Page 137 of Defiant Beta

Guilt.

If there’s one thing my brother knows how to do and do well, it’s blame himself for not looking after the people he cares about.

“You have to stop beating yourself up about that. It won’t change anything.”

He takes a turn too fast, which is unusual for him. It's not like him to be so reckless.

“Hurting yourself won’t lessen her pain,” I tell him quietly. “You know that, right?”

He doesn’t respond.

“She would have left if she blamed us,” I say.

A red light halts us, and he turns to me, eyes burning with fury. “That doesn’t change the fact that it was my fault. Everything that happened—it's on me. If she had been at school, she would have been safe, but now... now it’s too late. I don’t even know how to begin to apologize for all of this.”

“She doesn’t blame you, brother. Levi said they talked. That she was glad it was her and not Mercy. She’s not angry with you, me, or Levi. You didn’t intend for what happened to her. She knows that.”

A glimmer of hope flickers across his face, but doubt clouds his eyes. “Iwantto believe you, but…”

He doesn’t know if he can.

“Believe.” Reaching over, I squeeze his shoulder until a jackass behind us honks his horn.

He shifts gears, and we continue now that the lights are green. “She looked like she was getting ready to kiss you back there.”

My brother hasn’t told me where we’re headed, but the route is familiar.

I grin at him. “Jealous, brother?”

“No,” he says quietly. “I just want her to be happy.”

Me too.

“With us, she will be. Now, want to tell me why we’re headed to Lucas Security in the middle of the night?”

“It’s ten thirty.” His voice is dry.

I scowl at him. “They won’t appreciate us turning up in themiddle of the nightto answer questions about a teacher’s plastic surgery.”

“Garrison knows we’re coming.”

“I take it you called him, told him you were on your way, and then hung up before he could tell you that now isn’t the time?”

Silence.

Shaking my head, I smile reluctantly at him. “I have no fucking idea how that always works for you. Me? I get doors slammed in my face or people just don’t answer.”

A smile, faint though it is, tugs at his lips as he pulls up to the Lucas Security front gate. “Being the most important man in the city helps to open doors.”

I’m rolling my eyes as he presses the intercom button.

And to no surprise ever, Garrison buzzes us right in.

There’s a smug edge to my brother’s smile as he pulls into the gates and up to the house.

Garrison stands in the doorway, his shirt untucked. Vincent shuts off the engine, and we get out of the car to walk toward him.

“It’s late.” He steps aside to let us in.

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