“And you don’t know who you’re sitting across from. I’m not some naive intern in awe of her own credentials. I’ve worked this case backwards and forwards. The evidence is solid, the victim is credible, and Evan is guilty.”
He says nothing, but his silence is deafening.
Something behind his eyes fractures. Calm civility slips away, replaced by something darker.
“This is aboutsurvival.”
His meaning finally registers.
“It’s not about the law, or honor, or what you think you ought to do. It’s about staying alive. Because he will kill you. I don’t know how to make it any plainer.”
I go still.
“You’re underestimating what Julian Lemaire is capable of.”
“I’m not underestimating anything. He came to see me, and he was clear.”
My father’s jaw ticks, eyes sharpening beneath a calm mask. “When?”
“Yesterday”
He swears under his breath. “He promised he’d let me speak to you first.”
“Well, he didn’t wait.”
His gaze darkens. “What did he say?”
“Nothing direct, but I understood the threat underneath.”
My father nods once. “His warning was a courtesy to me, Laurette. You won’t get another.”
The words hit me like ice water. I blink, stomach folding inward. “You knew.”
He doesn’t answer at first. Just leans back,jaw clenched.
“You’re still alive because you’re my daughter. But don’t mistake that for safety. My connection to Julian isn’t a shield. It’s a buffer. A short one.”
My throat seizes, and my voice comes out small. “Do you believe he’ll actually kill me?”
He meets my eyes, unblinking and cold. “Yes, if it protects his son. Julian Lemaire will bury you. No witnesses, no trace.”
The room shrinks, and my heart slams against my ribs. But I don’t flinch. Not yet.
“And you can still sit here and call that man your friend? You can raise a glass and play golf with someone who’d have me killed?”
“With Julian, you never see the blade until it’s already twisted. He’s not a man you make enemies with.”
My arms fold across my chest, pulse hammering at the side of my throat. “How can you sit across from him, knowing what he is? Look him in the eye and pretend it’s normal?”
No flinch. No guilt. Only steely calm.
“It’s better to be his friend than his enemy.”
No hesitation, no shame.
He’s chosen a side.
“Julian doesn’t make idle threats, Laurette. He never has. You’ve seen how he moves, what he’s capable of, and what he’ll do without blinking to protect his blood. This isn’t a bluff. If you keep pushing this case, he won’t send another warning.”
