"Ah," the elder man nodded. "That makes sense."
Thomas smirked.
"You're making history."
Victor looked entirely resigned to his fate.
"I always wanted that."
The laughter returned once more.
This time, Maya found herself studying Victor more closely.
Not obviously.
Not enough for anyone to notice.
Just enough to look at him sneakily.
He lacked what she had expected.
There was no arrogance.
No entitlement.
No quiet calculation over what Silver Ridge's name or influence could offer him.
If anything, he seemed more concerned with whether she felt comfortable than with whether the meeting succeeded.
The realization surprised her and the conversation drifted naturally afterward.
Territories gave way to travel.
Travel gave way to books.
Books became stories.
Stories inevitably became family embarrassments.
"Traitor," Thomas accused dramatically after one such tale.
He looked directly at Maya.
"You started it."
She looked genuinely offended.
"I was five."
