Page 74 of King of Temptation

I do. In quick tones, I tell him my plan that will both protect us and make the kind of move on Toni Carcetti that will cut the head from the Italian snake. I wish I’d been able to implement it before last night. But I’m ready now…

Mason nods as I finish. “It’s a good solid plan if Jake agrees.”

Again, I’m surprised by my brother’s acceptance. “I’ll assist him. I’m already on the wrong side of the law handing over that footage.”

Mason waves his hand. “That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve already got lawyers making certain you never see the inside of a jail cell.”

“Thanks, Mason,” I say, letting out a long breath. “But just in case, we need to discuss Kim.”

Neither of us has touched the food he’s laid out. Mason grabs a plate from the open shelves, beginning to spoon out food I know he’ll barely eat. He’s just keeping busy.

I do the same, something about moving, being in action, makes it easier to say some things that need to be said. “If the worst happens, I need to know that you’ll take care of Kim.”

He pauses, looking up at me. “You know I will.”

“I mean like really take care of her. House. Car. Clothes. Security detail. All of it.”

Mason sets down his plate. “Okay.”

“She’s…” I grimace, knowing that Mason’s going to freak. But if I’ve learned one thing, it’s that I have to own my shit. “She’s pregnant, Mason.”

He’s holding a serving spoon, his knuckles turning white around the handle. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“It’s mine,” I say like that needs to be said. “And so I need to know?—”

The spoon flies at my head, and I duck as the metal projectile zings past my ear. “What the fuck, Mason?”

“You got her pregnant,” he snarls, coming around the island and I know what’s coming. I set down my plate just before he barrels into my mid-section.

I love my brother. And most of the time when we fight, I hold back, because we both know that I’m stronger. Even drunk and on a bender, I never came at him with full force.

But today, I’m in no mood. I can’t get beat to shit because I’ve got a woman to protect.

So as we go flying backwards, I clock him hard in the jaw.

His head snaps back, his teeth clicking together as I land on the marble tile floor, his weight hurtling into my stomach.

It pushes all the air out of me, as we roll away from each other, both of us hurting.

“That’s so fucking like you,” Mason snarls. “Worried about going to prison while you’ve got a baby on the way.”

Those words fucking hurt way more than what he just did to my stomach. “You think I want to leave Kim? The baby? I’d take the fall because I’m the most natural person to do it and because…” These next words sting my pride but that’s been part of my problem…letting pride and selfishness make my decisions. “Because I know that with you and Roman on the outside, we have the best chance of making more money, gaining more power, and that protects Kim and the baby more than me being at their side. I’m ready to admit I’m the least important cog in this machine.”

Mason drops his hand, his jaw already swelling, as he stares at me. “Jesus Christ, Leo.”

“What?”

“What the fuck have you done with my brother and who is this man?”

Despite the ache in my stomach and chest, I smile. “So you promise? All the protection, all the money?”

“I promise.”

“Good. That baby is a Kincaid, Mason. And if there is one thing you’ve always understood, it’s family. I know that I went a little nuts after dad?—”

“You think?”

“But we both know I was the one most likely to detonate like he did.” I slowly push myself off the floor. “But if I’m going to detonate, I’m going to do it for the good of our family, not for ill.”

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