Chapter 12 #2
“What?!” I snap.
He doesn’t hesitate as if he expected my irritation. “I won’t let you be alone in this. You need someone to talk to. Talk to me,” he says, pulling my hand to rest in his lap.
“I’ll call the girls later.”
I know he is trying, but I’m too far gone in my head right now to focus on him. I need space.
I wish I’d walked to work.
“I can find my own way home tonight.” I decide.
He stops fiddling with the bangle on my wrist. “You said we would start afresh?” The vulnerability in his voice has my eyes gravitating to his.
Guilt fills me. Maybe he needs me just as much as I do him.
I unbuckle my belt and climb into his lap, hiding my face in his neck like a child. I breathe him in, his woodsy scent grounding me.
“I meant what I said. I want to start fresh, but this” —I gesture between us— “it’s all too much.
I have my showcase coming up, and you said yourself I need to get on top of the studio.
So much threatens my dreams Mason, and not physically but mentally I can feel myself slipping.
” I shake my head. “We don’t need to be one of those things.
Just give me time.” I pull back to look at him. “Please?”
“Can I see you tonight?” he asks, pulling me closer.
I smile softly. This beautiful man wants to spend time with me. He’s known me barely two weeks and shows more concern for me than most have in my lifetime. “No. But I will call, just give me a few days.”
His shoulders drop, and he lets out a heavy sigh. “I don’t like this.”
“I know. But…” I roll my lips, giving him an inch. “I want to be ready for us, Mase, and right now, I don’t feel like I am. Just give me some time.”
He smiles down at me sadly as he leans in to kiss my temple. “Alright.”
Vinny followed me home. I’m not sure if he was trying to be discrete, but the Audi was always within a short distance behind me each time I looked back.
Running always allowed me time to think, so the urge to stop and get a lift was strong.
Knowing it was Mason being overprotective, I didn’t stop and bitch at Vinny for following me. If I’m honest, I don’t know how I would feel if the Audi hadn’t been outside the studio after I finished work.
Mason’s thoughtfulness and need to keep me safe only makes me want him more. I’ve never had someone take such concern in my whereabouts. Maybe that’s one of the things that’s holding me back.
I bend, my hands planted on my knees as my lungs gasp for air. Tilting my head up, I stare up at my building.
“You’re quick, girl!” Vinny smiles at me from the front seat.
He leans down on the passenger side and grabs a bottle of water then holds it out to me.
“Vinny, my apartment is right there. Tell your boss he needs to ease up on the plastic. He’s already putting unnecessary emissions into the air by following me home.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him.” He smirks.
I know he won’t.
“See you later, Vinny. Thank you.” I wink, jogging up the steps.
The moment I get to my floor, I hear them, and I close my eyes in anticipation, wondering if I should go back to the studio.
Why are they even here?
I push into the apartment and find the entire living space in smoke. “What the hell?!”
“Nina! Hey, you’re home!” Lucy shouts.
I flap my hand in front of my face as I try to make them out through the smog. Lucy is on Megan’s shoulders, flapping a tea towel at the smoke alarm.
I begin to cough, the smoke being drawn into my lungs. “Jesus Christ!”
I rush to the window, opening it as far as it will go, then stalk to the kitchen where I grab the oven glove and throw the smouldering baking tray into the sink.
“Seriously?!”
Megan ducks down, letting Lucy fall to her feet.
“Chinese or Indian takeaway?” Luce cringes.
“What are you guys even doing here?” I ask around a mouthful of noodles. The girls sit on the sofa behind me, both with towels wrapped on top of their heads. The apartment still smells like smoke, but at least we no longer do.
“Mason messaged,” Megan says casually.
“And told you what exactly?”
“That you needed us.”
“That’s it? That’s all he said? He didn’t say why?”
“Nope, he isn’t a chatty man, Nina.” Lucy shrugs.
“Sooo… what did he do?” Megan asks.
I face forward again and drop my head back to the sofa. “Nothing. Everything.”
“That’s fucking helpful,” Megan mumbles, poking me in the cheek with her toe.
“Get your foot out of my face!” I slap her away, using the moment to drop the bomb, hoping it will lessen the sting. “My mum has been receiving money from a man for the past twenty-eight years. From the day I was born.”
“What?” Lucy sobers, sliding down to the floor next to me, as Megan appears at my other side. “Do you think…”
“Yup.”
“And she didn’t tell you? Why?” Lucy bites out.
I shake my head, even though I’m certain of the answer. “I’ve been over it in my head all day. I presume he paid her to keep quiet. Mason said it was a lot of money. Maybe Mum was a dirty secret. She said he was a client.”
