I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
Becket was already moving toward the door, anger radiating off him.
“I’m coming,” he said to Asher without looking back.
The two brothers left together, the back door shutting harder than necessary behind them.
Silence filled the kitchen. I suddenly felt very small sitting there.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, looking at Pierre. “I didn’t mean to bring all this up.”
Pierre shook his head slowly. “No,” he said. His voice sounded tired now. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He exhaled. “I’ve been holding onto that darkness for a long time. Maybe too long. It was going to come out eventually.”
Sandy reached over and squeezed his hand. I stood slowly, unsure what to do with myself.
“Thank you for dinner,” I said softly to Sandy.
She gave me a warm, understanding smile. “Anytime, sweetheart.”
I nodded, grabbing my bag and stepping toward the door. The house felt different now. Like something had cracked open and couldn’t be put back together. Outside, the air felt cool against my skin. My head spun as I walked toward my car. This case wasn’t just about Sophie anymore. It had opened old wounds in a family I was only beginning to understand. I drove over to my cabin and went inside. My head was spinning, so I could only imagine what this was doing to Asher.
CHAPTER 19
Asher
The second the door shut behind us, Becket exploded. “What the hell was that?” he barked, pacing across the gravel drive like he needed somewhere to throw his fists. I didn’t answer right away. My chest felt tight, and I felt disoriented. “I can’t believe he sat on that,” Becket went on. “All these years.”
I pulled my phone out. “I’m calling Eric.”
“Yeah,” Becket muttered. “Call Phoenix too.”
Eric answered on the second ring. “What’s wrong?” I never called Eric at this time, so his reaction made sense.
“Can you meet?” I asked. My voice sounded flat, strange to my own ears.
A beat of silence.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Something that affects all of us,” was all I could get out.
“Okay, call Phoenix, but I don’t think he can leave his house. Elyna’s sleeping, and Braden just went down,” he explained. With Elyna close to her due date, she could go into labor at any time, and Phoenix wasn’t leaving her.
“Come to me,” Eric said since he had a house on the property.
“I’m coming with Becket,” I said.
Becket leaned against my truck while I dialed Phoenix next. He picked up, voice low.
“You good?” Phoenix asked quietly. I never called him this late either.
“No,” I said honestly. “Dad just dropped something.”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Something about Mom.”
Silence.