Grand Lies by JC Hawke

2

Nina

I holda straw to Lucy’s mouth, trying to get some water in her. She looks up at me with loving eyes slapping her dainty hand to my cheek.

“Nunnia, Ninnia,” she slurs drunkenly, her brows dipping as she processes her own words. “I love you,” she whispers, dropping her head to my chest. I feel my body sway from the weight of hers—maybe the tequila too. Thankfully, Charlie notices, he sweeps Lucy up into his arms, holding her like you would a bride.

“Elliot’s sorted a ride for us,” he says as he looks down at Lucy.

“I wouldn’t normally let her get like this.” I smile sheepishly up at him as guilt fills me. “She needed a good blowout tonight.” I tip my head to the side and try to suppress my laugh.

She’s fucked.

“Lowell’s out front.” Elliot smiles as he pops his brows at Charlie. “Megan thinks she’s going with that fuckface.” He thumbs over his shoulder.

Megan sits on the lap of Sam, her go-to hookup. She’s been dancing with him all night, and by dancing, I mean dry humping. Megan is very private on the details of her sex life but has never been afraid of PDA. The girl baffles me.

“She’s okay. We know Sam.” I wave my hand on a hiccup.

“Right.” Elliot stands with his hands on his hips and nods to the door. “Let’s go.”

I go to Megan, pulling her head back from Sam’s with a handful of hair gentle enough not to hurt her. I kiss her forehead, giving her ‘the look’. She smiles up at me, her eyes telling me what I need to know. She’s okay.

We exit the club, and the cool air hits me like a freight train. Instantly I feel more, more of everything, my body hypersensitive to the world around me. Everything blurs as I spin, looking for the guys. My eyes take a second to find focus amongst the sea of people. But they are there, right behind me, Lucy safely locked in Charlie’s arms.

Thank god we met them tonight.

* * *

Mase

As I roundthe corner of the club, I instantly spot my two best friends already outside. Charlie has a blonde in his arms, and she looks like she’s out for the count.

Poor fucker.

I see Elliot in my periphery, but my eyes don’t reach him. They are drawn to the woman who stands in front of him. She looks around in searching, visibly relaxing when she spots the boys.

Do they know this girl?

I use my concealed spot to take her in. Long brown hair hangs loose and full to her small waist. I can see the swell of her breast from her side profile. Full round hips encase the most perfect ass I think I’ve ever seen. Her body looks toned and tight in all the right places. I imagine my hands running over those hips.

Shit.

Elliot spots me in the crowd, a mischievous smile lighting up his face. He starts towards me, but I quickly turn and head back to my car before the brunette can spot me.

I shouldn’t have come tonight.

This was a stupid idea.

* * *

Nina

Elliot takesoff across the street, long strides putting distance between us. I run to keep up, looking back to find Charlie matching my silly little jog with his walk. God, I hate these heels.

“Hey Elliot, wait up, will you? You’re going to get us run over in a minute, you…”

“Oh, wow. Who are you?” I ask out loud in my drunken state.

Elliot turns and smiles in triumph.

There’s a man. He’s lent on the top of his open car door, his dark eyes blazing all over me. My skin pebbles, but I’m like a raging inferno inside. I feel my cheeks flush with the heat. Never in my life have I been in the presence of such a man. He has dark brown hair cut shorter at the sides, subtly getting longer on the top, soft tousled strands lie in a perfect mess on his head like he’s been running his fingers through it. His brows sit naturally low, making his eyes look darker than they are. They are unnerving, his gaze searing up through them and into me. He’s wearing a form-fitting sweater that shows off every inch of his chiselled torso. His nose has a slight crook to it, but it only adds to his appeal.

I regret the tequila; I wish I was sober for this. Lucy is going to freak.

“Nina, Mason, Mason, Nina,” Elliot introduces, his face knowing and cocky. “So, I’m going for drinks by the river with Sullivan. You good with these guys?” Elliot smirks, looking at his watch as he backs away.

My eyes drift to the fine specimen propped up against the car. His eyes haven’t left me. Am I good with these guys? Who’s Sullivan?

Be cool, Nina.

“Sure, fine, yeah. Yeah!” Oh, fuck off! What is wrong with me?

