The Tyrant (Banker #3)(63)

I rolled my eyes. “Not even a little bit.”

“Then what is it? Everything okay with Siena?”

Just hearing her name caused me pain. I slept in that enormous bed alone without my lady beside me. I went to bed hard and horny because I couldn’t make love to her. I couldn’t go out and pick up pussy somewhere else because Siena was the only pussy I wanted. “It didn’t work out.”

“What didn’t work out?” he asked, his eyebrow raised.

“Us.”

Bates still took several seconds to understand what I was saying. “What the hell happened? You were in love and shit. What did you do?”

“What makes you think I did anything?”

His eyes narrowed, full of accusation.

I looked away, hating the truth in his gaze.

“Talk to me, Cato.”

“I’m good.” I grabbed the papers and tossed them back. “Just get these signed, and let’s move forward.”

Bates held the papers but stared at me incredulously. “You seriously aren’t going to tell me?”

“No.” Just admitting the truth to myself was difficult. I thought I had everything, and then an instant later, I lost it at all. I’d never felt so alone. Not hearing my daughter’s cries down the hallway broke my heart. Not listening to Siena sing in the shower broke my heart too. “Drop it, Bates.”

A shadow passed over his gaze, a storm of pain and hurt. He’d gotten upset with me many times in our lives, but he’d never looked quite like this—like he was actually offended. He gathered the papers then left my office without another word.





22





Siena





I was feeding Martina a bottle that night when the doorbell rang.

It was almost eight in the evening, so I assumed it was Cato stopping by for a visit. I was in my pajamas with my hair in a bun, but I didn’t have a chance to fix myself up in any way. My hand held the bottle to her mouth as I walked to the door and opened it.

But it wasn’t Cato.

It was Bates.

With a serious expression and a hint of sadness in his eyes, he didn’t look like himself. He stepped inside and shut the door behind himself.

Bates was the last person I expected to show up on my doorstep. “Everything alright?”

“No. You’re living here, while my brother lives alone. Nothing is alright.” He looked down at Martina but didn’t give her the look of affection he usually did. “Cato has been in a mood all week, but I thought it would pass. When I confronted him about it today, he told me you guys split up—but he didn’t tell me why.” He looked at the TV, which showed the nightly news. He grabbed the remote and turned off the screen, so we were surrounded by silence. “So, why?”

“He’s gonna be pissed when he finds out you’re here.”

“I don’t give a shit. He’s always pissed at me.” He sat on the couch and tapped the cushion beside him. “So, talk to me.”

I carried Martina then sat beside him. She continued to suck on her bottle, her eyes open and staring at her uncle. I’d started pumping so she wouldn’t make my nipples even more sensitive. “He didn’t tell you anything?”

He shook his head. “And I have a feeling he did something stupid. He always does something stupid. He says I’m the dumb one, but I don’t fuck up relationships as much as he does.”

“So…did he tell you he proposed to me?”

When his eyes snapped wide open, that was my answer. “No. When?”

“A week ago.”

“And I’m guessing you said no…? Although, I have no idea why you would. My brother is the best guy I know. He’s rough around the edges sometimes and he’s made mistakes, but he loves you, Siena. Like, really loves you.”

“I know he loves me. But he doesn’t love me enough.”

“What are you talking about?” he whispered. “What did you say when he asked you to marry him?”

“I didn’t say no…but I didn’t say yes. I told him he had to give up his business if he wanted to marry me. As long as he continues to be part of that company, we’ll always be in danger. And I can’t do that to Martina…or any other children we have. After everything that’s happened with my family, I thought he would understand that. After everything we just went through, I thought he would understand that. But he said no…”

Bates stared into my eyes in genuine bewilderment, like he couldn’t believe the story I’d just shared with him. His hands moved into his lap, and he turned his gaze forward, contemplating everything I’d said. “So, he picked the company over you?”

I nodded. “Said he wouldn’t change his mind. But I won’t change my mind either.”

He sighed quietly, shaking his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Well, that’s what happened…”

“I’ve seen Cato every day, and he’s miserable. He’s not even focused in the office. His mind is always somewhere else. And before he met you, he told me he felt bored…that it’s the same shit every day. I know his job doesn’t give him a lot of fulfillment anymore. And the only time I ever see him happy is when he’s with you. So, this isn’t making any sense.”