Chapter 9 #3
“He’s the child,” I say, thumbing over my shoulder as I move to sit with Charlie on the wingback chair.
“You okay?” he asks, grinning at me.
Using my straw, I stir the ice in my glass far more aggressively than necessary. “He pisses me off.”
“He didn’t mean what he said before.” He sobers as his words come out with complete sincerity.
“I’m getting fed up with hearing that. He called me a whore the other day.”
“Do you think he’d be acting the way he is if he didn’t care, or if he thought you were a whore?”
“This is him showing me he cares. Is that what you’re saying?” I sit square and sip my drink. “How did we ever work before? It’s like I can see all the bad bits now that I never saw before.”
“Rose-tinted glasses are a wonderful thing,” he murmurs, and I turn to look at him. Charlie is the quietest of the group, and I know that’s more to do with the things in his past than his personality. I can’t help but think he has a lot more to say sometimes.
“Well, I definitely don’t have them on now.” I snicker out a laugh but end up snorting through my nose.
Charlie shakes his head, smiling over at Mason who is watching us both. “You wanna know what I think?” he asks with a smirk.
“Hit me with it, Charles.”
“I think… not if, but when you and Mason get back together, you’ll have gotten through so much hurt and overcome all the bullshit that it will make you untouchable, you’ll be extraordinary.”
My brows lift in surprise, not expecting that to come out of his mouth. “You have high hopes.”
“I normally know my shit, Nina. You should listen to me.” He winks, leading me to conclude that he must be drunk too.
“Hmm, I don’t know, maybe. I am a sucker for a sale and those rose-tinted glasses go pretty cheap these days.”
“What?” he asks, throwing his head back, laughing.
“You know what I mean.” I wave him off.
Shaking his head, he leans forwards and goes to stand. “One day, you’ll find your peace. You just have to go through the shit first.”
“Philosopher Aldridge.” I salute him.
He stands and goes to the bar, and I make myself comfortable in the large chair.
My eyes go to Lucy and Elliot, cozied up on the seat opposite me.
I often wonder if they’ll ever end up together.
Lucy is adamant they won’t, and I get it.
On paper, it wouldn’t work. She’s all about the happy ever after and running off into the sunset—she isn’t into the playboys.
But the way she fits with Elliot is different.
The bond they have as friends is special.
Maybe that’s what’s more important to them.
Maybe they work because they are friends. Who am I to judge them?
My gaze drifts to Mason, and I catch him watching me, although I knew that already. I can always feel when his eyes are on me.
If only we could be friends. We definitely couldn’t work like Elliot and Luce do. I’d be too friendly. I mean, if I was sitting on Mase’s lap right now and he was whispering in my ear, I’d have no doubt in my mind he’d be hard, and if he wasn’t it would be my mission to make him.
His eyes narrow, as if he knows what I’m thinking.
Yeah, he would definitely be hard. The man’s a sex fiend.
Taking my straw into my mouth, I sip my drink, moving my lips to draw over the tip. Mason does a little two-step, taking a gulp of whiskey as he watches me over the rim of his glass.
I smile, feeling my dimple pop on my cheek. Peeking my tongue out, I flick it across the tip, then glide it into my mouth, sucking up my drink before sliding it out slowly. I repeat the process, keeping my eyes locked on his intense dark ones.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” Megan snaps, grabbing the straw from my mouth and throwing it to the floor. Her face is screwed up in question. “Filthy whore.”
I hide my grin in my glass, shrugging as she falls into the seat with me.
“What’s got you over here deep throating a straw? Do we need to find you a penis?” She giggles.
The vodka burns my throat and I choke, turning to look at her with wide eyes. “No! I was just messing.”
“Nina,” Mason interrupts, and my back goes straight, my face heating as if I just got caught doing something I shouldn’t. “A word.” He steps away from us, seemingly expecting me to follow.
“Do not suck that man’s penis,” she warns.
“Megan!” I laugh.
“You’ll only regret it.”
I wouldn’t. But that might be the drink talking.
“Nina.” She grasps my arm. “Don’t leave with him tonight, okay? Not when you’re this drunk.”
“I’m not stupid, Megs, I wouldn’t leave with him.”
She nods despite her frown and then lets me go.
Mason’s standing by the entrance, talking to a bouncer when I catch up with him.
I step up beside him and wait while he finishes, stealing the moment to watch him whilst he’s distracted.
