by Mari Carr
Sebastian felt sick. “And you have proof of all of that.”
Devon nodded. “If Breton were a senator today, his ass would already be sitting in jail. But without computers and joint databases and such, I found bits and pieces of that evidence scattered throughout a decade’s worth of filing cabinets. It seemed lots of agents working at several different field offices had suspicions, but none of them managed to talk to each other. No one put all the files together, so it looked like small stuff separately. Now that it’s all there together, Breton was as crooked as they come. And then there were the agents who found the bigger crimes, but ignored them because they were afraid of coming under Richard’s scrutiny. It was a scary time to be alive. Breton was extremely powerful and dangerous. People learned not to cross him.”
Juliette leaned against her desk. “We think he managed to buy or threaten his way out of exposure. Or…he had help from prominent people in even higher positions who supported his cause.”
“The purists,” Sebastian mumbled, feeling slightly ill. “So the guy got away with it? All of it?”
Juliette nodded. “He dodged prosecution and died of a heart attack—while still in office—at the ripe old age of seventy-six.”
Sebastian tried to imagine what it would do to Grant if he discovered his ancestor had been evil incarnate. The McCarthy association was bad enough, but to find out someone in your family was a Nazi sympathizer?
Juliette took Sebastian’s hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. “You’ve known Grant less than a week. If he’s anything like his great-grandfather, Grant could be very good at piling on the charm while turning a knife in your back. As a purist, he’ll know how strong your ties to the Trinity Masters are. For all we know, he’s using you to figure out who I am.”
Devon interjected his own opinion. “If the purists are still operating, I can assure you they’re dying to learn the identity of our new Grand Master, especially one who’s young and female, one they might think they can manipulate.”
Sebastian appreciated their concerns. But he didn’t agree. “He gave me the map. If it’s something that precious to the purists, why would he hand it over so willingly?”
Franco looked up from the light table. “Maybe he’s looking for the missing pieces as well. He’s had his section long enough to make copies or memorize it. And he’s gotten a look at our portion now as well. What if the purists lost the other section and he thinks you can help him find it?”
Sebastian shook his head. “No. I don’t believe that.”
Franco took no offense at Sebastian’s quick rejection of his premise. “Well, then he could realize we’re doing an investigation, and he gave you the map as a way of earning your trust so that he can find out how much you know. If he is a purist, he’ll want to know if the sect has been exposed, if they’re in danger.”
No matter what they said, Sebastian couldn’t make himself believe Grant was a purist; that he was capable of doing the terrible things his great-grandfather Richard had. But it was obvious the triad before him had their doubts. So he needed to find more proof. Something solid that would exonerate Grant. Until he did that, there was no way he could broach the subject of solidifying his union with Elyse and Grant.
Franco grabbed a piece of paper from the top of a stack that sat on Juliette’s desk. The place was a disaster. Sebastian was surprised they could find a damn thing amidst the piles of folders and reams of paper.
“Here, Seb.” He handed Sebastian a list of names.
“What’s this?”
Franco jerked his thumb back toward the map. “I did my own digging while Devon was working on his tan in Florida. That’s a list of every Trinity Master member with the initials C.W. and M.H. in the past century.”
“Jesus. How long did that take you?”
Franco shook his head. “You don’t want to know.”
Juliette giggled. “Don’t let him fool you for one second, Seb. Every minute of that search was a labor of love. There is something seriously wrong with the man.” Her words were spoken in jest, her smile revealing exactly how much she was in love with Franco.
Sebastian wanted to be happy for the trio—hell, he was happy—but seeing their contentment, their easy camaraderie, their playful affection made him long for the same relationship with Grant and Elyse.
He looked away when Franco gave Juliette a quick kiss on the cheek, glancing at the list. “Thirty-two names? I would have expected it to be longer.”
“Yeah, I said the same thing.” Devon stepped next to him and pointed to one name in particular.
Maximilian Hunt. Elyse’s grandfather.
“Shit,” he murmured. It was bad enough he had to clear Grant’s name. If suspicion fell to Elyse as well, Sebastian really would lose it.
“We obviously don’t suspect Elyse,” Juliette said quickly with a light laugh. Her comment indicated that she didn’t think Elyse clever enough to participate in something as subversive as the purist sect. Sebastian took offense. And then he wondered if he was misreading the laugh. Just being paranoid. Or sensitive.
“Good. Because she’s not part of it.” Once again his words came out too strong, too angry.
Juliette frowned. “Seb—”
“I need to get back to the hotel.” He picked up the file folder and tucked Franco’s list of names on top. “I’ll read through all of this tonight. See if I can’t find something in here that will give us an idea of where to go next.”
As he spoke, he walked to the door. Juliette clearly wanted to say more, and while he’d come to clear the air initially, he knew now he couldn’t ask for the binding to stand until he’d cleared Grant and—Jesus—now Elyse. God willing, he’d be able to do that and uncover the mystery surrounding the sect before he completely lost his head.
And his heart.
