Page 114 of House of Payne

I lower the gun and scoff. “You should listen to your girlfriend, Michael. This sniveling little rat might know what he’s talking about.”

At the very least, he isn’t as hot-headed as the rest of us.

There might be hope for Lance Fitzpatrick after all, and I wonder if that’s why they sent him to deal with this mess.

Michael and I are nowhere near seeing eye to eye, nor are we likely to.

Lance mutters something, and I pull back and land a punch that leaves him wheezing with his hands on his knees. “I was just starting to think there might be hope for you yet. Pity.”

Lance throws his head to the side and spits out a mouthful of blood. “We’re not the enemy, Mason.”

I wave my gun between them and appreciate the unease.

My mind is still racing when Michael’s phone rings. A heartbeat later, he pulls Lance aside, and the two of them gesture and whisper furiously.Then they glance at me.

A few moments later my phone buzzes, and I look at the text from my father.

Without missing a beat, I holster my gun and offer them both a small smile. “It’s been a real fucking pleasure, as always. Give my regards to Kevin.”

“Kyle,” Michael corrects with a frown. “I doubt he’s going to take what you did lying down.”

“He can get in fucking line,” I reply. “This isn’t over.”

I stalk off without waiting for a response, some of the knots in my stomach easing when Katia and Carlisle fall in behind me. I take long, even strides until I reach the car parked at the end of the dock, and my heart doesn’t stop pounding until I’m safely inside. Katia gets into the back with me, and once Carlisle is in the passenger seat, the car peels away.

I pour a drink and eye Katia over the rim of the glass. “Fucking say it or stop looking at me like that.”

Katia raises an eyebrow. “Say what?”

I take a long sip of my drink. “I thought we agreed never to lie to each other.”

Katia blinks. “Who said anything about lying?”

I take another long sip, and it settles in the pit of my stomach, spreading warmth through me. “Exactly. Just spit it out.”

Katia exhales. “That wasn’t handled well.”

“No shit. I can’t believe they tried to go behind my back and broker a deal with someone else, as if I wasn’t going to find out—”

“I meantyoudidn’t handle it well,” Katia interrupted. “I’ve known you most of our lives, Mason, and I’ve never seen you act like that.”

I curl my fingers around the glass. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’re the guy who likes to prepare. You go in knowing everything about the people in the room, and you usually have several plans in place,”Katia replies. “But the guy who was there today… I don’t know who that was.”

I set my glass on the table, causing some of the liquid to slosh over. “You have exactly one minute to walk it back.”

Katia remains unfazed. “Or what? You’ll shoot me?”

I lean forward so we’re inches away from each other. “Don’t forget who you work for. I might give you some leeway, but I’m still in charge.”

I don’t like so many people questioning me.

What the hell is happening?

“Act like it, then.” Katia lifts her chin. “The man I saw today wasn’t acting like the guy in charge. You were unprepared and sloppy, and you could’ve ruined what your family spent decades building—”

I have both hands around her throat before she can finish her sentence.