Page 150 of Sadistic

"It broke something in him. He started acting out—small things at first. Defiance, recklessness. Then it escalated." He shifts, uncomfortable with the memories. "By the time he was eighteen, he was actively undermining me. Sabotaging deals, spreading rumors. Dad wanted to handle it, but I kept making excuses."

"Because he's your brother."

"Because I thought I could fix it. Fix him." His laugh is bitter. "Arrogance. The poison was my wake-up call. He didn't want to be fixed. He wanted me dead."

"And now he's back."

"Now he's back." He kisses my forehead. "But that's tomorrow's problem. Tonight, you're here. Safe. Mine."

"Ours," I correct. "We're ours."

"I like that better."

We drift off eventually, wrapped around each other. But even in sleep, I dream of wolves and brothers and the price of power.

When I wake again, it's to Doran on the phone, speaking in rapid Russian.

His whole body is tense, coiled like he's ready to strike.

"What's wrong?" I ask when he hangs up.

"Olyvar made contact." He tosses the phone aside. "Left a gift at my parents' house."

"What kind of gift?"

"Wedding present, apparently." His jaw tightens. "A photo album."

"That doesn't sound threatening."

"It is when it's filled with pictures of you from the past five years. Pictures even I don't have." He runs his hands through his hair. "He's showing me he's been watching too. That he knows things."

"Like what?"

"I don't know yet. But Olyvar doesn't do anything without purpose." He pulls me against him. "I won't let him hurt you."

"I know." I kiss his jaw. "We won't let him hurt us."

"Us," he repeats, like he's still getting used to the concept. "I like that we're an us now."

"Even with homicidal brothers and cartel threats?"

"Especially then." He tilts my chin up. "You make all the crazy worth it."

"Smooth talker."

"Only with you."

We stay in bed a while longer, neither wanting to face whatever Olyvar's game is. But eventually, reality intrudes.

"We should probably go back," I say reluctantly. "Face whatever this is."

"Tomorrow," he bargains. "Give me one more day of just us."

"One more day," I agree. "Then we deal with your brother."

"Our problem," he corrects. "We deal with our problem."

"You're learning."

---