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And there was no point in saying things he wouldn’t hear, so Bethan danced with him instead.

When the music changed yet again, he took her hands from around his neck, lifted them to his mouth, and pressed a kiss there that she told herself was fake.

But she knew it wasn’t.

“I’ll go get us some drinks,” he said in that dark way of his she felt all over, inside and out, and melted off into the crowd.

Bethan had time to take in a single, steadying breath, and then Dominic Carter was there before her.

“Wonderful speech,” he said, and he was no longer staring at her the way he had been while she’d given it. Now he was grinning, ear to ear, with his hand extended.

Creepily.

“Thank you.” Bethan switched roles—realities—in a heartbeat. She took his hand and shook it, the early-warning system in her gut and down her back in a ruckus. There was nothing specifically wrong with his handshake, but she felt what Jonas had the night before. That it was wrong.Off, somehow. Because the man in front of her didn’t look like much, but he was shaking her hand in a way that told her, clearly, that there was far more to him. Everything about him was just slightly off, from the rumpled suit to the scuffs on his shoes. She realized she believed none of it. “I’m sorry, I don’t know everyone here...?”

“Dominic Carter. I sometimes do business with your father.” He chuckled knowingly as he let go of her hand. “Defense stuff, you know. Too boring for a party.”

“It’s not a party unless we’re talking business,” Bethan said with a laugh. “At least for me.”

They were still on the dance floor, but she made the flash decision to simply stay there. If it was uncomfortable, let him fix it. She would act completely at her ease.

“Oh, right,” Carter said, something about his tone getting to her. “I heard about you. You’re the sister who enlisted. That must’ve been something.”

Bethan let out a cocktail sort of laugh. “You know basic training.” She felt certain he did not. “It’s always something.”

They were discussing absolutely nothing of significance, and yet she felt as if they were in a deadly battle. She didn’twaste time scanning the crowd for Jonas. She knew it was impossible he wasn’t aware this was happening.

“Well,” Dominic said, still holding her gaze in an aggressive manner completely at odds with the grin, the body language. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bethan. Really.”

“You, too,” she said sweetly. Innocuously.

They both beamed at each other, fake and weaponized, and Bethan was so tense she was surprised her teeth didn’t shatter in her jaw.

The lights in the tent changed with the music, sliding through the crowd and backlighting the man before her. He was turning away, then moving around the bodies before him, the light catching him as he went.

And everything in Bethan screeched to a halt.

She understood then.

In a flash, a vicious scrape of terrible understanding, she got it.

Her heart was pounding. Her breath was coming in short pants that would have scared her, but she couldn’t allow that. Not now. Not when the desert was in her head again. The aftermath of the explosion. Crawling out of the wreck, not sure if she was alive or dead, the world gone to dust and fire.

She was hardly aware of it when Jonas appeared beside her.

“What happened?” he demanded.

But Bethan could hardly manage the riot inside of her. The shock. She’d had that flashback the other day, and it hadn’t been random.

None of this was random.

“What did he say to you?” Jonas growled, his voice hard.

She made herself turn to him. Focus. “It’s him.”

“I know. I think it’s him, too. He’s the only—”

Bethan reached over and took his hands. She knew thatif she ran her fingers up along his arm, she would feel some of his scars. She knew that there were more down one side of his marvelous chest, marking him forever, badges of honor, and memories he had to wear on his skin.