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“Is it? You don’t provide anything anymore. It’smethat keeps the seas healthy.”

Nikolas sobered. “Don’t act like you didn’t always want that.”

My temper reached a boiling point. “Ididn’t. Taking on responsibility because you wouldn’t isn’t wanting anything. Even Dad knew that you didn’t want this.”

A flash of something flickered in Nikolas’s eyes. Grief. So, he did care about something. “Dad died for that power. Excuse me for wanting to save myself from the same fate.”

Nikolas found it convenient to act like we blamed him, to say that our father had died from stress he caused. The Neptune line—the Roman side—had decided not to continue after Adrian’s birth. But whispers had been churning about them reconsidering that decision in light of Nikolas’s clear aversion to the job. Our father’s health had deteriorated quickly after that.

I never blamed Nikolas for our father, and he knew that. Neither did our mother. He was in bad health since an accident in the deep sea early in his adult life. There was no telling what would have finally cut his thread. But I would blame Nikolas for his utter lack of remorse after the fact.

He viewed our father’s death as perfect material for excuses. Including abdicating.

“It’s the same shit with you, Nikolas. You know that’s not what killed Dad. You just wanted a reason to choose yourself instead of your duty. I’ll never understand that.”

“Such a soldier, Lukas,” he drawled with drunken humor. “Duty this, duty that. It’s in everything you do. Even your precious wife.”

Mention of Daphne only served to piss me off more.

“Stop trying to change the subject,” I seethed. He was on my last fucking nerve. “You need to cut the shit. Fuck around and do whatever you want, but not in public. And keep your mouth shut about anything relating to your power, the palace, or the whole fucking ocean for that matter.”

Nikolas moved his hand up in mock salute, fuckinggigglingwhile he did it. “Sir, yes, sir.”

My hands curled into fists on my knees. “I’m not kidding, Nikolas. If I see one more photo of you in the papers, I’m cutting you off.”

“Nothing to cut off, brother,” Nikolas said. “I’m living off my inheritance.”

I laughed under my breath. He never paid attention long enough to know that didn’t save him. “I have access to that money.”

Nikolas sat straight up.

“So, again, you’ll keep your mess out of the fucking papers. And you’ll remember that any information during your time as a god stays private.”

He lasted about a week after our father died, but what he’d gained from growing up as the heir was more worrisome. “Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” Nikolas grumbled. So that was the way to control him. Money.

I’d lost my capacity for empathy where he was concerned long ago, but like he so astutely pointed out, duty remained. “I’m only going to ask you this once. You don’t have to explain, and we don’t need to talk, just answer. Is this you or do you have a problem?”

Nikolas tracked me with his eyes as I stood. There was no panic there, no fear that his substance of choice could be taken away. Just apathy. “I don’t have a problem.”

He offered no more explanation.

“Great chat, brother,” I said, the sarcasm heavy. I was content to leave it at that warning, no threats of violence or physically knocking him straight.

I made it halfway out the door before Nikolas decided to test that.

“Give Daphne my love. Such a shame she was stuck with you. I could have taken much better care of her.”

I was on him before he could blink, pressing him into the couch with my arm against his throat.

“You can flop about on land for all I care,” I growled, rage building with every word. “But you willnevertalk about Daphne again. Do you understand?”

Nikolas’s sardonic grin was nowhere to be found. I could feel his gulp under my arm. But his desire to be a dick seemed to be winning out. “She finally give in yet? I always knew she was the type to make you work for—”

I knew what he was about to say, and I cut it off with my fist. His head snapped sharply to the side, and I was surprised I didn’t hear a tooth crack. I hit him that hard.

Because he fucking deserved it.