Page 5 of The Cousins and the Brunette

The taste of bile rose in my throat as I thought of Shoemaker’s smug face. I’d love nothing more than to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off his mug with my fist. But violence wouldn’t solve this mess—not yet, anyway.

Sebastian shrugged, his expression solemn. “Betrayal is a bitter pill. Especially from someone we considered a partner.”

“More like a necessary evil,” I snapped, unable to hide my disdain. “And now, instead of holding the reins on military tech, we look like fools.”

I hated that we’d been outmaneuvered at our own game. It was like being beaten at chess by a pigeon. A very cunning, ruthless pigeon named Chad Shoemaker.

“Let’s not forget who put us in this chase,” Braxton interjected, his tone light but eyes sharp as flint. “Mr. Shoemaker played us well.”

“Played us too well, the asshole.” I huffed out a breath, clenching my fists. “If we don’t reclaim control of those Nant-bots, everything we’ve built will crumble. And I’ll be damned if I let that happen on my watch.”

“Nor on mine,” Sebastian said, a rare edge creeping into his usually calm voice. “But we must do this wisely. Our next move will define us—in more ways than one. Shoemaker is an asshole, for sure, but now he holds all the cards.”

“Then we snatch the deck right out of his hands,” I declared.

Still pacing the room, I caught my reflection in the ornate mirror above the piano. My green eyes, set in a face marked by brawls and sleepless nights, stared back at me. My black hair was spiked in its usual disarray. I was of average height with a muscular build, wearing a fitted shirt and jeans.

“Joel, we’re not barbarians,” Sebastian said, his tone chiding yet understanding. “We can’t just storm his fortress. There are...complexities.”

Not barbarians? Maybe he’d forgotten what business we were in. I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar calluses from years of fighting. This wasn’t some gentleman’s game - it was survival.

I scowled. “Complexities be damned! He took something valuable to us. So what if we take something valuable to him?”

The idea blazed through my mind, a wildfire of possibilities. Sure, it was risky, but when had playing it safe ever gotten us anywhere?

“Like what?” Braxton frowned.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for their reactions. “Like…kidnapping Elizabeth Shoemaker, his daughter, to use as leverage.” The plan fell from my lips like a death sentence, heavy with implication and seriousness.

“Good heavens, Joel, she’s innocent in all of this!” Sebastian protested, his dark eyes troubled beneath furrowed brows.

Innocent? In our world? I nearly laughed.

“Is she?” I countered. “She’s Shoemaker’s daughter. She’s leverage. And right now, I’m not above playing dirty if it means protecting our interests.”

The familiar rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins. This was what I was made for—taking action when others hesitated.

Braxton shook his head, though his usual joviality was absent. “Using a young woman as a pawn. That’s a dark path, cousin.”

“Dark times call for dark measures,” I insisted, my pulse quickening at the thought of regaining control. “We’re at war, whether you like it or not. Shoemaker made his move; now we make ours.”

Sebastian ran a hand through his short, dark hair, his stance rigid with conflict. “I understand the stakes, Joel. But there’s a line—one we’ve never crossed before.”

Lines. Always with the lines. As if our enemies gave a damn about lines.

I stopped pacing, frustration boiling over. “Lines are for those who fear the edge.”

The room hummed with tension, each of us ensnared by the gravity of the choice before us. We had always played the game with cunning and calculation, but this...this was a move that could redefine us entirely.

“Should we vote on this? Because once decided, there’s no turning back,” Braxton said.

This wasn’t a democracy. And I’d be damned if I let our family fall because we were too scared to do what needed to be done.

I crossed my arms over my chest, locking eyes with each of them. “We do what’s necessary. For the family. For our future.”

Sebastian sighed. “I…I don't think this plan is a good idea. Kidnapping? Blackmail? This isn’t us. I want no part of it.”

His words stung more than I cared to admit. But I couldn’t let sentiment cloud my judgment. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

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