I slapped him so hard his head turned to the side. Not the same impact as I’d hoped for since he had on the facemask made from a thin material. Ben turned his sharp eyes back to mine and I slapped him again. His police hat fell to the floor and I shoved him back.

“Don’t you ever put your hands on me again, and don’t compare yourself to Wheeler. You’re not even in the same league. I may have to live in this house with you, but there’s nothing in the rules that says I have to like you. And while I don’t know what happened with Delgado capturing Wheeler, I’m positive you had something to do with it. Wheeler told me all about you.”

Ben slowly pulled off his mask and tossed it to the ground. “What the hell did he say?”

“That you’re a manipulator, a liar, a thief, and selfish. Don’t you even care about him? He’s done so much for you since you were little boys. Can’t you appreciate all that he’s sacrificed for you? He’s the one with the tarnished reputation—all because he was protecting you. Wheeler loves you. Why do you keep using him?”

“Shut your mouth. You don’t know a goddamn thing. Nothing but a stage whore, and that’s about the best he can do. I’m sick of his guilt trips. You help family; no questions asked. I bring money into this house, and so-fucking-what if he has to lend me some?”

“What about the cage fights!” I shouted.

Ben came at me like a hurricane and covered my mouth. “Shut your mouth before someone hears. I feel like shit about it, but better him than me. He’s nothing but wasted talent.”

I knocked his hand away. “You ruined him. After the cage fights, how could he go back to his life with a damaged reputation? What sense of normalcy could he possibly feel? Did you even ask him what he suffered through—what he had to endure for your freedom?”

“What’s done is done,” Ben said ruefully, and I could sense he wasn’t an evil man. There was no black sheep in this duo; there were only two brothers struggling to make sense of their identity.

“How many times are you going to keep doing it? When does it end? He’s mine now. You can’t have him. I won’t allow you to use him anymore to save you. What you’re doing is out of control, and you need help. It’s an addiction, and you don’t even recognize it. You keep justifying your actions because it brings money into this house. The next time you’re in trouble, you better find a way to save yourself.”

“You fucking whore!”

The door swung open as I pushed him away. A stranger looked at us and a few men peered in, murmurs trickling through the crowd.

Ben laughed and bent down to pick up his mask. “We’re just role-playing.”

Another head peered in, but this man pushed his way inside. He was the antithesis of Ben—dressed in a tight black sweater, gloves, a black cap, a mask over his eyes. He tossed a bag with a money symbol onto the floor.