Out On A Date

ELIANI should have known something was wrong the moment Aiden refused to tell me where we were going.People with good intentions usually answered simple questions but Aiden only smiled. “You’ll see.”“I honestly now hate that sentence.”“I know.”“It usually ends with me regretting something.”His grin widened as he unlocked the passenger door of his car. “Get in.”I folded my arms. “You really enjoy ordering people around, don’t you?.”“No.” He waited until I looked at him. “I enjoy ordering you around.”I sighed dramatically before climbing into the car. “One day,” I muttered as I buckled my seat belt, “you’re going to meet someone who refuses to entertain your nonsense.”“I already did.” He shut the door before walking around to the driver’s side. “You.”I pretended to look out of the window so he wouldn’t see the smile threatening to appear but it didn’t work as nothing ever escaped him.“You smiled.”“I absolutely did not.”“I saw it.”“Yea well.. You imagined it.”“I have exce

My Company

AidenI knew he noticed the pickup truck but I honestly couldn’t care less..The maître d’ greeted us with the kind of smile reserved for people who looked like they belonged.I didn’t.Not in places like this.The restaurant glowed beneath soft amber lights that reflected off crystal glasses and polished marble floors. Every table was dressed in white linen, candles flickering gently between expensive floral arrangements, while a pianist in the corner coaxed slow jazz from a grand piano. The room smelled of butter, rosemary, and expensive wine.Elian, however, looked perfectly at home.He slipped his hands into the pockets of his coat as we followed the hostess deeper into the dining room, his attention wandering over the artwork on the walls rather than the people staring discreetly in our direction.“I think they expect me to know which fork is for what,” he whispered.I laughed under my breath.“They expect me to pay.”His grin widened. “So you’re saying I should order the lobster

Old Company

EMILEThere were very few people capable of making me regret sending an invitation before they had even arrived.Candice Jones happened to be one of them.I stood on the balcony of the restaurant overlooking the glittering Manhattan skyline, one hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey that had long since lost its chill. The meeting with Father had ended almost thirty minutes ago, yet his questions still lingered in my head.“How is Aiden’s therapy going?”He had asked it too casually.. Far too casually.Father never asked questions he already didn’t know the answer to.A soft pair of heels clicked against the polished stone behind me.“They still serve whiskey before saying hello?”Her voice carried the same confidence I remembered and I turned.Candice smiled politely, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.“It has been a while, Emile.”“It has.”She studied me for a second before extending her hand.“Should we pretend we’re meeting for the first time?”I looked at her hand for a bri

A second Pair Of Eyes

EMILEI did not enjoy being proven wrong.Unfortunately, life had developed an unpleasant habit of doing exactly that whenever my younger brother was involved.The drive back from the restaurant passed in silence. Candice had offered to continue the conversation another time, and for once I had not argued. There had been too much left unsaid between us, but none of it demanded an answer tonight especially as we both knew what it meant.The message on my phone did.Someone else has started watching the doctor.The words had refused to leave my mind. By the time my driver pulled into the estate, I was already reaching for my phone.“Good evening, sir.”Victor my little eyes and ears answered on the second ring.“I need every surveillance report from the last forty-eight hours.”“Regarding Dr. Moore?”“Yes.”“I’ll send them immediately.”“And Victor.”“Sir?”“I don’t want summaries.”“I want everything.”“Understood.”The call ended.I stepped out of the car and climbed the wide stairca

Sound Older

EMILEThe line went silent.Not because the call had dropped.Because neither of us had anything we wished to say first.Father had always possessed that ability. He could weaponize silence until the other person felt compelled to fill it. I had inherited the habit from him, although he would never admit it.I swirled the whiskey in my glass before setting it aside untouched.“You don’t usually call this late and I’m sure you’re not calling because of Brooklyn what ever happened there is dead and buried as you know.. so let his therapy go according to plan,” I said.“I don’t.”“Then I assume this isn’t about business or Brooklyn.”“It isn’t.”His voice remained even, almost detached, but I knew him well enough to recognize the warning hidden beneath that calm.“When I asked about Aiden’s therapy this afternoon, I wasn’t making conversation.”“I gathered as much.”“You lied to me.”“Hmm loe is a strong word I may have omitted a few details.”“There is a difference only lawyers apprecia

Collision

ELIAN“I still think you’re avoiding my question.”Aiden glanced at me across the center console, one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel while the city lights slid across his face in streaks of gold and white.“I answered your question.”“No,” I replied, settling farther into the leather seat. “You gave me the sort of answer politicians give when they don’t actually want to answer anything.”A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.“Is that your professional opinion, Doctor?”“It is.”“And here I thought today was your day off.”“It is my day off.”“Then stop analyzing me.”“I wouldn’t have to if you’d simply answer me.”“I did.”“You absolutely did not.”He laughed under his breath, the sound low enough that I almost missed it.“You enjoy arguing with me.”“I enjoy winning.”“You’ve never won.”“I have.”“When?”I folded my arms.“You’ve forgotten already.”“I don’t forget victories.”“That’s because there haven’t been many.”He shook his head slowly.“I’ve created a