“I’m just saying, you affect the poor guy.” His grin is all mischief now. “He didn’t, like, drop to one knee on the spot, did he?”

“Oh my god, Orion.”

He laughs, dodging when I swat at his arm. “I mean, I’d understand if he did. You’re a catch, even if you do have a tendency to vanish without warning.”

I roll my eyes, but the words land deeper than I expected. Because for all his overprotectiveness, Orion has never been the kind to hand out empty reassurances.

I shake my head. “You’re so annoying.”

“I learned from the best.” He nudges me lightly with his elbow, and I huff a small laugh despite myself. The tension between us finally, finally starts to ease.

But then his expression shifts slightly, and I know the peace won’t last long.

9

Selene

The afternoon sun spills golden light through the kitchen window, glinting off the half-empty coffee cup in front of me. My pencil creates lazy lines along a new page my sketchbook only half-paying attention to what I’m doing. I’m sprawled on the couch with my tablet beside me playing a new episode of Women & Crime. The latest case they’re dissecting is wild—it’s one about a woman kidnapping her cousin’s kid and passing the child off as her own.

Orion stalks in like a restless caged animal, his energy practically vibrating through the space.

“I need to get out of this house,” he announces, running a hand through his already messy hair. “I’m going stir-crazy.”

I smirk still not looking up. “It’s been less than twenty-four hours, Drama Queen. What do you do when you have to do stakeouts?”

Orion lets out an exaggerated sigh like I’ve just asked him to explain quantum physics. “Yeah, the entire day has consisted of you either ignoring me or working. I’m bored, Selene. I don’t get bored at work and I don’t do stakeouts.” He levels me with a pointed look. “Let’s go.”

I let my head fall back against the cushions with a groan. I know that tone. It’s the one he used when we were kids, convincing me to sneak out of the house, or when he needed a last-minute alibi for some stupid stunt he pulled. There’s no escape when he gets like this.

Still, I make a weak attempt. “Where, exactly?”

“I don’t know—where do people even go in this town?” He leans against the doorway, arms crossed like he’s physically holding himself back from pacing. “Is there a bar? A shooting range? Literally, anything that doesn’t involve you ignoring your favorite brother and sitting here pretending to be productive?”

I roll my eyes. “You’re my only brother and I was being productive, thank you very much.”