Page 70 of Under Control

My brother and I aren’t close. We never were, not even when we were younger. Luka got everything, all the new clothes, the praise, the love, the opportunity, and everything I have was a hand-me-down at best. I grew up in boy’s clothes, in shoes thatwere falling apart, and made do with half-meant compliments and just enough attention to keep from falling apart.

Luka’s the golden boy. He’s the future doctor, the star of our little nuclear family. It doesn’t matter that he was barely around when Papa was dying; he was too busy in college and Mama would never, ever burden poor Luka. It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t saddled with debt. Why ruin his life when he has such a promising future?

Of course, the same logic was never applied to me.

I know that isn’t his fault. Maybe he accepted the differences between us too readily and he never pushed back against our parents, but I don’t totally blame him for that. I’m bitter toward him, and our relationship suffers because of it, but I don’t hate him. I never have.

I’m just reminded of everything I was never given when he’s around.

I touch Valentin’s chest. “Luka, this is my husband. Valentin, this is my brother.”

Neither man moves. Valentin puts an arm around me and pulls me close against him, almost like he’s being protective. Which is absurd.

After a shocked silence, Luka puts out a hand. “I didn’t know Karine got married, but, uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

Valentin hesitates. I elbow him, and he finally shakes. “You as well,” he says.

My brother looks like a little boy next to my husband. Luka clears his throat and backs away, almost like he’s afraid of Valentin, and it’s not like I can blame him.

Even diminished and hurt, Valentin’s a gorgeous, vicious god of a man.

And my brother’s just a regular mortal.

“How did you two meet?” Luka asks, sounding extremely awkward.

“Work,” Valentin says.

“Oh? What do you do?”

“I run businesses.” Valentin’s grip on me tightens. “It’s funny. We’ve been married for a couple weeks now, and yet this is the first time I’ve seen you.”

Luka’s gaze flips to me and there’s a look of panic in his eyes. “I’m in med school. Just busy and stuff. Right, Karine?”

“Yeah, he’s busy,” I say, gently extracting myself from Valentin.

I know the truth is that Luka and I barely ever talk unless we have to, but I don’t need to see my husband make my poor brother squirm more over my mother’s unconscious body.

I pull Valentin from the room. He clearly doesn’t want to leave. “I’ll wait in the hall.”

“Luka’s my brother,” I say, exasperated. “Could you just give us a few minutes to talk?”

“Fine,” he says, jaw flexing. “But I’m still waiting in the hall.”

I roll my eyes, but good enough.

Luka’s sitting next to Mom and gently looking her over. I watch him work, impressed with how steady he seems. I’m barely keeping it together, but it’s like Luka’s falling back on hismed school training and turning this into just another learning experience, even though it’s his own mother lying half dead in front of him.

“She’ll be okay,” he says after a short silence.

“I know.” I go and sit in the chair across from him. “She missed you a lot, you know.”

He grimaces and doesn’t look at me. “I visited as often as I could.”

“You’re only up at Temple. You could’ve visited a lot more.” I’m too tired to be kind right now, and there’s a lot of baggage between my brother and me.

“What do you want from me, Karine? I have a life.”

“You think I don’t?”

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