Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Roman

I watch the floors tick by as the elevator climbs. By the time we’ve reached floor twenty-five, I’ve slipped Maddie’s hand into Josh’s free arm.

I don’t want her hurt and I know I’m going to need both hands for this.

We reach the penthouse and the doors slide open.

I breeze past the bustling office, full of lawyers, administrators, and assistants as I make my way to the conference room. It’s Mason’s preferred place to operate the business.

He sits in the head chair, like the king he considers himself to be, issuing orders.

I don’t knock.

And then the doors bang open, and I don’t apologize as I stop in the threshold.

A meeting is in progress, several people sitting around the table, including my brother Leo and my uncle Jake.

I draw in a deep breath as I meet Mason’s gaze. “Everyone who isn’t family, out!”

The other employees instantly rise, but Mason shoots up too. “I decide when meetings are done. Not you.”

I cross my arms over my chest, glaring at Mason.

Josh, Lucia, and Maddie are a few feet behind me, hovering in the hall. “Not today, brother.”

Mason slashes his gaze over the room. “Everyone stays.”

The employees freeze, looking between me and him. We’ve never argued in front of them before.

Normally, I respect Mason and his authority enough to keep my disagreements private. Not today.

Turning around, I grab Maddie’s hand and pull her forward. Tentatively she comes, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Jake’s wife Nia is also at the table and at the sight of Maddie, she gives a small gasping cry.

“Everyone, this is Maddie Reid. The woman I’m going to marry, if she’ll have me.” My eyes narrow on my brother. “Today, Mason, our fearless CEO, foreclosed on her house. That is the kind of man you work for.”

Leo barks out a laugh and kicks his feet up on the table. “This is going to be fun.”

Mason’s lips thin. “Everyone out.”

“That’s what I thought,” I respond back.

But as a woman from legal, Addison Winters passes me by, I raise a finger. “Addison, I’ll need a place on your calendar tomorrow.”

“Of course, Mr. Kincaid. For what?”

“My resignation.”

“Roman,” Mason spits.

Leo isn’t smiling now as Jake pushes up to his feet. Nia’s eyes are wide as she looks between me and Mason.

Addison scurries out, the doors closing behind her.

“You are not quitting,” Mason starts the moment the doors close.

“That isn’t actually your decision.” I pull Maddie close, brushing a kiss over her forehead a moment before I look back at Josh. He gives me a nod and steps up to pull Maddie back out of the way.

Lucia moves into the position next to me, her hands balled into fists at her sides.

She wasn’t kidding. She plans to be my wingman. Interesting…

But Mason draws my attention again. “Besides being under contract, this is a family business and?—”

“I know what the contract says, Mason. I oversaw its development. My name will remain on the letterhead. But I neither have to attend duties or keep my shares. I can sell them to whoever I choose."

Mason spits a string of curses before banging his hands on the table. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I told you I was going to marry Maddie. Told you to treat her like family. You. Dared. First.”

I start moving closer, my eyes narrowing. “You told me what you thought about my wants and needs. So there is no reason for me to consider yours.”

“That’s not it, Roman. You weren’t seeing clearly. We need that land.”

“We got the fucking land, Mason. You were pissed you didn’t get it your way. That’s it. And I, for one, am tired of you thinking you can have whatever you want whenever you want it. You don’t get to ruin everyone else’s life for your own benefit.”

“A-fucking-men,” Leo mutters.

“I won’t be your lackey anymore, Mason. I’m done.”

“You’ll do what I say. You’re taking over daily operations when I go back to Colorado?—”

“You should talk to Charlotte about that one.” I know I’m pushing on his most sensitive point. “I don’t think she wants you back in Colorado after what you did.”

“You little fucker,” he snarls and then he’s over the table and rushing at me full speed.

I drop down in a stance, ready for him but he never makes it to me.

Lucia goes low and lunging forward, nails him in the balls.

Mason drops like a sack, pun intended, even as Leo barks out another laugh. “She got him good,” he chortles.

“That was for what you did to my friend,” Lucia huffs. “And just so we’re clear, the shot to the balls you gave her deserved a return hit.”

