Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Roman

I turn on the sink, running some water to mask our voices. “Keep your voices down. She’s visioned impaired but her hearing seems to be excellent.”

Mason raises his brows. “What secrets do we need to keep from her?”

I frown, disliking the words I’m about to say. But I’m searching for the advantages here. And I owe Mason solutions after all he’s done for me. “As far as I can tell, she hasn’t realized we’re the Kincaids.”

“Fuck,” Leo rumbles.

But Mason only lifts his brows. “What does she think you and Luke were doing?”

“Pissing on her wall.”

Mason scrubs a hand over his jaw as he considers my words. “And did you knock on her door after you were shot?”

“No, she came out when she heard me. She takes in wounded creatures…”

“Fuck,” Leo repeats.

“It’s an interesting opportunity,” Mason scowls as Leo.

“The woman helped our brother,” Leo spits, stepping up to Mason. “I can see the look in your eyes and I don’t like it. Don’t tell me you’re going to screw her over.”

“I’m going to find our cousin,” Mason rumbles back, his shoulders pulling straighter.

“Don’t start, either of you.” I give both of them a push on the shoulder. Oil and water these two.

Mason recovers first. “Her tip was a good one. Hearing the trunk.”

That makes me focus. Did Mason discover something that will help us locate Luke? “You find anything?”

“Yeah…” Mason winces. “Blood.”

“Fuck.” It’s what I was afraid of.

“Any chance Luke had a weapon on him?” Leo asks.

I shake my head. “No. We just went there to look at the size of the property that had been flagged by the inspector. Try to figure out why Maddie is so resistant to sell. We didn’t think anyone…”

Leo lets out a frustrated rumble. He’s right. It was stupid and reckless.

Mason glares at me. I get it. I’m supposed to know better. Do better. Mason would never make a mistake like that. “So Luke was loaded into the trunk of the Vendetti’s car with no weapon, after being shot.”

“That’s about the gist of it.”

“Was he wearing a vest like you?” Mason is going through all the details now.

“Yes.” That makes me feel slightly better, despite knowing there was blood. “And Maddie mentioned the other woman, Kate, is in med school, I think.”

That gets both my brother’s attention. “That is good.” Leo’s anger is forgotten. “Really good.”

“Did Maddie like this girl? Is there any chance they exchanged numbers?”

I scrub at my jaw. “It’s possible. But how to find out…”

“Jake can definitely get the information, but we’d need her phone.” Mason’s brows lift.

“Jake just left Vegas.”

“He’s got to come back,” Mason says with a shrug. “This is a situation that requires everyone.”

I figured as much. But I’m delaying answering Mason’s request for Maddie’s phone. She’s so vulnerable being dragged here. Without a phone, she’d be even more so. Completely dependent on me and even more suspicious. Then again, this is Luke’s life. “That’s for sure.”

“The phone, Roman.” Mason directs us back to his request. “Can you discreetly collect it?”

“Why don’t we just ask her for the phone.” Leo scowls at both of us.

“I don’t want her to know who we are yet,” Mason rumbles. “I need time to make a solid plan. If we can get her land, we win. Game fucking over.”

I know he’s right. It’s what I’ve been thinking all night.

“How long do you think you can keep it from her, Roman?” Mason asks, giving me that look that slays me. Like he’s almost, but not quite sure, I’m worthy.

My shoulders tense up. “I don’t know. She’s wondering why Vincent would shoot us to begin with. Why I’m wearing a bulletproof vest. She must already suspect we’re in something dark and dangerous.”

“I say tell her the truth,” Leo holds up a finger. “You were there to look at the land you wanted to buy. You’re a legit businessman, but Vigo is not.”

I frown at my brother. Leo’s gone soft since he got married. Still, the plan holds a certain appeal. If I’m honest, I don’t want to go at Maddie hard. She deserves my cloak of protection, not more deception.

Then again, Mason has excellent instincts. He’s led us this far. If he thinks that we should keep Maddie in the dark, maybe he’s right.

“I think it’s a long shot she’d give us the phone. She’s already nervous.”

“I agree,” Mason nods. “Right now, you’re the man she rescued, who is now rescuing her back?”

“What did Vigo try to do to her?” Leo asks, his arms crossing over his massive chest.

That makes me shake my head as I remember Vigo hauling her up on his shoulder. I had this moment where instinct took over and every cell in my body was intent upon protecting her. On making Vigo pay for even touching her. “He tried to kidnap her. He specifically mentioned his bed and then paperwork.”

“The Vendettis have the subtly of charging rhinos.” Mason grits between clenched teeth. “But if Vigo mentioned paperwork, it wasn’t an accident he was out with Maddie, he was making a move against us.”

Neither Leo nor I speak. Because Mason is one hundred percent right on this one. No argument required.

“And we can’t discredit the possibility that Maddie might be in league with them.”