“Nina, why are you paying your mum money when she’s already receiving it elsewhere? What is she spending it all on?”
“I have no idea, but I plan to put a stop to it.” I shake my head. “Mason called you?”
“Uh-huh. He called us.” Megan chuckles, nudging me with her elbow. “You want to talk about it?”
“No, but it beats the hell out of talking about my mum.” I sigh. “God, girls, I don’t even know where to start.”
“This is why we’re here.” A glass of wine is slipped into my hand. “Start at the beginning.”
Mase
Seven days.
I knew she was stubborn, but to go a week, keeping me at a distance, and for what? How much time did she need? She calls every night, driving me nuts with her words, but still, she tells me she needs more time.
I’m just about done with waiting.
With London’s skyline laid out before me, I stand and look upon the people below, wondering what she is doing right now.
My intercom buzzes, Alice’s voice filling the room. “Mr Lowell, your father is on the phone.”
The old man is sober then.
I round the sofa and drop down at my desk. Taking in a deep breath before answering. “Dad?”
“Mason, my boy. How are you?”
I snicker, his false bravado not fooling me. “Me? Shouldn’t I be asking you that question?”
“I know. I promised you and your sister I’d get on top of it. And I am.”
“No, Dad, we need you to get off of it. Not on top of it.” I rub my hand down my face in frustration.
“Mason, I’m doing my best. I haven’t been drinking. Last week was just hard, with your mother’s anniversary—”
“Just stop,” I cut him off, refusing to allow the words to settle in me. I don’t want to be reminded of the day my mother left me.
“Your sister, she’s cooking a meal for us tomorrow. She invited the Montgomerys and Charles. Did you want to ask anyone else?”
“No.”
“Okay, please don’t be late, Mason. Scarlet just wants some normalcy. We haven’t had you here for more than five minutes in years.”
I snicker into the phone. He has no idea.
“I’m trying, Mase. It’s all I can do right now.” I can hear him getting choked up, and it’s the last thing I need.
“I’ll be there. Tell Scar to send me the details.”
“I love you, son.” I hear him say just as the phone hits the cradle.
Nina
“Girls!” I yell at Vienna and Sophie, who seem to be more absorbed in what’s on the phone in Vienna’s hand than the routine we’re working on.
“Ladies, if you want to leave, then go. I’m out to win, and you may be important to that goal, but I will replace you in a millisecond if you don’t get off that damn phone and nail this section.” I give them a nod and leave it at that, not wanting to seem like a complete hag.
For the most part, the girls all love me. We have a tight bond that I’ve spent the last year working for, and I make sure we have fun, but to keep it professional I have to enforce the rules. They know this.
“Sorry,” Sophie says, moving to the back of the group. “Henry is in today, and Vee couldn’t help but insta stalk him.”
“Shameless! The lot of you,” I tease, shaking my head. “Last time from the dip to cross over, and we’re taking a break.”
The girls smash it as always, making me more excited about the showcase. We seriously have a chance, I know it. As newcomers, I want to make waves, and these girls are my tsunami.
Skipping down the steps, I grin wide when I see Henry at the desk. The girls aren’t wrong. Henry is gorgeous—too young for me, but still, I can’t help but enjoy the eye candy down here.
His girlfriend Gemma is on the treadmill, and his eyes are glued to her.
“You look pervy,” I say, elbowing him, then waving to Gemma when she spots me.
“Nina,” he mutters in greeting, making a show of not looking away.
“You need to tone it down; you’ve got my girls all flustered.”
“Just your girls?” He eyes me, popping a brow.
“In your dreams, baby boy.” I laugh, disappearing into the staff room to get my lunch.
It’s a decent sized space considering we barely use it. I prefer to eat up in the studio and the boys normally inhale their food before they make it to the rickety old table that’s pushed up against the wall. It’s more of a storeroom for everything we don’t want people to see.
Henry comes in just as I’m manoeuvring my soup out of the microwave. “There’s a letter from the music license company and one from the bank. This one is addressed to a Miss C Langer though.”
He nods his head to the three envelopes, grabbing my bowl and moving it closer when he sees I’m burning my fingers on the tub.
“Thanks, probably a wrong address. I’ll return to sender.”
“Logan found this on Friday too, said you were looking for it.” A key dangles from a chain in his hand.
“Yes! My boys! What would I do without you?” I jump up, punching him in the arm, pleased I won’t have to explain to Erin why she can’t get into the office next week.
