Page 71 of His Son's Brid
"I don't care what they were doing!" I growl at him. "You're about to marry into one of the most powerful families in the city.You're representing the Santego name. And you're acting like a fucking child."
"Get off me!" He shoves at my arm.
I tighten my grip. "You're done with the clubs. Done with the fights. You're going to clean up your act, start acting like a man instead of a spoiled brat, or I swear to God—"
"Or what?" His eyes flash. "You'll hit me? Disown me? Go ahead. We both know you won't. You can’t.”
"Try me."
"You need me, remember? Need me to marry fucking Aurora so you can keep your alliance with your best friend." He smirks. "So maybe you should think about who has the power here."
I stare at him. At this entitled, reckless boy I've spent years raising. Trying to mold into something worthy of the family name.
I've failed. Fucking hell, I failed.
"You think you have power?" I laugh, release his throat, and step back. "You think because you have the Santego name and marrying Luca’s daughter makes you untouchable?"
"Doesn't it?"
"No, Leo. It makes you fucking replaceable." My words are ice. "You fuck this up, I'll find another way to secure that alliance. But you? You'll have nothing."
His face goes red. "You can't do that."
"Watch me."
"All this is because I’m not your actual son, isn’t it? If I were your son, you wouldn’t do this to me!"
"You're my sister's son." The truth explodes out of me. "My dead sister's mistake that I've been cleaning up after for twelve years. But I’ve raised you as mine, the whole fucking world thinks you’re my son, I’ve done all I can to love you and give you the best life, and what do you do in return?!”
The words hang in the air between us.
Leo's expression crumbles, then hardens. "So that's it? You've never seen me as your son?"
I tried. God, I tried.
"I raised you. Fed you. Gave you everything. Tried to make you into something." I shake my head. "But you're right. You're not my son. My son wouldn't be this reckless. This entitled. This fucking stupid."
"Fuck you." His voice breaks. "You took me in out of guilt, not love. I've always known that."
"Is that what you’re telling yourself now? Guilt for what exactly?! Huh??”
"I can’t believe I thought—" He stops. Laughs bitterly. "I thought maybe if I proved myself, if I married into the right family, made the right deals, you'd finally see me as yours."
Something in my chest twists. Not quite guilt, but close.
"I’ve always seen you as mine. Leo, that is the only fucking reason you still bear my name, but you can’t keep doing this! Leo—"
"Forget it." He pushes past me. "I'll clean up my act. I'll play the perfect son, the perfect fiancé. But don't pretend you care about me. We both know you only care about strengthening your name and territory."
He's gone before I can respond.
Viktor appears from the shadows. "That went well."
"Oh, shut up."
"He's not wrong, you know. About you needing him for strengthening your name and territory."
"I know." I light a cigarette, my hands shaking with residual fury. "But he needs to understand the truth. Needs to stop acting like the world owes him something."
