Page 70 of King of Ruin

He’s going to ruin his Armani suit, but he doesn’t seem to care, as he grips me around the waist, crashing my back into the elevator wall, his shoulder pushing into my solar plexus.

I get another good hit in his face, hard enough that he stumbles back, and then it’s me who grabs him around the chest and sends him back into the far wall.

We’re going to have to replace the elevator.

“What the fuck, Roman?!” Mason roars as he gets me a good one right in the eye.

I let go of his body, but my face is up in his face. “You are going to play nice with Maddie from now on, is that understood?”

“It’s a billion-fucking-dollar deal.”

A calm I haven’t felt my entire life washes over me. I don’t care.

I don’t care about the money. The casinos can fuck off. I love my family, but Maddie is my future.

I’ve been groomed to be Mason’s replacement. I’m good at it. Good at the details. At making deals, at running companies.

But that isn’t what I want. It’s on the tip of my tongue to just quit. Leave the whole thing.

But the doors slide open, Jack leaning against the Civic.

He takes one look at us and chuckles. “I see you had that talk.”

“Yeah,” I answer. “We had that talk. The one where Mason is going to mind his manners and treat Maddie like she’s his next sister-in-law and not some throw-away pawn in his Las Vegas power game.”

“Our Las Vegas game,” Mason points a finger at me.

“Is that the game where I try to fuck over the sweetest, most innocent woman on the planet? The very one who risked her life for me? Who signed those papers for you? You can fucking have that game, Mason. I don’t want it.”

And then I turn and get back into the elevator, punching the button. “And I want an update about Luke. I know you know something. I could hear it in your tone.”

I catch Mason’s shocked stare right before the doors slide closed. I let them close.

I’m going back upstairs to hold the woman I love. I think it’s time I told her how I feel.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Maddie

Thomasina isin her box as I lay on the couch, feeding her bits of plain chicken. A mother needs her strength, and this part, I can do.

She eats every bite I give her, even as she lays on her side nursing the kittens. I stroke her head, softly encouraging her. “Tomorrow, we’ll get some more fish for you, sweet girl. You need lots of good protein.”

Thomasina keeps purring. The elevator doors open and I hear Roman’s footsteps across the floor. He doesn’t say a word as he comes toward me.

I pull my hand from the box, propping up on one elbow. “Everything all right?” I ask, cocking my head as I listen to his sure steps. His energy is off…

“Fine, my love,” he answers. “Very good.”

He sits down on the couch, pulling me into the hollow of his body, so that I’m wrapped up in hold.

His hand comes to my hair, stroking down the length, even as he drops a kiss on the tip of my nose.

He’s called me sweetheart a million times. And he’s even called me love. But nevermy love.

I pause over the choice of words, my heart rising in my throat. “You’re sure?”

“I’m great.” His nose rubs over the tip of mine. I reach up to cup his face, wanting his lips on mine.

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