Chapter Fourteen
London
“Get your fucking hands off her.”
My eyes fly open, and it takes a few seconds for me to rub the sleep away. Frowning, I look at Mason and find him flat on his back, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes squeezed shut. There’s a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead and a pained expression on his face. He’s breathing heavily.
I push myself up and reach for him. “Mason?”
“No.” He thrashes, and one hand darts out. “This isn’t happening.”
I inch closer and touch his face. “Wake up. You’re dreaming.”
His head whips back and forth, and he says something else, but I can tell he’s still in the throes of his nightmare. I throw the covers back and cradle his head in my hands. “Open your eyes.”
My heart is pounding as I throw one leg over him, then the other, so I’m straddling him. I lace my fingers through his and press my forehead to his. “Come back to me.”
Mason stills, and nothing happens for a long moment.
I move my mouth to his ear and inhale. “I’m here. Come back to me.”
Mason’s eyes fly open, wild and unfocused.
His body is rigid until he sees me. Abruptly, he pries his fingers away and grips my hips.
Something about the desperate gleam in his eyes makes my stomach clench further.
I rock gently, and a low, startled sound falls from my lips when he raises his hips and rubs himself against me.
I exhale. “Tell me what you need.”
In one quick move, Mason shifts, so I’m pinned beneath him.
He lifts my arms over my head and lowers his mouth to mine.
This kiss is different; it’s tender and vulnerable, and it steals any last bit of resistance I have and drives sleep away.
A rush of heat pools in the pit of my stomach as I sigh and lock my fingers behind his waist.
Mason growls and wrenches his lips away. “I need you.”
“You have me,” I murmur thickly. “I’m here.”
Mason peppers my neck with hot, open-mouthed kisses that send waves of desire through me. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” My breath comes in short gasps as one hand holds mine tightly and the other traces a path down to my underwear. He spreads his fingers over me, and my pulse skitters.
“You’re mine,” Mason growls into my skin. “I won’t let anybody take you away.”
When he releases my hands, I thread my fingers through his hair and press my forehead to his. Slowly, I lift my other hand and place it on his chest, over his pounding heart. He releases a deep, shaky breath when I reach for his hand and place it over my chest.
A long moment passes in silence.
Mason’s gaze softens as he drops his head and draws my bottom lip between his teeth.
I whimper when he shifts and settles between my legs.
“I’m yours,” I say into the shell of his ear, another jolt going through me when he shivers. “We’re together.”
Mason moans into my mouth.
My fingers trace a path down his back, and I stop at his behind.
He pins my arm over my head and rubs himself against me.
I throw my head back and mewl.
Mason grins lustily. “You have no idea how fucking sexy you are when you make sounds like that.”
I stare at him through hooded eyes as he pauses to lift my shirt and kiss a path along my ribcage.
His touch is feather light as he reaches behind my back and pulls the shirt over my head.
Once he tosses it over his shoulders, he gets up, and I catch a glimpse of his taut, muscled body, bathed in the soft glow of the moon, before he leaves his clothes in a pile on the floor.
My throat is dry, and a thick and heavy fog of desire settles over me as he lowers himself back onto the bed.
Mason’s legs come up around me, and he buries his face in my neck.
I press a kiss to the side of his neck and link my fingers over his waist. When he angles himself and thrusts into me, I throw my head back and sigh.
Slowly, we begin to move against each other at a languid pace.
It’s quiet, unhurried, and vulnerable, and I have to turn my head when tears prick my eyes. Emotion swells within me as Mason pushes my hair back and tilts my head to look at him. He covers my mouth with his, and I can almost taste the words he’s holding back.
Everything between us builds into a deafening crescendo.
His hands drop to my waist, and he sinks his fingers there, eliciting a small moan.
Waves of pleasure build within me as I buck against him.
I don’t recognize the sounds I’m making as I rake my nails down his back.
Mason drops a hand between us, and two fingers dart between my wet folds.
For a long moment, I forget how to breathe.
Suddenly, I’m falling, hurtling toward the edge of oblivion as my body writhes. Mason keeps me pressed to him as I ride out my high, his name a chant on my lips. Sweat breaks out over my forehead and slides down my back. I blink away the spots in my field of vision.
