Was. Past tense. But that didn’t mean their feelings had faded—they certainly seemed strong and mutual. Neither had Gregory’s. He couldn’t just watch Evie be humiliated and ruined.

“What are you going to do?” he asked Lucien.

“Now we know what Lady Hargrove was threatening,” Evie murmured. She looked to Gregory. “Lucien just expelled Lady Hargrove from the club.”

“What?” Gregory took another step toward Lucien. “You have to fix it. Give her what she wants.”

Lucien stared at him, his brow furrowing. “Why, so you can have your appointment?”

“I don’t give a damn about that. You can’t let Evie be exposed. Lady Hargrove may be going to the papers this very moment.”

“I appreciate you saying that,” Evie said softly. She’d moved away from Lucien. Away from both of them, as if she were preparing to isolate herself from those around her. “I can’t let her win. She would change the entire character of the Phoenix Club, and I won’t let her. Lucien has built something wonderful, something special.”

“I won’t let her harm the club or Evie.” Lucien turned toward Evie. “Give me a chance to fix this. I’m going to find Hargrove and stop this. I have to go.” He shot a quick but inscrutable glance at Gregory, then left, closing the door hard behind him.

Gregory waited for her to say something, but she didn’t. Neither did she look at him. Her shoulders drooped in defeat, and he ignored the urge to go to her, to hold her.

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

Her gaze snapped to his. “Honestly, I didn’t think it mattered. That was the past. I am not that person anymore.”

“Who you were is part of who you are. I wanted to know everything about you.” He still did, but he hated that she’d kept something so important from him.

“Did you really want to know I’d been a courtesan?” she asked derisively. “I can see from your expression that it disgusts you. That I disgust you.”

“I don’t know how you can tell that because it isn’t true. I am angry you lied to me. I’m also upset that you and Lucien seem to still share a bond. Perhaps that is why you wish to never wed—the man you truly want isn’t available to you.” Gregory knew that Lucien didn’t want to marry.