“Your father asked you to watch over her and still you turned her out on the street,” Michael said, disgusted.
“It’s my hope that one day someone turns their back on you when you need it most, Mr. Brown,” Zach said. “Just one punch, Gabe.”
He didn’t, because he was better than this man before him. Instead, he stepped close, deliberately intimidating him.
“Did your father leave you money or is it all gone to pay your debts? The debt you tried to sell your sister to cover?”
“That is no concern o-of yours.”
“I know what you did and who you are. There is nowhere you can go that I cannot reach you,” Gabe growled into the man’s face.
Brown started shaking.
“Here is what is going to happen. You will gather some of the items that are in this house and of sentimental value to your father and Dimity. Along with those, I want money, a small sum, to go to your sister.”
“I have none left!”
“If this is not done,” Gabe said as if he had not spoken, “I will be back, and if you try to run, I will hunt you down. You will give your sister what she deserves, what you as her brother should have provided her. I want you to write a letter stating that you have seen the error of your ways, and this is for her, and you hope she can forgive you.”
“I want nothing to do with her!”
Not terribly wise words to utter with a furious man standing inches away, to Gabe’s mind. He drove his fist into the man’s stomach. He didn’t do it hard, but enough to have him paying attention.
“There will be more where that came from if you do not do as I have instructed.”
Now wheezing, Mr. Brown nodded.
“And I’m sure yoursister,” he said the word deliberately, “has no wish to see a reprobate like you again either. Now, see that you do these things and have them delivered to,” he gave the Duchess of Yardly’s address. “I will give you two days. And Mr. Brown, in the future I suggest you keep as far away from me as is possible, is that clear?”
“I have no money!”
“Then you better find some.” Gabe’s smile was feral.
The man realized he was beaten and nodded.
His brothers parted as he turned, and he walked between them. He heard them speak to Mr. Brown but did not hear what was said. They would simply be reiterating Gabe’s words.
Climbing into the carriage, he said nothing until he’d calmed down.
“I didn’t kill him.”
They laughed.
“I forget sometimes how mean you can be,” Zach said.
“It’s handy though,” Michael added. “Having a brother who could scare Lucifer himself should it be required.”
“It is that,” Nathan agreed.
Gabe snorted, then they were laughing. There were times when he wanted to bang his brothers’ heads together, but there was never a time when he didn’t love them. Now, right here in this carriage, that love was strong. Each had the others’ backs and would walk through fire should it be required. There was something special in that knowledge, Gabe thought as they rolled toward their next destination.
Dimity had no one, and that saddened him. Everyone needed a person who knew them better than they knew themselves. A person that no matter how much you angered or annoyed them, they had to love you because you were their blood.
“What did Mr. Brown mean that Dimity is not his sister?” Zach asked.
“I don’t know, but perhaps that note I told you about had something to do with it.”
“A mystery.” Michael smiled. “How intriguing.”
