Chapter 5
Chapter Five
MASON
C asey was like a drug I couldn’t stop craving and it was driving me mad. There was no question I wanted her, and I had a feeling she would destroy me so that no other woman would ever come close to her. She may already have. I couldn’t get her out of my head. That question she’d asked had put thoughts in my mind that shouldn’t have been there. Dirty thoughts I couldn’t erase.
I swiped my hand down my face, trying to clear them from my mind before I opened my car door and headed over to the site manager, who was talking with the foreman. Snow covered the foundation of the high rise that was the newest of my real estate holdings. It sat at the end of the city, where I was refurbishing the run-down establishments to broaden my hold on the city and the prosperity of it. When the businesses were doing well, I did well. There wasn’t a piece of Everdin I didn’t own, just as with Treemont. I owned it all. My holdings were more vast and more diversified than even Tides’ were. It had taken me years to gain my hold on Everdin, but I was calculating, taking risks those who had been in the business longer than I had no longer took. It had started when I was in high school, taking Tyson along with me, and he’d been my wingman through it all.
That was the reason I couldn’t give in to my desire for Casey, no matter how her presence was wearing down my resolve. Hearing her talk shop, the intelligent way she evaluated the situation with the Bad Omens and with Tides had gotten me hard. It was almost as sexy as her body. Brains and attitude were sure-fire ways to bring me to my knees and Casey had both. But she was Tyson’s sister, and that fact was like a blaring red flag that wouldn’t cease waving in my face, even if it slipped to the periphery every time I was near her. It would destroy Tyson if I touched her. He expected me to protect her and treat her just like he did Riley, as if she were my own sister. But where he saw Riley that way, I didn’t have that same connection or the same emotion toward Casey. There had been too much distance between us for too long, leaving room for the attraction that sat like a stain between us that we couldn’t remove.
I trudged through the snow, seeing the unhappy looks on the men’s faces. Leo and Finch followed me. My men were always with me even if I sometimes forgot they were there, and those two were the ones who backed me up any time I was out of the house. Unless Tyson and I went out on a job ourselves like the night we drove from Creekwood to Bridgeville to get Riley. Those times were rare, and being without backup had made my nerves that night even higher than they already were.
“We had to stop yesterday when the snow began to fall,” Mike, the project manager, explained. “It’s too cold to melt, so we’re dead in the water until it warms back up.”
“How far does that set us back?” I asked.
“We buffered time for weather into our projections, Mason. This won’t hurt the timeline unless we get hit with too much of it.”
“Good.” I scanned the area, noting how far they’d gotten, before I walked away to inspect the work. I didn’t take shortcuts and spared no expense to ensure anything I owned was above par. My renters and buyers expected nothing less from me and it had earned me a reputation as the one to come to when people needed things done. I was a perfectionist.
“Walk with me, Mike,” I said, jerking my neck, so he knew to follow.
“What’s up, Boss?”
“I need you and the boys on high alert. You question everything and everyone. Nothing happens that you don’t know and that you don’t report back to me. Understand?”
He scrunched his brows. “Everything all right?”
“I think so, but after the fiasco with Clint Randall, I’m not taking any chances. The Bad Omens have me on their radar, and I want them to see that I’m not one to fuck with.”
“No, you’re not.” He rubbed his chin. “What about Tides?”
“That’s another story. One I’ll have to deal with, but let me worry about that. Stay vigilant. I want men on the site, even if there’s no work being done.”
“Got it. Anything else?”
“No, just keep me posted on anything out of the ordinary.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I gave him a nod and walked away, motioning for Leo and Finch that I was leaving. With no work being done, and the roads still in shitty condition, I had little options as to where to go next. I didn’t want to return home, knowing Riley would still be in her room and Casey would be there. Seeing either of them would unwind me. Every time I set eyes on Riley, it killed me. I was a broody man, but she was my sunshine. The months when she’d given me the silent treatment had almost destroyed me. I missed her smiles, her bubbly laugh, the way she lit the room with her personality.
