Page 111 of Paper Coffins

I’ve watched her charm some of our harshest associates and form networks with newer ones. If I had to eat humble pie, I’m pretty sure she would be shoving it down my throat.

“Can we talk a moment?” Sebastian stands beside me, so close our shoulders almost brush one another. He passes me a scotch neat as if to offer an olive branch he needn’t. “In private?”

“What happened to being on Talia watch?”

He fixes me with a pointed look. “We need a chat. Sean’s got her covered.”

I know the severity in his tone and nod towards an open doorway away from the mass of the crowds. As we walk, people greet me or move away from me. It’s great to whittle out who’s scared in my presence and who thrives.

From this standpoint, we’re still close enough to Natalia, but away from the noise to talk.

“What’s this about, Seb?”

“I…” he starts, but stops, almost stammering. “Fuck it,” he mutters, draining his scotch, forcing Dutch courage into his bloodstream. “I know you’re not happy about the situation between Talia and your dad, but I think there’s something more there.”

“You don’t know what I saw.”

“And you do?”

I scoff at the thought. “What are you implying here, Seb? They were pretty handsy in her father’s room and both looked pretty fucking guilty when I caught them.”

“And Natalia… how did she seem afterwards?”

“Seb, what the fuck are you getting at? She was fine. Her usual delightful ray of sunshine.”

“And you didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary with her?”

“Nothing about her is ordinary,” I state, unable to withhold how disgruntled I feel. “She’s always all fire and fury.”

He’s exasperated now. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean? Because I’m not in the mood to play a game of riddles.”

Before he has a chance to push it, he taps me and motions to Dylan advancing across the room, heading straight towards us.

“Boss, you said to come to you if we heard anything regarding what happened the other day with the car crash.”

“And I’m guessing you have?”

He shakes his head. “Not directly, but I’m pretty sure it’s related, seeing as he’s making his move now.”

“Who?”

“Him,” Dylan comments, nodding his head in the direction of a blonde man moving right for Natalia. “Name’s Justin Santoro.”

I see the man in question and know his family has had a long-standing request to be drafted into The Company, but Nicolas always refused to do business with Justin’s father. He kept him in his pocket, but he never had any direct dealings. Apparently, his son thinks Natalia is nothing like her father and will readily change that notion.

“He’s been heard making a few choice words in regard to Miss Abernathy, sir.”

I bristle, but outwardly, my demeanour merely darkens. “Like?”

“Sir,” Dylan starts, sounding unsure.

“Like?”

He clears his throat. “He learned of a bounty on Natalia’s head. Wants to cash in.”

“Let him.”

---