Those words hit me like a punch to the chest. Sweet, innocent Maddie? A deep part of me does not want to believe it. But Mason’s instincts are better than mine. And there are a great many coincidences tonight…

“Just give me twenty minutes and I’ll get the phone.” And with that, I turn off the water.

Mason reaches up a hand, to hold me a moment longer. “Gain her trust, Roman.”

Leo scoffs. “You’re never going to get it lying. Even I fucking know that. I know you two are sympatico, but I’m telling you, you’re doing this wrong.”

“He’s been married a week, and now he knows everything about women,” Mason fires back.

I leave them to their argument and start out of the kitchen and down the hall. I’ve already made up my mind.

I enter the room to find Maddie sound asleep on my bed.

For a moment, I just look at her. Her face is so innocent, her blonde hair streaming out over my pillow.

Her hands are folded on her stomach, her perfect tits peeking out from the top of her dress, her long legs on full display.

I reach out and touch her cheek, the velvet of her skin sliding under the rougher pad of my thumb.

Her eyes blink open, her brow creasing as she stares in my direction. Does she not know who I am? “It’s me, Maddie. Roman. I thought you’d want to brush your teeth.”

“Roman?”

I reach for her hand and brush my thumb over the back of hers. I’ve always been good with the particulars of caring for people. Especially women. Their clothes, their products. I can look at a woman, know her size. See her skin and understand which tones would complement her.

I spent my childhood helping my mother hide her alcohol abuse. Cleaning her up, painting her face. I know how to do care…

“That’s right. It’s me.” I pull her up from the bed. “Want to wash your face and put on something more comfortable for sleeping?”

I let go and she wobbles on her feet.

Not bothering to pretend she should go on her own, I sweep her into my arms and carry her into the bathroom.

Reaching into a drawer, I pull out a carefully packaged satchel with a new hairbrush, toothbrush, and basic necessities like deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner. I keep them for the female guests I occasionally have stay.

I say occasionally, because I frequently don’t like the complication of even casual relationships.

“You just have all these things ready to go?” She fingers the small bag.

I chuckle. “I like to be prepared.” Then I pull out the toothbrush and apply toothpaste, handing it to her. She starts to brush her teeth, and I leave the bathroom to fetch her a T-shirt.

Coming back in, I grab her free hand, placing the shirt in her open palm. She takes it and lifts it to her nose. “It smells like you.”

Another person who loves the details. “Does it?”

“You’re very good at this,” she holds the shirt close to her face. “Taking care of me. You do this often?”

I laugh off her words. “Not often. I’m just organized. What about you? How often do you have male guests?”

“I’ve never had one.”

I stare at her, all the laughter gone. Some deep ache settles in the pit of my stomach, tightening my balls. “But you said that you’ve never slept away from home.”

“I haven’t.”

I suck in a breath, realizing the truth. She’s a virgin.

I just got done saying how I don’t like taking care of women. I don’t. But Maddie has been pulling at something deep all night.

I watch a blush stain her cheeks as she turns back to the sink. “I’ve got it from here. Thank you.”

But I don’t go. Instead, I touch her hand, the heat of her skin practically searing me. She’s a virgin. A complete innocent. It pulls at me like a moth to a flame. I don’t even know why. It’s not something I’ve ever even considered, never articulated I wanted. But it makes her even more…special. Unique. Mine…

Her chin is tucked, her cheeks the sort of pink that makes me want to kiss every inch of her. I cannot afford to catch any kind of feelings now.

I’ve got a plan and she is just one tiny piece. I can’t let that thought go. She is a means to an end.

She washes her face, the water glistening on her pale skin. Silently, I hand her a towel, our fingers brush, making me clench even tighter.

“Roman?” she turns to face me, her skin glowing after she’s washed it.

“Yeah?”

“Can you undo my zipper?” she points to her back.

Slowly, I grab the metal tab, pulling the zipper down as more and more of her skin is exposed. I could kiss a trail along that skin, drink in her taste. Instead, I turn toward the door and give her a moment of privacy to take her dress off and put my T-shirt on.

“I’m ready,” she calls when she’s done. I enter the bathroom again and take a moment to drink in the sight of her in my shirt. It’s like I’ve left my mark on her. Claimed her. My chest tightens, but I force myself forward.

Gently, I lead her to the bed. She settles in and I tuck the covers around her, “Dim the lights.”

The room darkens and she curls on her side, asleep in seconds.

“Good night, Maddie Reid. I’ll be back in to check on you in a bit.”

She lifts her head. “Where will you sleep?”

“On the couch.”

She lays back down, but I feel her hesitation. The way she tenses. “Is it weird if I say, I don’t want to be alone?”

“No. Not weird at all. I’ll let you fall asleep and then I’ll join you. Don’t worry. I know how to stay on my side of the bed.”

With a nod, she closes her eyes, rolling over to turn away from me. I give it a moment. Two.

Reaching for her phone on the nightstand, I slide it into my waiting palm and leave the room.