Casey was another situation all together, and I didn’t think I could control myself if left alone with her again. She, too, had a sunny disposition, that smile crushing the darkness I stewed in, crumbling the hard exterior I had to carry in the world I’d built. Those hazel eyes of hers held such life that it melted me. I couldn’t imagine not seeing them every day. The thought left me frozen, my hand on the door handle as I stood pondering why I’d think such a thing. She’d been back for a day, in my presence mere hours at the most, and I didn’t want her to go back to Armina. I wanted her here, even with as painfully as it tormented me.
“Fuck,” I mumbled, getting in the car and instructing Leo to drive to the club. I needed to take my mind from Casey. Going to the club wouldn’t help, no matter how many beautiful, half-naked women we employed. Nothing would satisfy the need I had for Casey. That was an indisputable fact. But Tyson would be there and if he weren’t up to his flirting ways, he’d get my mind from her. If anything, he’d remind me why I couldn’t touch her. Our friendship was on the line if he even found out I was even considering it.
Leo pulled in front of the club. It was one of several I owned throughout my territory. This one catered to the richer men, and sometimes women, in the city. I ensured discretion and vetted the women we employed. We treated them with respect and paid them well, paid their medical bills and childcare if they had kids. If it was one thing I’d learned early on, it was that treating my people well made for loyal employees. Turnover was low in any of my franchises, and no one turned on me or fled to another family.
“Boss,” Nico nodded to me when I entered the club. The music was low, it was still early, the girls just coming in for the early shift. Unlike Tyson, I preferred to steer clear of getting involved with the women who worked for me, regardless of how sexy or beguiling they were. I didn’t want the risk. I was discreet about whom I slept with and extremely picky. With Casey flaunting herself and her desire for me openly, I didn’t even venture a look at anyone as I walked through the club. My mind was on her, knowing no other body would satisfy me.
I found Tyson in the back, in a compromising position with two of the girls.
“You two, back to getting ready. Tyson, get your hands off my employees and your cock back in your pants before I ban you from the club.” The girls ran off as Tyson griped.
“Well, aren’t you a commanding prick today, Mace,” he said, zipping his pants back up.
“You need to stop fucking around with them. You already have China sucking your cock, now you have those two giving you a hand-job?”
“Well, the one was, the other was letting me touch her tits.”
I smacked him on the back of the head. “I can’t wait until you find a woman who finally tames you.”
He let out a loud belly laugh. “There is no woman out there who can tame me. You should know that. And since when are you so uppity about it?”
“Since you started making it a habit. I’m serious, Ty. No more, not even with China.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. You’re in a shitty mood. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I went to the site and put Mike on alert. Did you talk to Nico?”
“Yeah, and I stopped by the shop as well as a few of the businesses.”
“Good. I want the men monitoring the roads, too. Just in case they decide they can drive right in and fuck with me.”
“Got it.” He crossed his arms, his hazel eyes that were so like Casey’s seeing right through me. “What’s wrong, Mace?”
“There’s nothing wrong.”
“You’re on edge?—”
“You think so? My sister’s got herself locked in her room in some depressed hole she can’t crawl out of.” I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “The Bad Omens are targeting me and Greyson Tides might become my brother-in-law. Does that give me reason to be on edge?”
I ran my hands through my hair, knowing the auburn-haired beauty with the irresistible curves, sexy teasing, and gorgeous hazel eyes was the real reason I was so flustered.
“Fuck, when you put it that way, I think we both need a strong drink. If I can’t satisfy my dick the way I intended, I can quench my thirst another way.” He slapped my back, ushering me to the front of the house.
Sam, the bartender, was setting up. The club opened early, although after last night’s storm, I didn’t think it would be too busy. We were used to snowstorms this time of year, but they still slowed business down. Sam dropped two glasses on the bar, pouring a shot of bourbon in each.
“It’s early for the hard stuff,” I muttered, still grabbing my glass and downing the shot.
“Apparently not,” he said with a laugh before returning to wiping down the bottles.
“Better?” Tyson asked after finishing his shot.
“No, and now my throat burns. That’s not gonna sit well the rest of the day.”
“Old man,” he snickered.
“No older than you, Ty.”
