Chapter 12 – Mason
Chapter
Twelve
MASON
“Scotch for you thirsty fucks, and an OJ for you, Mad,” Drake says, placing the tray of drinks on the table.
Amelia, Mel, and Amber attended a luncheon for Amber’s charity today. From what Elijah told me, they were full of laughter and headed out for mocktails afterward. Not to be outdone by their wives, my brothers insisted we meet up for drinks at our favorite bar after work.
Which is the perfect distraction for me after the unwelcome slice of my past I ran into today.
“How’s King doing?” Drake asks. “He found your leak yet?”
I bristle at the mention of him. Now Drake calls him by his name.
Had I been advised of his actual name, I may have connected those dots and saved myself a minor cardiac event earlier today.
There are not many people with the name Kyngston.
Unfortunately, I’ve met two of them and hate them both with equal fervor.
Thankfully, Elijah answers for me. “He hasn’t found out much yet, but it’s only been three days. He’s good though. Efficient. Discreet. Someone from HR asked who he was and what he was doing there today, and his spiel about doing some kind of health and safety audit rolled right off his tongue.”
Yeah, that sounds like him. He’s an incredible liar.
“What did you think of him, Mase?” Drake asks.
He’s an arrogant, heartless douchebag with the emotional intelligence of a fire hydrant. I shrug. “He was okay.”
Drake arches an eyebrow. “Just okay?”
“Yes, just okay, Drake. Is there something wrong with that?”
Nathan puts a calming hand on my shoulder. “Relax, Mase. You’re usually much easier to please than Elijah, that’s all.”
“Hey!” Elijah protests, but quickly quiets down when we all remind him this is true.
“I would’ve thought he’d be right up your alley, to be honest,” Drake says with a smirk.
That snaps the remainder of my already thin patience. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Did you see him? All muscles and tattoos and a square jaw. He seemed exactly your type is all I meant.”
“Well, I don’t fuck around with my employees, Drake,” I bark.
“Ouch,” Nathan mutters.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Mason.” Drake frowns, understandably hurt by my words. He met Amelia before she was his secretary and is hopelessly in love with her, and she him.
My anger shifts to self-loathing, and I drop my head into my hands. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.”
Nathan slaps me on the back. “We’ve all been there, buddy. Have a drink and cool down.”
Someone pushes the glass of Scotch into my hand. I look up into Drake’s dark eyes. “Sorry, bro,” I say again.
“It’s okay. I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wondered if he might be gay, and you usually know about these things.”
I frown now. “Why would you think he’s gay?”
He shrugs. “No idea. Never saw him with a girl though.”
He didn’t? Part of me assumed King would be married with a wife and a couple of kids by now. Trying his best to prove to the world that he’s a straight dude-bro capable of procreation. “Did you ever see him with a guy?”
He sips his Scotch, considering my question. “Also no.”
“So why assume he’s gay?” I ask, incredulous.
Maddox looks me dead in the eye. “Why do you assume he’s not?”
Fuck. He’s got me there. “Yeah, well, straight, gay, bi, or pan, he’s not my type.”
Elijah arches an eyebrow. “Am I going to have to separate you two when you’re in the office?”
I take a gulp of my drink. “Don’t be ridiculous. Just because I didn’t think about fucking him”—that’s a dirty rotten lie—“doesn’t mean I can’t be around him.”
Elijah smiles. “Good to know, because I really want to take Amber to this spa place I found in the Seychelles next week.”
“The Seychelles? Dude, you got back from Spain a few months ago.”
He winces. “I know. But it’s super exclusive, and they do this hot salt therapy she loves, and they emailed me earlier to tell me they had an opening.
I cleared my schedule and will do what work I need to remotely.
I know we have this leak, but we have you and King on it.
Nathan and Drake can step in if we need to take any legal action.
I’m sorry if it puts you in a bind, but I didn’t take a single vacation with my wife for ten years. ”
“Yeah, on account of him always looking after us,” Nathan reminds me.
It’s true that Elijah put his life and his marriage on hold for our family and the company.
He helped build Jamestech into the behemoth it is today, and I can’t in good conscience deny him the opportunity to take his foot off the gas a little now just because I’m uncomfortable with our newest contractor, can I?
“It’s only five days, Mason,” he says.
“Fine. Go get some salt rubbed over your ass in the Seychelles then. I’ll hold down the fort.”
“You’re sure?” he asks, but the dude is already picturing his wife on a beach in a string bikini, I know it.
In spite of my shitty day and the horrible memories it dredged up, I truly am happy for him and Amber. “I’m sure,” I promise.
“I’ll tell King to report to you then,” he says, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
I sink the last drop of my Scotch. Fuck my goddamn life.