Noel's breath stopped.
For a single, terrible moment, he forgot how to draw air into his lungs. His heart slammed violently against his ribs, each beat louder than the last, as though it were trying to escape his chest entirely.
'That came out of nowhere. How could he fucking ask such a question?'
Slowly, painfully, he turned to face his father.
The man stood near the tall mahogany desk, one hand resting against its edge, the other clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone pale. His father had always been tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair streaked faintly with silver at the temples. His eyes, which were sharp, cold, and calculating, were fixed on Noel with a gaze that had probably frightened him since childhood.
Well, not this new version of Noel.
Rain battered against the tall windows behind him. Thunder rolled low and heavy, followed by a flash of lightning that briefly illuminated the room.
Noel swallowed.
If he answered honestly, everything would end tonight.