“True, but you show it while I still look like I’m twenty-five.”
Sam turned and gave him a side glance, the same one I shot him because as much as he acted like he was that age, neither of us still looked it.
“You might get away with thirty, but twenty-five is a stretch, buddy.”
He shrugged, and I wondered if he would ever settle down. He’d always been the player, the wilder of the two of us. I’d taken the lead in the business, managing the money, the investments, calling the shots. Tyson didn’t want to be part of meetings or conference calls. He wanted what he considered the fun aspects of the business—doling out the punishments, traveling only to territories where he knew he could enjoy himself when not conducting business, like Armina. He wanted the glory, the power, the women, and the danger that came with what we did. I preferred the structure, the business side of it, the controlled aspects. We were two very different men, and it worked in our favor, providing the perfect balance that ensured our empire remained a feared one. And it was our empire, even if I’d built the wealth and everyone called it mine. Without him, I wouldn’t have gotten this far.
“Let’s talk about the Bad Omen thing,” he said, leaning in. “I think Casey’s right and it would be good to assure our allies we’re on top of this. The Randall thing makes us look weak. If we don’t nip any worries in the bud now, someone might decide to take advantage of what they see as that weakness. It will force us to retaliate and there will be war.”
“What do you propose?”
“I visit the most worrisome ones?—”
“No. The last thing we need is for you to go in and threaten to rough people up to prove a point. This is more my thing, Ty. With so many unstable pieces—the unknown of when they’ll strike next, of this Tides debacle with Riley—I need to look in control. I’ll talk to them.”
He sat back, crossing his arms and eyeing me. “You take all the fun out of it, Mace.”
“I take the risk out of it.”
“Damn, what am I supposed to do to keep myself occupied now? You’ve cut my dick off from these beauties and shut down any ability to relieve that frustration with my fists.”
“Go to the gym,” I joked, rising and straightening my shirt. “Run a few miles or beat the shit out of a punching bag.”
“Not the same as bloodying up a face.”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone to bloody up. Just make sure it doesn’t go beyond our territory until necessary.”
“Where are you going?” he asked as I walked away.
“I have a conference call to schedule and calls to make. Someone has to do the grown-up things.”
His cackle followed me as I left the building. At least I’d have something to take my mind off Casey.
The day passed quickly. I buried myself in work, making a few more stops, then avoiding Casey and locking myself in my office for the rest of the day. When I finally trudged downstairs, I stopped in my tracks. Riley was in the kitchen making dinner with Casey, the two chatting away.
“Ri?”
She turned her green eyes to me, ones that held a glimmer of life again. Her hair was clean and combed, her clothes, although loose from the weight she’d lost, were more than the leggings and raggedy sweater she’d worn for weeks.
“Hi, Mace.” Her smile lit my heart, and I walked over to her, brushing her hair back before pulling her into a hug. The way her arms wrapped around me reminded me of the way she would cling to me when we were younger. It had been so long since she’d spoken to me, since she’d let me hold her, distancing herself from me after the Randall mishap. My anger had been brief as I’d sat by her side in the hospital that night, broken from the sight of her injuries. But each day she’d ignored me had been like experiencing the pain of seeing Randall hurt her over and over.
Kissing her head, I gently pushed her back, taking her in. She was pale, her soft features hollow from not eating, the circles under her eyes prominent from weeks of crying and not sleeping. I’d wanted to help, to have her talk to me, but she’d refused.
“She needs to be fattened up,” Casey said, her voice drawing my attention.
I let Riley go, but she snuggled against my chest, and I pulled her in.
“I don’t need to be fattened up,” she mumbled.
“Yes, you do,” I agreed, meeting Casey’s eyes, the hazel in them a mix of amber and dusty brown. A small speckle of blue sat within them. She licked the spoon she’d been stirring with, and I followed its path, wondering what those lips would feel like against mine.
Keeping Riley in my arms would be a mistake if I didn’t stop looking at Casey. I dragged my eyes from her. “So, does this mean you’re back?” I asked Riley.
