Page 105 of Beneath Scarred Vows

"Jesus, Ares. What is it?"

I lean back, unsure of how he's going to take this. "Lately, every time we have to come here, you wind up spending the night before we leave fucking anything that moves and drinking yourself into a mess."

I can see a wave of emotions fly across his face until he settles on defiance.

"I like to have fun? So what? It hasn't stopped me from doing my job, has it?"

"No, not yet, but?—"

"See," he says and finishes his whiskey, "so don't fucking worry about me."

I feel the anger rise in me, but I stop it, because it won't help my brother.

I lean forward and narrow my eyes to say something that would be louder than any yell I could do anyhow.

"It's because of her, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" he asks, stiffening up.

"Come on, Theo. You know who the hell I'm talking about."

Theo shrugs. "I really don't know what you're talking about."

I give him a look. "Really?"

He squirms a bit under my gaze.

"Are you worried you'll run into her?" I ask plainly.

He rubs his forehead. "No, of course not. She's in Los Angeles anyhow."

I nod.

"Okay, so why do you know that?" I ask.

"Look. I'm just processing some shit, Ares. Alright? It's not affecting us, or our family, so what does it matter?"

"It's just been a while since?—"

"I know. I know. Fuck," Theo says and stands. "Seeing you and Katerina just stirred up some shit. I'm working through it. I'm fine."

I'm shocked to hear him openly admit it. I would have never guessed seeing me with a wife would get to him, but I guess if I had stopped to think about it, I could have figured it out fast.

"I just want to make sure you're alright," I say. "For the first time, I get what a woman can do to you."

Theo laughs and sits back down. "You're lucky, Ares. She's in your life, and even if it's rocky now, you can still fix it," he says and leans across the table. "As your right-hand man, let me tell you something. Don't be an idiot. Once you let a woman in, they'll consume you—even if you think you're the one doing the consuming. Anyway, I'm fine."

Theo's right about that. This entire time I thought I was the one in the driver's seat, keeping my emotions and feelings in check while molding Katerina, but now I think she was the one molding me.

"Let's change the subject, please. Business, that's what we're here for," Theo interrupts my thoughts. "What's the other thing you wanted to talk to me about?"

"There's something I haven't told you about the day Father died," I say with a sigh.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Theo asks, bracing the table. "You know something I don't?"

I nod. "None of you know."

"Well what the fuck, Ares. Tell me."