But this?
He’d never gone down this path. Never allowed himself to think about the way things might have turned out had their mother not been a Representative.
Brynleigh was still silently staring at him, still waiting for him to answer.
His chest squeezed tighter and tighter. The walls in the apartment were closing in on him. His heart galloped in his chest. He raked his hand through his damp hair, but it did little to quell the unease that had taken up residence deep within him.
That onyx gaze, filled with darkness, shadows, and the night itself, held his as minutes dragged on.
Eventually, Ryker couldn’t take the weight of her stare anymore.
“I know what would’ve happened to her,” he said gruffly.
Brynleigh’s gaze softened further. “Tell me.”
He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to confront this truth. And yet, he couldn’t stop the words from slipping from his lips.
“They would’ve fucking prosecuted her for her crimes,” he half-whispered, half-hissed, his heart thundering. “Is that what you wanted me to say? Do you want me to admit that being related to a Representative is the only reason River isn’t rotting in a gods-damned prohiberis-lined cell?”
His nostrils flared, and he balled his fists. “Do you want me to say that my baby sister, who was barely more than a fuckingchild, is only free because of our mother’s influence?”
Every. Word. Hurt.
Every syllable made his chest ache.
Drawing breath was like breathing shards of glassy death.
He moved closer to Brynleigh, looming over her. Her wings spread behind her, flaring as he pressed her against the wall.
“You’re upset,” she whispered.
“Of course I am!”
She forced this out of him.
His water magic was a swirling storm churning in his veins, moments away from bursting like a geyser out of him. The temperature dropped, and he flexed his fingers.
Mere inches separated them.
His chest heaved, and his arms bracketed the wall above Brynleigh’s head. He looked down at her.
Why wasn’t she speaking? Why were her eyes searching his?
“Is that what you wanted?” he half-yelled, half-begged, needing herto speak. “Tell me!” He drew ragged breath after ragged fucking breath. “Is that the truth you wanted to hear?”
His heart hurt. His head hurt. All of him hurt.
Silver lined Brynleigh’s eyes, and she dipped her head.
“Yes,” she murmured. “I wanted you to admit that the Representatives are inherently above everyone else and that life in the Republic of Balance is unfair.”
His nostrils flared, and his chest heaved.
“You married the son of a Representative. One day, I will take my mother’s place,” he reminded her, biting out the words. “Did you forget that?”
Slowly, her head moved left, then right. She could break his hold in a heartbeat, but she didn’t.
“I didn’t marry youbecauseyour mother is a Representative, Ry.” A tear ran down Brynleigh’s cheek, and her voice was so soft that he had to strain to hear the words. “I married you in spite of it. I Chose you foryou. Not for her position. I loveyou.”