Chapter 6 - The Dead Brother
Julian Thorne stepped into the red emergency light.
Twelve years ago, Cassian had watched a coffin carrying his brother lowered into the ground.
Now Julian looked older.
Harder.
A scar ran along his jaw.
But there was no mistaking him.
Cassian’s gun trembled.
“You died.”
Julian smiled.
“Apparently not.”
“You were in the car.”
“I was supposed to be.”
Cassian stared.
Their father had blamed rival families for the explosion that supposedly killed Julian.
That death had started a war.
Dozens had died afterward.
Cassian whispered, “Father knew.”
Julian’s smile disappeared.
“Father arranged it.”
Cassian went still.
Julian stepped closer.
“I wanted out. He wouldn’t allow it. So he gave Viktor my location and told him to make it look convincing.”
“No.”
“You worshipped that man.”
“He was our father.”
“He was a butcher.”
Cassian raised the gun higher.
“And you’re working with Viktor now?”
“I’m working for myself.”
Elena watched Julian carefully.
“You shut down the security system.”
Julian glanced at her.
“So this is Elena Rostova.”
“You know me?”
“I know what you stole.”
Cassian turned.
“The ledger?”
Julian nodded.
“Our father’s name was in it.”
Cassian’s face changed.
Julian continued.
“He paid Viktor to eliminate me. Later he paid federal agents to blame another family. Your empire was built on the war that followed.”
Cassian shook his head.
“You expect me to believe this?”
“No.”
Julian smiled sadly.
“I expect you to ask Elena.”
Cassian looked at her.
Elena remained silent.
That silence answered everything.
“You knew.”
“I knew the name.”
“For eight months?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I came here because I needed to find out whether you were like him.”
Cassian laughed once.
Coldly.
“So I was being investigated by my maid.”
“I was deciding whether giving you the truth would get people killed.”
Julian stepped closer.
“You see, brother? Everyone lies to you.”
Cassian looked from Julian to Elena.
Then at Marcus bleeding on the floor.
The walls of his world seemed to move.
Julian lowered his voice.
“Give me Elena and the ledger. Walk away tonight. Let Viktor and me finish this.”
Cassian looked at him.
“And my people?”
“Collateral damage.”
Something changed in Cassian.
He lowered his gun.
Julian smiled.
Then Cassian punched him.
Hard.
Julian stumbled backward.
Cassian grabbed his jacket.
“You may be my brother.”
He hit him again.
“But you just made the mistake of calling my people collateral.”
Gunfire erupted from the far hallway.
Julian broke free.
Elena pulled Cassian behind cover.
Julian ran.
Marcus groaned.
Elena checked his wound.
“He needs a hospital.”
“No hospital can reach us.”
“There’s an old maintenance road through the northern woods.”
Cassian stared.
“How do you know that?”
Maria answered.
“Because Elena knows this house better than you.”
Cassian almost argued.
Then Viktor’s voice returned.
“Five minutes.”
Elena stood.
Cassian looked at her.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending this.”
“You’re not giving yourself up.”
“I wasn’t asking permission.”
“You think I’m going to let you walk out there?”
Elena faced him.
“No.”
She pulled her braid loose.
Auburn hair fell over her shoulders.
For the first time, she looked nothing like a servant.
“That’s why you’re going to be too busy to stop me.”
She pressed a button on the wall.
Every fire alarm in Blackwood Manor erupted at once.
Sprinklers came alive.
Steel doors began opening throughout the compound.
Cassian stared.
“What did you just do?”
Elena picked up a shotgun from the floor.
“Turned your fortress into a maze.”
May you like
Then she disappeared into the smoke.
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