In my glee, my hand catches the soup container, flipping it from the counter. It coats my stomach and leg, burning into my skin.
“Oh my god!” I begin to swipe the boiling hot soup off me, but I can feel my skin already tingling underneath.
“Fuck, take off your tights. I’ll get the first aid kit! I think we have some burn gel.”
I lift my top so that it’s off my stomach but still covering my breasts, then start shimmying out of my tights as fast as I can.
My hands shake from the shock.
I’m standing in my thong when Henry comes back in, but I don’t overthink it—he’s like a brother to me.
I take the cold cloth he hands me and plaster it to my stomach, where the burning is more intense.
He squats down in front of me, ripping open the gel packet and squirting it onto my leg.
It runs down my thigh, instantly melting against the heat.
My hand dashes out to rub it into the skin.
“How do you fucking manage it, girl?” Henry says, shaking his head at me.
I smile down at him, feeling like a complete klutz.
“What the fuck is going on?” Mason’s voice has me jumping back, my skin prickling at his tone.
Shit.
“I burnt myself. Henry was just helping me.” I try to explain, but I can see the rage as it visibly builds within him.
“Who’s this?” Henry asks, standing at his full six foot two height. He’s big for a twenty-three-year-old. Mason only has an inch on him.
“Her boyfriend,” Mason announces, completely losing his cool—and maybe his mind.
Boyfriend?
He grasps Henry by his vest, pulling him away from me. “Get the fuck away from her.” His eyes blaze over my semi-naked form.
God, this must look awful.
“Mason, calm down. And let go of him.” I try to defuse the situation, but it’s a task when I’m trying to hide from the prying eyes that watch on through the open door.
Gemma steps into the room, spotting Mason and Henry in a standoff as they both grasp one another’s tops.
“What on earth? Henry, stop!” she demands.
Henry eyes her for a second, then reluctantly pushes Mason back with force, removing his hand from his gym vest when Mason doesn’t let go.
“Stupid prick. She burnt herself,” Henry spits out.
Mason looks at me and the red creeping over my thigh and stomach. It’s not as bad as I first thought, but that’s only thanks to Henry’s quick thinking.
“Guys, can you give us a minute?” I ask.
Henry frowns, giving me an ‘are you kidding me’ look.
“Of course! Henry.” Gemma pulls her man from the staff room by the wrist, closing the door to allow me a scrap of dignity.
“Mason, I bur—”
“Don’t,” he cuts me off, shaking his head. “Nina, you’ve kept me away all week, and then I come here and find you like this. I need a minute.”
I wince, trying to tame the words before they leave me. “Uh, maybe I need a goddamn minute.” I take a deep breath through my nose. “I burnt myself, Mason, you insensitive ass! What are you even doing here, anyway?”
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter. Let me see.” He nods to my leg.
“No.”
He snickers, running his tongue across his teeth. “I’ll pick you up when you’re finished here.”
I let him leave. If that man thinks that I will be going with him tonight after the way he just reacted, he is sorely mistaken. God, it’s Henry. Does he not have any female members of staff? The thought makes me rage. Of course, he fucking does. I bet the place is crawling with women.
It gives me an idea.
I hobble to my bag and pull out the outfit I brought to wear to dinner with the girls tonight. It’s casual but sexy. I pull the dark burgundy skirt up over my hips and high on my waist, my cropped white singlet moulds to my breasts.
It’s been a week, and I am more than ready to take on Mason Lowell.
Thankfully the girls are understanding. I had to send them home after the soup disaster, so I promised to work an extra day to cover their class fee to keep them happy.
I did my research, and if my Google Maps is correct, I should be at Ellis and Frey Real Estate within twenty minutes by foot.
I glance down at my feet, knowing it will take me twice as long in my heels, and instead, I call Vinny.
“Miss Anderson, I wasn’t expecting you to call. How can I help you?”
“Hey! I need a lift. If you’re free, of course. And I can’t tell you any more than that because I don’t trust you.”
“Well, I should inform you that I sided with you this afternoon. I drove Mason to the studio,” he says, and I can tell he is smiling.
“What a queen, huh?”
He chuckles down the line. “What are you planning, Nina?”
“I’m on my way to his office... I was hoping for a ride.”
“That’s not a good idea, Nin—”
“Vinny, you can drive me, save my feet, and I will love the hell out of you for it, or you can let your boss know I’m on my way and ruin the element of surprise. Either way, because I’m going with or without you. I won’t cause a scene, I promise.”
“Just wait there. I will be five minutes.” he relents.