“You know, Jameson Dunham’s daughter, one of your best friends from college. Along with my stepfather, Walter Emmett. Maybe that will jog your memory.”
He suddenly sat down, concentrating his shocked gaze at Sinclair. Then he placed his head into his hands.
“I need to see it, Jacques,” Sinclair told him. I would need to give him credit later. He was completely relaxed and no one would be able to tell just how enraged he’d been upon learning a man considered completely loyal had betrayed him.
“See what?”
“The necklace. The one given to you when you passed all the tests of becoming an Elite member of the Brotherhood.”
Jacques had obviously been prepared for Sinclair’s accusation, yet he still seemed shell-shocked. That’s what happened when you lived a secretive life. Another difference in the Brotherhood and the Prince family. The crime syndicate didn’t hide who and what they were.
Exhaling, Jacques tugged the necklace from under his shirt collar. “I can explain.”
“The three of you went to college together,” I continued. “You were friends. Buddies. The only problem was that my father wasn’t considered eligible for the Brotherhood. However, you remained friends. At least at first. What you didn’t expect was that he’d fall in love with one of the… what do you call them, anointed women? The chosen ones. Girls promised to the Elite members of the Brotherhood. Right?”
Jacques acted as he if wasn’t going to answer me.
We’d put the pieces together without confirmation, but Jacques had just provided it.
That’s when Sinclair moved in front of me, planting his hands on the man’s desk and leaning over. “Answer my fiancée’s questions, Jacques. It will be in your best interest to do so.”
“You don’t understand.” Jacques was barely whispering.
“Oh, I think we do. In fact, you all turned the other way, allowing their marriage to remain intact until Jameson betrayed you all. Isn’t that right?” Sinclair’s voice was darker than before.
When Jacques didn’t answer, Sinclair slammed his fist on the man’s desk.
“Isn’t it?”
Jacques leaned back as if he truly believed he could run from his fate. Even I knew better.
“Yes.” Jacques’ voice was barely audible.
Sinclair slowly stood to his full height.
“You betrayed my father, who came to you for help. He told you he was ready to expose the Brotherhood and their acts of corruption. He believed you were a friend. But instead, you contacted Walter Emmett, who had my father killed.” Now I was becoming angry since it was obvious Jacques wasn’t going to be cooperative. “Tell me!”
He acted as if he wasn’t going to give me the time of day. That’s when Sinclair lost it, moving around the desk with two steps, wrapping his hand around the older man’s throat. I was constantly amazed at the man’s strength. He jerked Jacques from his chair, the force of his actions pitching the chair, turning it over several feet away.
Then he slammed Jacques against the wall. “You will tell the lady what she needs to know.”
Folding my arms, I watched as Jacques’ resolve slowly began to unravel. There were tears in his eyes. Did he really think that would buy him forgiveness?
“Yes.” Jacques choked both on tears and because of Sinclair’s fingers digging into his neck.
“And you betrayed our family,” Sinclair continued. “It wasn’t enough that you continued to work with the Brotherhood; you made good on your membership by providing details of the cargo shipment. Two million dollars lost.”
Bubbles had formed on Jacques’ lips. I didn’t feel sorry for the man in the least.
Jacques nodded, now grabbing Sinclair’s arm. My handsome lover responded by lifting Jacques a few inches off the floor. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t enough, Jacques. You’re going to call Santos and tell him that another shipment, a much larger one is arriving and that we’ll be too busy at a meeting to have the place locked down.”
Jacques tried to shake his head. Sinclair slammed his head against the wall, squeezing his fingers.
From what Sinclair and I learned, my mother had had no choice but to return to the fold. Whether her life had been threatened or mine, she’d done what she believed to be the right thing. Only she’d lost her way in the months spent with Walter. I would never forgive her, but I understood more about the power of the Brotherhood.
Seconds later, Jacques had agreed to make a call. He knew he’d been beaten, with no other recourse but to do as Sinclair directed.
