“What the hell is it to you? You’ve made it a point not to care about anyone. Isn’t that right, Maddox? You shut down after Lola died, acting as if everything in this fucking world is your fault. That chip on your shoulder is weighing you down, brother.”

  “What is it to me? Let me tell you something, brother.” I threw the family word in his face. “That beautiful girl you sold off like cattle is special, a bright star in a sea of sharks and piranhas, the reason the sun rises in the morning. If you spent any time around her, you’d understand just how amazing she is.”

  As soon as I ended the tirade, I noticed his eyes were open wide.

  The quiet and tension settling between us was more difficult than I’d imagined.

  “My God,” he half whispered. “How did I not see it? You’re in love with her.”

  I closed my eyes, looking away.

  “Answer me,” he demanded.

  “Yes, Arman. I’m in love with Zoe and I won’t allow you to take her away from me.” While I glared him in the eyes, trying to remain as controlled and defiant as I was capable of, he shocked the hell out of me by issuing a single hard punch.

  I tumbled backward, almost stumbling to the floor, slapping my hand on my jaw. While I managed to keep my hold on the drink, I watched as scotch splashed on the crystal dial. All I could think about was that the beautiful gift would soon be destroyed.

  Along with my desire to be with Zoe.

  He took a deep breath, moving slowly once again as he returned to the chair. This time as he eased onto the seat, I was certain he’d aged another five years. His coloration was as close to gray as I’d seen it before. When he placed his head in his hands, I felt even more like a shit.

  The seconds ticked by.

  “I didn’t arrange the marriage with Devin and his son, Maddox, but you’re right as you always are.”

  “Then who the fuck did?”

  He lifted his head, glancing at the door before answering. “My father.”

  “What?” Now I was the one who needed to sit down.

  He nodded. “It’s true. Documentation was sent to me providing proof the night of the graduation party. I was trying to get to Devin, but he ignored my calls. I was prepared to buy out the contract with every cent of money I had.”

  “You got wind of this supposed arrangement prior to her return to the city, which is why you not only demanded she come home but had me shadow her until you could bring her here yourself.”

  He nodded, looking as forlorn as I’d ever seen him. “I wasn’t certain what to make of anything, but I wasn’t going to allow Devin to get his hands on her without a fight.”

  “Fuck. Why would your father do something like that? Jean Baptiste expressed his hatred of the man more than once.”

  “I honestly don’t know except business is business, billions of dollars at stake and things aren’t quite as rosy in Texas as Francois has led us to believe. In fact, they’re on the verge of imploding. Devin’s hold in Texas with the state legislators has him locking out various avenues, construction taking three times as long and at least twice if not four times the expense we planned. Francois had tried to put a finger in the dike but if something doesn’t change, our spinoff corporation will go bankrupt within six months.”

  Jesus Christ. I had no idea. None.

  Texas had been fully and completely in Francois’ control, but there’d been no red flags that I’d seen or heard of. “Your father was trying to protect the entire family.”

  “And our holdings. Maybe in the old days it was a viable solution, but my daughter isn’t for sale. To anyone.”

  The way he was looking at me was a further indication he didn’t approve of my relationship with her. “Understood.”

  “Maybe you do, but I sure as fuck don’t. We invested a hell of a lot of money in the various resorts and other business holdings in the Lone Star State. I was also in the process of trying to determine how bad it was before the party. But to do something so egregious without talking to me is… unimaginable.”

  I bristled seeing the cloud covering his face. I wasn’t entirely certain he wouldn’t have considered entering into the same contract, no matter the conviction in his earlier statement.

  “That’s why you didn’t talk to me about the situation and why you begged me to take her away.”

  “Yeah. Had I known the lengths Devin would go to in his attempt to keep the contract in effect, I never would have asked you to put your life on the line not once but three additional times. For that, I’m sorry.”

  “Have you tried to double check the contract? Signatures can be faked.”

  “Thomas found out my father and Devin have been nice and cozy on the phone over the last few months.”

  Another surprise. That would never have occurred before. Still, I wasn’t convinced.

  I thought about what he’d just told me, and something didn’t jibe with me. Even if what Tony had said was true, leaving the possibility that Lucas had hired someone to bring her roses in the club, keeping an eye on what was supposedly a done deal, there were too many missing pieces. “I don’t buy it.”

  “Which part?”

  “That your father sold you out to protect your brother. You’re certain the contract is with Jean Baptiste?”

  He pointed toward his desk. “You can see for yourself. The contract is in the top drawer where I left it the night of the party. Why are you suggesting otherwise?”

  Before answering him, I wanted to see the contract for myself. I pulled it into my hands, flipping through it quickly. While it would appear on the surface that Jean Baptiste had signed the very legal contract, a nagging sensation remained in the back of my mind. “The asshole who attacked us inside my house in St. Barts said something about facing my greatest nightmare. That certainly makes it seem as if the shit that went down is about me.”

  As I glanced at him, he turned his head. “You’ve had only a few dealings with Devin. Why the fuck would he target you along with my daughter?”

  “For one, because your daughter has had a crush on me for years. However, that’s not my point.”

