Page 59 of King of Deception

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 isnotgoing 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.

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