Julian Hawthorne watched Gideon Blackwood's face closely. The man had gone completely still, his drink frozen halfway to his lips.
"You want me to do what?" Gideon finally asked, setting his glass down with deliberate care.
I smiled, enjoying his discomfort. "You heard me. Kidnap Isabelle Ashworth."
Gideon leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "Do you understand what you're asking? The Ashworths aren't some minor family you can antagonize without consequences. Michael Ashworth alone—"
"I know exactly who they are," I cut him off. "But I also know what we stand to lose if we don't act decisively. Liam Knight has to be stopped."
"And kidnapping the woman he cares about is your solution?" Gideon looked genuinely concerned now. "Julian, this is madness."
I watched him calculating the risks in his head. Gideon had always been ambitious but cautious—a man who preferred operating in shadows. Now I needed to give him the right push.
