Page 18 of Elf

Alaric just looked at him and raised an eyebrow as they entered the building that housed Ezekiel’s office.

Ezra grinned. “Runs in the family.”

Since he doubted his brother could see past magical glamours, Ezra had asked Alaric to ditch the headband permanently. It had looked silly as hell, but he also just was sexy as hell with those high, pointed ears. And his eyes? The brightpurple and gold gave him an otherworldly beauty. But then he was otherworldly. Or was he?

“Do elves come from another realm?”

“No, we are as natural to this world as you are. We’ve always been here, just like all of the other preternaturals.” They’d reached the elevator, and Alaric pushed the up arrow. “Does your brother know we’re coming?”

“I couldn’t get him on the phone. And you’d better prepare yourself. Ezekiel’s hard to deal with. Doesn’t say much, but what he does say comes with very sharp edges.”

“I can handle him.”

His brother’s law offices were on the top floor, of course. Nothing but the best for Ezekiel Forsberg. Everything inside Ezra tightened as he strode down the hallway. As someone who was also used to the best, he had no room to talk. But Ezekiel…well, he was most definitely the epitome of a wealthy man. He even lived in a mansion all by his lonesome, if one didn’t count the various houseworkers in his employ. How could one man make enough of a mess for three maids? Of course, Ezekiel had an almost obsessive problem with dust, so maybe he employed them to fight that continuing issue.

Ezra walked up to the new receptionist. “I’m Ezra, Mr. Forsberg’s brother. Is he in?”

“Hold on, he’s pretty busy,” she said softly as she picked up her phone and told him. When she put down the phone, she frowned. “He only has a few minutes, but you can go in.”

“Who is that?” Ezekiel barked out when Alaric and Ezra entered his office.

“What, no hello first? Aren’t you glad to see me, brother?” Ezra sat in one of the chairs across from the desk.

It took a moment for Ezekiel to look away from Alaric. “Of course. How are you?”

“You mean since I was nearly beaten to death and the hospital couldn’t reach you?” Ezra took a deep breath to settle his stomach. It had twisted up at the memory of nobody but Corbin showing up. “Or did they reach you? Why didn’t you come?”

“I never heard from a hospital, Ezra. But I did recently change my number.”

“That I knew because I did try to call you about coming to see you today.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Whether you like it or not, we are family. I should know when your number changes.”

But Ezekiel was ignoring him as he narrowed his eyes at Alaric. “Is this a new boyfriend?”

“No, he’s my protection.” Ezra looked at Alaric, who was close to glaring at Ezekiel, an expression that surprised him. Alaric usually kept his feelings masked. “Which is why I’m here. Those men who hurt me let me know they’d been hired. I need to know about our father’s enemies and why one of them would target me. Like you, I had nothing to do with his business.”

“I’m aware.” Ezekiel ran a hand through his dark hair, and Ezra was surprised to see a few hints of gray in it. His brother was only three years older, so was it stress from his job?

Ezekiel cleared his throat, aiming his piercing hazel eyes at Ezra—same color as their father’s. “I’m not prepared to discuss family business with a stranger here. Tell him to step out.”

“Sheesh, Ezekiel. You can talk directly to him. But he stays. I feel safer with him close.”

“You don’t feel safe with me?”

“I don’t feel safe anywhere. I’ve been attacked twice now.”

His eyes widened. “Twice?”

“Yes.”

His gaze flicked over Ezra. “Yet you have no bruises from either attack. Maybe you’re making this out to be more than it was. You always were one for drama.”

Ezra’s lip curled up as he forced himself to lean casually back in the seat. “Heard from our mother recently?”

“I had lunch with her yesterday.”

It took all his will not to show the instant surprise—and pain—that hit him mid-chest. “She grew tired of Italy already?”

“She’s been back a couple of weeks. You didn’t know?”

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