The gorgeous son of a bitch can’t help himself, his lip tipping up on one side as he drops his head.

“Get the door, will you, Lowell?” Charlie still has Lucy in his arms, and I rush to help. She grumbles as Charlie slides in behind the passenger seat, leaving the front seat, the only one left to sit in.

I can feel him behind me, and I turn to see him looking up the road after Elliot’s retreating back. He shakes his head, bringing his attention back to me. We stand closer now. He looks down at me.

“Mason Lowell.” He holds his large hand out to me, my eyes falling to the Rolex watch on his wrist, and suddenly a thought comes to me.

“Oh! Are you his boss?” I ask, pointing in the direction Elliot went in.

He considers what I’ve said for a moment, then throws his head back in laughter, and it’s the most incredible sound. I feel a knot form in my stomach.

My hand gets lost in his as it cradles mine. He loosens the grip slightly but doesn’t let go. Traces of humour still line his face as he bites into his bottom lip, running his thumb aimlessly over my knuckles.

He’s so intense. I’ve only just met this guy, and already I’m a puddle on the ground. I smile as I drop down into the seat, not taking my eyes off him as he shuts the door and rounds the car.

I whip my head around to Charlie. “Do you have any friends that aren’t fucking hot?”

Mason slides into the driver’s seat then, and I get the giggles as he starts up the engine. He cuts his gaze to Charlie in the rearview mirror. I can hear him chuckling behind me.

Lowering my window, I will myself to sober up. “Why were you not out with your friends tonight?” I ask, leaning in and fiddling with the buttons on the centre console.

“I had a meeting that ran late,” he replies flatly, his eyes flicking between me and the road and then to where my hands are currently exploring.

“This car is super flashy. It’s not like an average car with simple buttons!” I manage to change the clock from twenty-four to twelve hours. It now reads 11:23.

Oops!

“There we go.” I grin up at the deity beside me, pretending it was intentional.

He pops a thick brow at me, a devilish smirk on his face.

He’s so fucking hot.

“Can we drop Luce to her parents’ house?” I ask. “I don’t want her alone tonight, and her sofa is stupidly lumpy.”

“Sure, what’s the address?” He starts tapping the screen, and a box pops up to enter the postcode. It’s outside the city, so I feel bad, but Megan will probably end up at Sam’s, and I can’t have Luce alone tonight. She drank far more than me, and I want to wake up in my own bed in the morning.

I shoot a text to Maggie—my stand-in surrogate mum, and let her know we are on the way.

* * *

We pullup to Lucy’s parents’ home twenty minutes later. Childhood memories flash through my mind, and I climb from the car with a smile. Both boys follow, standing off to the side of the pavement.

I lean in to wake up the sleeping beauty. “Luce, babe, we are home.”

She comes around slowly, smiling up at me for a moment before realisation hits. She looks out the window with a groan. “You called my mum? Nina!” She ambles out of the car, her body swaying as I throw her arm over my shoulder and hug her close.

Maggie greets us at the door and takes Lucy from me, pulling her into a warm embrace. I envy their beautiful relationship. Even though I know that she loves me like a daughter, I still wish I had what they did.

She looks over the top of Lucy’s head, slowly opening her other arm out for me. “Come here, you,” she whispers into my hair as I step into her. I’ll never grow tired of that sound. I’ve fallen asleep on this woman as her voice has vibrated through her chest. Every child deserves to know that feeling. It’s the most grounding sound of earth.

I remember we have company and turn, smiling at the gods behind me.

“Maggie, these are our friends, Mason and Charlie.”

Charlie dips his head, muttering a polite hello, while Mason steps up and holds out his hand. Maggie looks more than a little flustered as she takes it.

Not just me, then.

“Nice to meet you,” Mason says, flashing his beautiful smile.

I kiss Maggie’s cheek and hug her waist, then promise to be there for lunch on Sunday. Just as I step away, I feel her hand squeeze my shoulder, a tentative look on her face.

“I’ll be careful,” I tell her.

“I know, and I’ll still worry.” She smiles softly. “You’ll message me when you get home, okay?”

I nod.

