Resolution (Mason Family 5)

“I love you, Dara Alden,” he whispers. “And I want you to find someone who can take care of you. Who will give you all the things in the world that you want. But that guy isn’t me.”

I sob as he walks out the door.

I was right all along. It was better not to trust in someone else for my joy. Because they can take it away. They can leave. They can reject you.

I touch my hand to my stomach.

Reject us.

FORTY-TWO

WADE

Fuck. All. Of. This.

I storm into the conference room of Mason Limited with a printout in my hand. I toss the stack of papers I stapled together before I came here on the table. They flutter about before landing in front of Oliver.

“Wow. Bad day?” Oliver asks, picking up the papers.

“You get this pissed off before lunch?” Boone makes a face. “Easy, brother. You’re going to have a heart attack.”

Holt waves at Boone to cut the shit.

“What’s going on, Wade?” Holt asks, rocking back in his chair.

“That.” My voice booms through the room as I point at the papers. “That motherfucker.”

Boone whistles through his teeth. “And I thought Wade had been mad at me before. Yikes.”

“This is not the day, Boone,” I say, anger making my hands shake.

“Noted.”

Holt peers over Oliver’s shoulder as he flips the page.

I’m afraid that if I try to speak, my voice will share with the fury setting me on fire.

“Fill us in,” Oliver says. “What is all of this?”

“Long story short,” I say, gripping the back of a leather chair for dear life, “we’re canceling all deals with Curt Bowery.”

My three brothers’ heads whip to mine.

Boone slinks back, knowing a war is about to take place. Oliver stands to fight. Holt tries to calm everyone down in his big brother bullshit kind of way, but I’m ready.

Let’s fight.

I’ve wanted to fight someone all day.

I’ve wanted to fight someone since Dara got hurt. Since I had to look in her eyes and see her pain. Since I went to her house and realized I couldn’t do this again.

What happened was a warning shot by the universe. It was a taste of what could happen again.

Losing the baby with Morgan was awful. Having her leave me over it nearly broke me. That’s why Dad is the only person in the world who knows what happened. He had to come and get me when I passed out from alcohol in the college library.

Like the nerd that I am.

I wouldn’t make it if something like that happened to Dara.

I’m better off to leave her now and save us both the pain.

“You do realize you just said that we’re canceling all deals with Curt Bowery, right?” Oliver raises his brows. “Because you sound very, very unwell.”

“Ollie, I mean it,” I say through gritted teeth.

Holt takes the papers and scans them quickly. “Does this say he’s running for president?”

I nod.

“Where did you get this?” Holt looks up at me. “This says that the announcement is not for a few days.”

“I have people.”

“He has people,” Boone says, snorting.

I pick up a ruler and sling it across the room. I intentionally don’t hit him, but he doesn’t know that.

Boone’s eyes go wide. “Wow. Okay. I got it.”

“I did a little digging and it turns out that Dara had a meeting with him. He told her this,” I say, licking my lips. “She was in a car wreck on the way home.”

“Is she okay?” Boone gets to his feet. “Is she hurt?”

“She’s going to be fine.”

I want to stay mad at Boone, but it’s hard seeing him care about Dara like this. Dammit.

“But,” I say, refocusing on the dirtball that is Curt Bowery, “this guy is her only family. And he basically just told her that he’s buying her off with the house so she’ll play her part in the happy Bowery family for the camera. At least, that’s what I’ve stayed up all night for the last two nights and came up with. It makes sense.”

Holt holds out a hand and closes his eyes briefly. “So, this is her only family? Curt Bowery?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s … manipulating her?” Holt asks.

“Yes. The whole house thing? To put her in a spot so she has to participate in this campaign. It’s so filthy.”

Oliver looks at me like I’m kidding.

“Look, I’m refusing to do the house. Period. I won’t work on a project attached to him in any way, shape, or form.”

My brothers look at each other. It only takes a second before Oliver nods. Then he pulls out his phone.

“Shaye? Hey, it’s me,” he says, his eyes glued to Holt’s. “Draft a letter from me that effectively cancels the Bowery Mexico project, effective immediately. Send it to Legal and copy me, Holt, Boone, and Wade. Please.” He nods. “Thanks.”

“Fuck him,” Boone says.

Oliver clears his throat. “Bring Dara over to our house tonight. I’ll have Shaye cook. Dara must be really upset.”