When I come back down, Mason is still moving inside of me.
He presses his mouth to my neck, his hot breath doing strange things to my insides.
I drop my head into the crook of his neck and trace a path up to his head.
When I move my fingers into his hair and tug, Mason growls.
His mouth parts, and he sinks his teeth into my neck, sending waves of pain and pleasure ricocheting through me.
I look at him, and the depth of emotion in his eyes takes my breath away. To my surprise, Mason doesn’t look away as he thrusts in and out of me at a slow, even pace, bringing me to the point of sweet and torturous pleasure. Our bodies fuse, and the walls between us crumble.
It’s never been like this between us, vulnerable and intimate and personal.
Like we need each other to survive, to breathe.
I want to stay like this forever, moving together so I can’t tell where he begins and I end.
My eyes well with emotion, but I don’t look away.
He cups the back of my neck and bows his head.
I link my feet behind his waist and savor every touch, rush of heat, and nerve in my body as it reacts to him.
Mason’s rhythm doesn’t change as his hands move over my skin, leaving a trail of heat in his wake.
Goosebumps break out across my skin, and another orgasm rips through me, leaving a hollow ache in my chest.
Mason’s release comes shortly after, and I hold him to me as his body jerks, and he grunts.
Once he goes slack, his arms come up around me, and he pushes my hair back. Then he eases out of me, and a rush of cold air moves between us. With a sigh, Mason tugs me back, so I fall against him, our legs tangled. I place my head on his chest, over the pounding of his heart, and hold my breath.
He drapes an arm around my shoulders and drops a kiss to the top of my head.
I fight off sleep and struggle to keep my eyes open because I’m afraid that if we move, if we even say anything, the moment will end.
Sometime later, I stir and find the curtains open, allowing bright sunlight to pour in.
I sit up, rub a hand over my eyes, and stifle a yawn.
Then I turn and find a note on Mason’s side of the bed, in his neat cursive handwriting.
I hold the note with one hand and use the other to throw the covers off.
I will do whatever I need to keep you safe. You are mine.
In the bathroom, I splash water on my face and turn on the shower.
When I step back into the room, with a towel around my body, a thin mist follows me. A tray of food is waiting for me outside the door, and I take it without sparing Katia a glance. Once I’m done, I step back out, and Katia steps forward. She gestures to me, and I fall into step beside her.
“Where are we going?”
Katia notices the hickey on my neck, and her expression darkens. “We’ve been instructed to leave the house for a few hours.”
I sigh. “I thought we were supposed to steer clear of the club after the shooting, and the run in with Jack.”
“We are, but it’s safer than other places.”
Although I know Mason must hate it, the club is the lesser of all evils.
At least there he’s got eyes and ears everywhere, and it’s within walking distance.
No matter how bad things get, he can get me out, but I still don’t like being kept in the dark.
I sigh. “Do we at least know why?”
“It’s not my place to question orders,” she says tersely. “Nor is it yours.”
A kernel of guilt settles in my stomach, and I frown.
How much more trouble can Katia endure on my behalf?
There’s a difference between keeping me safe within the Mason estate and protecting me from myself.
I know it’s only a matter of time before Katia snaps, and I no longer have any leeway.
I’m on a tight leash, and I have no one to blame but myself.
I follow Katia down a familiar path and out the back door.
Outside, we slow to a stroll, and Katia nods to a few of the guards along the way.
Once we cross the path separating the estate from the club, Katia’s strides lengthen, and her hands move to her sides.
Her eyes dart around until we reach the back of the club, where Miss Deveroux is waiting for us, her features half-hidden in the shadows.
She leads us inside and up to the main part of the club.
Only a few people are milling around, and the music is turned down low.
Katia leads me to a booth in the back, and I sink into it. Miss Deveroux returns with several plates of food and a few drinks. She glances at Katia. Then she disappears, and I’m left with a pit in my stomach.
Has Miss Deveroux been instructed to keep her distance, too?
Did Mason figure out her involvement?
I want to be angry with him for making my circle even smaller, but I know he’s trying to protect me.
In his infuriating, domineering way.
You don’t even know what you’re dealing with. When it comes to safety, better leave the details to Mason.
