“Not too long,” Calliope replied while she slipped open the cabinet beneath the counter and drew out wrapping paper. In the short time since she’d escaped Duvessa, she’d learned to be vague, to deflect questions without ever truly answering them. She told him his total and added, “Just a few weeks.”
He fished the coins from his coin pouch and set them down. “Do you hail from these parts?”
Such a simple question, and yet the hairs on the back of her neck rose. “You mean England?” She carefully wrapped the items and pushed the parcel toward him.
He chuckled. “Forgive my curiosity.” His gaze lingered on her for a moment, thoughtful. “I quite enjoy Brighton myself. It’s the sort of town where one can be anyone or no one. I asked only because this shop has been unoccupied ever since I can recall.”
It has?
The doorbell tolled as she was about to respond, and the air seemed to shift, growing tense and almost electric.
Maxen Fury.
Again.
His presence filled the room instantly, his dark gaze sweeping over her with a look that was equal parts curious, assessing, and flat before turning to the other man. He looked athimwith the kind of cold calculation that made Calliope’s skin prickle.
Was her customer a criminal as well?
For the love of wax, spare her, please.
“Mr. Fury,” she greeted politely, as if he were just another customer and not a dark cloud looming over her life.
Her landlord’s gaze didn’t waver from the stranger. “Peregrine. What brings you to Brighton?”
Such calm.
Such danger.
Such . . .
No.Do not get distracted. This man... He had done something to Mr. Rollings.Such dangerwas not the way to describe him. As though it was to be awed.
“Shopping,” the other man replied smoothly, his friendly demeanor now edged with a hint of challenge. “Is that a crime?”
Mr. Fury’s eyes narrowed. “Did I not tell you to steer clear of my territory?”
Territory.
There was that word again. It sent gooseflesh over her body. And from the look of it, her first real customer for today was not so simple either.
Her customer, Mr. Peregrine, glanced at Calliope, his expression softening slightly as he gestured toward Mr. Fury. “You should be careful of this man, miss.”
So forward.
Of course, she already knew this. Yet something about this warning unsettled her, sending a prickle of doubt up her spine.
That devil’s gaze turned to her, a hard glint in his eye. “And you, Miss Turner, would be wise to be wary ofhim.” He glanced back to her customer. “After all, he’s the one wandering into places he has no business being.”
I do not want to deal with this.
She looked between them, feeling trapped between two growling dogs. She didn’t trust either of them, quite honestly, so forcing herself to remain calm and ignore them, she nudged the man’s parcel closer to him a bit pointedly. “I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, Mr. Fury, thank you. Now, if there is nothing else, please refrain from causing a stir in my store and settle your scores outside.”And far away from me!
That mouth curved into a humorless smile as he took in her defiant stance. But there was something in his gaze that made the skin of her scalp prickle once again, an interest that she had no intention of encouraging.
“Very well, Miss Turner,” her landlord conceded.
She didn’t look at him again. Couldn’t look at him. If she did, she might never look away. Which was utterly absurd, and wholly perturbing. So the man was handsome with his dark look and piercing scar. And she could not allow her curiosity to be piqued by him.
