Page 138 of Brutal Truths

It’s not something I can prove, but I’m pretty sure more than one person gave the dean a stern talking to. Jen fought for me, told her superiors my circumstances were unique and out of my control. They agreed all too quickly. Added me back onto the rotation under Dr. Hilbert, with a promise my time with Dr. Grieves had been fulfilled. I can’t complain about that. He wasn’t happy, but fuck if I care. He’ll find his next target and make their time with him a living hell. I’m just glad it won’t be me.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to work,” I say. “Grams will be joining me. I’ve arranged for her in-house nurse to come as well.”

My gaze shifts past him, landing where it shouldn’t—to the man who makes my heart race. “We’ll make it back to London when my schedule allows.”

Silas glances over his shoulder, something unreadable crossing his face. “You haven’t told her yet?”

A small crease forms between my brows. “Told me what?”

Aiden rolls his eyes, clearly unimpressed, but stays quiet.

My thoughts drift back to the hospital a few days ago.

Trent didn’t want to hear it, but I told him anyway. He needed to step down. It was his only option if he wanted to remain living. The stress alone ruined any chance of a full recovery. And somewhere in that conversation, I admitted something I hadn’t planned on. I wasn’t ready to bury another family member.

The words still sit heavy. The truth will never be made public, but that doesn’t make the fact I’m his daughter less true. Everything between us has changed.

And since I’m a doctor, it gives me a reason to stay close, especially since I’m the one who saved his life. Lately, I’ve been considering cardiology. He’ll need one of those, and I’ve developed an interest. It’ll mean more training. But I’m hoping I have that covered, too, as long as we didn’t burn that bridge after the Rurik incident. Time will tell.

Aiden already told me what the world believes.

Silas is the new Captain.

Trent is retired.

The truth doesn’t set well with me. Trent will keep watching. This is a test to see how well his son does. But he won’t sit back and do nothing. Not while he’s still alive. This will be a trial run of sorts. It will only truly be given to Silas once Trent is dead. That’s the way it’s always worked.

Silas doesn’t say it outright, but he doesn’t need to. I see it in the way he looks at me, the way he speaks, like something has already settled into place.

His soft spot. He knows. I’m his sister.

No one told him, but he’s a smart man. The brooch, the timing, the details that didn’t quite line up until they suddenly did. And once he knew, he didn’t pull away. He stepped closer.

He’s already shared pieces of her with me. Stories about my mother I’d never heard before. Small moments, quiet memories. Things that make her feel real in a way she never has.

I should be more conflicted about all of this. About him. About what he is. But I’m not. Because no matter what he’s done… he’s still my brother. And I’m not ready to turn my back on that, not before I understand where that might lead.

“I fired him.” Silas clicks his tongue, disappointment flickering across his face. “He’s an incompetent prick, and I won’t have a man like him working for the new captain of the Doyle family. Typically, the only way out of the family is death—but I have a soft spot for you. So, when Darius Falcon came calling, we came up with a better solution.”

I glance toward Aiden, catching his annoyed expression, the one that tells me how he’d love to put Silas in his place, before turning back.

“Darius floated an idea that benefits us both,” Silas says, his tone light but calculated. “Because let’s be honest—a princess marrying into the Doyle family would be a public relations nightmare, all the way around. Our families have a mutual enemy. The Del Markovs. Enemies have a way of encouraging a truce.”

“Shut up,” Aiden grunts. “You are so full of shit it’s embarrassing.”

“See how he talks to me,” Silas leans over and presses a quick kiss to my forehead. “Anyone else would be eating a bullet for talking to me like that. Best if he moves along before I decide to prove a point.”

“Thank you,” I say, trying but failing to keep a straight face. “For everything.”

As Silas walks toward my grandmother, he nods. “Take care, Alma. I think I’ll let your granddaughter keep this one after all. It’s what Sofia would’ve wanted, don’t you agree?”

She tilts her head in agreement. “Sofia would’ve been a good partner after me, you know? Too bad things turned out as they did.”

Resting a hand on her shoulder, his expression softens. “I don’t know. I think in the end it all worked out the way it should.” Then, almost like he needs to pull away from the weight of it, he points to one of her erotic sculptures. “Where the hell did you even get that?”

My grandmother grins as she walks over to the penis sculpture and runs her hand along the metal.

“I made it. These are my creations.” She looks back at us. “Aren’t they absolutely beautiful?”