Winter's Warrior (The Wicked Winters #13) - Scarlett Scott Page 0,48

of Jasper’s dogs, was at his side, and the canine let out a loud bark that sounded remarkably similar to an admonition.

She tried to collect her thoughts, but her desperation was rising. “I need to find Gavin. Have you seen him?”

Her brother scowled. “Why would you have need to find him at this time of the morning, sister? What the devil is that mark on your swallow?”

Her hand crept to her throat. Oh, bloody blue blazes. This was not the conversation she wanted to be having now.

Or ever.

“Never mind that. I need to speak with him.” She attempted to wrest herself from her brother’s hold, but he was not having it.

Jasper frowned. “Why, I asked you? Speak or I’ll tell Barnaby to rip off his ear.”

Barnaby barked, but Caro knew the dog was nowhere near as ferocious as her brother pretended or as he looked. Quite the opposite, in fact. Barnaby was a big, sweet, slobbering darling. But not even her fondness for her brother’s beloved dog could shake her from the worry and the fear threatening to overtake her.

The truth fled her.

“He knows, Jasper.”

She didn’t need to elaborate.

Her brother stiffened. “Sodding hell. When?”

“This morning,” she explained, well aware of the conclusions her brother would draw from the admission.

Correct conclusions, as it happened.

But she would fret over that later. For now, her primary concern lay elsewhere. Namely, in the man who had told her he had wished she had left him to die rather than to save him. The man she had fallen in love with over the course of the last few weeks. The man she had given herself to.

“Morning,” Jasper growled grimly, his jaw hardening. “The sun has scarcely risen, Caro. What the hell were you doing with him at this hour?”

She swallowed. “I…”

Before she could explain, a roar interrupted her words.

“Sutton!”

Gavin was stalking toward them, face contorted with fury, and though he now wore a shirt along with yesterday’s trousers, he looked rumpled and disreputable. She had never seen him look so dangerous.

Barnaby barked.

“Call off your dog and face me like a man, Sutton,” Gavin growled.

Jasper released his hold on Caro and turned to square off with Gavin. “Sit, Barnaby,” he ordered his dog.

Barnaby sat very near to her brother’s booted feet, eying Gavin as warily as Caro and Jasper undoubtedly were. Her heart lurched at the pain in his handsome face. She had caused it. She was partly to blame. Could he ever forgive her?

“Gavin,” she said, trying to go to him.

Jasper shot out a staying hand, keeping her beside himself and Barnaby. “Stay where you are, Caro. Winter ’ere’s got some questions that need answering if he doesn’t want me to send him back to ’is troublesome family in pieces. Why the ’ell were you in my sister’s room this morning?”

Caro noted that her brother was dropping the h from some of his words once more, a sure sign he was disgruntled. And the rage emanating from Gavin was palpable. He was pale, fists clenched at his sides, his glare pinned upon Jasper. No good could come of a clash between these two men who were both so beloved to her.

“Gavin,” she tried again, her voice pleading. “Look at me.”

“No,” he denied, refusing her entreaty.

Her heart was breaking. After the tenderness of the night before, to wake to this nightmare was devastating.

“Please,” she begged.

“Get out of my sight, Caro,” he spat. “This is between myself and your bastard of a brother.”

“Careful who you’re insulting, Winter,” Jasper warned, his voice silken with menace. “You have much to answer for too, don’t you? Why were you with my sister this morning?”

Gavin’s lip curled. “Ask her.”

Barnaby barked once more. He was an unusually smart dog, and he did not like conflict of any sort, which had oft proven a boon when it came to rising tempers in the gaming hell. Barnaby spotted problem patrons before their voices were sufficiently raised and they were challenging each other to name their seconds.

Caro patted the dog’s soft head, trying to calm him.

“I asked you,” Jasper returned.

“And I don’t owe you an explanation.” Gavin’s fists were still clenched. “You’ve been keeping me a prisoner in this miserable hell for weeks, and all this time, you’ve known who I am but kept it a secret from me. Why?”

Jasper shrugged. “Why not?”

His taunting reply propelled Gavin forward.

The two men collided, fists flying, as Caro clung to a barking Barnaby and watched the mayhem unfolding. “Gavin, Jasper, please stop this!” she cried out, terrified that