Chapter 11
Genevieve
W ell, I couldn’t have expected that to go any better than it did. Here I am thinking my father would throw a fit, see red and tell me I am stupid for even coming to him with this idea.
Seeing the look on Mason’s face was priceless. Even more so when my father agreed wholly that it would be a great idea. Marriages and engagements in the Underbelly are a huge deal. They can make or break families. Our family being the largest in the area, with Blackmere coming in a very close second, it’s the only reason that I can think of as to why Rico is trying to get to me, even after my father promised me to him when I was younger.
Knowing that I have the protection of one of the most dangerous Underbelly members is a reassuring comfort. Knowing he sees himself as a monster hurts my heart because I have never seen him that way.
Growing up, Mason was my knight in shining armour. When our mothers would spend the days drinking wine and whining about their boring lives, I would be in the yard playing tea parties and princesses with Mason.
In my heart, I know that he is still the same man he used to be back then. He is not the cold-blooded killer he makes himself out to be. I want to talk to him, to show him exactly how I feel, to replay that night my mother brought him up to our apartment ten years ago, but after what happened in the gym, he doesn’t even want to be anywhere near me. I know I pushed the boundaries pretty far, but now I am second-guessing whether I pushed too far.
“Fuuuck,” I let out a loud groan as I flop down onto my bed.
Mia lifts her head and looks at me. “I know girl, I know I fucked up.” Her head tilts to the side. “What do you want me to do? Go crawl to him and beg him to accept my apology?”
Mia lets out a huff.
“Yeah, you’re right, girl. He would love that way too much.” She puts her head back down on her paws and closes her eyes. I am tired and so is she, but before I close my eyes for the night, I crawl out of bed and open Mia’s crate. She looks up at me, her eyes wide and curious. I turn around and crawl back into bed again. I hear the movement of her feet on the carpet as she slowly makes her way over to me. Her wet nose presses against my hand. I pat the bed on the other side of me with my free hand. “Come on girl, up you come.”
She jumps up onto the bed, circling a few times before putting her head down on my shoulder. Within minutes, we are both asleep.
* * *
When you’re sound asleep, it really does feel like time has flown by within minutes. One minute I am curled up with Mia on the bed and the next I can sense the presence of someone watching over me.
I hear Mia on the floor chewing on something; whoever is standing over me is probably the person who also gave her one of her favorite treats: the pigs’ ears that are sitting by her crate. She will do anything for anyone if they give her one of those.
Without opening my eyes, I can already tell exactly who is standing over me, just watching. “Fuck off, sleeping,” I grumble.
“Doesn’t sound like you’re sleeping,” Mason says. “You know you’re so much more bearable when you’re asleep.”
I can hear the smile in his voice.
“And you would be so much more bearable if you weren’t breathing,” I bite back. “I can gladly arrange that for you, if you like?”
“As much as I would love to see you try.” His voice grows in volume like he’s leaning closer. “Who’s gonna help you with your plan?”
I open my right eye slightly to see him inches away from my face. “Careful being this close to me, you remember what happened last time?” My lip twitches with a smile.
“Well, we are soon to be engaged.” He air quotes the word engaged. “So maybe I should start spending more time here in your room, or maybe you would prefer mine?”
“Oh, you really think we will be sharing a room?”
“We probably should, because no one will believe we are engaged or married if we are not seen coming and going from the same room.” He stands up straighter. “Just so you know, my room has a better toy box.”
The shock of that comment must have been written all over my face because he laughs at me again. “You got thirty minutes, Princess. Get yourself organised and ready. We are going ring shopping.” With that comment, he leans over, kisses my forehead and makes his way to the door, patting Mia before leaving.
Why did I have to go and open my mouth about this to my father? I am internally kicking myself, but at the same time, I am feeling a little giddy inside. Butterflies are fluttering around in my stomach because he is playing along with it.
I know this isn’t real, I know he is just putting on an act, but fuck I want him for real. And, after last night in the gym, I know he has feelings too.
It’s hard to climb out of bed, but it is even harder to open my eyes. I am still tired, my brain and my body feeling like they have just run a marathon and both lost. I need a shower and a strong cup of coffee just to wake my body up. Picking up the phone in my room, I dial Frederick in the kitchen.
“Can you bring a coffee, black, two sugars to my room in fifteen minutes, please?” I ask.
“Yes, Miss.” He hangs up the call, and I make my way into the bathroom to shower and freshen up.
Turning on the water, I wait for it to heat up. I always have to have the water at an almost scalding temperature. As I lather myself with soap, my mind wanders to what it would feel like to have Mason in here with me, his hands roaming my body. Feeling every curve, every scar. A moan escapes my lips just thinking of him.
My eyes snap open. I’m in way over my head. We need to focus on our plan for my father and staying safe from Rico.
There is banging on the bathroom door. It can’t have been Frederick, he never knocks when leaving food or anything in my room for me. He will always sit it on my desk and then leave the room.
“Come on, Princess, we need to get going,” an all-too-familiar voice calls out from the bedroom.
One minute he wants nothing to do with me, and the next he is like a lost puppy trying to find its owner. This man is giving me whiplash with his constant mood changes.
“Are you not talking to me because I was just a little upset with what you did last night?” he calls out.
“Will you get out of my room? I am still getting ready, so you can go out into the foyer and just be patient,” I call back, not even wanting to give him an answer to his previous question. I’ll just make him stew on it, thinking it’s true.
