Free Hidden Devotion by Lila Dubois Page B

grandfather’s best friend.”
    “Is that one of the crazy stories?”
    Franco shook his head. “Hardly. How about this—I’ll tell you one of my grandfather’s craziest stories, if you tell me how you got those pictures.”
    “It’s a deal.”
    Juliette smiled, completely ignoring Devon as he leaned forward and asked, “What pictures?”
    “When I was a teenager, Grandfather took me aside and said that there was a great family secret—that the Garcia’s had been selected to be members of a secret society that guarded America.” Franco smiled as he remembered his grandfather’s voice, the way he spoke with such sincerity. “He said that he’d even visited the headquarters of the society, been inducted in a secret ceremony, and then entrusted with a box and told to hide it here in Florida where no one would think to look.”
    “A secret society?” Juliette laughed lightly. “That is a bit crazy, but hardly the most absurd thing.”
    Franco wasn’t listening to her. He was looking at Devon. There’d been a moment when the man’s face had registered shock before his expression went blank and he placed his right hand on Juliette’s shoulder.
    The position gave Franco the perfect view of the ring he wore.
    A ring that was the perfect match to one Franco’s grandfather had worn until the day he died. A ring Luis had sworn was a symbol of his membership in the secret society.
    Franco’s heart started to pound. Maybe it wasn’t the same ring. The weird situation he now found himself in was making him think impossible things, and see things that weren’t there.
    He shifted his attention to Juliette—and her necklace caught his eye.
    The same symbol that adorned Devon’s ring, and his grandfather’s ring, was dead center on Juliette’s necklace.
    “Francisco, are you okay?”
    “My…my grandfather told me that someday the secret society would contact our family again, that they’d need their secret back.”
    “Their secret—you mean this box you mentioned?” Devon asked. At the same time Juliette said, “How would they contact you?”
    Franco took a step forward, trying—but probably failing—to subtly get a better look at the ring. Devon dropped his hand. Definite fail on subtlety.
    “Grandfather said that members of the secret society always wore a symbol. A triquetra.”
    Juliette inhaled slowly then let out the air. “The name, Francisco. What is the name?”
    “Is it true?” Grandfather’s stories about the secret society couldn’t possibly be true. Could they?
    “The name,” she repeated.
    “Trinity Masters. He said they were called the Trinity Masters.”
    Juliette smiled, but it was a rather sad expression. “Francisco Garcia Santiago, I need you to come with us.”
    *****
    “What the hell are you doing here?”
    “Who the hell is he?”
    Devon and Juliette stared at one another, neither answering the other’s question. They were standing on the steps of the museum, sunlight streaming around them.
    Devon caved first. “I went to see your brother.”
    “Why?”
    “You know why. I went to ask the Grand Master why my trinity,” something I’ve longed for my whole life , “was destroyed.”
    “Destroyed? Don’t be melodramatic.”
    He had to turn away. He didn’t want her to see the rage or hurt on his face. Her easy dismissal of what they had, what they were to each other, made it abundantly clear how little she cared. For the sake of his own pride, he wouldn’t let her know that his heart was utterly breaking.
    “Imagine my surprise,” he said, throat tight as he struggled to pretend he wasn’t an emotional wreck, “when I discovered your brother is not the Grand Master.”
    “No, he’s not.”
    “Perhaps I should be honored that the first thing you did was to use that newfound power to get me out of your life.”
    “Yet here you are.”
    Devon flinched, as if the words were a physical blow.
    “As you can see, I’m here on Trinity Masters’ business. There