A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Oliver sized up Silas, a slow, knowing smile curling at his lips-a smile that said he was always three steps ahead.

"You two seem pretty close, huh?" he remarked, that glint in his eyes as sharp as a knife. "You want to protect Calliope, don't you?"

He leaned in a little. "If you really care about her, shouldn't you be more willing to do what I say?"

Oliver let out a low chuckle, his tone almost casual. "Because if you don't, well, let's just say I can't promise she'll stay out of trouble. I could go after her anytime. You know what I'm capable of."

He could see Silas tense up, and Oliver almost enjoyed it. People with something to lose were always easier to control. Silas had a weakness, and Oliver intended to use it.

If Silas didn't care about anything, then Oliver would be out of options. But as it stood, Calliope was the perfect leverage, a stubborn one, sure, but still a means to an end.

Silas's face darkened. He looked at Oliver like he couldn't believe what he was hearing, jaw clenched so tight he could've cracked a walnut with his teeth.

So that's his game, Silas thought bitterly. He wants to use Callie against me. He tried to kill me as a kid, ruined my mother's life, and now he wants to drag Callie into it.

Silas glared daggers at Oliver.

For years, he'd kept his distance, honoring his mother's last wish that he stay out of Oliver's way. He'd thought if they both stayed in their own lanes, things could be peaceful. Clearly, he'd been wrong.

"Take a guess," Oliver said, his voice as silky and dangerous as a snake's. "If you do what I say, nothing will happen. But if you don't... well, you know me, Silas. I'm full of surprises."

Silas stared back, pure ice in his eyes. A silent war of wills, neither man willing to blink first.

Blythe, her voice gentle, almost pleading, broke the standoff. "Silas, maybe you should just listen to your dad, okay? He really does have your best interests at heart."

shot her a look colder than January in Chicago.

his heel and walked away, not sparing Oliver

didn't see him soon, she'd start

her lip, watching Silas

about her, she thought with a frown. She'd assumed their marriage was just for show, a convenient arrangement with no real feelings involved. But

be a piece of cake. Now, she realized

it looks like getting Silas to do what you want is going to take more time. That woman... she's

as cold as a winter's night. "You're right. She's a

voice dropping to a whisper. "We need to find a way to deal with her. Without her, Silas might finally fall in

Calliope, Silas would be so much

even notice when Silas slipped away. The show they'd just watched had been so captivating, she'd given it her full attention, completely oblivious to the storm

sized up Silas, a slow, knowing smile curling at his lips-a

close, huh?" he remarked, that glint in his eyes as sharp as a knife. "You want to

"If you really care about her,

let's just say I can't promise she'll stay out of trouble. I could go after her anytime. You

to lose were always easier

would be out of options. But as it stood,

he was hearing, jaw clenched so tight he could've cracked

to kill me as a kid, ruined my mother's life, and now he wants to drag

daggers

of Oliver's way. He'd thought