Chapter 9 - The Brother at the Edge
Nora found Julian standing on the wrong side of the railing.
Rain hammered the bridge.
Below them, black water moved violently between concrete pillars.
Police remained several hundred yards away.
Roman had ordered everyone back.
Nora approached alone.
“Julian.”
He did not turn.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“Probably not.”
A humorless laugh.
“You're funny.”
“Sometimes.”
“You always like this?”
“I don't know. I only recently started having a personality.”
That made him glance back.
For the first time, Nora saw her brother rather than an enemy.
Same brown eyes.
Same shape around the mouth.
He looked tired.
Not dangerous.
Just exhausted.
“I ruined everything,” he said.
“You exposed everything.”
“I hurt you.”
“Yes.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Nora did not soften the truth.
“You terrified Mom. You helped Adrian. You put innocent people in danger.”
“I know.”
“But Adrian spent twenty years teaching you that pain was the only language anyone respected.”
Julian looked at her.
“That doesn't excuse me.”
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
Nora continued.
“But it explains how you got here.”
Rain ran down her face.
“You can spend the rest of your life becoming something else.”
Julian looked toward the water.
“I don't know how.”
“Neither do I.”
He laughed bitterly.
“You seem fine.”
“I still check exits every time I enter a room.”
Julian turned fully.
“I sleep with a chair under my bedroom handle even when Roman has twelve guards outside.”
His expression changed.
“I flinch when someone moves too fast. Sometimes I wake up and forget Adrian can't get inside.”
Julian’s eyes filled.
Nora stepped closer.
“We're both what he did to us.”
Another step.
“But we don't have to stay that way.”
Julian looked behind her.
Roman stood far away.
Waiting.
Not interfering.
Julian noticed.
“He loves you.”
Nora looked back briefly.
“Yes.”
“You love him?”
She smiled.
“Unfortunately.”
Julian almost smiled too.
Then his expression collapsed.
“Mom really came back for me?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“I don't know.”
A voice answered behind Nora.
“Every year.”
Eleanor.
She had ignored Roman’s orders and walked onto the bridge.
Julian stared at her.
Eleanor stopped several yards away.
“Every birthday.”
Julian began crying.
“I searched hospitals. Schools. prisons. foster records. Adrian moved you every time I got close.”
“Why didn't you choose me?”
“I did.”
“You chose her.”
“I chose a sixteen-year-old girl who was about to be murdered. Then I came back for my son.”
Julian's face crumpled.
Eleanor held out her hand.
“I never stopped.”
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Julian climbed back over the railing.
Eleanor embraced him.
He collapsed against her like the abandoned child he had never stopped being.
Nora turned away.
Roman stood waiting.
She walked toward him.
Halfway there, he opened his arms.
Nora ran.
He caught her.
No flinch.
No fear.
She buried her face against his chest.
“Take me home.”
Roman kissed her hair.
“Which home?”
The question surprised her.
Blackmere House?
Her apartment?
Somewhere else?
Nora looked toward the enormous estate visible faintly beyond the river hills.
Then she understood.
“Wherever I choose.”
Roman smiled.
“Exactly.”
But the story was not finished.
Adrian Cross was scheduled to testify against dozens of Victor’s former associates.
The morning before his testimony, his transport convoy was attacked.
Adrian disappeared.
Roman received the call at 6:03 a.m.
Nora saw his expression.
“What happened?”
“Cross escaped.”
Her body went cold.
Roman immediately regretted the wording.
“He won't reach you.”
Nora began shaking.
Then stopped.
“No.”
Roman frowned.
“What?”
“I am done hiding.”
“Nora—”
“No.”
She walked toward the old music room where Eleanor and Julian were eating breakfast.
Roman followed.
“What are you proposing?”
Nora looked at her mother.
Then her brother.
Then Roman.
“Adrian spent years teaching us to run exactly where he wanted.”
Julian slowly stood.
Nora continued.
“So we stop running.”
Elias entered.
“We just intercepted a call.”
Roman turned.
“Where?”
Elias looked at Nora.
“He’s coming here.”
Roman's expression became lethal.
“When?”
Elias checked his watch.
“He's already inside the gates.”
A crash exploded downstairs.
Nora did not cover her head.
Not this time.
She looked at Roman.
Roman looked at her.
May you like
Then Nora said:
“Let's finish it.”
