Lara had been gone for quite a while, yet the two brothers remained rooted to the same spot, as if her departure had frozen time itself. The room still carried a faint trace of her presence—something soft and unfamiliar that didn't belong in Ares's austere space.
"Asher," Ares said at last, his voice low and measured. He slid open the glass door, and the cool night air spilled into the room, stirring the curtains like a quiet exhale. "A few hours ago, you looked at Larissa with… interest."
"Well," Asher replied, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stepped closer to the balcony, "I called Layla. Asked about her. Summer was there too."
Ares's brow lifted slightly. "Them? And what did they have to say?"
Asher gave a short, humorless laugh. "Layla said Larissa Reyes is an opportunist. That she tried to climb into your bed through Shay… and that she's after the Norse family's wealth and prestige."
Ares let out a dry chuckle, the sound carrying no real amusement.
