Good.
The truth fucking hurt.
When it didn’t look like he was going to reply, Conor frowned at him. “If this Brotherhood of yours is so all-fired powerful, and if you’ve existed for so damn long, then why did you let them come to be in the first place?”
“The Union protects, but we do not intercede unless necessary. My predecessors were staunch believers in that ideology.
“The Old World Sparrows came to exist because they were Brothers who were annoyed at our isolationist ideals. They believed we didn’t involve ourselves enough with active government so they created a body of power where they could fulfill their own goals.
“As with everything, it usually starts from a good place and quickly spirals out of control.Thisis why we stay back and monitor the global stage. Involving oneself too much can lead to corruption and manipulation of the society we strive to protect.
“It was only after the Sparrows came to be that we began to evolve our own methods. We pushed Brothers into office and we passed laws to protect a nation’s core values to stop them—”
“Why didn’t you keep gangs from forming? Why does the mafia even exist?” I butted in. “How is crime still a thing—”
He interrupted me right back, “Because we police laws, not people.”
“That’s bullshit,” I scoffed. “You’ve been doing a shitty job in the US recently then, haven’t you? Not so observant lately.”
Kuznetsov scowled at me, but Conor mused, “That makes sense.”
I gaped at him. “It doesnot.”
“It does. People die. Laws don’t.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Star’s correct, though. Those addendums to the Clean Water Act that just got passed were riddled with loopholes. Never mind all the other bullshit laws that get through every fucking day.”
“Loopholes that only exist because of dirty money flowing into political parties that is used to elect corrupt officials,” I grumbled, interrupting him.
Kuznetsov shrugged. “Would that act have even been voted in if it weren’t for our support?”
“Of course, it would—who’d be against clean water?”
Conor stilled. “He has a point, Star.”
I scowled at him. “Dammit, you’re supposed to be on my side, not his.”
“Iamon your side. Why would I be here otherwise?”
“Does it look like I don’t have a mouth?”
He studied my lips, long enough for it to get awkward. “I know you do. I also know that you’re not afraid to use it.”
“Then keep your nose out,” I griped.
“I’m just saying… I can see where he’s coming from.”
I huffed. “We’ll discuss this later.”
“Yes,dear,” he mocked, which had me scowling harder at him than ever and pinching his thigh.
Into our staring match, Kuznetsov tiredly rumbled, “Do we have a deal?”
Gracing him with my attention, I noticed he appeared as exhausted as he sounded. Blood loss probably hadn’t helped.
“You want revenge for your son. Did you seek revenge for my mother?”
Kuznetsov paled even further. “I will not speak of her more than is necessary.”
Huh.