We make our way back through the city, the boys both quiet and reserved in their seats. Although, I can feel Mason’s eyes lingering on me every now and again.

Unfortunately for the two of them, I’m drunk, and I have no way of controlling my mouth.

“Who’s Sullivan?” I ask, turning in my seat so I can see both of them.

“Lance?” Mason asks with a frown, his features hardening. “Why do you want to know?”

“Elliot said he was off to meet him tonight.” My gaze drops to the smooth skin of Mason’s hand as he fists the gear stick… hmm. “Is he pretty too?”

They both chuckle, deep rumbling sounds that only the rarest of species seem to be able to make. “Lance Sullivan and pretty isn’t something that goes together in a sentence,” Mason tells me, looking over at me with a warm glint in his eye. He wets his bottom lip and looks back to the road. “Think Tom Hardy, with dark hair and tattoos.”

“Ohhhh, so Sullivan is the bad boy of the group? I thought that was Elliot.”

“What?” Charlie questions from the back seat. “How could you think Elliot?”

“Only in the beginning when he chased off Joey.” He was so in control. So possessive and—

“Who’s Joey?” Mason interrupts my thoughts, adjusting his legs as he looks between me and the road.

“Just some guy at the bar. How do you guys all know each other? Are you actually Elliot’s boss?” I ask Mason.

“Something like that. I’ve known Elliot my whole life—unfortunately. Charles here.” He flicks his head back. “I met at college, and Lance runs our accounts department.”

“Our?”

He gives me a panty-melting smile. “Mine and Elliot’s company.”

“Hmmm. So, you’re both the boss.”

“Uh-huh. Charlie lives just up here. You okay if I drop him off first?” he asks, a boyish look on his face.

Sober Nina would say no. I shouldn’t even be in the car with two men I’ve just met, especially with how drunk I am. God, what was I thinking? “Well, I don’t exactly know either of you, but I have more chance of taking one of you than both at the same time.”

His brows rise in surprise.

“Oh, no! I don’t mean—Jesus, fuck. I mean, if you were to kidnap me or try anything, not that I wouldn’t have sex with you, like I wouldn’t fight you if…”

Oh, my god. Shut up, Nina. Just stop talking now!

“It’s fine. You can drop him off first.” I roll my lips and look out the window.

“Wow,” Charlie remarks at my back.

I don’t dare look at Mason for the rest of the journey, but at least my embarrassment has sobered me up a little.

* * *

“Cheers,Mase. We still on for tomorrow?” Charlie asks, climbing from the back seat and shutting the door.

Mason lowers his window farther so he can answer him. “Definitely. It’s fucking needed after the week I’ve had.”

Charlie gives a grim smile in return, then leans his head through the window so he can see me. “I’m sure I will see you again, little Pixie.” He gives a soft wink before disappearing into his building.

Why Pixie? They’ve been calling me that all night.

Mason looks over at me again, his eyes darkening. I squeeze my legs together, trying to ease the ache that’s forming there. It’s been too long.

He pulls out onto the road, thankfully not saying another word. I sit, trying to process the effect he has on me.

“Are you okay?” he asks after a few seconds of awkward silence.

“Umm, yeah. Why?” I feel my palms start to sweat.

“I couldn’t shut you up twenty minutes ago.” He smiles. “You’ve gone quiet on me, and you’re fidgeting.” His eyes drop to my bare legs.

“Just look where you’re driving, Bossman.”

His smirk does nothing to ease the fluster I’ve gotten myself in.

Oh god, why can’t I be normal? He seems so unaffected by me, yet I can’t sit still in my seat.

I turn my head a little to look up at him, taking in his broad chest… that thick neck. My clit throbs against the lace of my underwear.

First job when I get home is to fix that problem.

“You seem close to your friend’s mum? Lucy, wasn’t it?”

My smile is instant, and I welcome the distraction. “Maggie’s the best. One of the most beautiful women I know.”

“Have you known her long?”

“Pretty much my entire life. I met Lucy in nursery school, and we’ve been best friends ever since.”

He nods in understanding. “Me and Elliot have known each other since birth. We are more like brothers than friends.”

We turn onto my street, and I direct Mason to my building. As much as I want to get inside and shower off the remnants of the night, something pulls at my gut, telling me to stay exactly where I am.

