“I'm helping him protect the family.” Ronan takes a step closer. “Something you seem to have forgotten how to do since you started thinking with your dick.”
Before I can stop myself, I shove him backward with both hands. He stumbles into his chair, his eyes widening.
“Don't talk about her like that,” I say.
Ronan catches himself and his eyes flash with pent-up fury. Years of shit between us is finally about to boil over.
“Or what?” He shoves me back, harder. “You'll hit me? Go ahead, little brother. Show Dad exactly how out of control you've gotten over some woman you barely know.”
“I know she’s a better leader than you’d ever be,” I snarl. “People actually respect her, and she doesn’t have to kiss their asses to earn it, either. Can you say the same for yourself? Or do you get what you think is respect because your head is so far up Dad’s ass that you can see what he had for dinner last night?”
“Boys.” Eamon's voice slices through the thick tension clouding the room. “That's enough.”
But we don’t move. We just stand there, glaring at each other, locked in a standoff with years of resentment crackling between us.
“Lochlan, I understand you're upset,” my father continues, calm as ever. “But everything I've done has been for the good of this family. The alliance with the DiMichelis is crucial. If Adriana can't handle her responsibilities, we need to be prepared to step in. I stand by that.”
“She can handle them just fine.” I force myself to take a step back from Ronan before one of us throws an actual punch. “What she can't handle is you going behind my back and poisoning her against me. If you have concerns about the alliance, you bring them to me. Not to her.”
“And if I disagree with how things are being run?”
I level him with a glare. “It’s not your organization, so you don’t get a say in how the DiMicheli family operates. It’s not a fucking democracy.”
“I think you should leave now.” Ronan's voice is tight. “Before you say something you can’t take back.”
“The only thing I regret is ever thinking you might be different from him,” I snap back at my brother. Fuck, I don't even recognize Ronan anymore. He was always a prick, but ever since Mom died, he’s turned into a fucking clone of our father. Cold, calculating, and completely void of humanity. “You're just like him. Power-hungry and willing to destroy anyone who gets in your way.”
He grits his teeth. “Get out.”
I stalk toward the door, grab the handle, and twist it open. Then I look back at them.
“Stay away from my wife. Both of you. If either of you goes near her again without me knowing, you'll regret it. That's not a threat.”
My father's laughter follows me down the hall and it takes everything in me not to go back and pound them both into oblivion.
I get into my car and collapse against the seat with a deep sigh.
My father is actively working to undermine Adriana. My brother is helping him. And my wife doesn't know if she can trust me anymore.
Everything I've been trying to build is falling apart.
I pull out my phone, scroll to Adriana’s name, and stare at the screen. I should call her and tell her what happened, prove I'm on her side.
But how the hell would that conversation even go? I lied and said I needed to handle something with my business, then came here to confront my fucked-up family who is threatening her and calling her a liability? And that’s supposed to make things betterfor her? Finding out that my family is even more fucked up than she already knew?
I toss my phone on the seat and start the car.
Wolfe is the one I need to call first. I have to find out about those Russian communications he intercepted. If my father has intel about an attack, I need to have it too.
Before anyone else gets hurt.
CHAPTER 24
ADRIANA
I wakeup alone in Lochlan’s bed.
Our bed.
