His gut coiled tight when she smiled up at the arse.
“You’re following this mouse like a dog at her heels,” Reaper said, low but sharp. “He might have a point being worried.”
Maxen’s jaw tightened. His brother should get his eyesight examined. “Why? He’s the one who leased my property to her.”
“He says you have a look in your eye.”
“What bloody look?” Maxen’s gaze narrowed on Peregrine’s catlike smile. “I have no look.”
“At first, I had my doubts about our brother’s worries. Now,witnessing it firsthand, not so much.”
“Get out of my sight.”
“I’m notinyour sight,frère.”
“You want to keep your teeth?” Maxen snapped. “Then leave.”
“Ah, I can’t do that now, can I? You have the look of a man who’s found a loose thread and can’t decide whether to pull it or set it on fire.”
“It’s still my thread.” At least until her lease ran out.
Reaper clicked his tongue. “You should know better,frère. Threads like her don’t unravel easy. They catch, twist, and turn into nooses.”
Well, that was his damn problem, was it not? His jaw worked as Peregrine leaned closer to Calliope, uttering some nonsense that made her laugh. The sort of laugh that belonged to someone playing a part.
Maxen knew all about parts. He’d worn enough faces in his life to know when someone else wore one too.
Calliope Turner was acting.
Always acting.
She reached up then, brushing something from the man’s lapel. Casual. Familiar. Nothing about that sat well with him. Nothing.
His fists clenched and unclenched. What in hell’s name was going on between those two?
“Mm.” Reaper stepped forward, boots crunching. “There it is again.”
“What?” Maxen snarled.
“That thing Dagger picked up on.”
Maxen tore his gaze from Calliope long enough to glare at his brother. “There is no thing. There is no look.”
Reaper arched his brow. Then, as though bored of the subject entirely, he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “Dagger wants you to pull back. Since he leased her the property, he’ll take responsibility for the mouse.”
A growl instantly erupted from his chest, and he turned away fromhis brother. “He can want all he likes. It’s not happening.”
“Think,frère. It’s better for you to leave this one for us.”
“Careful,” Maxen warned. “I will not tolerate interference.”
“Jesu,” Reaper muttered. “Fine, but do yourself a kindness, please. If you’re going to follow her, try not to look like a man on the brink.”
“I’m not on the brink.”
“No,” Reaper said. “You’re in the bloody chasm.”
“You have seconds to vanish.”
