Page 39 of Saving Saul

The woman smiles faintly, her gaze steady and knowing, as though she’s already seen the outcome of whatever chaos she unleashes. Then, in perfect, measured English, she says, “You followed the path your ancestors set, Tessa, and found love. Now, all you have to do is find the truth.” Her eyes settle on Saul with the final word.

As the weight of her words settles between us, she reaches into the folds of her robe and holds out my pearls, the necklace dangling from her fingers like a lifeline. Slowly, deliberately, she steps forward and returns them to my hands. Her touch is surprisingly warm, almost grounding, yet it sends a shiver racing down my spine.

She nods once, as if satisfied, before retreating into the shadows. It’s as though she was never there, vanishing with the same eerie grace with which she arrived.

Saul remains still, his jaw set tight, his shoulders tense as if bracing for a blow. His hands flex at his sides like he’s trying to grasp something intangible. I look at him, my heart hammering, searching his face for answers I know he doesn’t have.

“What the hell just happened?” I whisper, clutching the pearls to my chest, their familiar weight doing little to steady the storm inside me.

Saul doesn’t respond immediately. His gaze lingers on where the woman disappeared, his brows furrowed, his breathingshallow. Whatever happened, it’s clear neither of us is walking away unchanged.

Hurriedly, he grabs a jacket draped over the back of a nearby chair and throws it over my shoulders, the fabric warm and slightly worn. I clutch it tightly, the weight of it grounding me, and for a moment, I’m grateful for this small, simple gesture that feels like a lifeline in the chaos swirling around us.

It’s only then that I remember I’m still dressed in nothing but a yellow bikini and a short, sheer chiffon cover-up. The cool night air nips at my legs as we step outside, but the jacket feels like a shield—his quiet, unspoken way of protecting me, even now.

As the city hums in the background, I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, his face set in that familiar mix of determination and restraint. There’s so much I want to say, so many questions clawing at my throat, but the words don’t come.

It feels like the world is holding its breath, waiting for what comes next.

TRUTH OR DARE?

SAUL

Punchingthe chief of police while technically on the run for murder?

Not my best move.

But then again, I hadn’t known who the prick was, and honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered.

He touched Tessa.

Disrespected her.

Put his filthy hands where they didn’t belong.

He’s lucky he’s still breathing.

My fists had already decided before my brain could catch up, and even now, standing here with adrenaline still burning through my veins, I wouldn’t take it back.

The problem was, now, we needed to get the hell out of here.

“Not here,” I said when she opened her mouth to protest, her wide eyes flashing with anger, confusion, and something deeper—something she probably didn’t even realize was there yet. My voice was calm, but my body was shifting toward the door. This place wasn’t safe for me anymore.

Then again, nowhere really was. I’d learned that as a boy.

We stepped toward the exit, but before we could push through the crowd, a woman appeared out of nowhere, blocking our way like a storm cloud ready to break open.

I had seen her before. She was a local spiritualist who often worked at events for Cecil.Celine Varennes.Usually, she told fortunes and spat gibberish. But right now, she looked like a problem.

And I wasn’t in the mood for any more problems.

She moved quickly—quicker than I anticipated. One moment, she stared at us with those eerie, insightful eyes. The next moment, she had snatched Tessa’s pearls from her neck.

Tessa gasped, stumbling back into my chest as if the loss had physically knocked the air from her lungs.

Before I could react and wrap my hands around the old woman’s wrist and take back what belonged to Tessa, something made me stop.

She was small, barely reaching my chest, her frame wrapped in layers of fabric that seemed to move even when standing still. But there was power in her presence, which made the hairs on my neck stand up.

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