somewhat secretive about what had transpired between herself and Mr. Winter at the time. Evie did not think the gentle roundness swelling behind her sister’s gown could suggest anything other than a thorough bedding on the evening in question.
Addy flushed. “Of course I have not forgotten, but that was different, Evie. I was aiding Max.”
“Max should never have involved you in his recklessness,” Evie countered. “But that is neither here nor there. You cannot play the role of outraged sister with me. You are no stranger to scandal yourself. Goodness, none of us are.”
Addy sighed. “I merely want to protect you, Evie. I fear I have already brought enough danger and upheaval into your life by marrying Dom. If it were not for me, you would never have been shot by brigands. And now, you are speaking of upending your entire future after a fortnight spent with a man whose acquaintance you have only recently made. A gentleman you were quite strong in professing your dislike for.”
“Do not look at me as if I have lost my wits, Addy. I know what I want, and it is not to be Lady Denton. I want to follow my heart as you have done. I want a love like Romeo and Juliet’s.”
“Romeo and Juliet both ended up dead,” Addy observed grimly.
“Not the conclusion of their love,” Evie explained. “But the strength of it, the way it endured despite all the obstacles between them. The way they loved each other, though to the outside world it seemed they should not.”
If only she knew Theo’s true feelings for her. He had certainly never mentioned love. Neither had she, however.
“You are certain you are in love with Devil Winter?” her sister asked, searching her gaze.
“I have never been more certain of anything else. I cannot be Lord Denton’s wife, Addy. Not when my heart belongs to another. It would not be fair to either one of us, and I cannot live the rest of my life longing for the one who could have made me whole. I do not care about the circumstances of his birth. Nor do I care for society or doors that may close to me. He is all I need and everything I want.”
“I know the feeling, because it is the way I feel about my own husband.” Addy covered Evie’s hand with hers. “Love is stronger than fear. If you are in love with Devil, then you should tell him. See where he stands, and then decide what you shall do from there.”
Relief and gratitude rushed over her, along with love for her twin. “Thank you, sister.”
Her decision had been made. She was going to tell Theo she was in love with him.
All she had to do was find him first.
Chapter Ten
The East End was always changing. Families came to power and then sank to the depths of poverty. Babes were born. Men and women died. Buildings were torn asunder or destroyed by flame, only to be replaced with new brick and mortar. New gaming hells opened with regularity. Enemies were always out to prosper. And most men did not possess a goddamn mite’s worth of honor.
One thing that would never change: Devil Winter would do everything he could to protect his family. And that was why he was being ushered to the lair of one Jasper Sutton alone, with nary a weapon to defend himself. Sutton and his family had long been the nemesis of the Winter clan.
But at the moment, Devil needed the bastard’s help.
They had a common enemy who, if what he had learned the night before was to be believed, was also behind the recent fires at The Devil’s Spawn and the shots that had been fired at Evie. His need to protect her was stronger than his pride.
He would swallow every last drop he possessed—and poison too—if it meant keeping her safe.
Sutton was on his feet behind a desk fine enough to rival Dom’s, carved lion heads adorning each of the four legs. He was a formidable man, with a height to rival Devil’s and a similarly brutish size. But he also had a bloody reputation and a penchant for poaching Winter customers and staff. He had become a master at copying everything the Winters did. Prizefights, gaming, wenches at the green baize, hiring a French chef, discovering the source of all their smuggled Scots whisky…the list went on.
Their rivalry had quickly become bitter.
But now, another potential enemy, more dangerous and depraved, and far more