"Don't think so."
"You sure?"
"Nope."
"I don't know how you kept going, to be honest," I admit.
"How much did you see?" he asks.
"The last nine."
"Should have seen the first four when I had all my energy," he jokes.
I chuckle, and it feels good.
Sean's voice drops. "Seriously, Brax. You shouldn't have followed me. Now you're in this mess, too."
I drop into the chair across from him. "You should have told me what was going on."
He shakes his head slowly. "You don't get it, Brax. I couldn't talk then, and I can't now. You stepped into something that doesn't forgive curiosity."
I stare at him. "Don't play that game with me. I was there. I spent the rest of the night into the early morning learning about laws and rulesof whatever it is your father started. How the hell did you get involved in this?"
His swollen face barely moves. "Doesn't matter how."
"The fuck it doesn't," I snap.
"Listen to me, Brax. Stop asking questions and take whatever they say seriously," he asserts.
I hurl, "You dragged me into a blood circus."
"I didn't drag you anywhere. You put your nose where it didn't belong!"
"To protect you because you're like my goddamn brother!"
"I don't need protecting!"
"You sure about that?" I challenge.
Tense silence builds.
Sean's voice comes out way too calm for my nerves. "You don't talk about it. Not here, not anywhere."
My pulse spikes. "You're protecting them! They own you, don't they?"
His eyes flick toward the ceiling, then back at me. "I'm protecting you, idiot. Just because you know about things doesn't mean you can discuss them."
"Easy for you to say. You don't have a Petrov and an Abruzzo trying to secure a leash on you like you're their new pet project," I burst out.
His face pales even with the bruises. "What... No. Don't say anything else. It's dangerous."
It hits like a punch. For a second, I forget to breathe. Then I erupt. "You better start talking, Sean!"
"Brax, you didn't trust me before when I told you to mind your ownbusiness. I'm telling you again, but this time, you need to listen and adhere to my words," Sean warns.
Fury curls in my chest. "Are you telling me you joined something that wants to own us like property and you're okay with it?"
He slams his hand on the table. A crack ripples through the room. The wince on his face is unforgettable. He seethes, "Shut up! I'm not going to tell you again."