The way his jaw works as he listens to what the bouncer is saying, and the stance he takes—there’s no doubt who’s in charge here.
His shoulders are square and full, his shirt stretching over his chest seamlessly.
My gaze drops to his hands. They are so big, his fingers long, and veins that pulsate beneath his tanned skin. What is it about big hands?
“Mase,” I interrupt impatiently.
“Sorry, mate,” he cuts off the bouncer, turning to look down at me. His face transforms into a frown instantly. “Don’t give me that fucking look,” he spits at me.
“What look?” I blink.
“You know what look.” Grabbing my hand, he pulls me from the club and towards the waiting taxis. “We’re leaving.”
“Mase!”
“I didn’t want to leave though, Mason! You pulled me out of there because I gave you…” I hold my hands up, air quoting, “a look.”
“You did, you wanted me to fuck you.” He follows me into my apartment, and I don’t stop him. I’m too mad at him to even acknowledge what a bad idea it is.
“Can you even hear yourself right now?! What planet are you on?”
I take off down the corridor to my room. “Damn asshole. There was no look,” I mutter to myself, pulling off my heel and tossing it off to the side.
“You know what I’m talking about. You can plead ignorance, but I know that look.”
His phone starts to ring, and I turn my back, wobbling in my drunken state as I try to remove my other shoe. “I took her home,” he says into the phone.
“Against my will!” I add before muttering, “Asshole.”
“She’s fine. I’ll send Vinny now.”
“Send him here first.” I spin, my heel still on and not coming off with ease. “Why are you even here?”
“Talk to you later, Aldridge.” He hangs up the phone and watches me. Shaking his head.
“Well?” I ask.
“I—” His phone starts to ring again. “Mega—” He rolls his eyes and I smile, knowing she will give him fuck. “Yes. She is fine.”
Leaning down, I manage to get the shoe off. I flex my toes and drop my head back, relishing in the relief. I don’t know why we wear them.
I need a pint of water and my bed, and maybe a shower. Yes, definitely a shower. I already know I will feel like the earth’s ending tomorrow. Without thinking, I grasp my dress at my waist and pull it down over my strapless bra, shimmying it over my hips.
“Uhh, yeah okay, bye.” Mason reminds me of his presence, and I look up to see him shoving his phone into his pocket. His eyes are wild with something carnal, but they hold anger too.
“Why are you angry?” I ask.
“What are you doing?” His jaw clenches tight as his stare drops away and to the floor.
“Once upon a time this wouldn’t have bothered you, Mason.” I throw my arms out at my sides.
He shakes his head, making me rage when he doesn’t lift his head to look at me. “Things are a little different now, don’t you think?”
My throat burns with a deep ache. “Then why are you here?”
His eyes finally lift to me and I’m momentarily paralysed in place.
I swallow thickly, my heart hammering in my chest. Letting my dress fall, I step out of it and then kick it to the side.
Reaching around, I unhook my bra letting it fall to the floor.
Mason leans against the doorframe, his legs crossed at the ankle, his muscular arms straining in his black shirt.
He’s everything I remember him to be, and yet I crave his touch so I can be reminded of his love.
Because I miss this man’s love above all else.
If we ever did anything right, it was the way we loved each other.
He doesn’t move, doesn’t blink. He just stands and watches me with his troubled eyes. And those brows, low and dark.
“Do I look different to you now?” I ask, popping an arched brow.
“Nina,” he warns.
“What? You don’t like the marks your son left me? They aren’t going anywhere, Mase.” I walk towards him, forcing myself to not cover my body. His eyes narrow as he looks down his nose at me.
“You have no idea,” he rasps.
I lick my lips. “No?”
Something passes between us, the air in the room becoming electric.
He shakes his head, not taking his eyes from my face as he pushes off the doorframe and walks over to my chest of drawers. “It’s late.” He pulls out a sweatshirt and comes back to me, slipping it over my head and pulling the hem down past my thighs. “Get in the bed, Nina.”
I swallow thickly as I look up at him, my chest aching with the look in his eyes. Nodding my head, I turn and climb into bed, sliding my pillow to the centre before laying my head down. I watch as Mason settles back into the chair beside Ellis’s cot, his eyes trained on me.
“Mase…” I pause, not really knowing what I want to say. “I’m—”
He shakes his head, tipping his chin up. “Go to sleep.”