Shaking my head, I sink further into the booth and pull one of the plates closer.
I sweep my eyes over the empty dance floor and ignore the neon lights pulsing from above.
The toast is like ash as I chew it. I push that plate away and reach for the plate of fries.
I’m halfway through when the hair on the back of my neck rises, and a tingling sensation spreads across my scalp.
I glance up, and my throat goes dry as I spot Noah across the room.
He’s wearing a button-down shirt tucked into a pair of dark jeans, and a scowl is etched onto his face.
I scramble out of the booth as Katia shifts closer, following my line of sight.
She scowls when she sees Noah, her hand moving to the dagger sheathed at her side. Katia looks at me, and I shake my head.
Inches away from the table, I stop Noah by placing a hand on his chest. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t want to be,” Noah replies tightly. “Your mom asked me to check in.”
My heart misses a beat. “Is she okay? Is my dad okay?”
“They’re fine,” Noah says. “Just worried about you.”
“Then they should answer the phone.” My words come out a little harsher than I intended. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”
Noah shrugs. “It’s not like I haven’t been blamed for things I haven’t done before.”
I study his face. “None of this is your fault, Noah. I’m not blaming you for how things turned out.”
“Maybe the kidnappers were trying to do us a favor. I mean, it would’ve been better if they’d kept you away from this place.”
A sliver of unease races up my spine. “I never said….”
I trail off as a prickle of fear blossoms inside my chest.
No, it can’t be. Not Noah. He wouldn’t hurt you.
I take an involuntary step back, the unease and fear snowballing within me. “You’re talking like… like you’re almost glad you were bound and gagged.”
“At least we’re not in the dark anymore. They did do us a favor.”
“They tied you up and kidnapped me,” I point out. “They played mind games with me and tried to intimidate me. They starved me just to get back at—to make a point.”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t have hurt you.” Noah reaches for me. “You and I both know you’re in over your head. Now, I know you don’t put much stock in my opinion anymore, but what about your parents? Do they deserve to have their life ripped out from under them?”
I swat his hand away, my fear replaced by cold, hard anger. “How dare you! You have no right to accuse me of endangering my family. All I’ve done has been to try to protect them, even at the expense of my safety!”
Noah snorts and opens his mouth to say something.
Over his shoulder, I see Mason leaning against a nearby wall, his expression giving nothing away.
I hold up a hand to Noah. “Don’t say a fucking thing.”
Noah frowns when he sees Mason. “Doesn’t he ever give you any breathing room? Jesus Christ, Lo, what kind of leash does he have you on?”
“He doesn’t have me on a leash,” I snap. “Just stop talking.”
Mason crosses over to us and fixes his bright eyes on Noah. “You’re not welcome here.”
“I’m a paying customer.”
Mason takes a step in his direction. “Do I look like I give a shit? Get out.”
“I’m just trying to make sure she’s okay. She has a family, you know. And a life. Well, she had one before you took it away. Aren’t you the slightest bit sorry about what you’re doing to her? About what you’ve taken from her?”
I place a hand on Noah’s arm and squeeze. “Stop it, Noah.”
Mason looks at my hand and back at Noah’s face. “You should listen to her.”
“I’m not afraid of you, and someone needs to call you out.” Noah is defiant. “You’ve already broken us up. Are you going to drive her parents away, too? Is that your plan, to have her completely reliant on you and at your beck and call?”
Mason’s hand darts out, and I gasp as Noah crumples to the floor, and Mason gets on top of him. He lands punch after punch as I stand there, my mind racing. I force myself to take one step, then another, and ignore the pounding in my heart. When I reach out to touch Mason, he freezes.
He stops punching Noah and looks at me.
Abruptly, he stands up and dusts himself off.
Then, he storms off, and I look back at Noah, who gingerly rises to his feet. Blood is pouring down his nose, and his hair is matted to his forehead. I hand him a wad of napkins and wait until he looks at me again.
“I’m not sure what you were hoping to accomplish, but that was stupid.”
Noah tilts his head back and winces. “I meant every word I said, Lo.”
“I chose him, Noah. And that includes all of this.” I make a vague hand gesture and take a big step back. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t need you to save me. You should leave before something worse happens.”
And then, I race after Mason.