𝐕𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐃 ❷

𝟑𝟒. ✭ 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐗𝐓𝐎𝐍 ✭

A melody of bells sounds off in the distance, pulling me out of my restless sleep. Leaving Adriana after everything that had happened with her brother left me in an uncomfortable state, one that wasn't fit for a decent nights sleep, even three weeks after the fact. The sound has me reaching out to my nightstand, fumbling around for my phone. Once my hand lands on it I swipe the screen to answer.

"Tris?" His name came out groggily.

"Brax."

"How's things?" I glance at my clock to see it's six in the morning.

"Things are... complicated." His tone is nervous, hesitant which has me sitting up immediately.

"You care to elaborate on that or are you just going to leave me in suspense?" There's a long pause which makes my anxiety spike. "Tristan, what the fuck is going on?"

"You remember our conversation about Daniela?" His tone is guarded like he's preparing for me to be angry about something.

"Yes, I remember our conversation about Daniela." Specifically me asking him not to sleep with her. Fuck, he slept with her. "For the love of Christ please tell me you didn't sleep with her. You didn't, did you?" Not after the butchery I'd seen Torey was capable of. The man is fucking insane and I do not want him anywhere near my brother, not after seeing that mutilated body. "Tristan, can you fucking answer me?"

"No, I haven't slept with her." He pauses again.

"Why does it sound like you want to tack on the word yet? Like you haven't slept with her yet." He clears his throat, sounding uncomfortable and I know that's because he very much does. "Out with it, Tris."

"I asked Daniela to marry me and she said yes." My heart sinks into the pit of my abdomen. "We're getting married in a few weeks."

"A few weeks? A few weeks?" I try to wrap my brain around the situation and just can't. "I told you not to sleep with her so instead you thought you'd propose to her? Have you lost your damn mind?"

"You know her family has been pushing us toward this and insinuating this is what they wanted. Well, Dedaj flat out asked me the other day. I talked to Daniela about it and she knows there's really no other option for us. So we're getting married."

"If you get married to Daniela... Even if it's a fake marriage..." I don't have to say the words aloud, my brother knows what Torey will want to do to him. "Torey is nearly completely recovered, Tris. If you saw what he did to a man that broke in..." I cringe at the thought of what he would do to my brother.

"I worked with Torey for a few years. I know exactly what that man is capable of, the brutality. He trained me. I'll be able to handle him if it comes to that." He sounds confident but all I hear is stupidity.

"You can't play house with Torey's kid, with Daniela."

"I don't really have a choice here." The words were a defensive growl. "I marry Daniela and Torey wants to kill me. I don't marry Daniela then my boss will actually kill me. I don't really see an abundance of fucking options, Brax." He does make a valid point. "Plus, Dani needs someone. I can be that someone for her right now." And there it is. My brother has fallen for her. I had suspected it but now I know.

I let out a long sigh with, "be careful, brother." It's all I can say because there's really nothing else to on the subject matter. "I'm sure it'll be a shit show around here once Torey hears the news." He lets out a wry laugh. "I know I told you not to sleep with her but if you're playing husband and father... Living with her and sleeping in the same bed..." He's quiet and I know that's because he'd probably thought much the same. He doesn't have to say he's thought about it happening either because I know he has. "Just remember that it's a part the both of you are playing. It isn't real. Her feelings for you are not real."