"What happened?" I ask.
"Your brother." Adrian's voice is cold. "He tried to escape. They had to restrain him. He's demanding to see you."
My heart lurches. "Is he hurt?"
"I don't care if he's hurt, Sera."
"I want to see him."
"No."
"Adrian—" I'm about to lose it. This is all too much.
"I said no, Seraphina." He's already moving toward the door. "I need to deal with this."
"I'm coming with you."
"Absolutely not. I'm not putting you in danger."
"He's my brother." I move to block his path. "You promised I could see him."
"You saw him on video. That counts."
"That was before." My voice rises. "Please. Let me see him. Let me talk to him."
"No."
"Then I'll go to the police."
The words hang between us. Adrian goes very still.
"What did you say?"
"I'll go to the police." My heart is pounding but I force myself to hold his gaze. "I'll tell them everything. The kidnapping. The forced marriage. Dimitri's murder."
His eyes go dark, and he tenses. For a minute, I worry I played my hand too soon.
Then he laughs.
It's not a pleasant sound.
"You think the police scare me?" He steps closer, backing me against the wall. "You think they'll believe you over me? Over the Nero family?"
"I'll try. I'll go to the press. I'll cause a fucking scene."
"Try." His hand comes up to wrap around my throat. Not squeezing. Just resting there. A threat. "And watch how quickly your brother dies. How quickly anyone you've ever cared about disappears. You might think there's nothing I can do to hurt you, but I'd love to show you how wrong you are."
Tears burn my eyes. "Please. I just want to see him."
Something in my voice must reach him because his grip loosens.
"Fine," he says quietly. "Leo will take you. I need to take care of something. But I'm warning you right now, Seraphina. If your brother has done anything to betray this family, I will kill him. And you won't stop me."
"He hasn't?—"
"We'll see." He releases me. "Wait here. I'll send Leo."
He leaves.