I smile too, bending down to lean over Mason. “The women love you, big brother.”

Even in his pain, he punches out, hitting my ball sack too.

Pain lances through me, as I hit the ground next to him. “That was for talking to Charlotte.”

I grit my teeth, moaning through the pain. “Your recompense from me for all this shit is still owed.”

His eyes roll back in his head. “Calling Charlotte wasn’t enough?”

“Not even close.”

I get up on my knees, my forehead still pressed to the floor as I try to breathe through the pain. As soon as I’m able, I’ll jab him hard in the arm. “Consider that my letter of resignation.”

“Even I have to object to you quitting, Roman,” Leo calls from his chair. “No one is better at keeping all the details in line, not even Mason. We need you.”

I let out a rumble of dissent. This isn’t about them. It’s about me and Maddie. I blink my eyes several times looking over at her. She’s still holding Josh’s arm, her eyes wide with fear.

“Maddie would like to sell her house, the full house, to us. Original offer.”

“But—” Mason starts. I hit him again. Hard. “Fine,” he rumbles.

“I don’t want to run the casinos anymore, I need time to help Maddie with her nonprofit. But you could convince me to stay on in the business operations department.”

Mason pushes up, his face still etched in pain, but I know he’s calculating. “This could work, actually.”

That one catches me off guard. “What?”

“Nia can take over the casinos.”

“I can,” Jake’s wife speaks from the table. “And what a powerful message of cooperation that will be for the other families.”

“And a nonprofit division for Kincaid will only strengthen our interests and potential deals as developers.”

I stare at my brother.

Fucking Mason. He’s found his advantage. But I don’t care. As long as I have time to help Maddie, I’ll be happy. And using Kincaid Enterprises’ might and money to further some worthy causes, that is a win/win.

But Maddie doesn’t need to stand here and listen to Mason and I hash out the details. “Josh,” I finally manage to push my head off the floor. “Why don’t you take my car and drive Maddie and Lucia home. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

“You want me to take your Tesla?”

I give a single nod. “Yep.” I just manage to get to my feet. “Maddie, I’ll have all the papers for you tonight for the sale.”

She lets go of Josh then and slips into my arms, half supporting my weight. She lifts up on her toes and presses her lips to mine.

Mason pushes up on his feet too. “Maddie, are you next in line for a shot?”

She turns toward my brother with a soft smile. “Of course not, I think we all know I don’t possess a warrior heart. I’ve always just been…” She winces. “Like my patients, I guess.”

I see Mason’s eyes close. He knows he took advantage of her weaknesses. No man worth his salt ever feels good about doing that to a woman.

Maddie is doing a much better job of making him feel badly than I ever could.

“Maddie, it wasn’t personal?—”

“It was…” She shakes her head. “But I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want my brother to marry someone like me either.”

“Maddie,” Lucia cries even as my gut clenches into a million knots. I’d rather be punched in the balls a hundred times than hear her say that she wasn’t good enough for me.

“That’s bullshit, Maddie.”

“I know I’m broken, Roman, I’ve always known,” she whispers. “And when you love someone, you think of what they need, not about yourself. I know what you need, Roman, and you, you need someone who isn’t so?—”

“Do not say it,” I feel my throat close. “I need you.”

“No. You need?—”

“I told you how I’m broken too. Just because my scars are in the inside doesn’t mean they aren’t there.” My whole family is hearing this but I won’t hold back from her. Not now.

“But that’s exactly why you should pick someone else. Someone you don’t have to take care of like you do me.”

I stand up straighter, reaching for her, running my fingers down her cheeks. “Did it ever occur to you that what I need, what I’ve always needed, is someone who doesn’t think of herself? Who wants what’s best for me?”

“I…” Maddie’s eyes go wide.

“And in putting me first, it leaves me free to put her first too without worrying that I’ll be taken advantage of.”

“Roman,” she whispers. “That is so…”

But I pull her close, wrapping her in my arms. My lips capture hers, her arms winding around my neck.

I know we have an audience, but I don’t care as I kiss her over and over. Finally, I pull back and speak against her lips. “No one has a better heart than you, Maddie Reid.”