Page 79 of King of Wrath
She shrugs. “That’s about right.”
“But not Jess?” Roman repeats.
I had half forgotten that Jess was under the protection of the family. I look at Nia, asking permission, and she gives a small nod. “Nia isn’t his biological daughter. Maria had an affair.”
“Wait—” Leo rumbles. “Do not tell me?—”
“Nia’s twenty. She’s not your long-lost sister,” I answer back, quickly shutting that down. “But she has little loyalty to Toni and a great deal of knowledge of the inner workings of the family.”
“And the business,” Nia adds with a shrug. “When you don’t talk much, you hear a lot.”
Roman leans down on the counter, resting on his elbows. “So you think you can help us…what?”
But Leo holds up a hand. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’ve been through, but try to understand, in protecting you, we put the rest of us in danger. And it’s not just us as men, our women, my child.”
“You put yourself in danger when you took me. Don’t put that on me,” she says raising up her chin. “What I am offering are real solutions to minimize the damage, which you created,” she points a finger. “And like every negotiation, I’m hoping to get something out of this too. This family’s protection.”
“And if we say no?” Mason asks.
I step closer to Nia, wrapping my arm around her. I love my family, my nephews, but I’ve been a soldier for them, for their women. “I promised you that I would put Toni in prison. I fulfilled that promise. In addition, I have stood by your side, Mason, and yours, Leo, to help you keep your women safe. If you turn Nia out today, I go with her.”
“Jake,” Luke bites out. “What the fuck?”
“Nia and I are getting married,” my hands spread out on her back as I speak. “She will be my first priority. If you are not going to give back to me what I have given to you, then we are done.”
I slash my gaze over them.
It’s Roman who speaks first. “I’m in for helping Nia.” Then he looks at Nia. “I am sorry for the text and the damage it caused.”
She gives the smallest jerk of her chin in acknowledgment.
“I’m in too,” Luke adds. “But I think Mason and Leo should return to their wives once we’re done here and let the single men handle this one.”
A collective murmur of agreement rumbles through the group.
Over the next half hour, Nia explains which casinos make the most profit, which should be sold, which cousins have the most even tempers and the best minds for business. “You want the three Andriani brothers. They aren’t like the others. Smart and level-headed, they’ll take a deal that leaves them with a few of the more profitable casinos and gets rid of some dead weight.”
By the time she’s done, Mason is smiling in the way he only does when he knows he’s going to win. “This is good,” he murmurs. “And Nia…”
“Yes?”
“Welcome to the family.”
Nia blushes, her hand finding mine. I give her the smallest tug, because it’s time for my woman and me to go to bed.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Nia
I look backas Jake and I walk away, every set of Kincaid eyes staring back at me. It makes my face heat all over again.
The last half hour was…intense.
But the plan is solid. And by some miracle, I trust Jake to keep his promises. I can’t believe that could be true.
Here I am, though. If I’m wrong…well, I’m wrong. But at least I tried. Really tried living and not just hiding. And I don’t just mean from Toni.
Making choices based on fear is a different sort of fear-based living, and I’ve participated in that wholeheartedly.