Just as Drake had done to him, he’d verbally gone for Ryn’s throat. “So that’s it then? Captain Tavali. Lord Badass. At the end of the day, you’re nothing but a selfish, scared asshole just like all the others in your family. I wonder what your friends would think if they knew what a spineless coward you really are?”

Darling had known exactly the buttons he was pushing and why they stung Ryn so badly. He shouldn’t have done it.

But he’d wanted to hurt Ryn the way Ryn had hurt him by refusing to help. And it was too late to take those words back. Once they were out, they’d been a deadly challenge.

One Ryn had met with a furious snarl. He’d whirled on Darling then and grabbed him. They’d started fighting like two rabid animals. A fight that ended several minutes later when Ryn lifted Darling off his feet and threw him into the glass dining table. Because of his shattered arm that was in a sling and the other that was braced due to a sprain, Darling had been unable to catch himself. As a result, his face had taken the brunt of the fall.

In all the vicious beatings he’d had over the years, never had he seen so much blood. Felt more pain. The glass had torn through his body like a thousand razors. It’d taken the medics over half an hour to extract him from the broken pieces.

The whole time they worked to save him, Darling had prayed he’d finally bleed out and die.

But the gods had never been merciful to him.

Ryn had apologized repeatedly the entire time they pulled him from the glass and metal, but just like the angry words that had flown between all of them, it was too late to take it back. The damage had been done and it was permanent.

Their relationship had never recovered from that night. They were both ashamed of what they’d said and done.

Now those memories paralyzed Darling as he saw his reflection in the marble wall in front of him and he cringed inwardly.

His mother was right. He was hideous and disgusting.

Too ugly to look at.

Arturo’s insults rang in his ears. They mingled with the hostile words and shouts he could hear coming from inside the throne room as his brother fought with the plebs.

But as his gaze went to the state portrait of his father that hung to his left, he remembered the brave little boy who’d stood at his father’s tomb and had vowed that he would keep the things his father treasured most safe from harm.

The wife his father had loved above all things.

The children who’d been the pride of his heart.

And the empire that he’d worried and slaved over.

I won’t let them suffer without you, Papa. I swear. I’ll be the man you wanted me to be. No matter what, I will make you proud.

Darling had fought hard to protect his mother and siblings. Now it was time to keep the last part of that promise.