Chapter 22: King of Deception: Chapter 22

I tuck Arabella in and then head back out to the family room. But I don’t stop at Luke and Mason.

Instead, I enter the kitchen, picking up the bag of sushi. Taking it out, I inspect the contents.

It’s mostly salvageable so I place the container in the fridge.

“What are you doing?” Mason grumbles, his arms crossing over his chest.

I close the fridge. “She hasn’t had dinner. I was checking her food.”

“Food?” His eyes narrow. “You’re concerned about her calorie intake?”

Luke’s brows are arched as he stares at me too. I dust my hands, ignoring the silent question. So he asks one out loud instead. “You’re really comfortable in her place, aren’t you?”

Mason glares from one of us to the other. “So clearly you’re involved with my sister, and Luke was already aware. I want details.”

Luke lets out a long breath. “You’ve already guessed.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“I convinced Gris to romance Bella,” Luke answers, turning toward his cousin.

Mason’s answer is to pop Luke in the jaw with a quick right. Noted. Mason might not be as bulky, but the man can hit.

Luke goes down, nearly landing on top of Preston.

“Hey, while you’re down there, can you see if Preston is still breathing?” I call over the island.

Then something happens I never expected. Mason laughs. “That was a good one.”

I smile back. “I was serious. Kind of. I hit him hard enough, could be lights out. Which is problematic considering how much noise he made coming in here.”

Luke gets up on his feet, turning to me. “How did you know how much noise he made?”

“Mrs. Gillette called me.”

“Who?” Luke asks.

“Next door neighbor.” I give them both a hard stare. “I thought you two were concerned for her safety. How have you not introduced yourselves to the nosy neighbor?”

Mason shakes his head. “Fuck off. Arabella is off limits.”

I stiffen my spine and square my shoulders as Luke stands shoulder to shoulder with Mason. If they think they can take me down… “I disagree.”

Mason takes two quick steps so he’s just on the other side of the island. “I know the play. I fucking wrote it with Nia. But Arabella is not going to be your stepping stone.”

“But you’d let that fucker,” I wave in Preston’s direction, “use her like a fucking Kleenex.”

Mason grimaces. “I was never going to let the wedding happen.”

“I know,” I cross my arms. “Just like I know you planned to use Arabella to convince Luke to come back into the fold.”

“I fucking knew it,” Luke spits.

Mason gives me a wary eye, his gaze moving up and down me. “How do you know all that?”

I shrug. “We think alike.”

He rubs his hand over his jaw. “Doesn’t change the fact that I won’t let you use Arabella.”

“I’m not using Arabella,” I snarl back. “And honestly, you’re the one who should be receiving this fucking lecture.”

Luke gives Mason a satisfied smile. “That’s right. Out of bounds, Mason.”

“Shut up,” Mason snaps back. “You unleashed him on our sister.”

Luke’s hands go up. “He played it like he did with Nia. Dinner and sweet talk. Nothing more.”

My lips twitch down as Mason swings a Luke again. Luke ducks it this time and comes back at Mason with a good shot to the gut.

I’ve always thought that my family and the Kincaids had a great deal in common, but never more than I do in this moment.

We like a good brawl too.

My family has been part of the aristocracy for the past two hundred years. But before that…

It’s a well-known secret that we were hustlers. Criminals.

My great, great, great, great grandfather swindled the title. We don’t forget it. We use that strength to keep us on top.

Mason places a hand on the island, hunched over with his other hand on his gut. “That’s bullshit, Luke. The way he touches her, the way he knows his way around this place, met the neighbors, he’s done all manner of dirty deeds with our sister.”

Shit.

I know Mason. I know how he thinks. But he knows me too.

Luke turns to me, and it only takes a second for him to decide and then he’s barreling at me with the full force of his weight.

Luke’s a brawler and I don’t have enough room to sidestep as he sends me crashing back into the counter.

I hear cabinets splinter, pain radiating through my back.

“You motherfucker,” he booms as he gets me with a fist to the gut.

“Luke,” Arabella’s hoarse cry snaps my attention from Luke.

She stands in the entrance to the hall, her hands clasped in front of her face.

I push Luke off me, and I stumble up, surging toward her. In an instant she’s wrapped in my arms. “I’m fine, sweetheart. I’ll be right in. Promise.”

Luke stands too, and I swear I hear his teeth gnash together as he preps for another attack.

“Leave it,” Mason barks at his cousin.

But that’s when another knock sounds at the door.

“The doctor?” I ask with Arabella still in my arms.

Luke spins to answer the door as I lift Arabella back in my arms. “You need to be in bed.”

“I’m fine,” she says, her voice sounding better. “The ice is helping.”

“The doctor will be the judge of that.”

I know this conversation with Luke and Mason is far from over, but it will have to wait. Bella’s care comes first.

In fact, so many priorities are rewriting themselves tonight. Bella comes first. Period. But telling everyone…

But I don’t think my life is going to be the same after this. If I’m alive at all. Like I said, if the Kincaids don’t kill me, my family is definitely going to see the job done.