Page 58 of Innocent Salvation

Seb thought he might be sick as his gut churned. He stood quickly, needing air before the information in his head choked him. Pushing past Bás, he rushed to the balcony and sucked in a lungful of the cool night air. He wanted to be angry about the secrets she’d kept from him, the history she hadn’t shared but how could he when he’d been keeping his own, and now she was gone.

His mind kept replaying the scene with the four of them in the room and something didn’t sit right. He couldn’t figure out what it was, just that it was important to finding her. Henri had been angry with Dominique, hateful even, and that was easy to understand but he’d also been resentful of Jean-Claude.

He closed his eyes, seeing the woman who’d stolen his heart in his mind’s eye, picturing her face and her smile and then it came to him. Turning from the railing, he rushed back into the room and strode over to Dominique. Grasping her arm, he spun her toward him angrily. “Who is Snow’s father and don’t fucking lie to me.”

Dominique looked away, shame written all over her face.

Reaper stepped between him and Dominique. “What the hell is going on?”

He peered around the furious man, his own fury on a rolling boil, adrenaline pumping through his veins. “Tell him.”

“Jean-Claude is her father. We had an affair when I was with Henri. Henri didn’t know, but I fear he does now.”

Reaper blinked, his normally calm façade evaporating as he rounded on Dominique. “The fuck. You know if he knows, there’s no reason for him not to kill her!”

“I know and I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

“Damn right you should,” Sebastian spat. “What does Henri want from you?”

Dominique shook her head. “I can’t tell you.”

Sebastian’s lip curled in disgust as he stepped forward, Reaper moving aside and letting him take the lead. “You’ll tell me, or every single dirty little secret you have will be in tomorrow’s paper. Including all the sick shit that pathetic son of yours has done over the years.”

Dominique paled, seeing the truth in his words. Her shoulders sagged in defeat, and she reached for a chair behind her to steady herself. “Fine I’ll tell you everything, but you need to promise me you’ll get my son the help he needs.”

“Fine.” Seb personally thought a secure mental facility for the rest of his life would work but didn’t voice that. He felt the rest of the team move in closer as she began to speak.

“Ever since we met, all Henri talked about was The Caribbean Pink. It’s the largest pink diamond in the world and he was obsessed. He’d make plans on how he’d find it when nobody else could and his life would be set. He’d go down in history as the greatest jewel thief of all time. At first, it was fun, but I began to see how it had become a sickness. Then I met Jean-Claude at a charity function I’d attended with my parents. We got on and he was steady, kind, sweet, and safe. Jean-Claude knew about Henri but begged me to marry him. He offered me the life I’d always wanted, so I agreed, and I found out I was pregnant. I honestly thought the baby was Henri’s. So I stayed, trying to make it work but he was moody. We fought all the time, but he adored Sabine.”

Sebastian watched her face change with the emotions she was feeling as she told the story.

“Anyway, I’d had enough and decided he was too unstable and was going to leave. I met with Jean-Claude, and he agreed to take Sabine in as his own. But I think Henri followed me because he got more controlling and one day he disappeared with Sabine. I looked for them for years, shunning Jean-Claude, until eventually, I knew I had to move on with my life.”

Dominique wrung her hands together in her lap and he could see the next part was the bit she didn’t want to tell them.

A growl escaped his throat and Reaper chuckled as Dominique flinched. “I think you need to come out and say it, Dominique, before Sebastian forgets his manners.”

“Fine. When Jean-Claude and I married he took me to their family Chateau in Cap Ferrat on the French Riviera. There he showed me The Caribbean Pink. His grandfather had stolen it from the Nazis during the war and it was still believed to be lost.”

Bein crossed his arms looking fierce. “Wait, how had he stolen it from the Nazis?”

Dominique looked away, her cheeks red before she went on. “His grandfather was a German Spy who turned when it became clear they’d lose. He took what he could and fled home and was hailed a hero. So, you must understand, if this gets out our family name and my position would be destroyed.”

“Of course. Who wants a traitor running the country?”

Dominique stood abruptly, thrusting her chin in the air as she faced the five of them down alone. “I’m not a traitor, and neither is my husband. He’s a good man, who’s shackled by his past as much as the rest of us.”

“That may be so, but his past is threatening the woman I love.”

Dominique gasped, a smile tilting her lips. “You love her.”

Sebastian turned away, not prepared to have that conversation with her, instead concentrating on Watchdog. “We need everything on Jean-Claude’s family and any properties they own. Also, check the son’s name. Get a list from Dominique of every place they lived as a couple and those that were special to them. Henri will go someplace that means something to them.” He glanced at Bás who was smirking. “What?”

Bás spread his hand. “No, please go ahead. Give my team orders. I’ll sit over here and take a break.”

“You got a better plan?”

“Nope. But I do have a question for the fine President.”