Page 117 of Pucked Around and Found Out

“Oh, I think you'll care about this one,” she continues, looking directly at Cas. “Especially you, Mr. Vought.”

Cas's jaw tightens. “What are you talking about?”

“Tell me,” Fiona says, “do you know why Alex Denver has been so interested in your wellbeing? Why he's gone out of his way to protect you from certain... consequences of your actions?”

“Because he's using me to get to Xaden,” Cas says flatly. “We've established that.”

“Partially,” Fiona agrees. “But there's more to it than that.”

She pauses for effect.

“Alex Denver took my brother from me, so it seems only fitting I take his brother from him, Mr. Vought. Alex Denver is your brother. After the loss of their daughter, they couldn't stomach the thought of raising another child, hence the adoption.”

The words hang in the air like a bomb.

Cas goes completely still beside me. “What?”

“Your parents couldn’t cope after losing your sister,” Fiona continues. “Their son went off the rails, became The Butcher and they banished him from their life. They blame Alex for the loss of their daughter. When they had you, they placed you up for adoption, they thought they were protecting you by keeping you as far away from your brother as they could. But Alex knew about you. Watched you from a distance. Protected you.”

“You're lying,” Cas says, but his voice wavers.

“Am I?” Fiona pulls out a folder and opens it. “DNA test results. Birth certificates with matching paternal information. Financial records showing your father paying off your adoptive family to keep them silent about who you truly are.”

She holds them up for us to see.

“Alex Denver has been protecting his little brother for years. And you had no idea. Toren thought the Kings agreed to help because they are good people. Alex sanctioned it because it meant more protection for his last living sibling.”

Cas looks like he's been punched in the gut. “No. That's... that's not possible. I would have known. Someone would have told me⁠—”

“Why would they?” Fiona asks. “Alex—well, Alex had his own empire to build. But he kept tabs on you. Made sure you were safe. Made sure you had opportunities.”

She closes the folder.

“That hockey scholarship at Somerset? Alex arranged it. Your acceptance into the program? Alex made a few calls. Every major opportunity in your life—your brother has been pulling strings from the shadows.”

I watch as Cas processes this, see the confusion and betrayal warring on his face.

“When he found out about you working for me, he came back to save you," Fiona continues. “To control the situation. To make sure his little brother didn't get killed in the crossfire.”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Cas says, but his voice lacks conviction.

“You betrayed Xaden for nothing. Alex was already protecting you,” Fiona says.

She looks at me.

“Caspian Vought was never really yours, Mr. Devlin. He's always belonged to Alex Denver. Blood is thicker than water, after all.”

The elevator descends in silence.

I look at Cas, and the devastation on his face is clear.

“Did you know?” I ask quietly.

“No,” he says, and I believe him. “I swear, X. I had no fucking idea he’s my⁠—”

His voice breaks.

“He’s your brother,” I finish.