She peered up at me. “I think so. But I still have a lot of things to work out.” The sadness filled her eyes again. She let go of me and returned to helping Casey. I left them alone, not wanting to push Riley and needing to distance myself from Casey. As they chatted, I tried not to hear the answers Riley provided about Greyson. I still didn’t know how I felt about the situation.
Tyson joined us just as we were sitting down to eat, and I relaxed and enjoyed the meal, the worry about Riley lifting. My other worries sat on my shoulders, their claws digging in and reminding me I couldn’t relax too much, or I’d be caught off guard like I’d been with Riley.
Just as we finished dinner, my phone rang.
“Donelli,” I answered, rising and feeling everyone’s eyes on me as I walked away. Donelli was the head of the power in Armina. Worry sank its claws in further while I waited to hear what he had to say.
“Mason. What’s this I hear about the Bad Omens? Is it true? Greyson Tides took out one of their guys? One who infiltrated your network?”
Fuck.
“Where did you hear that?”
“I have my sources. Why is it I’m finding this out only now and not from you?”
Great. When I found out who his sources were, I’d let Tyson relieve his frustration until his knuckles were bloody. “Because it just happened, and I was dealing with the fall-out.”
“I want a full briefing. Bad Omens, Mason? This is bad. They’re in my backyard. Their territory is the province to the south of mine. And the partnership between my family and yours is not a secret. I expect you or Tyson to be on a flight out here tonight or our alliance is no longer secure.”
He disconnected, the silence on the other end deafening.
“Fuck!” I punched the wall, shattering the plaster.
“Mace?”
Turning to Tyson, I saw the three of them waiting for an explanation. Riley’s eyes were keen, seeing the side of me I’d always hidden from her, the business I’d never wanted her involved in.
“I need to go to Armina. Donelli wants a full brief of what went down. I’ll fly out tonight.”
I met Casey’s eyes before I walked away, seeing the disappointment in them. It seemed ironic that she would be here, and I would be across the country where she lived. Heading to my room, I heard Tyson’s steps as he ran after me.
“Let me go,” he said, stopping me.
I shook my head. “No, this is business. You hate this stuff.”
“But I can do it when I need to, and I’m close to Donelli. Let me handle this. Riley just emerged and you need to be here with her. If she went back to Tides while you were gone, it would kill you. Stay.”
“What about Casey? She’s here to see you.”
“Nah, she’s here for Riley. Besides, she’s only here a few more days and I can extend my trip and stay in Armina long enough to spend time with her before I head back.”
I gnawed my cheek, thinking it through. The thought of leaving Riley when she was getting better was gutting. The idea of not seeing Casey gave me a completely unfamiliar sensation, but one that was just as powerful.
“Fine. I’ll make the travel arrangements and have the jet ready. I want you in contact with me every day while you’re there, and don’t fuck this up, Ty.”
“I’m the face of this family to Donelli. Trust me.”
It was the truth. I never traveled to see Donelli. I hadn’t in years. Tyson always checked in with the family when he visited Casey. I stuck to calls and video meetings with him. They were the only family I let Tyson deal with because he got along with Donelli and his son, Tony. Donelli had a daughter, Angie, but from everything Tyson told me, she was a spoiled, snooty thing who rubbed him the wrong way.
With a sigh, I said, “Fine. You handle this, but if you fuck it up, my fist will be ready to pummel you when you return.”
“When have I ever let you down, Mace? And when have I ever let a threat like that stop me?” he teased before heading down the hall. He stopped halfway, saying, “Keep an eye on Casey. And if you fuck that up, you won’t have time to punch me because I’ll kill you first.”
He meant it as a joke, but there was truth behind it, just like there had been behind my threat. And given the situation with Casey, it was a more serious threat than he intended.
He ran off to his room to pack. I made a few calls to shore up his travel arrangements and assigned two men to travel with him. There was no way I would let him go alone. As much as I trusted Donelli, I wasn’t taking the chance, and I knew how quickly relationships could turn when threatened with something as destructive as the Bad Omens.
By the time I had everything in place, Tyson was in the main room of the house, saying goodbye to Casey.
“Where’s Riley?” I asked.
“She was tired, so she went back to her room,” Casey answered while Tyson gathered his things. “She’s fine, Mason.”
