Page 117 of Bride By Initiation

The three of them exchange another glance.

"Stop looking at each other and give me answers!" I demand.

They stay silent.

"God damn it. All of you! I've had enough of this. If you know something about my father, and if this means something, I want to know."

Killian declares, "We just told you that the Rossis and Baileys wear it. Hell, we even saw a few Petrovs with it. All we know is they had to have stolen it from your father. But you shouldn't have branded it on your hand. Who knows what it represents to those fucking bastards."

Finn asserts, "You're going to have to cover that up. Turn it into something else."

"No way," I blurt out.

"You need to. It could give our enemies the wrong impression," Nolan insists.

"The wrong impression of what?"

Killian seethes, "That you're a disgusting scum ball Rossi, for one."

"Or Bailey," Nolan adds.

Finn snarls, "Or fucking Petrov."

I rise, standing taller. "I'm not covering up my father's skull. He created it. He wore it. I have the right to wear it too."

"Don't be stupid," Finn adds.

"They stole it, so it's on them, not me. And now I'm done with this conversation," I assert.

Killian orders, "You're done when we say you're done. You're not going anywhere."

"Fuck, I'm not," I shout and stomp out of the gym with Brax on my heels.

We get into his car. He mutters, "Well, that went over good."

Still pissed, I spout, "Shut up, Brax. I don't want to hear it."

He turns on the engine and pulls out of the parking lot. "Okay, but you're in over your head. We both are."

I turn toward him. "What do you mean 'we both are'?"

He presses his lips in a straight line, staring at the road in front of him.

My skin crawls. I ask, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," he answers.

I sit back and study him.

He doesn't flinch, just continues to drive.

My stomach flips. "I see. So this is how it's going to be, huh? We'll both be part of The Underworld but never tell the other what's going on?"

Guilt flashes across his face, but then his expression hardens. He glances at me. "You claim you're not in a position to talk. Well, neither am I."

I open my mouth, then shut it. I turn and stare out the window, wondering how we got so deep into this mess.

My phone buzzes.

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