Page 71 of Reclaimed By My Ex’s Bratva Brother

Briony's eyes. Her breathing. All of it flooded my head.

"No." I finally spoke. My voice came out steadier than I felt.

"You're lying." Brinny had heard the pause.

I'd heard it too.

"I'm not."

I loved Brinny. Hearing Briony's name felt wrong because Brinny was accusing me. Any man would be pissed getting questioned like this. No one liked having their feelings defined by someone else.

Had to be that.

"Then say yes," Brinny said.

I looked at her. Still couldn't.

The last flicker of hope died in her eyes. "Perfect. Just perfect."

"Brin."

"Don't."

She turned and headed for the door. I could stop her—one hand on her wrist, demand she sit down, demand she talk this through, don't leave angry.

But the old words echoed back.

"Your need to own me is suffocating."

I stayed where I was.

Brinny opened the door. Hallway light fell across her rigid spine. She didn't look back. Her ash-blond hair swung with each step, a swan too proud to admit it was hurt.

I watched her disappear.

This shouldn't be happening. I'd promised I wouldn't hurt her, wouldn't let her suffer. I'd protect her. She came back, said she still loved me, offered to marry me. I should've gotten the ending I'd waited years for. But it didn't feel like victory.

All I could think about was Briony. Maybe she was sitting on another floor right now, back to her old life, like I'd never crashed into it at all.

Heat flared in my lungs.

I controlled the most dangerous underground order in this city. But I couldn't keep one woman. Couldn't figure out why another had moved into my head.

Damn it. My fist slammed the desk. The old injury in my right pinkie flared, numb with pain.

Brinny's question still rang in my ears.

You're in love with Briony, aren't you?

Chapter Nineteen

Varlam

The computer chimed. I ignored it.

I had no fucking patience for project bullshit right now. Brinny's questions before she left were still lodged in my head.

Another chime. My eyes flicked to the bottom corner of the screen. Briony. Just her name made my breath catch. I dropped into my chair and opened her email.