Who wouldn’t flinch when the heat rose.
Who would stoke it higher.
She didn’t need saving.
She needed someone who’d burn for her.
They would never deserve her.
But he would.
CHAPTER 20
Blood & Leverage
The private lounge of the Blackwell estate glowed with low golden light. The air was steeped in old money and older rules, heavy with tradition, silence, and expectations no one said aloud.
Across from his mother, Alex Blackwell swirled his bourbon in slow, idle circles, the amber catching the light as if performing under her gaze. The silence between them was denser than the cut crystal in his hand. Inescapable.
Evelyn sat upright, every inch composed. Not a single silver hair dared stray.
The teacup in front of her stayed untouched—just another part of the scene, more ornament than beverage.
This wasn’t a conversation meant for warmth.
“You’re distracted,” she said evenly. Cool. Observant. “That’s unlike you.”
Alex took a slow sip, exhaled through his nose. “You wanted to talk business.”
“I said I wanted to talk about family,” she corrected, each word threaded with steel.
His smirk was faint. Bitter. Almost a sneer. “And you usually don’t see a difference.”
Her gaze narrowed enough to register displeasure.
“Family is business. And you, Alexander, are not holding up your end of the deal.”
He set his glass down with a muted clink; his jaw tightened. “If this is about Cate?—”
“Of course it’s about Cate.” Her voice didn’t rise; it didn’t need to. “And the fact that she’s failed at the only expectation that matters in this family.”
His grip on the glass tightened. “That isn’t something we can control.”
Evelyn tapped her fingers against the armrest.
“Then perhaps you should take control of the situation.” A pause. Calculated. “Cate may be incapable. But science has its… advantages.”
A humorless huff escaped him. He leaned back in an attempt to stretch the tension from his neck. “You’re pitching IVF like it’s part of a quarterly strategy meeting.”
“It is.” Her words snapped like bone. “So is legacy.”
“An investment in the future of this family. And currently, it’s yielding no return.”
He dragged a hand down his face. Irritation flared beneath the polished exterior.
“She’s doing everything she can. We both are. But I suppose that’s not good enough for you.”
Her expression didn’t shift.
