Sebastian's dagger slipped into its sheath with a soft click. Too quiet for the weight it carried.
He leaned back against his chair, relaxed. The leather creaking under him as if the room itself had flinched. His expression was carved from disdain and inevitability.
"Well," he murmured, folding his hands behind his head, "since we all know that's never going to happen, you have your answer."
The words settled thick in the air, heavier than any threat he'd ever thrown at me.
Behind me, I felt Ravić stiffened. His anger sharp, controlled and deadly. A storm barely leashed. But his cousin didn't even spare him a glance. Instead his gaze stayed on me, as if we were the only ones in the room.
I drew in a slow breath, willing my voice to stay steady. "You need to rethink this."
His smile faded. Not gone, but narrowing into something colder, more brittle.
