"Finally, we made it!" Lance stretched his arms wide as he and Calliope climbed out of the private jet. "Man, I am totally wiped out!"


    Calliope rolled her shoulders and took a deep breath of the cool night air. "Where''s your brother?" she asked, ncing around the quiet driveway.


    Lance shrugged. "He''s probably crashed already."


    Their private jet had beenfortable, sure, but after hours in the air, even first ss felt like sitting in a can of sardines.


    "How about we just get some rest and check in with him tomorrow?" Lance suggested.


    Calliope gave him a sideways look. "You haven''t told me much about your brother''s situation, you know. If it''s serious, maybe we shouldn''t wait. But if it''s not, tomorrow''s fine."


    "It''s not too bad," Lance said, but his voice was uncertain. "He''s got some old injuries—got them when he saved me, actually. Those spots still re up now and then."


    He hesitated, looking down at his shoes. "But honestly, I think there''s something else. I get the feeling he''s been poisoned or something. He''s looked offtely- pale, tired. And he''s been snappier than usual. He never used to lose his temper with me."


    Lance''s face fell, and for a second he looked years younger, just a little brother worried about someone he loved.


    He shook his head, "I just can''t believe he''d change like that unless something was really wrong. He''s always had my back."


    "Moody?" Calliope asked. "Any other symptoms? Anything get to him mentally?"


    Lance shook his head stubbornly. "No way. My brother''s not the kind of guy who cracks under pressure. He''s tough."


    Calliope didn''t argue. She''d met Hudson Howell a couple of times, and he had always seemed like the most unppable guy in the room cool as a cucumber, even when everyone else was losing it. If Lance said he was acting out of character, something really must be up.


    "Some poisons can mess with your mind," she said thoughtfully. "Maybe we should just check on him tonight, make sure he''s okay. If he''s fine, then we can wait until morning to do anything else."


    "No need," Lance replied, ncing at his phone. "He''s fast asleep, I can see he''s resting easy. No point in waking him up."


    Calliope raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you have a camera in his room?"


    Lance just shrugged. "Yeah? He''s cool with it. Sometimes I even crash in his room. It''s not just about keeping an eye on him-it''s... well, I just worry about him."


    "I see," Calliope said, suppressing a smirk. "So it''s okay for you to barge in, but not for me?"


    He grinned. "What can I say? I miss my brother. You go let one of the staff show you to your room, I''m gonna check in on him myself.”


    Calliope just shook her head. Typical. One minute, he''s all about not disturbing his brother, and the next, he can''t stay away.


    But she understood. The brothers had always been close-closer than most siblings she''d ever seen.


    Not that they were actually blood


    brothers. Hudson had saved Lance''s life as a kid, and Lance''s dad had taken Hudson in. Hudson came from thing—no parents, barely scraping by. After he was adopted, he worked like crazy to earn his ce in the family.


    And it paid off. Lance''s dad saw something in Hudson-a drive and loyalty that even his own son didn''t have. He''d always called Hudson his eldest and trusted him with the family business, since Lance never wanted anything to do with it.


    Hudson might be a powerhouse at the office, but at home, he was like a loyal golden retriever—especially around Lance. For everyone else, he was tough as nails, but with Lance, he''d do anything.


    And Lance? He depended on his big brother more than he''d ever admit.