Chapter 22
Lila
The ping of my phone cut through my thoughts as I flopped onto the couch, kicking off my heels with a sigh.
Mason was texting me, asking me to meet him at the Sin Bin.
A flutter of excitement sparked, tangled up with a familiar pinch of anxiety.
I hadn’t seen him since our steamy night together.
His schedule had kept us apart, just like he’d warned.
But meeting him in public? My stomach tightened as the paparazzi ambush replayed in my head.
I looked up the Sin Bin online. A sports bar, popular with the hockey team. Not exactly my usual scene, but Mason would be there. I wavered, desire squaring off with apprehension. Paparazzi didn’t stake out sports bars… right?
Before I could talk myself out of it, I texted back:
Me: Sure. I’ll be there in 45 minutes.
I glanced down at my work outfit, a tailored skirt and silk blouse, and sighed.
If I was doing this, I needed to change.
I dashed into my bedroom, unbuttoning my blouse as I stepped out of my skirt.
I tugged on dark jeans, the kind that hugged in all the right places, and pulled on a loose, low-cut top that hinted without trying too hard.
“Now for the finishing touches,” I murmured, reaching for my makeup bag. I carefully applied a smoky eye and a swipe of rose-gold gloss, then caught my own reflection and laughed at myself. “Look at you, going full pageant mode for a sports bar date.”
I tamed my long blonde hair into soft waves and slipped on strappy sandals. One spritz of my favorite perfume, purse in hand, and I was out the door.
Nerves and anticipation swirled as I headed out to see the man who made me feel off balance in the best way. We’d been calling and texting plenty, but none of it compared to seeing Mason in person.
I pushed open the heavy wooden door of the Sin Bin and got hit with noise.
Clinking glasses. The hum of conversation.
A sports commentator blaring from TVs mounted on every wall.
A banner reading ‘Home of the Fusion Intrusion’ hung behind the bar, proudly advertising the house special, whiskey, lime juice, and Tabasco.
My gaze swept the sea of jerseys and backward caps, searching for Mason’s height.
And then I saw him.
Mason leaned against the bar, dark hair deliciously messy, blue eyes locked on the door like he’d been waiting for me. My stomach flipped as he pushed off the bar and strode toward me, his broad frame cutting through the crowd with ease.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. Before I could answer, he wrapped me up in a hug that was equal parts tender and possessive. I melted into him, breathing in the scent of his cologne, and a slow, ruthless need tightened low in me.
When he finally pulled back, I caught a few patrons watching us. My cheeks warmed, but Mason seemed oblivious to the attention.
“Hey yourself, handsome,” I said, looking up at him. “How was the meet-and-greet?”
Something in Mason’s eyes flickered, and he glanced away. “It was, uh… eventful.” He sighed, dragging a hand through his already messy hair. “Listen, can we grab a table? There’s something I need to tell you.”
Alarm bells went off in my head. “Sure,” I said, my smile running on autopilot. “Lead the way.”
He guided me to a table at the back where it was quieter, his hand steady on the small of my back. He slid into the seat beside me, and I braced for whatever bomb he was about to drop.
“Lila, there’s something I need to tell you.” His eyes locked on mine, intense enough to make my breath catch. “There’s no easy way to say this, but an ex of mine, Vanessa, showed up at the event today.”
I blinked, waiting for the rest. “Okay... and?”
He exhaled. “And now she’s stirring up trouble. She posted old pictures of us online, and they’re going viral.”
I went still, a tight knot forming low in my stomach. “Old pictures?”
Mason pulled out his phone. Reluctance was written all over his face as he turned the screen toward me.
My throat locked.
There was Mason, practically naked in nothing but his Apex briefs, his body on full display. And draped all over him was a stunning brunette, her perfectly manicured hands on him like she’d put them there a hundred times. Familiar. Possessive.
Insecurity clawed up my ribs. She was gorgeous, all smoldering eyes and lethal curves. And the way she clung to him like she belonged there made my earlier fears come roaring back.
“Oh,” I managed, my mind reeling.
This was Mason’s world, where exes appeared out of nowhere and private photos went viral. It was so far from the careful life I’d built, it might as well have been another planet.
“Lila, I swear, it’s ancient history,” Mason said, leaning closer. “Vanessa and I, it was never serious. She’s just stirring up drama, trying to get attention.”
I nodded mechanically, trying to process. “Right. Of course. It’s fine. I get it. Your world is… messy.”
His reassurance landed, but doubt kept scraping at me.
