Page 43 of King of Ruin

I shake my head, staring at the wall. “The costs are fucking mounting.”

“Listen. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. We’ll go to Luke’s office and we can talk more in the car.”

“All right.” I hang up and spend the next five minutes standing in the middle of my office, considering all of Mason’s words.

Then, I make my way into my bedroom.

Maddie is on the far side of the bed, curled on her side. Only a sheet covers her body and I can see the clear outline of her frame, the generous curve of her hip, the river of blonde hair snaking over my pillow.

I could just climb into the bed, shape myself around her, wrap her in a cocoon of protection and forget the world.

I’ve got more money than I could spend in a lifetime. We’ve been fighting some war and it’s time to ask the question.… Is it worth it?

Mason didn’t want to hear it tonight, but I’m still asking it.

She sighs in her sleep, soft and high, the sweet note of it rippling over my skin. Fucking hell, what this woman does to me. She’s got me rock-hard with a single noise.

I turn away, scrubbing my face and head for the door.

I don’t use the elevator, I don’t want to wake her.

Instead, I take the stairs, using the time to consider what I’ll do if we find Luke. Or…if we never find him.

I stand in the parking garage, listening to the night as the traffic of Vegas whizzes by. We’re close enough to the strip that I can hear the people, the nightly party has begun. It makes me tired.

The Civic pulls into the garage and Jack gets out, signaling for me to drive. I’m glad I skipped the wine as I slide into the driver’s seat. “Thanks for driving. I’m two scotches in,” Mason shrugs.

“You’re not usually a mid-week drinker.”

“I miss my fucking wife,” Mason growls, not even bothering to disguise how much he loves Charlotte.

“Is that why you’re in such a rush to see this all done?” I back the car out, leaving Jack in the garage. I get that Mason’s whole world is Charlotte now. But I won’t hurt Maddie simply so my brother can leave Vegas.

“Don’t make it sound like that. I’m in a hurry to move the tunnel along to help Luke.”

That’s fair, and I feel like an ass for even saying it. “I’m sorry. I know you’re looking out for Luke. And I don’t blame you for missing your wife. What’s it like, loving someone like that?”

“Charlotte is my whole life. Our relationship is way more fulfilling than any deal I’ve ever closed.”

I shake my head. “But taking care of her, it doesn’t…weigh you down?”

Mason looks over at me. “No. The thing about the right relationship is it gives as much, if not more, than it takes.”

I consider those words as we make the short trip to Kincaid Enterprises. Silently, we take the elevator up to the penthouse and we make our way through the conference rooms to the offices.

Stupid fucking Luke. I told him not to go to Maddie’s house. If he’d listened…

I make my way into his office, the top of the desk an absolute mess. “How does he get anything done like this?”

Mason crosses to the shelf of liquor, pouring himself another drink. “You two are quite the pair. Never a thing out of place with you and with him…” Mason waves at the desk.

“We both know Aunt Gina raised me after Mom died. Luke and I shared a room. It was hell and it was great.”

Luke was a mess and Aunt Gina would come in and clean it up so that I didn’t have to live in his filth.

But it goes deeper than just being a mess. Luke struggles with numbers and letters. A fact he hides from everyone, even Mason. Is that why he nearly missed a deadline? I should have helped him more…

Mason takes a seat in the extra chair in the corner as I search through Luke’s piles. If you can call them that.

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