.”

Dagger’s brothers were here? At her home? Beside her, she could feel Dagger’s hackles rise.

“Send them away,” he commanded.

“Are you sure?” she asked in a hushed voice. “They must be here for you.”

A vein ticked in his jaw. “They don’t know I’m here.”

“I don’t believe that, Dagger. If not here, where else would you be?” Their eyes met. “I can send them away, but you know best whether they’d actually go away.”

“Don’t care,” he bit out. “Send them away.”

Lilly’s brow furrowed, but she indicated at Hewitt to send them away before turning back to him. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

He gave a curt nod.

Moments later, Hewitt returned. “They refuse to leave, my lady, and insist on an audience.”

Dagger sighed, and Lilly gave him a sympathetic glance. “Do you wish to hide behind the curtains again, or should I?”

*

Dagger glared at the six brothers who had gathered in the drawing room they had not been invited to. They looked so out of place he wanted to laugh. Then laugh at the irony, since he was one of the arses wholly out of place in this drawing room. Alone with her, it hadn’t seemed so obvious, but with his brothers here, the mismatch couldn’t be denied.

“What the devil are you doing here?” Dagger growled, clenching his fists. “And no, the lady won’t have an audience with you.”

Lilly cast him a quick glance, but his eyes were on the brood before him, and every single one had come. He cast a hot look over each of them, except for Saint. He still couldn’t look at his damn face.

“We’re here for you,” Drake growled right back, impatient, gaze sweeping over the tables where his daggers were still laid out.

Dagger crossed his arms. “Didn’t ask for me, did you?”

“Why don’t you all have a seat?” Lilly suggested.

Maxen’s face turned stormy. “Can we have a moment with my brother, my lady?”

“She stays,” Dagger growled, “or you don’t speak to me at all.”

Reaper whistled, striding over to plop down on a sofa, propping his feet onto the low table and crossing them at the ankles. A coin appeared between his fingers. His head fell back as he glanced at Maxen. “Let’s not be rude, frère. Our host received us, after all.”

Dagger sneered at the fool, his leg shooting out and kicking his brother’s legs off the table. “Mind your bloody manners. Don’t put your filthy feet near my damn steel.”

“Or my tea,” Lilly muttered.

“Yes,” Dagger agreed, his jawline heating. “Or her tea.”

“Sit,” Lilly repeated. “I’ll order more.”

Reaper’s gaze slid between them, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Speaking of hosts,” he drawled, rolling his coin over his knuckles lazily, “you’re both rather rumpled for this hour. Hair’s a state.” His arched a brow at Dagger. “What exactly have you two been getting up to?”

Dagger could feel the tips of his ears join the heat of his face before his temper sparked. “Say another word and I’ll really rip out your tongue.”

“No need, no need.” His brother turned his attention to Lilly. “Don’t you have something stronger, petit chaton? This is not a tea conversation.”