* * *
Grant sat alone in the rare books room and tried to keep calm. He’d followed Sebastian when he left the hotel, curious to see where he’d end up. At first, he had been surprised when Sebastian walked to the library…then the pieces began to fall into place.
Sebastian wasn’t gathering information for the CIA or the White House. The map had something to do with the Trinity Masters. Grant had figured that out when Rose pointed out it represented Copley Square.
But what was starting to sink in, what was fueling Grant’s anger, was the idea that he’d been set up. Used. By Sebastian and quite possibly the Grand Master.
He glanced at his phone when the text chime beeped. Elyse had met Mrs. Wythe for coffee at the Four Seasons. As she was close, he’d texted her upon arriving at the library to see if she could cut the visit short.
Now she was replying, wanting to know where he was.
He responded, “Rare book room. Library.”
Grant received a ? in reply.
He wanted her here as he confronted Sebastian because Elyse’s life would be impacted by Sebastian’s actions as well. “Come meet me,” he texted.
He didn’t text anything more after she replied with “K.” Sebastian owed both of them an explanation. The time for secrets and lies had passed.
Grant had come to the altar with an open mind, prepared to make his arranged triad work. So far Sebastian had thrown up roadblock after roadblock and told one lie too many.
The bullshit stopped here. Today.
However, before he confronted Sebastian, he needed to cool off. His emotions were off the charts right now and if he’d learned anything about the art of mediation, it was that there was no room for anger.
He tugged a book off a nearby shelf and slowly thumbed through the pages, hoping the book would distract him. It may as well have been written in Latin. Though he read the words, comprehension was beyond him. His head was swimming with too many other concerns.
Sebastian was working for the Grand Master. The new leader had clearly placed Sebastian in this trinity in order to retrieve Grant’s map. Sebastian and the leader of the society Grant trusted, that he respected,
had joined forces to trick him into handing over a family heirloom. But why? What the hell could be so important that the Grand Master would set up a lifelong trinity simply to retrieve it?
Twenty minutes passed before a door opened. At first, Grant glanced toward the closet, expecting Sebastian to emerge. Then he realized the door behind him had opened.
“Grant?” Elyse whispered, respecting the solemnity of the library’s quiet spaces. It seemed silly to speak so softly when they were the only ones in the room, but when he replied, Grant too used hushed tones.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your visit with Mrs. Wythe.”
“What’s going on?” Elyse claimed the seat across from him, listening intently as Grant confessed to following Sebastian here.
“That map doesn’t belong to the CIA, does it?”
Grant shook his head. “I think he’s doing this investigation for the Grand Master.”
“If it’s something that involves the society, why keep it a secret from us? After all, we’re members too. And part of that map was yours.”
“I don’t know why he can’t share it.”
Elyse looked toward the closet door. “It could have nothing to do with us at all. I think I know who the new Grand Master is.”
Grant looked at her with surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah. And if I’m right, there’s nothing Sebastian won’t do for her. Even if it involves keeping secrets and lying to us.”
“Who is it?”
“His best friend, Juliette Adams.”
Juliette? Rose was formerly betrothed to her. She was part of the trinity that had been dissolved. If Juliette had taken over as the Grand Master, suddenly that broken betrothal made sense. As did Rose’s comments to Sebastian in L.A. Clearly Rose had her own suspicions about who the new leader was.
“You know Juliette too? Was she in school with the two of you?”
Elyse nodded.
Grant blew out a long breath. “Damn. She’s awfully young to be Grand Master.”
Elyse didn’t respond, but she looked troubled.
“You and Juliette weren’t friends?”
“No. I mean we weren’t enemies, but she wasn’t overly fond of my crowd.”
Grant recalled Elyse’s description of her clique in school. “Still find it hard to believe you were part of the Mean Girls.”
“Her voice seemed sort of familiar in the altar room. And then when Seb chased after her, it just felt like something he would only do if it were Juliette. Plus, did you notice the way Seb and Rose were looking at each other, when they mentioned the Grand Master?”
So Elyse had noticed as well. Grant nodded. “They knew something we didn’t.”
“Yeah. I could tell Seb was trying to play it cool, trying not to give anything away.”
“Rose, Juliette and a guy named Devon Asher were betrothed. Rose told me that her planned trinity was dissolved not long ago, just before the gala.”
“The timing would be right. Juliette becomes Grand Master and breaks up her own betrothal.”
Grant rubbed his eyes wearily. “The Grand Master is Seb’s best friend. That would explain why he’s investigating the map.”
“But it doesn’t explain us. This union doesn’t make sense.”
Grant had felt the same way, but he was curious to hear Elyse’s opinion. “What do you mean?”
“Juliette loves Seb. She didn’t know about us in high school. There’s no way she would have tied us together for life based on her opinion of me from school.”
“Maybe Seb told her about the two of you.” Even as he said it, Grant knew that wasn’t true.
Elyse shook her head. “You saw his face when I pulled my hood down. He was pissed off.”
“So maybe Juliette isn’t the Grand Master.” Grant didn’t believe that supposition any more than the first.
