Evelyn felt her throat go dry as Julian's sharp eyes pinned her to her chair. The golden candle light flickered between them, casting long shadows across the small private table. Her hands trembled under the napkin in her lap, but she forced herself to look straight into his dark, intense face.

She was tired of staying quiet. She was tired of feeling like a pawn in a game she did not understand.

"You want me to speak, Julian?" Evelyn asked, her voice steady even though her heart was pounding against her ribs. "Fine. Let us talk about the truth."

Julian did not blink. He kept his large frame leaned forward,...