Chapter 2 #2
“Ohhhh, so Sullivan is the bad boy of the group? I thought that was Elliot.”
“What?” Charlie questions from the back seat. “How could you think Elliot?”
“Only in the beginning when he chased off Joey.” He was so in control. So possessive and—
“Who’s Joey?” Mason interrupts my thoughts, adjusting his legs as he looks between me and the road.
“Just some guy at the bar. How do you guys all know each other? Are you actually Elliot’s boss?” I ask Mason.
“Something like that. I’ve known Elliot my whole life—unfortunately. Charles here.” He flicks his head back. “I met at college, and Lance runs our accounts department.”
“Our?”
He gives me a panty-melting smile. “Mine and Elliot’s company.”
“Hmmm. So, you’re both the boss.”
“Uh-huh. Charlie lives just up here. You okay if I drop him off first?” he asks, a boyish look on his face.
Sober Nina would say no. I shouldn’t even be in the car with two men I’ve just met, especially with how drunk I am. God, what was I thinking? “Well, I don’t exactly know either of you, but I have more chance of taking one of you than both at the same time.”
His brows rise in surprise.
“Oh, no! I don’t mean—Jesus, fuck. I mean, if you were to kidnap me or try anything, not that I wouldn’t have sex with you, like I wouldn’t fight you if…”
Oh, my god. Shut up, Nina. Just stop talking now!
“It’s fine. You can drop him off first.” I roll my lips and look out the window.
“Wow,” Charlie remarks at my back.
I don’t dare look at Mason for the rest of the journey, but at least my embarrassment has sobered me up a little.
“Cheers, Mase. We still on for tomorrow?” Charlie asks, climbing from the back seat and shutting the door.
Mason lowers his window farther so he can answer him. “Definitely. It’s fucking needed after the week I’ve had.”
Charlie gives a grim smile in return, then leans his head through the window so he can see me. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again, little Pixie.” He gives a soft wink before disappearing into his building.
Why Pixie? They’ve been calling me that all night.
Mason looks over at me again, his eyes darkening. I squeeze my legs together, trying to ease the ache that’s forming there. It’s been too long.
He pulls out onto the road, thankfully not saying another word. I sit, trying to process the effect he has on me.
“Are you okay?” he asks after a few seconds of awkward silence.
“Umm, yeah. Why?” I feel my palms start to sweat.
“I couldn’t shut you up twenty minutes ago.” He smiles. “You’ve gone quiet on me, and you’re fidgeting.” His eyes drop to my bare legs.
“Just look where you’re driving, Bossman.”
His smirk does nothing to ease the fluster I’ve gotten myself in.
Oh god, why can’t I be normal? He seems so unaffected by me, yet I can’t sit still in my seat.
I turn my head a little to look up at him, taking in his broad chest… that thick neck. My clit throbs against the lace of my underwear.
First job when I get home is to fix that problem.
“You seem close to your friend’s mum? Lucy, wasn’t it?”
My smile is instant, and I welcome the distraction. “Maggie’s the best. One of the most beautiful women I know.”
“Have you known her long?”
“Pretty much my entire life. I met Lucy in nursery school, and we’ve been best friends ever since.”
He nods in understanding. “Me and Elliot have known each other since birth. We’re more like brothers than friends.”
We turn onto my street, and I direct Mason to my building. As much as I want to get inside and shower off the remnants of the night, something pulls at my gut, telling me to stay exactly where I am.
Mason taps his finger on the steering wheel, a deep frown in place.
I turn to face him, rolling my lips as I think of ways to delay his departure. “Sorry about your clock.” I laugh, nerves taking flight in my stomach.
“It’s fine. Easy fix.” He winks, and then I sit, needing to leave but unable to open the door.
“Thanks for the ri—” I cut myself off when I notice a shadowy figure at the entrance of my building. I gaze past Mason’s head, trying to make out who it is.
Then he turns, giving me a perfect view of his face.
Joey.
Fuck.
I try to school my features but clearly fail. Mason watches me for a moment with a questioning stare, then frowns, turning to look behind him.
“Who’s that?” he asks. I can see his jaw clenching.
“Joey. He’s a friend.”
“Do all your friends wait outside your building late at night?” He raises his brow as he pulls open the handle.
Shit!
“Looks like we are getting out of the car. Okay,” I mutter, cringing as I pull open my door and round the car.
Joey spots me and starts walking toward us. “Nina.” He looks to me and then to Mason with pure disdain. “Who’s this?”
“Mason,” he answers for himself. It comes out a deep growl, and I quickly step in front of him.
“Right.” Joey looks over my shoulder, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he puts his weight on one foot then the other. “Nina, can I speak to you a minute, please?”
