Chapter 30

Briar’s POV

"Kieran, I’m not—"

"Don’t," he cut me off, his tone sharper than a blade. "Don’t try to talk your way out of this. Not with me. Not when it’s about them."

His words hit me square in the chest, making my breath catch. His frustration, his worry—it wasn’t misplaced, and that only made it harder to face.

"Kieran," Kai said, stepping forward, his tall frame casting a shadow over his brother. "You’re not helping."

"And you are?" Kieran snapped, his voice rising. "You think standing there, acting like everything’s fine, is going to solve this? She’s not telling us everything, Kai. And you’re just letting it slide."

Kai’s jaw clenched, but his voice stayed calm. "This isn’t about letting anything slide. It’s about handling it in a way that doesn’t push her further into a corner."

"I’m right here," I said quietly, my voice breaking. "You