The bridge was quiet, which was unfortunate because Sebastian apparently interpreted silence as an invitation.
Hands tucked into his coat pockets, he stared out at the river, looking far too comfortable with himself.
"You know," he said, staring out at the water, "I'm the only person who ever preferred you over Alera."
Elara rolled her eyes immediately "There it is."
"There, what is?"
"The annual Sebastian Virement Victim Olympics."
A smile tugged at his mouth "Everyone liked her better because she was nice. Most people enjoy nice people."
The corner of his mouth lifted "I don't."
"That explains so much," She didn't even have to look at him to know he was serious.
Sebastian ignored her "Alera smiled at people."
"Yes."
"Suspicious behaviour."
Elara snorted, "You are ridiculous ."
"No, I'm observant."
"You called my sister suspicious because she was polite."
"Nobody is that polite."
"Normal people are."
Sebastian looked at her, "Normal people don't exist in your family."
Unfortunately, he had a point.
That finally earned her a sideways glance, and she opened her mouth with a ready comeback
then closed it again. Annoyingly, he wasn't entirely wrong "It still doesn't explain why you're bringing this up."
Sebastian gave one lazy shrug. , "I'm just saying everyone preferred Alera."
"You included."
"No."
Elara glanced at him.
Sebastian's expression remained irritatingly calm.
"No?" she repeated.
"No."
"You spent half our childhood making fun of me."
"I spent half our childhood making fun of everyone." He was a bully, of course.
"That is not helping your argument."
Sebastian waved a hand "Details."
Elara stared at him "You literally called me feral."
"I was correct."
Elara stopped walking "You are annoying."
"You climbed out a second story window because you didn't want to attend piano lessons."
"I was escaping."
"You were seven."
"I was trapped."
"You were in your own house."
"It was still imprisonment."
Sebastian nodded thoughtfully, "Feral."
"Oh, shut up."
"You asked."
"I absolutely did not."
"You brought up the subject."
"I said you called me feral."
"Which was accurate."
Elara looked ready to hit him.
Sebastian looked delighted "See, this is exactly why I preferred you
"There is something medically wrong with you."
"Alera had patience but lacked survival instincts."
Elara stared, "What does that even mean?"
"It means she listened to me voluntarily."
"That isn't a survival instinct."
"It should be."
"No wonder everyone in your family hates you," Elara said without hesitation.
Sebastian looked at her, "That's a bold statement from a Montclair."
Elara frowned "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you grew up in a family where being second choice was practically a tradition."
Silence.
Elara looked at him "...That was low."
"I wasn't aiming high."
She folded her arms "Say sorry ."
Sebastian considered it "I could."
Her eyebrow lifted "I'm listening."
"I'm sorry..."
A beat "...that it was accurate "I'm sorry for saying the truth ."
She stared at him for a long moment "You are, without question, the most irritating man I've ever met."
Sebastian smiled faintly "And yet you haven't left."
"Because my father threatened me."
"As he should."
Elara let out a slow breath "You really don't hear yourself, do you?"
"I do."
"And?"
"I still agree with me."
She stared at him "You spent years making my life miserable."
"I spent years making everyone's life miserable."
"That isn't the defense you think it is."
"It wasn't the defense."
"You insulted everyone equally, therefore I was your favorite?"
She looked at him in complete disbelief "You are genuinely impossible."
"And yet," Sebastian said, completely serious, "you've remembered every insult I've ever given you."
Elara folded her arms "That's because they were traumatic."
"I preferred you."
By the time Elara returned to the Montclair estate, the house had gone quiet.
Most of the lights had been switched off. The staff moved silently through the halls, finishing the last of the evening's work.
She slipped off her heels with a relieved sigh.
One dinner she had survived even for that she deserved a medal.
"Enjoy your evening?" Victor's voice cut cleanly through the silence.
Elara didn't jump mostly because she was too tired.
She turned toward the sitting room.
Victor sat exactly where she expected him to be, a glass of whiskey untouched beside him. A file rested open on the coffee table, though she doubted he'd read a single page.
He'd been waiting of course he had.
"I've had better," Elara answered.
Victor watched her for a moment "You stayed longer than expected."
"We went for a walk."
"I know."
Three simple words landed heavier than they should have.
Elara raised one of her eyebrows "You had someone following me?"
"I had someone ensuring my daughter's safety."
"My safety wasn't in danger."
Victor's expression didn't change "I wasn't referring to Sebastian."
Silence settled between them. Elara folded her arms "What do you want?"
Victor leaned back "I want to know whether tonight changed anything."
"It did."
His eyebrow lifted slightly "I've become even more convinced your future son in law needs professional help."
Victor didn't smile "I wasn't asking about Sebastian."
She already knew who he meant.
Alaric.
Victor's eyes never left hers "You've seen him several times now."
Another pause "Tell me honestly, Elara, which brother concerns you more?"
Elsewhere in Manhattan snow had begun just after midnight.
It washed over empty docks, abandoned cranes, and warehouses forgotten by everyone except the men who still found use for them.
An Aston Martin disappeared behind rusted shipping containers.
The warehouse doors opened. No one announced his arrival no one needed to.
The room fell silent with the quiet efficiency of men who had learned long ago that unnecessary noise had consequences.
Alaric walked in without haste.
His coat was still damp from the rain. He removed his gloves as he crossed the concrete floor and handed them to Kael without looking.
"Has he spoken?"
"Only lies."
Alaric gave a small nod "I expected as much."
At the center of the warehouse, the man lifted his head "So..." He forced a laugh that fooled no one. "You're the one in charge."
Alaric didn't answer. He pulled out a chair sat crossed one leg over the other only then did he look at the man.
The silence stretched.
The man shifted in his chair "You dragged me all the way here just to stare at me?"
Still nothing.
His confidence began to crack "What? Cat got your tongue?"
Alaric tilted his head ever so slightly "No."
The single word was calm and measured.
"So why aren't you saying anything?"
"Because you've mistaken this for a negotiation."
The man's smile disappeared.
Alaric folded his hands "You believe that if you choose the right words, you'll leave this warehouse."
Another pause. "You won't."
No anger, no threat, just a simple statement.
The prisoner searched his face for doubt. There wasn't any.
He looked to the guards instead. None of them met his eyes.
One by one, they looked away For the first time that night
The man understood he was completely alone.
Alaric leaned forward only slightly "Now."
His voice remained almost courteous "Tell me, why are you following me?"
The man opened his mouth. This time, there was no lie waiting to come out.