Mason taps his finger on the steering wheel, a deep frown in place.

I turn to face him, rolling my lips as I think of ways to delay his departure. “Sorry about your clock.” I laugh, nerves taking flight in my stomach.

“It’s fine. Easy fix.” He winks, and then I sit, needing to leave but unable to open the door.

“Thanks for the ri—” I cut myself off when I notice a shadowy figure at the entrance of my building. I gaze past Mason’s head, trying to make out who it is.

Then he turns, giving me a perfect view of his face.

Joey.

Fuck.

I try to school my features but clearly fail. Mason watches me for a moment with a questioning stare, then frowns, turning to look behind him.

“Who’s that?” he asks. I can see his jaw clenching.

“Joey. He’s a friend.”

“Do all your friends wait outside your building late at night?” He raises his brow as he pulls open the handle.

Shit!

“Looks like we are getting out of the car. Okay,” I mutter, cringing as I pull open my door and round the car.

Joey spots me and starts walking toward us. “Nina.” He looks to me and then to Mason with a look of pure disdain. “Who’s this?”

“Mason,” he answers for himself. It comes out a deep growl, and I quickly step in front of him.

“Right.” Joey looks over my shoulder, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he puts his weight on one foot then the other. “Nina, can I speak to you a minute, please?”

“Now isn’t a good time, Joey, maybe tomorrow? You have my number, right? You can call me.” I will do anything to get rid of him right now.

I feel Mason’s hand take hold of my hip, bringing my body back flush against his.

My heart seems to skip a beat at the contact.

“Really, Nina? Do you even know this guy?” he spits.

“Joey, that’s really none of your business!” I can tell he is drunk; he has never spoken to me like this. He is probably still hurt from the bar fiasco earlier.

“What happened to the blond? Or have you already fucked him, bored already?” he asks, tipping his chin.

Mason’s grip on my hip tightens. “Watch your mouth,” he warns, and the air crackles at the tone of his voice.

“Fuck you! You’re better off giving up on this one.” He looks me up and down, and my heart blisters a little. “She’s a prick tease.”

“I said watch your fucking mouth!”

“This has nothing to do with you!” Joey shouts.

Mason grips my arm, pushing me to the side just as Joey comes at us. He swings, catching Mason clean in the mouth. His head goes back, and I’m left standing in utter shock.

Mason recovers quickly, spinning and gripping Joey at the throat, then pins him to the car. Joey’s eyes go wide as the air is squeezed from his body.

“Apologise!” Mason roars.

Joey gasps for air. I’m unsure he could speak even if he wanted to. His eyes dart to me, pleading for me to help.

Slowly, I approach Mason and gently curl my hand around his elbow. “Mason, he can’t breathe.” I can feel his rage radiating off him.

His eyes meet mine, softening some before he loosens his grip around Joey’s throat.

“I’m sorry,” Joey splutters at me.

Mason releases him. “Good boy. Not so hard is it? Have some respect.”

Joey falls to the car, trying to breathe air back into his lungs, but just as he finds his feet, Mason rears his fist back and punches him in the face. Blood pours from Joey’s nose.

“Nina, get in the car,” Mason tells me without taking his eyes from Joey.

“You get in first. Please,” I plead on a shaky breath.

He looks around at me, regret instantly taking over his face. Reaching for my hand, he walks me to his car, opening the door and helping me inside.

He crouches down beside me, his eyes searching my face. I sit frozen as he clasps my jaw in his open palm. My head involuntarily leans into it—his thumb brushes over my bottom lip.

Why does that feel like the most natural thing in the world?

His voice drops dangerously low as he asks, “Do you trust me, Nina?”

“Yes,” I answer far too quickly. Mason shuts my door, muttering something to Joey before he slides into the driver’s seat. He puts the car into drive, pulling back out onto the road.

“Mason, you’re bleeding,” I tell him, my eyes zeroed in on his lip as blood oozes from the wound.

“Have you slept with him?” he asks unapologetically.

My head recoils at his words. “What? No!”

“Would you have let him in tonight? If I wasn’t here?” His jaw tics, his annoyance blatant.

