The beast knew. Healwaysknew. That was why he fought me so hard. Why I felt empty every time I walked away from another woman.
Because it wasn’ther.
Time snapped back into place as Eli said, “I thought you said Jacques was dead.”
“Dead?” What the hell? “He can’t be dead. I spoke to himtoday.”
He touched her. He had her. She lived in his home.
He wasn’t dead before. He was going to be now.
I shook the red haze from my vision. Something wasn’t adding up. “Saul, what does Eli mean? Why did you think Jacques was dead?”
“I’m going to get her right now, and I’m telling her everything.” Eli walked to his truck, ignoring both of us.
“Where was he?” Saul jerked my arm, holding me back.
“You answer my question, I’ll answer yours.”
Saul’s eyes unfocused, the color fading until his irises were a perfect match for the moon.
“Saul?”
He blinked, but his skin had gone pale. “I killed him—thought I killed him.”
My hands began to shake. “When?”
“I never exiled him.”
I rubbed my jaw, trying to process those words. Jacques had been gone for more than a decade, and it never occurred to me to ask Saul where he went.
I never hated myself more than in that moment.
Jacques was out of control. I saw it. We all did. He was putting it all at risk for a life we couldn’t have. A fantasy.
But he was family. Blood.
And Saul tried to kill him.
“Where was he?” Saul repeated.
“I didn’t see him. I spoke to him on the phone.”
Saul glared at me. Eli started the truck. I didn’t have time for this. I needed to—
To get back to Tara.
To stay away from her.
To keep her safe.
No. I needed to help my brother, who was catching my eye in the rearview mirror. Pleading.
I had to take Eli’s side. Even if telling this woman of his put us all at risk.
Saul was a liar. He lied about bonds. He lied about Jacques.
What else wasn’t he telling me?