Page 90 of Code Violation

“Mason showed up and stepped in.”

I pull back, not expecting that information at all. Mason hasn’t breathed a word about anything when I saw him, and we haven’t talked about Vegas, other than how much we missed him in defense since the series was a fucking disaster.

“He was in the bar earlier that night when Kane first arrived, and he hung around for a while. When Kane showed for a second time, I thought Mason would be at home, but he was still in town, wanting to make sure that I got home okay.”

I fall silent, processing my thoughts.

“Please don’t be mad at him, Silas. I know he should’ve been at home and not in a bar when he skipped out on the team, but I think the guy is going through a lot, and to be honest, things with Kane could’ve ended very differently if Mason hadn’t been there.”

How Vesper could think I’d be mad at my teammate is crazy. All I want to do is shake his hand for being there and protecting my girl.

“I’m not mad at him,” I reply, smiling warmly at Vesper. “But I do need to talk with my brother.”

She blows out a defeated breath. “If you have to talk with him, then fine, but I don’t want him to know about the baby being yours. I can’t handle any more stress right now. I need peace while we get through the next few weeks.”

“And peace is what you will get. Whatever you need,” I repeat what I’ve always told her, pulling her into my chest.

She collapses against me, and I make a silent promise that I won’t immediately punch Kane the second I lay eyes on him.

Looping my hands beneath her ass, I pick her up, and she wraps her legs around my waist.

“Let’s go have some fun in the spa I hired out for the afternoon.”

Her eyes bug out, but I can tell she fucking loves being doted on.

“You have more money than sense—you know that?”

I kiss her again because I’m apparently addicted to her taste. “Oh, Knockout. When it comes to me dropping money on my girlfriend, I’m just getting started.”

29

. . .

Silas

The second Kane is inside my place, his back is flat against the front door.

“Whoa, shit!” he grinds out, staring down at my fist, which is tangled in his flannel shirt. “What the fuck, Silas?!”

I’ve had all night to stew on what Vesper told me, and most of that, I spent staring up at my white bedroom ceiling when I should’ve been holding my girl.

She didn’t stay over last night because of this fucker right here, and despite the awesome time we had in the spa, I could see the way her brain was ticking over, wondering when Kane would next show up unannounced.

But losing my cool isn’t going to help matters, and it’s not how Vesper would want me to act either.

Releasing my grip on his shirt, I step back, and he smirks, adjusting his collar like anyone actually gives a fuck about who this guy is or what they think about him.

“I’m no psychologist, but you should definitely get an assessment for your narcissistic traits,” I suggest in an insidious tone.

My comment doesn’t bother him, not that I expected it to.

“What’s got you so twisted up, bro?” he asks, a similar sinister inflection in his voice.

I cross my arms over my chest and put some distance between us. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what you need to talk about, and I’ll tell you why I’m one more smirk away from putting you through a wall?”

Kane clears his throat and steps around me, making himself comfortable on the couch. Not every interaction I’ve had with my brother has been negative. In fact, oftentimes, we’ve been able to watch a football game and share a beer in relative peace. But after Vesper came along, frictions between us have never been higher.

He casually balances his leg over the opposite knee. This conversation is all a game to him. “Something tells me we’re both talking about the same thing—or person—here.”