  Arman rose to his feet a second time, walking toward me slowly. I stood my ground, allowing him to take out whatever aggression he felt he needed to. I was a big boy. I’d been the one to open Pandora’s Box. I could take the heat.

  And would continue to do so if necessary.

  Because I loved her.

  “Then what are you suggesting?”

  “That we have a frank conversation with your father before heading to Texas to discover the truth.”

  He nodded a few times then took the nearly empty drink from my hand, powering it back. “You’re right as always. Let’s do this. It’s time we take full control.”

  Full control.

  Somehow, the words held an entirely different meaning.

  CHAPTER 26

  Maddox

  In a world where cloaks and daggers should have been a thing of the past, armor only needed on rare occasions, subterfuge had caused far too much deception. I wasn’t immune to the fact I had a part in it, Arman saying nothing about my relationship with Zoe on the way to his father’s house.

  She’d been anxious when I’d left, uncertain what I had planned or if I’d tell her father we were involved. In truth, I hadn’t known at that point when I’d slipped into the room I’d given her in my house, kissing her goodbye. I’d wanted nothing more than to hold her all night long, but with soldiers keeping watch, the last thing I’d needed was anyone spouting off damning news before I could come clean with my friend.

  While I wasn’t certain it had been a good idea, I did feel as if a weight had been lifted. For good or for bad, I wasn’t certain.

  We’d told no one we were coming, including Francois. I still wasn’t certain the contract was legal, although without getting the family’s attorney involved, we wouldn’t know the actual ramifications. That would come later if we didn’t determine the contract was bogus.

  As I climbed from the car, a flash in the window above caught my eye. I looked up, noticing Zoe standing in front of the window. She pressed her hand on the glass, providing a sense of solidarity.

  Arman noticed, slowly tilting his head. He didn’t look at me or say a word, moving toward the front entrance instead. We were both tense, just for entirely different reasons.

  I took a deep breath, glancing at the woman I adored one last time. A significant part of me dreaded telling her we’d be leaving for Texas by the morning if not sooner. It all depended on how Jean Baptiste handled the accusations and our conversation with him. I shifted my gaze to the file, a copy of the contract inside. The other had been secured in Arman’s safe to ensure not only did we have evidence but that if anything happened to him, I could still discover the truth one way or the other.

  He’d made me promise on Zoe’s life that I would keep her from marrying Devin’s son. It was a promise I intended on keeping.

  Exhaling, I headed inside, noticing Arman was headed toward the back. I followed, noticing Arman had found his father out on the screened-in porch, a location Jean Baptiste loved on sunny days.

  As I moved into the room, I gave the patriarch a nod of respect as I always did. He immediately stood, obviously delighted to see his son.

  “Arman. I am so glad to see you’re alright,” Jean Baptiste said. “Although I was surprised you chose to return home. Your wife and son need you.”

  “And I need them. I also need the truth.” Arman shoved his hands in to his pockets, glancing in my direction before heading to one of the screen panels, staring outside at nothing.

  “Truth about what?” Jean Baptiste barked, obviously noticing the look we’d shared.

  I moved closer to his father, handing him the file, keeping my fingers in position. “About your promise made to Devin Carlos.”

  “What promise?” he growled, but as with Arman, I could tell he was holding something back. He glared at me before snatching the file from my hands.

  Both Arman and I gave him time to both look through and digest the terms of the contract. For Zoe’s hand in marriage, Devin had agreed to share partnership in both the Thibodeaux holdings in Texas as well as a similar percentage of Devin’s holdings in Texas and New Mexico. If the alliance had been agreed to under any other set of circumstances, it would have been considered a damn good situation. However, this wasn’t just an ordinary business deal.

  Jean Baptiste almost faltered, his chest rising and falling as he read it over more than once. “What the fuck is this?” he finally asked.

  “You tell me, Pops.” Arman didn’t bother facing his father.

  “Is this some kind of joke?”

  I took a deep breath as I studied Jean Baptiste. He was genuinely shocked, which is what I’d expected, or maybe what I’d hoped would occur. “So you did not enter into this agreement with Mr. Carlos?”

  “Are you fucking out of your mind?”

  He words held an air of truth regarding his granddaughter, but he was still hiding something.

  “Then the bullshit phone calls you had with Devin were made by an imposter. Right, Dad?” Arman hissed.

  Jean Baptiste’s eyes opened wide. He carefully placed the folder on the table and headed toward the back of the porch himself. “I talked to Devin.”

  “About my fucking daughter!”

  “No! That is not the kind of man I am.”

  “Then what the fuck were you talking to Devin Carlos about and why in God’s name is your signature on that contract selling off my daughter as if she was a commodity and nothing else?”

  Jean Baptiste cursed in French under his breath, words that didn’t need a translator to understand. He was as angry as both of us were. “I was trying to keep our investments from going south in Texas. Francois is a good businessman yet even he can’t fight Devin and his hold on the politicians, lawmen, and ranchers in that fucking state. Devin and I were close to an agreement.”

  “When the fuck were you going to tell me, Pops? Huh? I’m the CEO, the Kingpin of this fucking family organization. If you didn’t want me to take over, then why the fuck did you hand me the regime in the first place?”