I’m not upset with him for being upset with me. I want to see how he will react when I force his hand. I need results to be faster than the snail pace he is taking things. It’s why, after what happened in the gym, the lust and need in his eyes and yet still turning down my advances, I knew I had to go to my father and put forward the idea of marriage, forcing his hand. I had told my father that by showing that I am already spoken for, it will hopefully have Rico and the rest of Blackmere back off from trying to take me for himself.
That by being engaged to my father’s second in charge and one of the most dangerous men among the Underbelly would benefit the family more and provide me with extra safety. I just hope that it’s all true.
“Viv!” Mason yells from right by the door, a singular knock every few seconds. “Please, just hurry up. I got shit to do.”
I inhale a deep breath and let it all out, rolling my eyes at him even though he can’t see through the door.
“For fuck’s sake Mason! Learn some goddamn patience!” It is tempting to stay under the water just that little bit longer to piss him off. Instead, I sigh and call: “I’m getting out of the shower now. Go find something to do for ten minutes.”
He lets out a loud grunt, like a toddler who has been told no to getting a new toy at the store. “Fine! But you better be quick.”
I hear the door close and release the breath I’m holding. I dry myself off, wrapping my wet hair in a towel. I will let it dry this way first before using my blow dryer for the rest. I put on a light amount of makeup before I wrap my other towel around my body and make my way out into my bedroom.
The smell of coffee fills the air. Thank you, Frederick, I think as I step onto the carpet. I hear a whimper come from Mia, and when I glance over in her direction, I let out a squeal at the sight of Mason sitting there on the floor patting her.
“Hi Princess!” He beams before his face turns to one of intrigue, looking at the towel still wrapped around me. “Oh, you can’t go out wearing that.”
I raise a brow at him. “Why are you still in my room? I told you to go do something else for ten minutes and then come back.”
“Well, I am doing something else.” He grins. “I am patting your dog. She is beautiful and so sweet.”
I groan in frustration. “Ok, well you have had your pats, now can you please leave my room so I can get dressed?”
“You can get dressed, I’ll sit here and face this gorgeous girl while you finish getting ready,” he says, turning his attention back to my dog. She is lapping up the attention like the traitor she is.
“You are insufferable right now, I hope you know that.” I turn and walk to my wardrobe, searching for the right thing to wear.
Pulling out a little red dress that barely skims the mid-thigh, I smile. He wants to play this game, I am going to win it. I snag a matching pair of heels before sneaking back into the bathroom. They are red, with straps that wind up and around my calf.
I am going to go full glam now, just to make him wait a little longer and then have him speechless when I finally step out of this room.
I look at myself in the mirror and start working with my hair and make-up. You’re messing with the wrong girl, Viper . His nickname is a sarcastic sound in my head.
There is a knock on my bathroom door again. “Have you always been this impatient?” I call out to him.
“It was one thing my mother always hated about me as a kid,” he says through the door, tapping his head against it in a rhythmic thump. “And I am certain your father hated that about me, too. I was always fucking up his plans because I was trying to get to the end goal sooner, ya know, like speed running a mission.”
“Nothing has changed,” I challenge.
“When it comes to you, I am impatient, but I am also trying to keep my distance because I know I’ll fuck it all up when you see the true me.” He sighs, and my breath catches as I listen to his vulnerability. This is what I want from him. “I am patient when it comes to my targets, and —” he pauses.
I open the bathroom door and step out. “And what?”
He steps away from the wall. His eyes are hooded, scoping my curves in this dress as if seeing them for the first time. “And when you look like that, I want to kill every man that lays his eyes on you. When I look at you, I don’t want to hold back, I want to scream out to the world that you are mine. I never want to leave your side. I want to take you and run away to another town where I know we will be safe.” He steps closer to me, his hands gently settling on my waist.
I slide my hand up his stomach to rest on his chest. I can’t believe he’s saying this, but I love it.
“I don’t want anyone else or want this life, or any life for that matter, if I don’t have you by my side the whole way.”
He wraps his fingers around my hand on his chest, lifting it to his lips and kissing the back of it. His eyes are hooded and glassy.
I smile up at him. Even in the heels I am wearing, he still towers over me by at least nine inches. Placing my palms on either side of his face, I tilt his head further down so he is looking at me. “Even as a little girl, I knew that we were destined. You were training to be my father’s second and I am his only daughter and only child. I know that, when my mother left and took me with her, he put all his effort and love into you.”
“I wouldn’t call it love,” he interjects.
“It was in his eyes when he forced me home. He was proud of you then and probably still is now.” I pull his face closer to mine, his eyes closed. “I also want to apologise for what I did last night. Forcing your hand to kick off the plan.”
He opens his eyes, looking down at me. “What you may think of as love and pride is far from it, Genevieve. The man just deals with me because I am good at what I do.” A flicker of sadness crosses his features before he continues. “No, you did what was necessary. I was scared, I still am scared, honestly.” Shame pulls at his features as he looks away from me.
I smile sadly, pulling his lips to mine, and kiss him gently. “I know you feel like you’re running around in circles but you are a powerful man and you will be taking over my father’s position, whether it is now or twenty years from now, and you are going to need a strong woman by your side. I want to be that woman. I’m tired of running from this feeling. I don’t want to run anymore.”
“Then don’t,” he says, pulling back slightly, his gaze piercing into me, my heart galloping as I wait for what is going to happen next. “And I won’t either.”
His lips press against mine with a hunger I haven’t felt in any of the other kisses. This one is a claiming kiss, the others were just lust-filled.
My hand, with a mind of its own, rests against his chest and when he pulls away from me, we are both breathless. “Let’s go find this engagement ring, and tonight we will have dinner together and talk about what we want from this.” He presses a light kiss against my lips once more and all that remains after is the cold air in place of where he had stood. I guess it is time to go ring shopping.