“Ummm, no. I barely know Joey.”

“You barely know me,” he shoots back.

I start to clutch at straws. “I know that you have a Bentley… and a best friend called Elliot,” I tease, my argument weak even to my ears. “I’m here with you, aren’t I? Trust me, sober Nina would not be in this car right now.” I blow out a breath, running my hand through my hair in frustration. “What is it with you men anyway? You’re like a bunch of testosterone-charged teenage boys.”

He drops his head back to the seat, giving me a swoon-worthy smile. “Testosterone-charged teenage boys?” he teases.

I shake my head, my lips twisting up into a reluctant smile.

* * *

We arriveat Mason’s a little after one a.m. and I try to act unaffected by the level of wealth in front of me. The building sits back from the tree-lined road—sleek but timeless in its structure. I manage to count maybe twenty apartments in the large building. Each one spaced out, clearly offering a substantial living space.

We park in the underground car park and quickly walk to the elevator. Mason matches my every step with his hand sat low on my back. A flare of panic rushes through me as the steel doors begin to close.

What the hell am I doing?

Maybe I should get a taxi home.

As if sensing my unease, Mason grabs me at the waist, his thumb innocently brushing along the underside of my breast. “I won’t touch you while you’ve been drinking.” His jaw clenches as if it pains him even to say it.

“You can touch me.” I blink up at him, snapping out of it when he laughs and brings his nose to mine.

I swallow, anticipation stirring in my stomach.

“I brought you here so I’d know you’d be safe.” My eyes search his, and I hope mine don’t reflect the disappointment that he doesn’t want me.

“Am I? Safe here?”

“That depends,” he deliberates, playfully weighing up the options.

I choose to humour him, wanting—needing to know. “On what?”

“If you are going to continue to look at me like that.”

I frown, rolling my eyes. “Like what?” I’m aware I am playing directly into his hands.

He has me right where he wants me. Our faces are only millimetres apart, and with each passing second, I can see him starting to relent. His fingers clench around my waist, then instantly smooth over the fabric. I sway on the spot, my eyes fluttering closed as he inches in closer.

“Drunk,” he breathes out across my lips. He pauses, taking a deep breath. “Come on, out.”

He nods his head in the direction of the apartment that stands before me. Only it’s not an apartment like I first thought. No, we are standing in the foyer of the penthouse. It’s enormous, rich… It’s so him.

Stepping out after Mason, my eyes are immediately captivated by the floor-to-ceiling windows that give way to the most incredible view of the city. Like a moth drawn to a flame, my feet carry me on their own accord, lost in the visual sensation before me.

“It looks different from up here. Lit up in its slumber.” I speak my mind, forgetting where I am and the man at my back. I spin, seeking him out, only to find him watching me with an intense fascination. “It’s like I’m seeing it for the first time.”

“Yeah,” he says, his throat working on a swallow as his brows pull in farther.

My eyes scan the rest of the room, only confirming my thoughts that Mason is a lot richer than I first thought, and judging by the look in his eye, maybe—for some reason—he doesn’t see the beauty in the world that surrounds him.

Large, grey sectional sofas surround the television, which is mounted on the wall. Magazines litter a rectangular padded footstool that sits on a rug in the centre.

A dining table is on the opposite side of the room, a large open space laying bare between the two areas. It would be the most beautiful spot to dance in as the city looked on.

“It’s beautiful, Mason,” I tell him.

“Thank you,” he says in earnest as he approaches me. “Would you like a drink?”

“Not of alcohol.” I waggle my eyebrows at him.

“Ah, of course. Wouldn’t want you intoxicated now, would we?”

I smile wide, feeling my dimple pop in my cheek. “Absolutely not. Water. Lots of water, please.”

He laughs as he leaves me, and I follow after him through to the state-of-the-art kitchen. He busies himself in the cupboards as I hop up onto the kitchen island, the cool marble teasing my bare thighs.

Handing me my water, he uses his hips to widen my legs, stepping between them and giving me a look that dares me to challenge him on the move. I lick my lips slowly, giving him the best come-fuck-me look I can muster.

I hardly know this man, yet he’s making me act more brazen than I have in years—maybe even ever. I don’t know what it is, but I’m drawn to him.