  “Because you deserved it. And because… because my doctor told me if I didn’t slow down, I was going to have a stroke. Your mother insisted.”

  Arman turned to face his father, shaking his head. “You had so much pride you didn’t want to tell me?”

  “I don’t know, son. What I do know is that the contract was forged.”

  “So you don’t think Devin was trying to have the deal sweetened?” I asked. “And did you sign anything with him?”

  “We both signed a nondisclosure and in truth, I can’t believe Carlos would stoop this low. There might be other people involved. That needs to be determined.”

  I believed the man. Whether or not Arman did remain to be seen. “While you’re right, Jean Baptiste, and we’re still double checking to ensure no mistake has been made, Devin needs to be dealt with. Whether he’s responsible for the contract is only part of the issue. He needs to fully understand and embrace that the business situation in Texas will no longer be tolerated.”

  “You’re a damn good man, Maddox. But you need to be careful. Things could get out of control easily, our business in Texas destroyed.”

  “This isn’t about the money,” I countered.

  “My best friend is right,” Arman stated after a few seconds. “We will handle this, Pops. My fucking way. The time for caution is done. My daughter will not be getting married. To anyone.” When issuing the last two words, he made certain he locked eyes with mine.

  The message was loud and clear.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Zoe standing just outside the sunroom. As I tipped my head, it was obvious she’d heard at least a portion of the conversation.

  She walked closer and when I tried to stop her, she threw out her arm.

  Jean Baptiste noticed her before Arman, but he gave his son a look that forced Arman to shift toward his daughter.

  “Baby. I didn’t see you standing there,” Arman said.

  “I love you, Daddy. Very much. You are my rock and the thought of losing you tore me up inside.”

  “I love you too, baby girl.”

  “That’s just the thing, Daddy. I’m not a baby or a little girl any longer. I’m a grown woman who can and will make her own choices. I don’t know whether or not what I heard is truthful or a lie, but I won’t be sold off like a possession to anyone. I’ve already made my choice regarding the man I’m in love with. And if that bothers you, Daddy, then I’ll walk away from the family, my trust fund, and the name, but I will not give up the man who makes me happy, who makes me feel alive.”

  “Who the fuck are we talking about?” Jean Baptiste asked.

  “Maddox,” Arman said as he shook his head. “It would seem my daughter and my best friend are involved.”

  “What. The. Fuck?” Jean Baptiste hissed.

  “Don’t go there, Grandpa. This is none of your concern and if you think you’re going to retaliate against the man who protected me and who saved my life at the risk of his own, then think again. He would die to protect this family. He would do anything in his power to protect every single member of this family. Do you hear me? He’s taken a bullet for you, Dad. Hasn’t he? He almost died to save your life?” She glared at her father.

  Arman’s jaw remained as clenched as mine, both of us staring at each other as if ready to start a fist fight.

  “This is ridiculous,” the patriarch said under his breath.

  “Is it, Grandfather? Really?” Zoe continued. “From what I heard, Maddox also saved your life way back when he was a teenager, just a kid. In doing so, he secured a place in this family. He’s been a part of us all along. Yet he’s not blood. There is nothing illegal about the fact I’m in love with him. If I want to marry him, then by God neither one of you are going to stop me. And if you dare think you’re going to excommunicate Maddox, fire him, or even for one second think you’re going to physically hurt him, so help me God I will find a way to destroy this entire family. Do you hear me? Do you?”

  For all the times that the beautiful girl had taken a back seat to her father’s desires, playing the good girl and following the rules, a feisty lioness lay hidden under the lamb’s clothing. She was truly a formidable woman and one that I admired.

  “Answer me, Father.”

  Arman had a slight twinkle in his eyes. “I hear you, daughter.”

  She took a deep breath and by God, the girl could still surprise the hell out of me. When she turned sharply in my direction, gripping my chin and dragging my head down by a few inches, it was all I could do not to laugh. Yet as she captured my mouth for a change, the swell of desire refused to be denied.

  I slipped my arm around her, lifting her off her feet. As she threw her arms around my neck, I sensed an audience behind us.

  When I heard not one but three squeals, I eased my little lamb away, giving her a stern look.

  “I told you so,” Delaney stated with a gleam in her eyes.

  “My God. This is fantastic. This is exactly what Raven and I hoped for!” Edmee said as she clapped her hands together, both she and Raven bounding into the room as if we weren’t still facing a crisis.

  Raven was drained, her face drawn yet there was a sparkle to her eyes as well as she wrapped her arm around her tense husband.

  “You knew about this… this… thing?” Jean Baptiste asked.

  “We hoped, Pops,” Edmee answered.

  “Unbelievable,” Arman said under his breath.

  “That’s what was said about us, honey bunny. Remember?” Raven teased.

  While I appreciated the support of certain members of the family, it didn’t mean that the danger was over or that what Zoe and I had shared had a chance.

  “She’s your daughter, son,” Jean Baptiste growled his response.

  “Yes, she is. Very much so. A strong and very vibrant woman.” Arman nodded, suddenly becoming a proud papa.

  “Thank you, Daddy. Maybe we can become more of a family now. Even closer.”