"His smile was poison."
Carroway's arrival had sucked the celebratory energy out of the room like someone had opened a vacuum seal. The crowd that had been pressed together in cheerful chaos now thinned enough for Silver to feel the sudden sharpness in the air. She could still hear bass pounding from the next room where people were blissfully unaware, but here by the fireplace it had gone unnaturally quiet, like everyone was holding their breath waiting for detonation.
Carroway's smile hadn't changed from the polished charm he always deployed. Smooth, confident, the kind of expression that made people forget there were teeth beneath it until they'd already been bitten.
"Hayes," he said, voice managing to sound both casual and cutting simultaneously. "Still playing the hometown hero, I see. How predictable."
Eli's hand flexed once at his side, barely noticeable unless you were watching for signs of tension. "You shouldn't be here, Carroway."
