The heavy oak door creaked open, cutting through the tension in the dining room like a knife. All conversation stopped, and the silence that followed was suffocating. I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth, as a tall man stepped inside. His sharp features were strikingly similar to Grayson’s, but his eyes were darker, colder, and his presence filled the room with a chill.
“Victor,” Asher said, his voice uneasy, breaking the silence.
Victor Cross. The brothers’ father. The man they never talked about.
“Well, this is a surprise,” Victor said smoothly, his voice dripping with charm. His gaze swept across the table, lingering on each of his sons before landing on me. His lips curled into a small, unreadable smile. “And who might this be?”
No one answered. I felt the weight of his stare as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“Dinner,” Victor continued, his tone light but pointed, “and no one thought to invite me? How rude.”
“You weren’t exactly expected,” Aiden said, leaning back in his chair, his tone sharp.
Victor chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. “Ah, Aiden. Still the bold one, I see.”
“What are you doing here?” Grayson asked, his voice cold and clipped.
Victor turned his attention to his eldest son, his expression unreadable. “I came back because I heard about the… situation.”
“What situation?” Aiden asked, his tone mocking. “You mean the mess you left behind when you disappeared?”
Victor’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes hardened. “I came to protect you,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “All of you. And her.” He nodded toward me, his gaze sharp.
“Protect us?” Aiden barked out a laugh. “That’s funny, coming from you.”
“Aiden,” Asher interjected softly, his voice cautious, “let’s not—”
“No,” Aiden cut him off, standing abruptly. “He doesn’t get to come back here and pretend to care. Where were you when we needed you? Where were you when—”
“Enough,” Grayson snapped, his voice commanding.
Aiden glared at his older brother but sat back down, his jaw tight.
Victor, unfazed, turned his attention back to me. “And you must be Lila,” he said smoothly, his gaze piercing.
I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the table. “Yes,” I managed, my voice barely steady.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said, taking a step closer. “You’ve certainly made an impression.”
“I didn’t ask to be part of this,” I said, my voice firmer now.
Victor tilted his head, studying me. “No one ever does,” he said softly. “But here you are, in the middle of it all. Tell me, Lila, how much do you know?”
“Enough,” I said, meeting his gaze even though my heart was pounding.
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I doubt that.”
“What do you want?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.
Victor straightened, his expression unreadable. “To protect you, of course. You’re in more danger than you realize.”
“She doesn’t need your protection,” Aiden snapped.
Victor turned to him, his expression calm but his voice sharp. “And what exactly are you doing to protect her, Aiden? Letting her dig deeper into things she has no business knowing?”
“She’s not your concern,” Grayson said, his voice low and dangerous.
Victor’s gaze shifted to his eldest son. “Oh, but she is. You’ve made her my concern by bringing her into this mess.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” I said, my frustration bubbling over.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Fiery. I see why they’re so taken with you.”
“Don’t,” Grayson warned, his tone icy.
Victor ignored him and took another step closer to me. “You remind me of someone,” he said, his voice softer now.
I frowned, unsure of where he was going with this. “Who?”
Victor’s gaze darkened. “Someone we couldn’t save.”
The room went silent, the weight of his words settling over us like a heavy fog.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Victor didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked at his sons, his expression hardening. “You’ve put her in the same position, haven’t you? Just like Evelyn.”
My breath hitched at the mention of her name.
“Leave her out of this,” Grayson said, stepping forward, his posture tense.
Victor smirked. “You can’t protect her, Grayson. You couldn’t protect Evelyn, and you won’t be able to protect Lila either.”