Reaching up, I run my finger across his split lip. He winces slightly, darting his tongue out across my finger.

“I’m sorry about Joey. Elliot already chased him off tonight,” I admit.

“He did?” Mason looks surprised but wears a knowing smirk.

“Yup, testosterone-filled teenage boys,” I say, shaking my head.

He smiles up at me, his hands sliding up my thighs to grasp my hips. “What is it you do for a living?”

“I’m a dancer. I own my own studio and gym.”

“In the city?”

“Yeah, in the city.” I smile as his brows rise in surprise. I love being able to tell people that at the age of twenty-eight, I own my own business. Pride spreads through me.

“How long have you been in London?” he asks with genuine interest.

“Since university. I moved here with Lucy in my first year. I lived with the girls for a while after that, but when I eventually opened the studio, I found myself a little place on my own so that I could be closer.”

“The girls?” he asks, circling his thumbs over my hip bones.

“Lucy, you met her tonight and Megan, my two best friends. We shared a two-bed for four years whilst we studied and then found our feet after. Took turns on the futon.” I grin as the memories of our uni days flash in my mind.

“They didn’t want to move with you?”

“What? To my one bed, one bathroom.” I laugh, pushing back on his chest as I look around at the dark grey units. “This place is beautiful, although I’d say my apartment is a little cosier.”

He studies the room around him as if trying to see it from my eyes.

“What do you do for a living?” I ask. “Where does all of this come from?”

“Once upon a time. My parents. We’ve tripled our fathers’ empire in the last five years,” he declares, his own pride shining through.

“You’re close with your parents?”

His beautiful face drops, making me regret my question. “I used to be with my dad. My mum died when I was four years old.” His reply comes out robotic, expressionless, like he’s already zoned out.

I run my fingers through the hair at the base of his neck, sensing he needs the physical touch.

“I’m so sorry, Mason.”

“Please. Don’t.” His eyes bore into mine, adrenaline coursing through my veins as he pins me with his stare. Slowly, he lowers his mouth to mine, coaxing my lips into a kiss so urgent it sets my body aflame.

Grasping the backs of my knees, he pulls me, so I’m sitting on the edge of the worktop, our bodies perfectly aligned. I feel his hard cock against my centre. He rolls his hips, and a shudder runs through me. His groan vibrates against my lips, and I feel it, all the way down there.

Our kiss turns desperate.

He pulls back as he bites my lip, making me moan out loud. I don’t let him go, though, my lips finding their way instinctively back to his, but he quickly forces us apart again.

“Fuck!” he yells, running his hands through his hair.

I smile up at him as he tries to compose himself. Annoyance at his lack of control evident in his stance.

“Bed. Now. You need to sleep,” he stresses.

“You need me to sleep more like… You just want me sober, don’t you, Bossman.”

He shakes his head, hands on hips.

“Where am I to sleep, Mr. Mason?” I ask cheekily, hopping down from the kitchen island.

“Where the fuck do you think, Pixie?”

“Pixie?” I frown. Mason is in on this too?

His face grows serious as if he has just realised what he’s said. Not wanting to kill the mood, I take off on a run from the kitchen, searching for the stairs. I can hear him close behind me, and I flick my head around as I hit the first step, spotting him rounding the corner. My breath catches with the excitement that lives in his eyes. I see him smile, and then everything goes dark.

I pause mid-step, my heart hammering in my chest. Hands dust my waist as warm lips find my ear. If I didn’t already know, the sheer strength and dominance in the body at my back would tell me it’s Mason.

I can smell him, feel him, taste him on my lips.

“Too late now, angel.” He uses his body to move mine forward, and as we reach the top step, he bends, lifting me over his shoulder.

“Wait!” I squeal.

We enter the bedroom, and I try to take in my surroundings, but all I can seem to focus on is the feel of his fingers as they dig into the tops of my thighs. The room is lit up in a soft glow from the city lights beyond the windows. Being upside down makes it impossible to make out anything else, though. “Bossman, put me down!”

I feel myself floating through the air before my back meets the soft sheets of a mattress. He hesitates only a second before lowering himself over me.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” he hums, his lips dropping into the crook of my neck.

