Page 72 of Ruthless Reign

V sneered and walked away, finding Hollywood on the other side of the clubhouse. Castor grabbed my shoulder and looked atPollux before heading off himself. It was the younger twin that stuck around.

“Relationships are a pain in the dick, huh?” He laughed and clinked his beer against mine. Earlier this year, he’d been in the hospital after an explosion at the Beacon. He’d become infatuated with one of the nurses, a young redhead named Phoebe. After his relentless flirting, she finally agreed to go out with him, but I wasn’t sure how much about our family he’d told her.

“No kidding,” I said.

“It’s too close to the wedding for things to fall apart now,” Pollux said.

“We’re already married,” I said, resigned. “And part of our contract said we couldn’t get divorced. We have to live happily never after, even if she hates me.”

Pollux winced. “Listen, it’s not my place to say anything, and maybe I should keep my fucking mouth shut, but brother…she’s been good for you.”

I furrowed my brows, my stomach clenching harder.

“All my life, you’ve been holding us together,” he said. “Especially after Mom died and Dad fell apart. It wasyousigning off on my homework and permission slips. It wasyougiving me lunch money.”

I shifted uncomfortably, not sure where this was going.

“I’ve never seen you happy, truly happy,” he said. “I thought it was impossible for someone with the weight of all this on their shoulders.” He gestured around to the club and the brothers and all of the bullshit that came with it. “But then she came along.”

“Brother,” I started, the hole in my chest gaping, splitting open even more.

“Just let me say it,” Pollux continued, his bright brown eyes imploring me to shut the fuck up. So I did, deciding to hear him out. Of the twins, Pollux had always been the quieter one,the less ostentatious. I figured if he had something to get off his chest, I might as well hear him out. “At first, I could tell it was awkward between you. She sat out here on her phone and you pretended she didn’t exist. But then something changed, and you both decided to be partners.”

I gulped and blinked back the burning in my eyes.

It was pretend. All of it—fake, a farce, a charade. Pretend.

It wasn’t supposed to be real.

“I’d never seen you look at anyone how you looked at her. Like the world had been in black-and-white until you found her, and now, vivid neon.” Pollux whistled and shook his head. “And she looks at you the same way.”

“She doesn’t look at anyone like that,” I said.

“Pfft, of course she doesn’t want you to see it,” he said. “She seems like the type of person to keep her heart guarded. But she softens around you, like she can trust you, like you are the only one shecantrust.”

Pollux kept talking, but something clicked, some kind of knowing I hadn’t put together before. Julia had confessed to losing everybody she’d ever loved, everybody she’d let get close. She’d agreed to all of this in the first place because she wanted peace; she wanted that bloodshed to stop. What was the name of the man Gabriella had taken out? Hugo? And before that, her boyfriend in high school.

Did she think I was just another man she’d ultimately lose? If she let me in, truly allowed herself to open up to me, was she afraid she’d lose me? Christ, I was planning a massacre at our wedding.

I’d been such a fucking idiot.

“You need to fix it with her,” Pollux said, drawing me back to the present. “Whatever it is, tell her you’re sorry. You’ll never get another opportunity like this.”

“You know what, brother?” I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into half a hug. “You’re fucking right.”

“What? Really?” Pollux blinked.

“Yep.” I stood from the barstool and walked over to Alba and Ru, a plan forming. They’d been with Roses for a long time. If anyone could talk sense into her, it would be them. I figured Julia could use the support, and lord knew she didn’t have much of that these days.

After that, I texted my brother-in-law.

Me:Is she okay? Is she safe?

Leo:Yes, she’s safe. But she is more stubborn than I am.

Me:Is she coming tonight?

Leo:We are almost there.

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