“No, I’m worried about Lilly,” I say. “You know how hard it’s been for her to make a decision—”
“Oh, boo-fucking-hoo,” Brimar bemoans. “She’s plucked from a life in America and brought to a beautiful foreign country where everything will be handed to her. What a rough life.”
“What the fuck is your problem?” I ask, my frustration reaching new levels. “You’re supposed to be my brother.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Brimar says. “Because a brother wouldn’t treat someone the way you treat me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You think you’re better than me.”
“How do I act like I’m better than you?” I ask.
“For one, you’re so far up Theo’s ass, I don’t know how you breathe. He’s the king, but he doesn’t have the power to make you one.”
“Why do you keep saying that? When have I ever wanted to be king? Never. Not once.”
“Or how about the fact that you think you’re better than me because Theo adopted you?”
“As a formality,” I yell.
“What?” Brimar asks.
“The papers never went through because of the complications with Theo and Katla being royalty. So, they said I’d always be their son, despite the paperwork not going through. It was never real.”
“So why the fuck did you lead us to believe that was the case?”
“I don’t know,” I yell again. “Because I was desperate to feel like I had something, someone to take care of me. I had someone to fall back on. You, out of all people, should know that.”
“And you, out of all people, should know what it feels like to have someone brag about having parents when you don’t.”
“I wasn’t bragging. Plus, that was over fifteen fucking years ago, Brimar. Have you been holding on to it for that long? Why are you dredging this up now?”
“Because you’ve been on a power trip, and I assumed that was why. Since Theo asked us to go find Lilly, you’ve taken it upon yourself to lead the way.”
“Because Theo asked me specifically.”
“Yes, but I’m the head of fucking security, meaning I’m the one who should be calling the shots.” He points to his chest. “I’m the one who should be figuring out where we’re going and who’s allowed near us and who isn’t. But you’ve treated me like your goddamn assistant this entire time, and I’m sick of it. We come from the same cloth, from the same upbringing, and it’s about time you realize that.”
“I do,” I scream at him. “I fucking realize it every day. Every time I look at Lilly, I realize it. I know I don’t belong in the same room as her, but she wants me there for some reason. Do you realize the mental anguish I’ve had to filter through to love the woman I want to love?”
“Love?” Brimar asks, his thick brows kissing his hairline. “You barely know each other.”
“We know way more about each other than what I apparently know about you.” I push my hand through my hair. “I can’t—I can’t fucking believe you, man. You broke my trust. And for what? Pride? Pretty fucking stupid. I need to know who else you told. Did you leak it . . .” My voice trails off as a thought hits me square in the chest. My eyes flash up to his again, and I ask, “Are you the fucking leak we’ve been looking for?”
“Took you enough time to figure that out too,” he says, his voice full of arrogance.
And with that, I can’t stop myself, I charge at him, plowing him into the wall and creating a dent in the plaster with his body. He hits me in the stomach with an uppercut, causing me to back off him for a moment, but it’s enough time for him to cock back and drive his fist into my eye. I stumble backward, my vision blurry as I see his fist come at me again, but this time I duck and blow my fist into his stomach.
He buckles over, and I take my chance at hitting him with an uppercut to the jaw so he falls backward.
When he’s on the ground, his head lolling to the side, I say, “That was a fucking security risk, and you know it.”
“And not once did you ask me for my advice. Thought you’d be able to step off your high horse and notice—”
“Notice what? That you’ve been slacking on your job? Because that’s what’s been happening. That’s why I haven’t asked you. Because before we went to Miami to find Lilly, you were slipping up. You were making mistakes. You were putting the people we’re supposed to protect at risk and I wasn’t about to let you do that with Lilly. She’s all we have left.” I grip my head. “Jesus, fuck, Brimar. She’s it. That’s all. Without her, we have nothing left of this country. And because of your pride, you’d let that get in the goddamn way?” I get close to him, inches from his face. “Now tell me, who else did you fucking send that text message to?”