For a few seconds after Zane finishes speaking, I just stand there staring at him because my brain feels like it stalled halfway through processing what he said.
Your brother funded the operation.
The words echo in my head in a loop that makes less and less sense every ti I hear them.
"No," I say again, quieter this ti.
Zane doesn’t move.
He’s watching with that sa hard look, like he expected this reaction and it’s only confirming sothing he already believes.
"You’re wrong."
The words co out firr now.
I shake my head slowly, trying to push away the picture he just painted.
One of my planning an attack and funding sothing that ends with soone dead.
Zane’s sister dead.
It doesn’t fit..... it doesn’t fit anything I know.
"You don’t know them like I do," I say.
Zane’s expression doesn’t change.
"I know the people involved."
"That still doesn’t an..."
"It ans exactly what I said."
Frustration starts climbing up my spine.
"No. It ans you think it ans that. But it doesn’t, I know it doesn’t"
His eyes narrow slightly.
"That’s not the sa thing."
I drag my hands through my hair.
"This is insane."
"Is it?"
"Yes!"
My voice bounces off the walls of the training room, louder than I ant it to be.
Zane doesn’t even flinch.
"You’re telling my brother... anyone od them ...just decided to what? Secretly fund so assassination attempt against you?
"Yes."
"That’s ridiculous!"
"Why?"
"Because I know them!"
Zane tilts his head slightly.
"You think you do."
I stare at him like he just insulted my entire family.
"I do know him."
"Peopl are rarely what they appear to be."
"That’s rich coming from you."
A flicker of sothing crosses his face at that, but it disappears just as quickly.
"You asked for the truth.
"No," I snap. "I asked why you were acting like a psycho during training."
"And you got your answer."
"Yeah, except your answer is insane."
The room falls quiet again.
I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin now, hot and fierce.
Not just anger... confusion too and fear.
Because a tiny part of my brain keeps replaying the certainty in Zane’s voice. He doesn’t sound like soone guessing.
He sounded like soone who believes every word he just said.
But no that’s not possible.
They wouldn’t...
My chest tightens.
No.
I shake the thought away imdiately.
"I need to fo see them," I say suddenly.
Zane’s brow furrows slightly.
"To who."
"My brothers."
His expression hardens almost instantly.
"No."
The answer is so imdiate I let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Oh, that wasn’t a question."
"Yes it was."
"No, it wasn’t."
I step closer, my heart beating harder now.
"I’m going to see them tomorrow."
Zane’s gaze sharpens.
"No, you’re not."
"Watch ."
"Elaine it’s not safe..."
"No," I cut him off. "You don’t get to drop sothing like that and then expect to just sit here and accept it."
His voice lowers.
"You’re not leaving this estate."
"I will if I want to."
"No."
"You don’t get to decide that!"
His jaw tightens.
"I absolutely do."
Anger flashes through so fast I actually laugh again.
"God, you’re unbelievable."
"You’re not going anywhere."
"I am going sowhere," I snap. "Tomorrow."
His stare turns cold.
"You’re not walking into a situation that could get you hurt."
"My family is not going to hurt ."
"You don’t know that."
I take another step toward him.
"You don’t know them."
"I know what they’ve done."
"No. You know what you think they’ve done."
Zane runs a hand over his face, clearly losing patience.
"This conversation is over."
"Oh no it’s not."
"Yes, it is."
"You’re not locking in this house like a prisoner."
"I’m protecting you."
"I didn’t ask for that!"
His voice sharpens.
"You don’t have to."
"I do when it ans I can’t even see my own family!"
"You think they’re innocent?"
"Yes!"
"Then prove it another way."
"I will prove it by talking to them."
"You’re not going to see them until I say it’s safe to leave the estate again."
Sothing inside snaps.
"I don’t care about your security rules!"
The words echo through the training room.
Zane goes completely still.
"I don’t care about your enemies," I continue, my voice shaking now. "And I definitely don’t care about whatever twisted vendetta you think my brother has against you."
His eyes go dark.
"You should."
"Why? Because you said so?"
"Because I’ve seen what they’re capable of."
"And I’ve seen what you’re capable of."
That hits him see it in the slight shift of his shoulders.
"Elaine."
"I’m going tomorrow," I say firmly. "Whether you like it or not."
"You won’t make it past the gate."
"Try . Fucking try Zane."
For a second we just stare at each other. The tension between us feels like it could snap the room in half.
Finally Zane speaks again, his voice dangerously calm.
"If you leave this estate tomorrow without my approval....:"
"What?" I challenge.
His jaw tightens.
"You won’t like the consequences."
I laugh again, but there’s no humor in it.
"You an like the consequences you already gave ?"
His eyes flicker.
"Because I’m still recovering from that, by the way."
Silence.
"Or are you planning to cuff to the bed again?"
And fot the first ti since the argunt started, Zane looks genuinely irritated.
"Enough."
"No."
"Yes."
"I’m going."
"No, you’re not."
"Watch Zane. Fucking watch ."
For a mont it looks like he might physically block the door. Instead he just stands there, staring at like he’s morizing every stubborn inch of my face.
"Fine," he says finally.
But the word doesn’t sound like agreent. It sounds almost like a warning.
"Do whatever you want."
"I will."
I turn toward the door before he can say anything else. My head feels like it’s spinning trying to make sense of everything.
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