“Yeah, that’s the first we’ve seen of her in weeks,” Tyson said. “I told you Casey had the magic touch.”
He gave Casey another peck on the cheek, then slapped me on the back. “Remember what I said. Nobody touches her or I’ll kill him and you,” he said, low enough for only me to hear. “I’m not playing. You watch her just like you would Riley.”
I shoved him back. “It hurts that you would doubt my ability to do that,” I told him, holding my hands up to feign innocence.
His punch to my shoulder stung even if it was playful. “I know. I just like baiting you.”
“You’re an ass, Ty,” Casey grumbled, and he flashed her a grin.
“Too bad. You’re lucky I don’t have you locked down in Armina. I’m gonna have a talk with Donelli about that tattoo. That slut Angie is a bad influence on you.”
The eye roll she gave him was exaggerated, but it only caused him to laugh before he headed out the door with the two men I’d assigned flanking him.
“Why did you put these two on me, Mace? Do I look like I need babysitters?” I heard him joke before the door closed.
“Damn right he does,” Casey said, her arms crossed. “And he complains about me.”
I drew my eyes from the door over to her, my lungs burning from the air that stuck in them. It was like this every time we were alone, which was why I’d been avoiding her.
“It’s okay, Mason. I won’t push you. I shouldn’t have flirted with or teased you. I know how important your friendship is with Ty.”
But I wanted her to push me, to tease the way she had the prior night. I wanted my hand around her delicate throat, her body against mine, and it was tearing me up that I couldn’t have those things.
Her eyes widened as if she read my thoughts, likely seeing the way my eyes were currently devouring her.
“Mason, what do you want? Because you’re giving me mixed signals.”
I knew what I wanted, what I needed, but I denied myself, walking past her and through the foyer back into the main room. Grabbing myself a drink, I leaned on the bar. She left me so out-of-control every time I was in her presence.
“I’m only here a few more days. I’ll stay out of your way,” I heard her say behind me.
The idea of not seeing her was one I didn’t like. Just being away from her earlier had taken all my strength and I couldn’t figure out why. There was more than just a need to touch her. I wanted to have her, to own her, to make her mine so that no one else could touch her ever again, and I didn’t like those thoughts. Watching her at dinner, seeing the smile that had lit the room, the way her eyes danced with her laughter, and how her curls held reddish highlights in the light had left my heart racing.
Turning to her, my ability to think rationally fled. Her long curls called for me to weave my fingers through them, her full lips an invitation to kiss her.
“Don’t,” I said.
She tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “But?—”
“No buts. You stay where I can see you. With Tyson gone, it’s up to me to keep you safe.” It hadn’t been what I’d planned to say, but I couldn’t say what I was thinking.
Her face fell, her eyes dropping. “Oh, that makes sense.”
“Casey,” I said, feeling the need to lift her spirit back up.
Her gaze fell to mine, sending my pulse racing.
“What do you want, Mason?” There was a desperation to her question, the same that was clawing at me to take her in my arms and kiss her. The physical need for her had transformed into a deeper one in the short time she’d been in my presence.
“I want what I can’t have,” I muttered, taking a swig of my drink.
There was a sparkle in her eyes as her smile grew. She seemed torn for a moment, as torn as I was before she walked closer to me. I needed her to keep the distance, but I didn’t stop her as she leaned into me. My body rebelled, and her grin turned sly. There was no way she didn’t feel my reaction pressing against her.
“You want me, Mason?”
Fuck, with every fiber in my body, but I couldn’t tell her that. The control she had over my emotions and my body was unexplainable. Clenching my jaw to keep my true feelings from showing, I reached my hand out, touching the soft skin of her neck, running my fingers over it and loving how her lips parted in response. The sigh she emitted was one that gripped every part of me and fed my desire for her.
“I can’t have you, Casey,” I said, smoothing my fingers further up her neck until they were encasing it.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
My head instinctively lowered, her face tilting toward mine as I pulled her closer, my grip around her neck tightening.
