Finn didn''t answer right away. In those few seconds of silence, Evangeline could already guess what he was thinking.


    After all, these were the Lockridges. No matter how close Finn acted with her, there was no way he''d risk open conflict with Victor for her sake.


    She''d known this from the start, so the realization didn''t sting.


    Borrowing Finn''s influence was only part of it; the real reason she stayed close to him was so that, if Victor ever truly turned against her, she''d have enough power to protect herself.


    Just as she was convinced Finn would let the question slide, he spoke up. "I''ll help you."


    Evangeline blinked, surprised. "Why?"


    "I told you before, it breaks my heart to see a beautiful woman get hurt," Finn said with a crooked smile. "Naturally, I''m not about to join someone else in bullying a woman—especially not my own girlfriend."


    He paused, eyes glinting with something unspoken. "There are other reasons, of course. But those would answer a different question."


    Evangeline realized then she''d overstepped, asking two questions in a row. She picked up her ss and knocked back another drink. "My penalty."


    She set the empty ss down and nodded at Finn. "Your turn."


    Finn propped his elbow on the table, his eyes yful. "Soren said earlier he''d give you a week to think about it. So will you get back together with him?"


    "Absolutely not." Evangeline didn''t even hesitate.


    Finn looked genuinely pleased. "That''s my question done."


    There was something odd in his easy smile, something that nagged at her. Why did it feel like Finn was jealous?


    The thought slipped out before she could stop herself. "Are you jealous of Soren?" Finn grabbed a ss, his lips twitching. "I''ll plead the fifth on that one."


    He tossed back the drink.


    Only then did Evangeline realize she''d just wasted her turn with another question.


    But what did it mean, that Finn wouldn''t answer? Did he actually like her?


    That didn''t seem right. She was realistic; Finn had dated so many women, beautiful, charming, with better figures and personalities than hers. None of them hadsted.


    She wasn''t arrogant enough to think she was special enough to make a yboy settle down.


    As she mulled it over, Finn''s voice cut through her thoughts. "If one day, Soren and I were both in danger, and you could only save one of us, who would you choose?"


    Evangeline stared at him, thrown by the seriousness in his tone.


    It had been years since she''d heard a question like that. Back at Whitmore family gatherings, some aunt or uncle would tease her: if your father and your husband both fell into ake and you could only save one, who''d you choose?


    Even as a child, she''d already known Soren and imagined he''d be her future husband, the one she''d love too much to lose. But Winston was her father, and their family had still been whole then. She couldn''t bear the thought of anything happening to him-her mother would be devastated.


    Back then, her answer was always certain. If she could only save one, she''d save her father and follow her beloved into the dark.


    It wasn''t untilter she learned just how fragile love could be.


    Now, faced with that choice, she wouldn''t pick either.


    Because those questions were always hypothetical, but life had forced her to make real choices-and in both love and family, she''d been the one left behind.


    So her answer to Finn''s question was clear.


    If it ever came to that, she''d choose herself first.