“Sure, kid. You can help. And if you wanna talk to Adria alone, have at it. But it’s your funeral if you piss her off.”
Seth saw Bryson relax.
“And El, she is still working on things from her end,” Bryson said.
Eric took a sip of coffee. “You mean the girl you called while Adria and I were passed out?”
Not a girl.
His sister.
Seth wasn’t surprised that Bryson didn’t give him thatinformation. Elena had left the family before Seth had gotten there.
Rumor was she was a drug addict who went on a bender and never came back. But Seth knew that wasn’t the actual story.
She had gotten pregnant with a person Callen found unfit. Being Callen, he didn’t just sit her down and have a little father-daughter heart to heart.
No, instead, he dragged his own daughter into a room full of men loyal to him and shut the door. By the time she came out, she was no longer pregnant.
The abuse was so depraved that two of Callen’s men risked their lives to help Bryson and Kaydon sneak her out.
She was a Winters though, through and through, and five years later, they heard she married one of the more ruthless leaders on the west coast.
Sota Kings.
He didn’t have a seat at the table, but he had power.
“El can use her contacts outside the family to help us gain the upper hand,” Bryson said. “With Jonathan out there, we need all the help we can get.”
Eric nodded. “If it helps Dri, I’m for it. But,” he pointed at Bryson, “if it hurts her, it’s your ass.”
“El will help. She’s good with that stuff,” Kaydon chimed, mouth full.
“On that note, I’m gonna go check on the troops,” Eric said, removing himself from the table.
Without him, the room fell into an uneasy silence.
Bryson continued to eat, and Seth pushed a piece of egg around his plate.
Kaydon said, “You gonna tell us why you really want to talk to Dri?”
Bryson looked up, his sharp gaze bouncing between the two of them.
“I told you. We have to get her out of that room.” Heexhaled, rolling his shoulders as if trying to shake off something heavy. “El said the best way to protect her is to be trained on auction day. The only way that happens is if she leaves and starts working again.” He waved his hands dramatically. “That means we need to?—”
“Bullshit,” Seth interrupted, his tone cutting.
Bryson’s brows lifted.
“I don’t think you should talk to her,” Seth said, standing abruptly. “She deserves better than us. I think we should leave her alone.”
Seth stormed towards the exit.
“Kaydon,” Bryson commanded, and before Seth could make it, he felt Kaydon’s arms around him.
“Fuck off, Kay, leave me alone,” Seth said, struggling, even though he knew it was useless.
Kaydon pinned him to his chest, forcing him to look back at Bryson, who stood with his arms crossed, watching.