“I want you, Casey. I want to touch every inch of your body, to feel you come undone around me, to taste you, to fill you. I want to hear your cries as I fuck you and watch as your climax shreds you.” Her shudder ran through every part of her body.
“Mason,” she purred, and I fought my desires.
Moving my hand, I traced the shape of her jaw, then sank my fingers into her soft curls, seeing the dark flicker in her eyes. From every reaction she’d had to my more aggressive moves, I knew she would be the one to break me. No one broke me, no one had ever owned me, but she would…if I gave in, if I betrayed Tyson.
“But you’re not mine to take, little girl. You’re forbidden, and that means I can’t do the things I want to do to you.”
She grabbed my neck, pulling my face down, her lips meeting mine. My resolve weakened, and I kissed her back, her mouth sweet and lush. The kiss deepened, my mouth as needy as hers, my fingers threading into more of her hair as I brought her further into me. I didn’t want it to end, didn’t want to stop, but I had to. It wasn’t right. Against every urge of my body, I halted the kiss, dropping my head and hearing her rapid breathing.
“We can’t, Casey.” I lifted my head, almost kissing her again. Her lips were red and swollen and I resisted the urge to run my tongue along them.
Soft fingers traced my jaw, her touch sending tingles through me, before she stepped from my hold, her curls slowly sliding from my grasp.
“I know,” she said with a melancholy that was palpable.
The pressure of her hand where it remained on my chest had me craving for her to lower it and release the throbbing in my pants, to feel her hand wrap around it before she guided me into her. I pulled her to me again, cursing myself because I knew I was only torturing us both. Letting my hand drift down her body, I slipped my fingers under her waistline, feeling the soft skin of her hip as she arched into me.
“What are you doing, Mason?” she asked.
“Tormenting myself.”
She bit her lip as my hand slid further down, past the lace of her panties.
“Tormenting us both,” she murmured. “Shit, you need to stop if you don’t want me.”
“I never said I didn’t want you. In fact, I thought I told you the exact opposite.” I pushed my knee between her thighs before running my fingers lower. I was so close to sinking them into her, but I was taking a risk and crossing that line I’d drawn for myself. I knew if I touched her any further, I’d lose it and take her.
Slowly, I raised my hand, running it up her stomach until I hit the edge of her bra. Her heart was pounding, her inhale tight and shallow. I slid my fingers below the band, touching the plump flesh of her breast, and she let out a quiet moan. The sound stopped me because I wanted to hear more of her moans, to bring her to ecstasy and smother her cries with my mouth. To be the only one who ever tore a moan from her again.
“Dammit,” I cursed myself before yanking my hand away. She had my shirt gripped tightly in her hands and I pried it free, pushing her gently from me. I was so hard I was aching, and I didn’t know how I was going to settle myself down now that I’d touched her. “Go to bed, Casey.” My words came out hoarsely, a sound that reflected the pain my decision was causing me.
The pursing of her lips didn’t help the situation. “You could have just sent me to bed without touching me.”
I gave her a smirk, and said, “Don’t even think about using your fingers to finish the job, Case.”
She inhaled beautifully. “That’s just wrong. You get upset when I tease you and you turn around and do the same thing?”
Shrugging, I turned back to the bar and filled my glass.
“Fuck you, Mason.” Her voice was playful. I almost dropped my glass when she pressed against my back, her hand reaching around and stroking me through my pants. I closed my eyes, losing myself to her touch. “When you force me to my knees, I want you to hit the back of my throat so hard your cock muffles my moans and gags. I want you to use my mouth and my body until I’ve come so many times that you erase every man before you from my memory.”
She released her hold on me, and I heard her walk away. “Don’t think about using your hand to finish the job, Mace.”
I snickered at how she’d turned my game on me, throwing my own words back on me. The images she’d embedded in my mind were hard to dismiss and I’d almost come with her touch and the thought of doing just what she’d said.
“Fuck.”
I remained at the bar until my body finally calmed down, only then allowing myself to walk into the living room and sit. Casey was on my mind as I swirled my drink, and she didn’t leave it until Riley came in hours later. Revealing how she wanted me to teach her the business and temporarily erasing the hold Casey had on me.