Chapter 10 Say Hi to the Brother

KIER

From the corner of my eye, I noticed her suddenly go tense, her face turning even paler than usual as she stared at her stepbrother.

"Why are you still sitting there? Stand up," I said. Without looking at her, I pushed open the door on my side and stepped out.

Her brother's smile widened-not at me, but at Genesis as she stepped out of the car.

That smile didn't sit well with me.

"Come here," I said immediately. She tore her gaze away from him and walked over, eyes downcast, her movements hesitant.

"What's your brother doing here?" I asked. She flinched, then slowly raised her head to look at me.

Fear. It was unmistakable.

It was always there, lingering beneath the surface, but during the drive back, it had been different. She had stared out the window, taking in the view like she was seeing something out of a dream-not just plain old New York.

She shook her head.

Footsteps.

I looked up to see Richard descending the stairs, a maid following behind him.

I gestured toward the trunk. "To her room." That was all I needed to say. They nodded and moved to unload the bags.

I turned to my wife, whose brother was still watching us, his gaze far too fixated on her for my liking.

"Let's go say hi to that brother of yours," I said with a smile.

I didn't even know why, but I grabbed her hand. It was sweaty-annoyingly so-but I held it anyway and beelined toward the idiot who had the audacity to show up at my home uninvited.

We stopped in front of him.

I knew it was petty, but I liked that I towered over him.

And I wasn't about to pretend to be hospitable just because he was family. He wasn't in my book.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

His eyes snapped away from Genesis, who was pressed against me like a child warned to stay away from strangers-except this wasn't a stranger, right? She had grown up with him.

"Kier-" he began.

I shook my head.

"I don't remember giving you the right to call me by my first name, so wipe my fucking name off your mouth," I said, staring him down.

There was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. Yeah, I despised people, even my fans. I wasn't a big fan of anyone because there was always something lurking beneath the surface, some mask they wore. But at least I could tolerate it.

This guy?

I just couldn't.

His brow lifted slightly toward his not-yet-receding hairline.

The corner of his lips curled into something that was meant to be a smile but felt more like a smirk.

"Now, now, no need to be so hostile," he said smoothly, his voice calm, practiced. "I just came to see my dear little sister. Is that a crime?"

Genesis stiffened, pressing even closer to me, her fingers clutching the sleeve of my coat like a lifeline.

My jaw ticked.

"You don't come to our home unannounced," I said, my voice flat.

He chuckled, like I'd just said something amusing, then glanced at her again. And I saw it, that look. Something dark flickered in his eyes before he turned back to me, voice smooth and sickly sweet.

"Ah, but we are family, are we not? I just wanted to check in on Genesis. By now, you must know how delicate she is."

He stepped forward, raising a hand toward her face.

Before he could touch her, I grabbed his wrist, squeezing tight. His head snapped to me, and just like that, the pretense was gone. The hate in his eyes burned through the mask of politeness.

"From now on, you are not to step foot into this house without an invitation, my permission or my wife's," I gritted out. My grip tightened, and he winced.

"I require a reply."

For a few seconds, he said nothing. Then, his gaze flicked back to her.

"Genesis, what's going on? You don't want me in your home?"

Bastard.

I let go of his wrist, taking a step forward, but she tugged at my coat. I looked down at her, she was shaking her head.

"See?" he said smugly. "My sister doesn't have a problem with me visiting."

I didn't take my eyes off her.

"You want him to come?" I asked, voice low.

She was quiet. Then she nodded.

But her eyes told another story.

Something inside me snapped.

I grabbed her hand again and turned to him, my voice a lethal whisper. "Leave. Or the next thing I grab and snap in two won't be your hand."

I didn't wait for a response. I turned on my heel and strode toward the house, dragging Genesis with me.

He called her name.

"If you turn around and look at him," I said without breaking stride, "you won't like what I'll do next."

She nodded quickly, pressing against me until we stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind us.

And just like that, she moved away from me.

I turned sharply.

She staggered back, pressing against the large door like a child expecting to be struck. Her eyes closed.

A growl rumbled in my chest.

I whirled around and stormed away, shedding my coat as I went, not caring where it landed.

I needed to break something.

My phone was in my hand before I even realized it. I dialed.

"Set it up," I said into the receiver. "I'll be there. And I want more than one."

I didn't remember getting there, or how I slipped through the underground tunnels.

But now, all I could hear was the roar of the crowd.

The bloodthirsty howls.

The opponents waiting before me.

And the name they screamed.

"Knight Blood."

The bell rang.

I launched forward.

Fist meeting flesh.

The sharp crack of impact.

A snarl of pain, someone else's, not mine.

Another hit. Another body staggering back.

But it wasn't enough.

I wanted more.

I needed more.

And tonight, I wouldn't stop until the rage inside me was gone.