Or perhapsaftershe extended her lease.
For now, she had shelves to wipe. And a heart that refused, no matter how she lectured the thing, to stop missing him.
The bell above the shop door chimed.
Calliope’s brow furrowed. It was late afternoon, and her shop was closed, so she must have forgotten to lock the door. She turned, her smiling freezing when she came face to face with three large men.
Prince started growling.
Stars, preserve her.
Just by one look she could tell these weren’t Maxen’s men.
“Easy,” she murmured, putting a smile on her face. “Gentlemen, I’m afraid I’m closed for the day.”
No one moved.
Prince padded forward, hackles bristling. He planted himself between her and the men, his growl deepening.
“Fine beast you’ve got there,” the one to the right drawled. “Shame if something were to happen to him.”
Calliope’s hand clenched tighter around the rag. “What do you want?”
“For you to come with us willingly,” the one in the center said.
“Who sent you?” It couldn’t be Mr. Peregrine. The Fury brothers had him. She doubted these men worked for him either. A cold suspicion formed in her heart. Could it be Duvessa? No, Calliope refused to believe it until she saw it with her own eyes. “If you think I’m coming with you, you are sadly mistaken, sirs.”
“Don’t know who, missy. Just paid us a nice penny to deliver you to them,” the one to the left said. He also pulled out a pistol. “Unharmed.”
Her whole body went cold.
He pointed the pistol at Prince. “They didn’t say anything about a dog.”
“No!” Calliope cried out. She threw her arm out as if she could shield him from an oncoming shot. “Don’t you dare!”
“Then will you come with us willingly?” the man in the center asked, lifting a brow.
“Yes,” she said quickly, “if you promise you will not harm him. I’ll go quietly. Willingly. But not a single hair on his body must be harmed.” Prince barked once, sharp, savage. “Don’t worry,” she murmured to try to ease him. “Boy, we will be fine.”
“Agreed,” the center one said, clearly the leader of the trio.
She forced herself to stand straighter, though her knees had started to tremble a bit. “You came for me, not him. Hurt him, and I swear you’ll have trouble worse than me on your hands. He also belongs to...” she bit her tongue before Maxen’s name could slip out. Stars, she couldn’t drag him into this. Not if these men weren’t already his enemies. But she wanted to reaffirm her stance in some way, “...to a man you donotwant to cross here in Brighton.”
“Put it down,” the leader ordered his man.
Relief nearly staggered her as the man tucked his pistol away. Even Prince settled, sensing part of the nightmare had been averted.
He came to her side and sank to the floor.
“Now then,” the leader said, “shall we go?”
Her stomach lurched, but she nodded, and Prince, senses sharp, rose to his feet again.
“The dog stays here,” the one who’d brandished the pistol said.
“Fine.” She’d rather him be safe here anyway.
“Prince,” she whispered low, careful. “Stay. Guard the shop for me.” The dog whined, pressed against her thigh. Her heart nearly split. She bent quickly, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his fur. “Good boy,” she breathed. “Wait for me.”
