Chapter 26

Mason

My plans changed drastically the instant I made it back to New York. I had everything in line, ready to execute, but my mind couldn’t latch onto anything other than Leah. Texts and FaceTime calls weren’t enough. I wanted to touch her. Smell her. Kiss and hold her.

I came back as soon as I could, even while the rest of my world has likely caught on fire.

The instant Leah’s in my arms, I know I’ve made the right decision. She calms the frenzy in me. Doesn’t seem possible, considering she’s a ball of energy all the time.

Leah sounds so hopeful when she asks, “Are you staying here for good?”

“Yes and no. I still have to pack, and there’s a gala to go to this weekend, but that’s an overnighter. I’ll have someone else handle selling my house.”

“And how are my boys?”

She teased me the other night over the phone about Landon, Kerrington, and Gage being her boys. I love how she fits so perfectly in our found family.

“They’re getting into trouble with their new money, I’m sure.”

Leah laughs. “Well, if I win the lottery one day, I’ll be going bananas for a hot minute too.”

Why wait for miracles? “Say the word and I’ll write you a check. You can pretend you won the lottery and go on a spree.”

Leah smacks my shoulder playfully. We head into the kitchen, and she sits on a stool while I get a drink of water. “Not to ruin the mood, but I need to talk to you about something, Mason.”

There’s nothing she could say that would ruin my good mood. “Go for it.”

“I haven’t asked because I didn’t think it was my business, but Landon said something to me at the club and it’s been bugging me.”

My body tenses. If he said something that made her feel bad or uncomfortable, best friend or not, I’ll kill him. “What did he say?”

“It’s about selling BanditFX.”

I relax. “Oh?”

“He said you lost everything. Is that true? Because the math doesn’t math. You told me you got a billion dollars. The news is all over the internet and there’s no bad publicity. I don’t get it.”

It takes a few heartbeats for me to simplify my clusterfuck life and form it into an efficient explanation. “There’s a clause in my trust fund that says if I don’t follow all the stipulations, I’m out.”

“Is owning your own company one of them?”

“Yes.” I take a sip of my water. “And no.” I dump the rest down the drain and place my glass in the sink. “It’s fine to have our own ‘side hustle’ as long as it doesn’t make the family look bad. And we can sell, merge, or dump whatever we want. But that money stays in the family, no matter what.”

My chest tightens.

“I didn’t use any family money to make BanditFX. I worked as a bookie in college, and took every dime I made, along with money that Landon, Ker, and Gage could spare, and threw it all into stocks. I day traded my ass off, which I do not recommend, by the way.”

It gave me an ulcer and melted half my brain.

“I paid them back every cent, with interest, and took my portion to Vegas. In one game of roulette, I risked it all, and made a fortune.”

I’ll never forget the feeling of that payout for as long as I live. And I’ll never go back and try it again, because that was a once in a lifetime break. A high I’ll forever chase and never catch again.

“That’s what I used to start up BanditFX. Then I brought in your boys,” I tease, “and they got shares of the company. We expanded and diversified, and they helped me make the company successful enough to catch the attention of major players in the tech industry.”

“That’s incredible.”

The awe and pride in her voice does little to staunch my bleeding heart.

“My parents didn’t know how I got the start-up money. They, like my siblings, assumed I’d done it all with my trust fund. I haven’t touched a dime in that account since I was eighteen. My grandfather, the one who took me to the baseball games?” She nods, following along. “He warned me that the minute I spent one cent from that account, they’d own me. He was right. I had my private lawyers look into it and there’s language stating that anything bought with the money in the account is family property. That means my parents could control it.”

I’d rather die than let them touch BanditFX.

“What about your house in New York?”

“Everything I have, I’ve bought with my own money.”

Her mouth falls open. “That’s incredible.”

“It’s pathetic. To be owned your whole life? Bought your whole life? It’s suffocating and unfair.” Dropping on the stool next to her, I steeple my fingers and look straight ahead. “There’s more.”

“Okay.”

“Another stipulation is…” Fuck me sideways, this is awful timing . “Marriage.”

“Do you have like, until the age of thirty, to find someone?”

“Something like that.” My frown has my chin quivering. “It’s arranged for us.” There’s nothing I can say to make this easier. “Our marriages are pre-arranged to keep bloodlines and business ties tight. To keep our secrets covered.”

“What secrets?”

I shrug. “Financially speaking, there’s a lot of grey area come tax time. Adultery and politics, too. It’s ugly in my world, Leah.”

“And where does Nicole fit into all this?”

She knows the answer.

