Page 139 of Hard Knot

"Who did it?" James asks, his voice carrying that dangerous edge I'm starting to recognize. Another prolonged stillness fills the space before Carter mutters her name.

"Vivian Sinclair."

My muscles tense involuntarily at the name, but I force myself to maintain the appearance of sleep.

"I can see the gears moving in your head," Carter continues. "Don't bother. The bitch has been dead for a few years now, though the wounds still remain."

"Scars," Felix corrects quietly.

"Well, it shouldn't define him," James says with surprising conviction. "He shouldn't hide it when it's something he survived from."

"That's something Abbie would say," Carter remarks, amusement creeping into his tone.

"Of course, my Eli would say that," James huffs. "We think alike."

"You better calm down with your whole 'I'm the past rival friend/boyfriend/fake lover' bullshit," Carter growls, though there's more exasperation than real anger in his voice.

Felix's quiet chuckle follows.

"You sound like a jealous fool because you're like the last in some race."

"I'm in the lead like the hare," Carter argues. "You're the one in last place."

"I'm simply going at the tortoise's pace," Felix counters smoothly. "Slow and steady wins the race."

"Whatever," Carter mutters, but there's fondness beneath the dismissal.

The room falls quiet for a moment before James speaks again.

"I can see why you guys balance each other out."

"How so?" Felix asks with genuine curiosity in his tone.

"Despite how different each of you are, you respect that balance," James explains. "Even with Holmes being the biggest douche."

I hear Carter choke on what must be his own saliva while Felix barely contains a snicker.

"You know," James continues, his voice dropping lower, more serious, "it's all just to protect him from being hurt again."

The words hit harder than expected, even though I've known this truth for years. Hearing it stated so plainly by someone who barely knows us makes it impossible to ignore.

They think I'm asleep, having this conversation over my supposedly unconscious form, but every word sinks in with perfect clarity. The way they dance around certain details, theprotective note in their voices, the careful way they share information with James...

They've been shielding me all along.

Not just from physical threats or business rivals, but from emotional vulnerability. From the possibility of being hurt again the way Vivian hurt me.

The realization settles heavily in my chest, mixing with the lingering warmth of Elizabeth's earlier words about breaking shackles and refusing to let the past define me.

They need to be broken…the shackles…so I’m no longer held behind from what’s meant for me.

The thought terrifies me almost as much as it appeals to me.

"Why is the Holmes Empire struggling when its foundations are as strong as ever?" James asks, his tone suggesting genuine curiosity rather than judgment.

The silence that follows feels weighted, and I can almost picture James assuming they don't know. But then Carter speaks up, his voice carrying an edge of careful consideration.

"I've been aware of the struggles," he admits quietly. "But I've been waiting for Holmes to bring it up himself. So we could confront it as a unit and fix it together."

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