willing to hurt anyone he could—even an innocent lady—was attempting to move in on their shared territory. The thought of the son of a whore made Devil’s blood boil, the need to exact vengeance all-consuming.
“We meet again, Winter,” Sutton drawled.
He was referring to their last, unexpectedly civil meeting at The Devil’s Spawn when Sutton had conceded his waterworks to Devereaux Winter in exchange for one of Winter’s prized warehouses near the docks. The bargain had won Dom the goodwill of his wife and had granted the Winters control over the quality and price of their water.
Devil offered a mocking bow, playing the part of civilized gentleman. “Thank you for agreeing to see me. Could’ve managed without a dozen of your lackeys searching me for guns and shivs.”
Sutton inclined his head. “An eye for an eye, a twat for a twat.”
Christ, but this man nettled him. “Tooth for a tooth, Sutton.”
Sutton clasped his hands behind his back and strolled forward. “Nay. ’Tis a twat for a twat in this instance. Your brother came to me for a set of petticoats and now you. Besides. You’re both twats.”
Devil stiffened. What could Jasper Sutton know of Evie? His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Watch your tongue, Sutton, else I may be tempted to rip it out and feed it to one of your bloody mongrels.”
Jasper Sutton’s hounds were menacing and notoriously vicious. Word had it they had torn many a trespasser or a thief’s limbs from his body.
“My dogs only have a taste for the blood of my enemies,” Sutton said. “You’d make a feast for them.”
“I did not come here to wage war with you, Sutton,” he gritted.
“Fuck.” Sutton whistled. “Always carrying the keg, Devil Winter. Never could take a goddamn joke. If I wanted my dogs to eat you, you’d already be dead.”
Hardly comforting, as reassurances went.
Devil ground his molars and chose to ignore his foe’s taunts. “You have had fires in your hell recently. Fancy nibs getting fleeced in the street when they leave, aye? The charleys have been paid off, and one of your shipments of whisky was stolen.”
Sutton’s eyes narrowed. “The work of Winters, surely.”
“Not after we have given our word,” Devil countered. “We have our honor.”
“And a whole lot of different whores for mothers.”
Devil shrugged. Insults to the woman who had birthed him affected him not. “Mayhap. No different for Suttons, is it?”
The Sutton family was larger than the Winters. More brutal. Their lineage questionable at best.
“Take care. Won’t be good for me to get crabbed.” Sutton’s lip curled. “You’ll get no help from me if you can’t be civil, Winter.”
Devil raised a brow. “I respond in kind. An eye for an eye and a twat for a twat, isn’t it?”
Jasper Sutton appeared distinctly unimpressed by his attempt at a joke, even after he had just insulted Devil’s ability to take one. “You’re a bold one, sauntering into my territory, needing my help. Thought you said you had a square thing for me.”
“I do, but first, I need your promise that you will help me.”
Sutton nodded. “I promise.”
“Not good enough.” Devil knew Jasper Sutton. They had been battling for far too long. The man’s word was worth less than a bob. “I need proof.”
“Fuck.” Sutton’s eyes narrowed once more. “Fine. I’ll return the little shite what’s been haunting my alleys and filching all the coin and watches from the pockets of every nib who leaves my hell. He says he belongs to you Winters anyway. Glad to get him off my hands.”
Surprised filtered through Devil. “Davy?”
He hadn’t had an inkling that the troublesome young pickpocket his brother had taken in and brought to The Devil’s Spawn had been missing. But then, he supposed the time he had spent with Evie had isolated him from his world and his family more than he had realized. Almost a fortnight, and it had changed every bloody thing.
“Aye, that’s the scamp’s name. A slippery one, that. Tipped us the Dublin packet many a night until we caught him. You can have him back if you promise to keep him where he belongs.”
Hell.
Of course, Dom would want the little bugger back. He was an honorary Winter now, despite the reckless hellion’s rebellious nature. His brother was overtly fond of Davy, but then, he was also soft as a pie since he’d gone and fallen in love with Lady Adele.
Then again, Devil could not blame him. He was similarly soft over Lady Evie.
“I will take the lad with me,” Devil allowed.