Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Roman

I make the short drive to the Kincaid building, the air in the car thick with tension.

Lucia and Josh sit in the back seat, giving each other several long glances, as they silently communicate with each other.

I already know they’re worried.

I’ve done my best to soothe Lucia since that first phone call. But she knows the man I am now and she isn’t going to respond to anything I say.

Funny, just when I started to trust Maddie’s best friend, I lost her.

All I can do is prove that I have Maddie’s best interest at heart. And one thing I have always been is a man of action. That isn’t changing.

And that’s going to mean going toe to toe with Mason.

I’m ready.

“Lucia,” I say into the silence. “Can you tell me what the inspector said specifically?”

“He said,” Lucia lets out a long breath, “that he was foreclosing on Maddie’s house by order of the city.”

“Anything else?” I remain patient. This isn’t my first conversation with an unwilling and angry party. It’s part of my job. In the casinos, I can frequently add the words drunk and belligerent to the adjectives used to describe people I’m talking with.

“And that if I had a problem with it, I could take it up with the Kincaids.”

My mouth presses into a thin hard line. This is not good. Her eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror and she gives me a hard glare.

“I said that it couldn’t be true. That the owner of the house was dating Roman Kincaid. Then he said that you were the man who approached him in the first place and that you were exactly who I should speak with about the foreclosure.”

Why would a city inspector, who had taken a bribe, tell Lucia he was affiliated with us? It makes no sense. Tell her to take up the fight with me?

Then my teeth grind together. Unless he was paid a whole bunch extra to specifically mention the Kincaids. To put the blame on me.

I know who did this.

Mason is trying to make certain Maddie and I break up.

Fucker. He is going to pay for this.

I hit the gas, speeding toward the tower and my brother. But before I get there, I spit out a voice command. “Call Charlotte.”

Because two can play this game.

My sister-in-law picks up on the second ring. “Roman, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is that your husband just foreclosed on a blind woman’s house, while framing me for it,” I spit into the speaker.

Charlotte gasps. “Why would he do that?”

“To close his tunnel deal. To break up me and Maddie.”

“Roman?” Maddie whispers, soft and hurt, but Charlotte’s gasp tells me that she heard Maddie’s voice.

“Charlotte, meet Maddie. Maddie, Charlotte.”

“Hello,” Charlotte says in the sweet voice with which she speaks to everyone. “It’s a pleasure, Maddie.”

“Same,” Maddie clears her throat. “And I’m so sorry we’re meeting, or whatever this is, like this. I’ve heard a great deal about you. All wonderful.”

“I’ve heard nothing about you,” Charlotte replies. “Intentional on Mason’s part?” Charlotte asks me.

“I’m sure. I told him that Maddie’s interests were taking precedence over Kincaid business, that he needed to treat her like his next sister-in-law, and he took it upon himself to correct the situation by foreclosing?—”

“He did not.” Charlotte’s voice gets sharp in a way I’ve never heard. “Maddie I’m so sorry,” Charlotte adds. “My only explanation is that Luke’s disappearance has turned everyone upside down but…” I can hear Charlotte purse her lips. “That is no excuse.”

In quick words, I tell her all of it. Mason’s plans, Jack’s resistance, and my role in the whole thing. I don’t leave anything out. I want Maddie to know the truth. Lucia and Josh hear it all too. I hope it starts to mend some bridges. Or maybe it washes them away forever. I intend to be in Maddie’s life for a long time and that means being part of Lucia’s too. And the only hope I have is with the truth.

Charlotte is quiet until I finish. “What do you need from me?”

“A little help,” I grunt. “Even when I quit?—”

“Roman,” Maddie cries.

I give her a gentle smile to let her know she doesn’t need to worry, reaching out to touch her cheek. “You know how stubborn he can be, Charlotte.”

“I do.” She’s quiet and I let her think as I hit a button to open the parking garage gate. “Did I just hear the gate?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to talk to him first or shall I?” she asks.

“Me first. I’ll soften him up with my fists.”

“Roman,” Charlotte chastises. “Be gentle.”

He doesn’t deserve gentle, but I don’t tell Charlotte that as we hang up.

“Did you really tell Mason to start treating me like his sister-in-law?” Maddie asks, her fingers dancing down the sleeve of my shirt.

I want to kiss that hand, press my lips to each of her fingertips.

“Yes. I did.” I lean close, my forehead coming to hers. I know we’ve got an audience, but I’m pretty sure Lucia needs to hear this as much as Maddie does.

And I’ll grovel at both their feet if it gets me Maddie back. “I love you, Maddie Reid. I meant every offer I made. To live my life with you, to love you, to build you a state-of-the-art facility…”

I hear Lucia gasp.

“And I know I messed everything up those first few days. I meant the other thing I said about not understanding how to live life with my heart. Not until you.”

Maddie’s breath catches again. I reach for her, placing my hand around her neck, my thumb over her fluttering pulse.

“But I promise, sweetheart, if you give me another chance, I’ll make it right. All of it. I love you, Maddie. I want to marry you.”

“Fucking hell,” Lucia mutters. “He’s got game.”

“Shh,” Josh replies back in a voice just above a whisper. “I wish I had popcorn.”

Both Maddie and I laugh. It breaks the tension, at least for the moment. Stepping out of the car, I go around and help Maddie from the passenger’s seat. Her hands fit into mine. “You’re not really going to quit, are you?”

“I am,” I answer. “I love working hard but I’m tired of peddling in the business of sin. Jack told me something,” I pull her close, wrapping an arm around her waist. “He said I could be bigger or I could be better. I’m ready to be a better man, Maddie. To make a positive difference in this world.”

She threads her arms around me. “And I’m ready to make smart decisions instead of emotional ones. Which is why…”

She draws in a breath as I search her face, wondering what she might say next.

But even I’m shocked when she says, “I know I should have taken your original offer for my house.”

“Maddie!” Lucia cries. “You love that house.”

“I do. But I’d also love to finish school. And get a real job. And…” Maddie shakes her head. “I know it’s too late now. With the foreclosure….”

“It’s not too late,” I take a chance and bend down to press my lips to hers. “It’s definitely not too late. Let’s go kick my brother’s ass.”

“I think you’d better do the kicking,” Maddie whispers. “Lucia can back you up if you need it. Fistfighting isn’t really my strength.”

I laugh again, but as we approach the elevator, I put on my game face. “Josh, if punches start getting thrown, your job is to get Lucia and Maddie out of the way.”

“Just Maddie,” Lucia retorts. “Maddie meant it. I’ll be hitting too.”

This is going to be one hell of a business meeting.