Mason’s gaze flares with anger.
“Yeah, I can use real names too,” I taunt. “You don’t have to hold my hand for every got damn thing. I’ve been running guns for you since I was twenty years old. I can do the shit without having you standing over my shoulder.”
Over the years, I’ve always tried to give Mason grace. I know his overbearing behavior stems from his concern. When you’ve been the guardian of someone as long as he has, it’s hard to turn that off. But there comes a time when you have to respect us as adults.
“If you didn’t need me to stand over your shoulder, you wouldn’t have crates showing up in the hands of petty criminals.You wouldn’t have a secured pick-up spot being shot up. You ask to be treated like an adult, then fucking act like it.”
“Hey, guys, calm down,” Salv says, stepping in the middle of our heated argument. “We’re all just a little stressed out.”
I ignore Salv. “So, you don’t make mistakes? Shit don’t go left for you? Was it not because of your mistake Salv was nearly killed? Was it not because you fell in love with the fucking enemy that we almost lost our brother?”
The color drains from Mason’s face. I’d just broken a cardinal rule. Never are we to bring up that story. There is a reason Mason only does those contracts with women now. It all stems from a story of heartbreak and betrayal.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Kazimir steps in between us. “Salv is right, we’re all stressed. But we don’t turn on each other.”
“You want to do this shit on your own?” Mason ignores the others. “Then I’ll let you do it on your own.” He turns around and heads back to the door.
“Come on, Mase. Nic is just being an ass,” Salv argues on my behalf.
However, for once, I don’t relent or appease Mason. I don’t apologize just to keep the peace. I hold my ground.
“Nic.” Salv turns to me pleading. “Go apologize.”
I wave my hand through the air. “Not this time. Fuck him.”
Turning away from my brother, I head up the stairs in my warehouse. Behind me, Salv and Kaz call my name. However, I don’t stop. I was done taking the shit on the chin for Mason. I understood where his concerns came from, but it doesn’t give him the right to treat us like fucking children.
After the fallout with Mason, I don’t get much work done that day. I was still pissed. Salvito and Kazimir have been blowing up my phone with calls and text messages. I haven’t answeredany of them. After heading home, I locked myself in my office to focus on my work.
A soft tap against my office door has me looking up from the documents I was reading over. A smile lifts my cheeks when my wife and son walk into the room. Noah smiles as soon as he sees me. I hold out my hands for him.
Tiffany walks over, and places him in my lap. Noah immediately starts reaching for my facial hair. I grab his hands and place kisses on his wet palms, causing him to laugh.
She takes a seat on top of my desk, her legs swinging.
“We decided we would come in here and hide out with you. If I have to listen to my father flirting with Ms. Rose one more time, I’m going to vomit.”
I toss my head back and laugh. The moment Matthew Best laid eyes on Rose, he was smitten. The man has been laying it on thick. And although my wife likes to believe that there is nothing going on, I can see that Rose is just as taken with Matthew.
“Your reign as an only child is coming to an end, Tiff. Noah is about to have a baby aunt or uncle.”
She gags, holding up a hand. “Please don’t give me that visual. I mean, I want my dad to find someone and be happy, but I don’t want to think about them being sexual.”
I shake my head at my wife. If she doesn’t want to come to terms with her father fucking, I won’t force it.
“Now,” she says, changing the subject. “What’s this I hear about you fighting with your brother?”
My gaze narrows, trying to figure out how she knows about that. Then I remember who all knows.
“I’m going to block Salv’s number in your phone,” I gripe.
Initially, I loved that she and Salv got so close, but now it’s a nuisance.
Tiff waves me off. “Talk to me. What happened?”
I put my attention on Noah, who is busy trying to pull things off my desk. I move my letter opener further out of his reach, and he goes for the paperweight instead.
“He’s overbearing. I can’t do anything without him looking over my shoulder. He acts like we’re all eight years old again. I don’t need my big brother to fight my battles. I have my own family now.” I run a hand down my face, getting pissed again at the entire situation.