Before Elyse could respond, the closet door opened and Sebastian emerged. He was three steps into the room before he managed to process the fact they were there.
“What’s going on?” Sebastian asked.
“That’s what we’re here to find out.” Grant failed miserably at masking the anger in his tone. “Last time I checked, the CIA didn’t have offices in the Trinity Masters’ headquarters.”
Sebastian glanced behind him at the closed closet door. Was he expecting someone else to appear?
“I think we all know you stopped believing that CIA story back in L.A., when it became clear the map was of Copley Square.”
“So you’re doing this investigation for the Trinity Masters?” Elyse asked.
Sebastian hesitated just briefly, and then he nodded.
“Is the map our task?” she asked.
Sebastian took too long to answer. If he said it was, Grant would stand up and punch the mother fucker in the mouth. He was sick and tired of the mountain of lies.
“No,” Sebastian said at last. “It’s not our task. It’s mine.”
Grant lifted his arms. “We’re members too. Why the need for subterfuge? If there’s a mystery, why not enlist us to help? I think we’ve proven we’re up to the task. I provided the map and Elyse deducted the lines denoted where tunnels lie beneath the streets.”
“I’m not privy to share that information.”
Grant’s temper exploded. “I want my map back.”
Sebastian’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Then he glanced toward the door between the rare book room and the third-floor study room. Grant hadn’t bothered to be quiet.
“Can we talk about this back at the hotel?” Sebastian asked in hushed tones. “This isn’t a secure location.”
Grant refused to budge. “Are you going to tell us what the map leads to?”
“I told you, I can’t.”
Grant leaned back in his chair, cockily, ready to read Sebastian’s face for the next answer. “How do you think Juliette would respond if I stormed into her office right now?”
“What?” Sebastian asked with genuine concern, his face confirming Elyse’s suspicions.
“I knew it,” she whispered. “But why…”
Elyse didn’t finish her thought. It seemed to Grant she couldn’t find a way to voice her utter confusion.
Sebastian ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You’re not supposed to know the Grand Master’s identity.”
“Then maybe you should have played it cooler at the altar.” Apparently Elyse’s feelings of befuddlement were giving way to anger as well.
Grant appreciated the company.
“Fine,” Sebastian said after several long, painful minutes. “I’ll tell you what’s going on. But not here. At the hotel.”
Grant wasn’t entirely sure he trusted Sebastian to keep his word on that, but he agreed they weren’t in the best place for this conversation. If Sebastian went back on his word or tried to feed them another lie, Grant would lose it. Loudly.
The library wasn’t the best place for that.
Grant lifted his arm, gesturing toward the door. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Chapter Eleven
Sebastian walked away from the public library like a man about to face the firing squad. Grant was pissed and Elyse was hurt. Again.
He was batting a thousand. Screwing up everything he touched. Ever since leaving the altar, it felt as if he was being torn in two. He wanted to be loyal to Juliette, to help her succeed in her new position, to help her draw out the poison possibly filtering through the Trinity Masters.
But he also wanted Elyse and Grant. Until Juliette had called him to the altar, Sebastian had secretly hoped to dodge the binding ceremony until his thirties. He hadn’t thought himself ready to settle down. Just a few days with Elyse and Grant had proven that theory wrong. Now, he wanted nothing more than to be married to them, to build a life, to forge a future with them.
They had elected to walk from the library to the hotel. As they left Copley Square, he spotted a Starbucks across the street. Coffee. Surely a strong shot of caffeine would help him figure ou
t where to go from here.
He pointed toward the chain. “I need some coffee.”
Grant looked like he wanted to protest, but Elyse shared the same addiction. “Okay. I wouldn’t mind an espresso myself. It’s freezing out here.”
The three of them crossed the street, heading toward the corner store.
Grant stopped at the door, pacing a bit. He looked like he could commit murder. “I’ll wait here.”
“Grant,” Sebastian said. “Listen—”
“I need a few minutes alone, Seb.”
Sebastian agreed. The coming conversation was going to be difficult for all of them and Grant was beyond pissed.
“Why don’t you head back to the hotel? We’ll be right behind you.”
Grant looked instantly suspicious.
“I promise. We’ll be ten minutes behind you.” Sebastian hoped the cold air and walk would calm the other man down. “Want us to bring you anything back?”
Grant shook his head, hesitated only a moment more, and then he turned and walked away.
Sebastian and Elyse stepped inside and got in line. She studied the menu as he glanced toward the large glass window. Grant crossed the street and vanished quickly. Either he was still furious or anxious to get back to find some warmth.
Once Sebastian and Elyse had their coffee, they stepped out onto the chilly street, heads bent as they walked against a brutally strong headwind. She hadn’t tried to engage him in conversation. He was grateful she was giving him time to get his thoughts together, but concerned her silence had little to do with kindness and everything to do with anger.
As soon as they stepped off the elevator on the top floor of the Plaza Hotel, Sebastian’s Spidey senses began to tingle.
The door to the penthouse was wide open.
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Stay here, Elle.”
Elyse didn’t listen, but instead she followed him inside.
