But it did to Gideon.
Sebastian scanned the room with the lazy efficiency of someone cataloging wealth: rich fabrics, hushed power, old money folded into crystal tumblers.
But the dynamic had shifted.
The room pulsed differently now. The rhythm off by a breath.
“Well,” a smooth voice cut through the low swell of jazz, “if it isn’t my favorite cousin. Here to inspect your little brother’s latest… investment?”
Alex lounged against the bar with practiced ease, drink in hand, the curve of his mouth edged with something too pointed to be charm.
Every detail about him was curated. Hair perfectly tousled. Suit pristine. But the faint sneer betrayed the performance.
Where Sebastian cut clean, Alex preferred finesse; his charm a velvet sheath hiding something far more dangerous underneath.
They were both dangerous.
But in different ways.
Gideon stood a few feet behind them, posture unreadable, hands in his pockets like he didn’t need them for leverage. He didn’t.
The contrast between the brothers was stark.
Alex wore his charm like armor: polished. Practiced.
Gideon didn’t bother. His presence was quieter, heavier. Power that didn’t need to posture.
And right now, he focused on managing the rising tension in the room.
“Alex,” Sebastian said smoothly, offering his cousin a brief nod. “Still here. I’d have thought you would have traded the city for the fresh Wyoming air.”
The jab landed softly, wrapped in civility. But it hit its mark.
Alex’s grin held, but a flicker behind his eyes betrayed the hit. Quick and sharp, like a match catching flame.
“Can’t let things fall apart because the wrong people are in charge,” Alex said, his voice smooth as ever as his gaze drifted toward Gideon. “You know how Mother feels about legacy.”
Family legacy.
A phrase he’d worn like a shackle his whole life.
Polished. Rehearsed. Hollow.
But tonight, it landed differently. Sharper. Colder.
“The Blackwell Room is doing fine,” Gideon said, voice smooth but cold.
“And so is its newest hire.” Sebastian’s gaze drifted to the bar. To Arden.
She moved with quiet ownership. Effortless. Inevitable. But too bright for this place.
Composed. Sharp. Watchful.
Too watchful.
Sebastian’s mouth curved faintly. “Interesting addition. Doesn’t quite blend in, does she?”
Gideon’s jaw ticked. “She doesn’t need to blend in.”
