Page 33 of God of War

"He's using you," my brother grits out. "How do you not see that, Brynna? You've been down this road before. Our enemies think they can push you around on the board like a goddamn chess piece to get to us. Lombardi did it. Callahan tried it. Do you really think Nazario fucking Leyva is any different?"

"You don't even know him."

"And neither do you," he snaps, fire in his eyes. "All you know is the lie he's sold you. Whatever you think this is, it ends now."

I gape at him. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Niall. This is my life. Why can't you just let me live it for once? Why do you want me miserable so damn badly?"

He stares at me for a long, silent moment before he shakes his head. Something almost…sad floats through his gaze. "I've never wanted you miserable,deirfiúr. I've only ever wanted you happy and safe. Everything I've ever done; I've done to protect you."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm tired of being a perfect little princess in a glass cage," I whisper, my throat burning as tears prick at my eyes. "Maybe I've been tired of being her for a long time, Niall."

He swallows, his jaw pulsing with emotion. "End it with Nazario or I'll tell Da," he says. "You know what he'll do if he finds out that he put his hands on you."

I stumble back a step, shock coursing through me. "You wouldn't."

"That's where you're wrong, baby sister. I would. I will." He holds my gaze, and I see the truth glittering in the depths of his eyes. Even if I hate him for it, he'll do it. Because I may chafe against my bonds…but he never has. He's my father's obedient little prince. And if I was born to be free, he was born to follow.

"Do it, and I'll never speak to you again, Niall. Neither of you," I whisper, my voice shaking with emotion. My hands shake too, fury and devastation coursing through me. My own damn brother would betray me, pit the man I love against the man who raised me. All because duty matters more to him.

Surprise flares in his eyes, as if I've startled him this time. "You'd choose him over your own family?"

Would I? Can I? Is that really the choice I'm going to be forced to make?

"Yes," I say, meeting his gaze, unflinching. "I'd choose him, Niall. Today or any other damn day, I'd choose him because he already chose me."

"Jesus Christ," Niall mutters, his lips twisting. "If you believe that, you're more naïve than I thought, Brynna."

"He wasn't at the club today because of me, Niall. He intended to burn it down because of what you did." I pause a moment, letting that sink in. Without the club or the books my father keeps hidden inside, we'd lose millions. Potentially enough to ruin this family. "He changed his mind because he chose me instead. So yeah, I'd choose him. He deserves for someone to put him before this stupid war." I shoot my brother a sad smile. "And so do I."

I don't wait around for a response. There isn't anything else to say anyway. I turn and head for the house, leaving Niall to make up his own damn mind. He will anyway.

Half an hour later, my father is still hugging me when Niall stomps inside.

"Look who is home safe," Dad says, relief coloring his tone. "Your sister is a clever girl, Niall. She ran out the back and hid until she thought it was safe to make her way back here."

As far as stories go, it's paper thin. But my father has always preferred to believe a comforting lie than a hard truth when it comes to me. It's his weakness. He doesn't want to see what's right in front of his face, so he doesn't let himself.

Niall flicks his gaze in our direction and grunts. "Welcome back. I'm going to shower. I've got some prick's blood all over me."

I didn't see it outside, but he's right. Flecks of it stain his pants. It crusts his cuticles.

My heart clenches.

"What did you do?" I whisper.

He meets my gaze, his burning. "What I had to do. Thought you were being held hostage by a monster."

"I wasn't," I say, iron in my voice.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I knew that when I was trying to beat answers out of the motherfucker's man," he mutters.

"Niall!" Dad snaps. "Enough. You don't talk to her like that. She isn't part of this."

Niall glances from me to him. "Maybe it's time she is, Da. She's old enough. Might as well let her know what this family is willing to do to protect its own."

"I don't need to know," I whisper, my voice shaking. Why is he doing this? To prove a point? To punish me?

"Go on," he says. "Tell her what you plan to do to Nazario for what he did today. She should hear it. How else is she supposed to protect herself?"

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