The image of Robert and Charles laughing together, so familiar and in sync, burned itself into Nathan’s mind and scorched everything else away. Guilt hardened into a cold, lethal anger. It was no longer just a knot in his gut. It had turned into a blade demanding action.

They had been playing him. Those two bastards had been laughing at him, using him like a pawn in their game, so sure they already had him under control. They had pushed him to choose a side only so he would realize that ...