Page 87 of Brutal Birthright

Which was nothing surprising and hardly new information, considering their throne had been toppled. Of course, those insipid followers would immediately crawl up the ass of whoever offered them another twisted fucking opportunity to grab at power.

“Well, we need to go over the new information at hand, no? You’re required back at the academy… and we can carry on this merry little conversation there.” Niall pushed up to stand and nodded towards the door.

“Sure.” Like fuck he’d be going anywhere.

“This is serious shit, Rowan. You need to come with me now.”

He grunted. Placing the bottle back in the cupboard, readying himself to drag his brother’s scrawny hide out the door by a fistful of his prissy blond curls.

“Fine.” Stalking across the room, he had nothing but determination to shut out Niall and the rest of the world. Nothing, or no one, was going to have him leaving until he was good and fucking ready. “Now fuck off.”

“Alright, alright, I’m gone.” He raised his hands and shrugged. “Being such a dick all the time is a little unbecoming… even for your blackened soul.”

But then Niall paused with one hand on the doorframe. His long fingers tapped on the wood for a moment before he turned back. Mischief danced in his bright blue eyes as his gaze dropped to the floor and then back up to meet Rowan.

“Oh, and say hi to Ri for me. A little word of advice for next time… you two might want to make sure she doesn’t leave her weapons lying around on the floor, no?”

The smug look on Niall’s face needed to be wiped off. Preferably by connecting his fist with the cunt’s jaw.

Both stood across from one another in the catacombs. Rowan wasn’t going to be the one to speak first. If his stupid brother hadn’t shoved his nose in where it wasn’t wanted, they wouldn’t be in this mess.

There was a reason he’d kept things between him and Oriana hidden away at his cottage. And that peaceful, safe haven had been ruined within only a couple of days.

He wanted to break the fucker’s bones and grind them into the dirt.

After Niall left, there’d been no time to do much more than fill Oriana in. Watch her pretty features contort through a full spectrum of emotions, then portal them both back to the academy. Leaving her tucked up in her own bed with a quick reassurance that he’d be back soon.

But not before he potentially smashed his brother’s face in.

With each passing minute of stony silence on Rowan’s part, the idiot across from him only smirked wider and wider.

Until finally, he couldn’t hold in his smug self-righteousness any longer.

“Never thought I’d finally see the day I could hold something over you. Can’t say it doesn’t feel anything less than fucking incredible.”

Rowan’s resolve might snap at any moment. He could feel the muscles in his jaw ticking furiously.

“I kept your secrets.” He snarled.

Niall leant over one knee. His foot propped on a chair. Dragging out the moment like a godsdamned fiend. “Mmm. That you did.”

“Then you’ll know exactly what to do with any ideas you’ve got about what this is or isn’t. I can guarantee you this situation is beyond the comprehension of your puny little brain. So don’t even try.”

His brother scratched at his short beard. Lips quirking in that infuriating way that made Rowan want to reach over and rip his face off.

“Look at you using all your big words. I can’t decide whether I’m surprised or simply aghast that anyone would let you put that monster cock of yours near them.”

For fuck’s sake.

“This isn’t time to be dicking around.”

“I feel like there’s too good an opportunity to miss for a joke in there—”

“Niall.” He barked. Slamming off the wall and carving up the distance between them. Luckily, there was a table separating the two of them because he’d gladly have had him at knifepoint already.

“Stars. Take a breath and quit grinding your molars, would you. You’re the one who couldn’t keep it in your pants, no?”

“Says the asshole who couldn’t keep his dick under control around the queen.”

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