Page 77 of When He Protects

“Sometimes, it’s hard to cut ties,” she murmured. “Even when you know a final cut is for the best.”

He realized that he didn’t want to watch the second video. It was going to be bad.

Except he’d learned long ago that you couldn’t hide from bad things in this world. No matter how hard you tried. So Tyler opened the file. It was a long-distance shot of a car. A sleek, black ride that was driving along a curving road.

He knew that road.

And that car.

No, fuck me, no.

The car dipped into the curve.

And exploded.

Her hand was on his shoulder again because he’d sank back into the desk chair.

“What the fuck…?” Tyler snarled as his hands clenched into fists. He wanted to pound those fists into the computer and beat it into bits. “What the fuck does my parents’ death have to do with the café in Paris?”

That car, that road…

“I believe the same bomber was at work in both instances. Or at least, the same individual whohiredthe bombers.”

He shook his head. “Youtoldme that terrorists were caught for the Paris café bombing.”

“Yes, they were caught. They were charged. They confessed. They were tied to three other bombings in Europe. But, sometimes, things are not as they appear. I’ve warned you about that so many times.” She squeezed his shoulder. “I am sorry.”

And again, he shot out of the chair. He rounded on her as fury and confusion poured through his veins. “Those are my parents in that car! I know that car—I rode in it all the time! And that’s the road near our house in Texas. My parents were in the fucking car that I just watchedexplode.”

Now, he could see the tears swimming in her eyes. “I begged you not to watch. I’m sorry.”

She was sorry.Shewas sorry? He was the one who’d demanded they watch. He was the one who’d made her see the man she loved die.

She was sorry.

He shoved the chair out of the way. The damn chair separated them. And Tyler pulled her into his arms even as the chair crashed onto the floor. He held her far too tightly. He should not. He should not hold her this way.

“Don’t.” Soft. From Esme. Her hands fluttered over his arms, and she didn’t hold him back. “Tyler, don’t you see? You can’t touch me. You can’t want me. You can’t—I’m sorry.”Broken. Whispered. “It was him. I don’t know why he did it.But it was him.He did this, and you can’t want me. You can’t ever love me. You can’t—” The words ended as she tried to jerk away from him.

He didn’t let her go. He wasn’t letting her go. But his head lifted and he stared down at the horror and pain on her face. And he understood the bleakness in her eyes. “You think your father killed my family.”

“I didn’t. I swear, I didn’t think it was going to be him.” A tear slid down her cheek. “Not until I saw him in the first video.”

“How did you know about this fucking drive? How did you know it would be in the safe that night?” Rage vibrated in each word. “How did you know my family’s murder would be on the drive?” Because she’d known the second video would hurt him. She’d said as much. So she’dknownthe murder was on there? What could hurt more than his family’s murder?Nothing.

“I heard Jorlan mention the drive’s location. I was somewhere I shouldn’t be.” A ghost of a smile came and went on her face. The dimples barely flashed. “As I so often am. He said the drive was his security. That it would keep the predators at bay. He was untouchable as long as he possessed it. I’d already paid…informants to learn that there was an important recording of the café explosion.”

He waited. There had to be more.

“When I was researching you, I learned about what happened to your parents. The way they’d died made me suspicious. I-I picked up a few more details from some very dangerous individuals that made me realize the two bombings might be connected.” She swallowed. “Then you put the drive in the computer, and I saw the date listed next to the second video.”

She’d known the date of his parents’ death.

“I saw two bombings.” The rage wanted to swamp him, but Tyler wouldn’t let it. He spoke through clenched teeth. “But I didn’t see a damn thing that told me your father was guilty.” She seemed so very certain.Why?“What doyouknow about your father that makes you think he’s evil?”

“I don’t want him to be evil. I want to be wrong. But hewas in the café. It blew up after he left. My father knew that Louis was working to bring him down.”

My parents. My parents.He shoved the rage back and tried to focus. Things weren’t adding up for him. “Why the hell did Louis think your father was guilty?” There were too many missing pieces.

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