Page 73 of Crimson Heart

“Oh, I’m sure it’ll end badly, but not for me,” Byron agreed. “For him and his family. When I break his sister’s heart. Then he’ll finally realize what he’s done to me. The humiliation I suffered at his hands…”

Anger charged through him. Byron had planned to break Charlotte’s heart?

“Are you talking about the fight? When he defeated you in wolf form? Is that what this is about?”

“It’s about all of it. About Eve, about Dad, about Cameron.”

“It’s not. You’re sore because he beat you in a fair fight…”

Jude tapped on the pause button, stopping the video, then looked up. He’d seen and heard enough. Still, he couldn’t believe what he’d just watched. Had Byron really planned to make Charlotte fall in love with him just so he could break her heart? After saving Danielle from Steve Leon the previous day, his opinion of Byron had changed. It wasn’t just that he’d shown no hesitation in stopping Steve from hurting Danielle; the way he’d spoken was different, too. He’d called Danielle his sister. It had been the first time he’d heard Byron talk like this and clearly mean it. Or was it all a big ruse? All part of his plan to hurt him and his family? To lead them on so the pain would be greater when he pulled the rug out from under their feet?

“What are you thinking?” Francisco asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“I’m not sure. The old Byron would absolutely have done this. No question. But the Byron of now, of yesterday?” Jude shook his head. “I don’t want to believe it. You saw him.”

Francisco nodded. “He stood up for Danielle, for you. I’ve never seen him so determined. Maybe he really has changed, and this video means nothing. Just something said in anger. In any case, I couldn’t just bury this. There must be a compelling reason why Flora deleted it. It’s our luck that she didn’t realize that just dumping a file into the trash bin doesn’t erase it from the computer.”

“Somehow, I’m not sure this was good luck for us. This is the worst possible timing. Byron stabbing us in the back, while the Leons are breathing down our necks, wasn’t on my bingo card.” He rubbed his nape. “For now, I’m inclined to keep this from Charlotte.”

“Keep what from me?”

Jude whipped his head in the direction of the door. Charlotte had opened it without him noticing and overheard the tail end of their conversation.

Fuck!