I glanced around the bar, caught a couple of curious looks, and saw the reminders of Mason’s life on the walls.
A heavy drop settled in my stomach. The steamy photo.
The incessant scrutiny. His messy past. It all fed the fear I’d been trying to outrun, that his world was too public and chaotic for someone like me.
“Lila, I want everyone to know the truth.” He pocketed the phone, his expression serious. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we post a picture of us together? On my social media, or yours if you prefer. Let everyone know that I’m with you, not Vanessa.”
Panic flared, hot and immediate. “No!” I blurted, sharper than I meant. “I mean, um, I don’t think that’s necessary.”
Mason’s brow furrowed. “You sure? It’d shut down the rumors real quick.”
I forced a smile, holding it in place while banana-printed panties and camera flashes crowded my head. “I’m just... not big on social media. I’m more of a private person.”
The thought of stepping into that spotlight again made me want to crawl under the table.
“Alright,” he said slowly, clearly not buying it. “If that’s what you want.”
I opened my mouth to find a better explanation, but the words snagged in my throat.
Sauntering toward us, looking like she’d stepped off a runway, was the woman from the photo. Vanessa. Her gaze locked on Mason, a predatory smile curving her perfectly painted lips.
“Fuck,” Mason muttered.
“Mason,” she cooed, ignoring me completely as she stopped at our table. “There you are!”
“What are you doing here?” Mason’s jaw clenched as he crossed his arms over his chest.
She pouted, unfazed. “I thought I’d find you here. I wanted to clear the air about our little conversation earlier.”
His muscles went rigid, eyes turning hard. “We have nothing to talk about, especially after that stunt with the photos.”
Vanessa turned to me like I was a chair she hadn’t noticed. “And who’s this?” Her smile sharpened as she sized me up.
“I’m Lila,” I said, cool and polite, pageant training snapping into place. Inside, I was a mess of nerves and doubt. How was I supposed to compete with someone like Vanessa when she was glamorous without trying and acted like the spotlight was her natural habitat?
Vanessa’s eyes narrowed as she appraised me, her lips twisting into a sneer. “Lila. How… quaint. Mason and I go way back, don’t we, babe? We have so many... intimate memories.”
Mason’s warning came low and dangerous. “Vanessa.”
She plowed right over him. “You know, Mason and I were practically engaged before he left Toronto. We had a silly argument about his transfer. It was just so unexpected.”
“Engaged?” Mason let out a harsh laugh, his expression hardening. “We were never even serious. You need to stop this.”
“Your mother told me to give you some space,” Vanessa countered, reaching for the upper hand. “That’s the only reason I stayed away for so long.”
The words hit like a sucker punch. His mother? My eyes snapped to Mason, silently demanding an explanation, but his jaw was locked. His mother knew Vanessa. The realization left me reeling, wondering how deep their connection really went.
“You spoke to my mom?” Frustration radiated from him as he rubbed a hand over his jaw.
Vanessa nodded, moving closer. “She’s been wondering when we’ll finally make things official.”
What little confidence I’d managed to hold on to wavered. Had Mason downplayed their relationship? The doubt must have shown, because Vanessa’s smile widened, all teeth.
Mason’s fist hit the table. “That’s bullshit, and you know it, Vanessa. We were never—”
“Never what?” Vanessa snapped, eyes flashing. “Never serious? Is that what you told her?” She gestured at me. “Did you tell her about the plans we made? About how you promised me the world?”
I felt trapped in a twisted nightmare. I couldn’t breathe. The Sin Bin narrowed around me, the noise and lights pressing in. Their voices blurred until they were just sound, muffled and distant.
“Excuse me,” I managed, pushing the words out as I stood too fast.
I needed air. Or a drink. Or both. Mumbling something about the restroom, I slipped away from the table, pulse thudding as I threaded through the crowded bar. The ladies’ room was mercifully empty when I burst in. I gripped the cool edge of the sink and stared at my reflection.
I took a minute to pull myself together, smoothing my hair, touching up my makeup. Stalling, really. At this point, I’d rather stick a fork in an outlet than go back out there to face whatever the hell was happening.
Get it together, Lila.
I straightened my spine and pasted on my best I’m-fine expression. But before it could fully settle, the door swung open and in walked the last person I wanted to see.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Mason’s new… distraction.”
I froze, meeting Vanessa’s eyes in the mirror. She stopped behind me, her hand dipping into her designer clutch for a tube of lipstick.