Page 164 of Her Beast

Blood roared in Julia’s ears.

“What in the name of God are you talking about?” Brian’s voice sounded far away to Julia, even though he was shouting. “I refuse to stand here and listen to—"

“Was it Nadine or her brother who first put the idea into your head, Bri? Probably Nadine. I suspect she’s always been the brains in your little cadre.”

Brian sputtered, but Malcolm wasn’t finished.

“I didn’t recognize Nadine until she came here in person. She’s changed a great deal since her days at that old birch house where she used to work—under a different name, I might add. Now what was that place called?” Malcolm stroked his chin. “Something improbable likeMadame Tessa’seven though Tessie Gordan was no more French than I am.”

“I don’t know what place you mean,” Brian croaked.

Malcolm laughed. “I know you went there, Sukey told me about it. That’s one of the few things you and Tommy share, isn’t it? A craving for pain with a healthy dose of shame on the side?”

Brian just stared.

“I’ll wager Nadine was damned good at her job—whipping men until they beg is probably as natural as breathing to her. But she would have been too smart and too ambitious to be happy in such a place for long. If I had to put money on it—”

“It was all Nadine’s idea!” Brian blurted. “She wanted Tommy, but I didn’t understand what she was up to until after. I swear! I didn’t want to do it, Mal—I just wanted to give the stupid bitch something that would make her lose the child before she told Tommy and ruined my life. Nadine said the tincture—or whatever it was—came from a midwife. I never thought it would bloodykillJenny!”

Julia stared, open mouthed, as the vile words poured out of his mouth, the truth echoing in her head: he hadkilledher mother.

She staggered back from the mirror, as if she could back away from the truth.

She had to get out—away—

Stay until you hear all of it, Miss Harlow. No matter how painful.

More? There was more?

Julia’s entire body shook and she felt like she was breaking into a thousand pieces.

He’d killed her mother.

She could hear the distant sounds of voices—shouting and begging—but there was a buzzing in her head and it was getting louder and louder.

No more. She couldn’t take any more…

∞∞∞

“It was a mistake!” Brian shrieked even though Malcolm hadn’t argued with him.

“A mistake,” Malcolm repeated. “Just like Sukey was a mistake?”

Brian’s eyes widened. “God no! You can’t think I had anything to do with that! I only learned of that a few days ago! I never—”

“Your brother already told me that you knew. So did the other two. Quit lying, Brian. Your job that night was to get me good and drunk—drunker than I ever recall being in my life—and then unlock the door for Carl, wasn’t it?”

“No! I didn’t—”

“But why did you leave Sukey there, Brian? Why didn’t you—”

“They told me it would just be a small fire—enough to damage that ship Leeland wanted so badly, but not enough to hurt anyone,” Brian wailed, tears running down his cheeks. “Surely you can’t believe that I’d—”

“Why did you agree to help them, Brian?” he could barely force the words out.

“I didn’t agree! They forced me!”

“They?”

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