“Now isn’t a good time, Joey, maybe tomorrow? You have my number, right? You can call me.” I will do anything to get rid of him right now.
I feel Mason’s hand take hold of my hip, bringing my body back flush against his.
My heart seems to skip a beat at the contact.
“Really, Nina? Do you even know this guy?” he spits.
“Joey, that’s really none of your business!” I can tell he’s drunk; he has never spoken to me like this. He is probably still hurt from the bar fiasco earlier.
“What happened to the blond? Or have you already fucked him, bored already?” he asks, tipping his chin.
Mason’s grip on my hip tightens. “Watch your mouth,” he warns, and the air crackles at the tone of his voice.
“Fuck you! You’re better off giving up on this one.” He looks me up and down, and my heart blisters a little. “She’s a prick tease.”
“I said watch your fucking mouth.”
“This has nothing to do with you!” Joey shouts.
Mason grips my arm, pushing me to the side just as Joey comes at us. He swings, catching Mason clean in the mouth. His head goes back, and I’m left standing in utter shock.
Mason recovers quickly, spinning and gripping Joey by the throat, then pins him to the car. Joey’s eyes go wide as the air is squeezed from his body.
“Apologise!” Mason roars.
Joey gasps for air. I’m unsure he could speak even if he wanted to. His eyes dart to me, pleading for me to help.
Slowly, I approach Mason and gently curl my hand around his elbow. “Mason, he can’t breathe.” I can feel his rage radiating off him.
His eyes meet mine, softening some before he loosens his grip around Joey’s throat.
“I’m sorry,” Joey splutters at me.
Mason releases him. “Good boy. Not so hard is it? Have some respect.”
Joey falls to the car, trying to breathe air back into his lungs, but just as he finds his feet, Mason rears his fist back and punches him in the face. Blood pours from Joey’s nose.
“Nina, get in the car,” Mason tells me without taking his eyes from Joey.
“You get in first. Please,” I plead on a shaky breath.
He looks around at me, regret instantly taking over his face. Reaching for my hand, he walks me to his car, opening the door and helping me inside.
He crouches down beside me, his eyes searching my face. I sit frozen as he clasps my jaw in his open palm. My head involuntarily leans into it—his thumb brushes over my bottom lip.
Why does that feel like the most natural thing in the world?
His voice drops dangerously low as he asks, “Do you trust me, Nina?”
“Yes,” I answer far too quickly. Mason shuts my door, muttering something to Joey before he slides into the driver’s seat. He puts the car into drive, pulling back out onto the road.
“Mason, you’re bleeding,” I tell him, my eyes zeroed in on his lip as blood oozes from the wound.
“Have you slept with him?” he asks unapologetically.
My head recoils at his words. “What? No!”
“Would you have let him in tonight? If I wasn’t here?” His jaw tics, his annoyance blatant.
“Ummm, no. I barely know Joey.”
“You barely know me,” he shoots back.
I start to clutch at straws. “I know that you have a Bentley… and a best friend called Elliot,” I tease, my argument weak even to my ears.
“I’m here with you, aren’t I? Trust me, sober Nina would not be in this car right now.
” I blow out a breath, running my hand through my hair in frustration.
“What is it with you men anyway? You’re like a bunch of testosterone-charged teenage boys. ”
He drops his head back to the seat, giving me a swoon-worthy smile. “Testosterone-charged teenage boys?” he teases.
I shake my head, my lips twisting up into a reluctant smile.
We arrive at Mason’s a little after one a.m. and I try to act unaffected by the level of wealth in front of me.
The building sits back from the tree-lined road—sleek but timeless in its structure.
I manage to count maybe twenty apartments in the large building.
Each one spaced out, clearly offering a substantial living space.
We park in the underground car park and quickly walk to the elevator. Mason matches my every step with his hand sat low on my back. A flare of panic rushes through me as the steel doors begin to close.
What the hell am I doing?
Maybe I should get a taxi home.
As if sensing my unease, Mason grabs me at the waist, his thumb innocently brushing along the underside of my breast. “I won’t touch you while you’ve been drinking.” His jaw clenches as if it pains him even to say it.
“You can touch me.” I blink up at him, snapping out of it when he laughs and brings his nose to mine.
I swallow, anticipation stirring in my stomach.
“I brought you here so I’d know you’d be safe.” My eyes search his, and I hope mine don’t reflect the disappointment that he doesn’t want me.
“Am I? Safe here?”
“That depends,” he deliberates, playfully weighing up the options.
I choose to humour him, wanting—needing to know. “On what?”
“If you are going to continue to look at me like that.”