Chapter 47
CURITIBA PARANá
Bryson ran along a path surrounding the estate. It was the first time he had been able to run since Regan’s.
He missed it.
The way the path pounded under his feet. Each footfall, sent tiny stones skittering into the damp underbrush; each inhale drawing in the damp jungle air. The rhythm of his breath brushing away his thoughts.
The simple repetitive movement was freeing.
Last night, it had been after four in the morning by the time he had gone to bed. Adria, Seth, and Kaydon were tangled in a ball, and he had chosen to sleep on the couch instead.
The accusation against his father kept running through his head. First Elena and now Adria’s mom. If they could prove that Callen and Jonathan were having under-the-table dealings with Alessandro, they might be able to prove that killing Jonathan was necessary.
But if they did that, they would be signing his father’s death warrant.
Bryson could tell Adria wanted to talk to him about it last night, but Bryson just didn’t have the energy. He didn’t have any illusions of who his father was and truthfully, Bryson and his brothers would be safer with Callen dead.
But what Elena didn’t understand, what none of them understood, is what killing his father meant.
With his father dead, then he would be the family head.
Ascension.
What would that mean for him?
For them?
Adria would want to talk about if he was okay with going after his father—sentencing him to death—but what he really didn’t want her to find out was that he wasn’t scared of killing him.
He was scared of being in charge.
Would she think less of him?
After Regan, Bryson barely even had the energy to play the Dominant with his brothers. He wasn’t sure if that would ever come back.
He couldn’t share that with her.
How could he tell her that he was now a shell of who he once was?
But how long could he pretend?
How long until she saw through him?
“Bryce, it’s dinner time,” Kaydon said, breathing heavily, trying to catch up.
Bryson stopped.
Kaydon searched his face. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”
Bryson felt his insides crack. Kaydon wanted to be with him on this, but Bryson didn’t even know how he was feeling. He didn’t even know what to say.
“It’s all just a lot,” Bryson said.
Kaydon’s eyes had a way of making Bryson feel like he was the strongest person in the world.
Except Kaydon didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know how weak Bryson really was.
“What are we going to do about your dad?” Kaydon asked.
Bryson looked towards the house. “If he’s a traitor, he deserves whatever is coming to him.”
Kaydon wrapped an arm around him, pressing his forehead into his. “You can act like you don’t care. I’ll pretend with you if you want.”
Bryson leaned into him. Fighting the tears that he knew wouldn’t come.