Page 73 of Dark Little Game
“Because if I saw another bruise on Weston, I swear I would have killed my father for it first.”
Rayne goes silent. His expression is unreadable.
It feels like I’m hurting Rayne just by saying all of this, because it’s information that only hurts to know.
I pull in a long, slow breath, trying to quiet the rage inside me before I speak again.
“I pulled a knife on Wes because he was about to confront a man who didn’t care about him, and I had to fucking stop him. Idocare about Weston, even though I can’t stand him. If that’s too hard for you to understand, then consider yourself lucky you don’t have a family like ours.”
“It’s awful.”
“We never got along, but no. I don’t hate my brother. I could never hate him, but I will never be close to him. You need to accept that, Rayne.”
He gives me a cold look. “I don’t have to accept anything.”
“Excuse me?”
He’s furrowing his brow. “Both of you were abused. Even if you weren’t the one being hit, it’s still abuse because your father made you—made achild—watch his brother get hurt.”
“Trust me, Rayne, I’m aware of that. I had enough trauma in my childhood to fill a thousand file cabinets in therapists’offices.”
“So you and Weston should fuckingtalk, for once,” Rayne says, raising his voice.
“And suddenly we’d be best friends? I think he hasyoufor that.”
“Maybe not. But I still think that you’re both adults now, and he’s your only brother. You don’t have to tellmewhat you did in London but you should at least be open with your brother.”
“Neither of you are ever going to know about London. Why do you keep bringing it up?” I ask, a flare of anger rising in me. “You don’t know your place.”
“The mafia, Knox? Tell me what you did for theThornwickfamily,” he says.
And his words land on my heart with a heavy thud.
Not possible.
He doesn’t know about that.
How would he know about the family?
Something cold moves through my chest. I stand up quickly and watch Rayne flinch a little, thinking I’m about to come at him.
But he’s wrong.
I’m getting out of here.
I reach for a black hoodie and pull it over my head. I take my wallet and phone, and a knife to slide into my back pocket.
“Have a good night, Rayne.”
I shut the room door behind me and run down the staircase, heading out onto the street.
Fucking far away from him.
I’m only halfwaydown Red Row before a girl has her arm around me.
There’s a beautiful brunette draped over my shoulder in front of Luros sorority, pressing her lips to my cheek as her redheaded friend snaps a picture of the two of us.
I can’t stand it.