“Oh my god.” Her voice sounds so distant. I have to turn to see if she’s even still with me, or a figment of my dying dreams.

My heart crashes against a concrete wall when tears slide silently down her face. I have to do something to make her understand. “Leah,” I try to wipe her tears away, but she dodges me.

Hands falling to my lap, I shake my head. “She and I have been trying to find a way out of the arrangement for years. We prolonged it as much as we could. I finally told my parents that I wouldn’t marry her. Shit got ugly between our parents. Nicole’s been working on a business plan to secure her finances, but she doesn’t have the capital because she spends a lot of her money on dumb shit. We got into it a couple months ago because I said she was self-sabotaging while crying about how unfair her life is. But she makes it worse when she’s constantly doing retail therapy—blowing her money on purses and trips and jewelry. I cut ties for both of us by doing what I’ve done. I’m out of the Finch family, Leah. She can’t have me.” I raise my hand fast and add, “Not that she ever wanted me, or that I ever wanted her. Christ, I’d rather swim with sharks while wearing a meat suit than be in a relationship with that woman.”

Leah doesn’t speak for a long time. The silence spans across our bodies, spreading into the kitchen and coating the living room and hallway like a heavy residue.

“Say something,” I whisper. “ Please , Leah.”

“I don’t know what you want to hear.”

The truth . “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

She remains quiet and my head screams for her to understand that yes, I lost a lot, but I’m gaining her and that’s the biggest win ever. “I’ll give us a good life.” Whatever she wants, I’ll make sure she has it. “Leah, I love you.”

She silently grabs my phone from the counter. “Call her.”

“Who? Nicole?”

“Yes. Call her right now.”

Without hesitation, I dial her number and put her on speakerphone.

Nicole picks up on the fifth ring. “Ugh, what do you want?”

“I have someone who wants to speak with you.”

Her tone changes instantly to a much happier one. “Is it Leah?”

Leah’s eyes widen in surprise. “Hi, Nicole.”

“Hi! It’s so nice to speak to you. Mason won’t shut the fuck up about you, girl. It’s disgusting. No offence.”

“None taken.” Her eyes lock on mine. “He’s just explained to me the situation.”

“You mean the one he’s set on fire? Yeah. Thank God he did it. I would die if I had to be tied to him for life. I definitely mean that offensively, Mase.”

“Feeling’s mutual,” I clap back.

“Are you coming to the gala with him this weekend? I’d love to meet you. Mase says you’re drop dead gorgeous and fun as hell. Okay, well he didn’t tell me that, but Grace did. That’s his sister, in case you didn’t know. Apparently, he kept her up all night talking to her about you. She overslept and missed her massage appointment the next day. Mason’s inconsiderate like that.”

Leah’s brow pinches. “How’s that Mason’s fault?”

“It just is,” Nicole says drolly. “I don’t make the rules.”

I flip her off, even though she can’t see me. It makes Leah giggle quietly.

Nicole keeps yapping. “It’ll be nice to have a fun night for once. Please say you’re coming?”

Leah looks up at me and smiles. “I’ll be there.”

“Yay!” Nicole’s happy tone turns to disdain in a blink. “Mason. Will Gage be coming?”

“Yeah. They’ll all be there.”

“Fuck my life.” Nicole groans. “Okay, well I gotta run. Leah, feel free to run him over with your car. Still come to the gala, though. Byyyye.” She hangs up.

“I…” Leah cringes. “I think I like her.”

My entire body locks. “No. No, no, no. She’s awful. She’s annoying!”

Leah laughs, but I catch the nervousness vibrating in it. Grabbing her hands, I kiss her knuckles and make sure I have her full eye contact. “I’m crazy in love with you, Leah.”

“You must be.” She pulls her hands out of mine. “You’re giving up a lot.”

No, I’m not. “I’m gaining everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Mason, your parents are going to hate me.”

They might. But it’s because they can’t control her. “ You might hate them .”

“Oh, I think I already do. What kind of parent controls their kids this much? Geez. Cut the cord. Mind ya business, mom and dad.”

God love her.

Leah’s expression softens. “But is there some way we can help Nicole?”

“I’ve done all I can. Taking myself out of the equation permanently means she’s not stuck in a loveless marriage.” Yet. I dread to think who her parents will match her with now that I’m out. “My sister’s in the same boat. It’s probably why they’re besties.”

Leah’s shoulders droop. “Oh wow.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Well. There’s only one thing left to do now.”

“And that is?”

“I need a show-stopping dress that’s easy to dance in. We’re going shopping.”