I try to get closer, but he holds his body off of me, supporting his weight on his arms and not letting our bodies touch.

“Promise me when I’m sober—”

His head swoops down, cutting me off with a searing kiss. “I promise when you’re sober.” He smiles down at me, and my stomach flips again.

Slowly, he rises off me and leaves the room through one of the doors. I sit up quickly and look around at my surroundings, my hands fisting the silky-smooth sheets.

The bed is huge. Its plush navy headboard sits high against the white wall. There’s an ottoman at the base of the bed, a large shaggy rug covering the floor beneath it. The corner of the room is made up of floor-to-ceiling windows with double doors that give way to a wraparound balcony.

It’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen.

Mason comes back into the room from one of the two adjoining doors. He drops a T-shirt on the ottoman.

“Bed,” he demands.

Usually—like any other time in my life—I’d tell him to piss off. I mean, who does this man think he is?

But, the way he can look at me and make me feel so many things… I shut the hell up and go to the en suite to change.

I remove my dress and quickly pull the T-shirt over my head, fluffing my hair in the mirror then flattening it out again. I take a deep breath and open the door, only to be caught completely off guard when I find Mason in nothing but a pair of white boxer briefs. He has his back to me, his muscles flexing as he pulls back the bedsheet.

He turns, sensing my presence, his eyes dropping down the length of my body. “Come lay with me.”

And I do just that. I climb into his bed, lying on my side as his body mirrors mine. I feel the exhaustion of the past week take over my body, and my eyes grow heavy as I relax into the plush bedding.

The last thing I see as I drift off to sleep is the promise of more in the dark eyes of the beautiful man lying next to me.

* * *

I wake disorientedand confused in my surroundings. Sitting up, I look around the room until my eyes fall on the Adonis beside me.

Well, shit.

He lies on his back with one arm thrown up over his eyes, the sheet wrapped around his legs. The rest of his body is on full display.

He is magnificent.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a man in the flesh with such an incredible physique. Reaching out, I use my pointer finger to follow a large vein that runs the length of his forearm.

He groans but doesn’t wake, his hand coming down to rest on the comforter.

His torso is ripped with solid muscles, his chest taut. He has a light smattering of hair leading down into his boxers.

My eyes go wide when I spot his erection.

I promise when you’re sober.

I don’t know what comes over me, but I kneel beside him, slowly reaching my hand out to palm him through the thin fabric. His cock twitches at my touch, growing harder.

Oh, god! What am I doing?

I freeze, looking up into his eyes in a panic. He stares down at me with a raised brow. Reaching out, he slides a strand of hair behind my ear as if challenging me to continue.

Without a second thought, I slide his boxers from his hips and free him.

Precum glistens on the head, and I bend, my eyes locked on his as I lick the entire underside of him, then flick my tongue across the tip, tasting him.

He groans, grabbing hold of my head as I smile around him. I hollow my cheeks and draw him into my mouth, swirling my tongue across his silky-smooth skin with every bob of my head. My eyes are locked on him, unable to look away as I watch him fight for his control.

His body tenses as I take him to the back of my throat, making his abs ripple under my free hand.

Sensing him losing control, I take him deeper, suck harder, until he is pumping into my mouth relentlessly, his hands holding me where he wants me with an almost painful grip on my hair, and all I can do is take him.

“I’m going to come,” he warns.

I swallow around him, and he comes in a rush down my throat. I pull back, struggling to take all of him.

He breathes heavily, throwing his arm back over his eyes before breaking out in a deep chuckle.

I slowly pull back, my cheeks on fire from my arousal.

“Fuck. Is this a wind-up? Did Elliot pay you to do this to me?” He smiles.

I sit back in shock, my stomach turning. “You think I’m a prostitute?”

“What? No!” He reaches for me, trying to run his thumb over my chin, but I snap my head away and wipe it with my forearm.

My eyes burn as I look down at the sticky spot.

I think I’m going to be sick.

“I’ve got to go.” I start to scramble for my things.

“Wait! What? Nina, hold on a second.” He tries to untwist from the sheets, but I’m faster and make it out of the room and down the stairs before he can stop me. I rush to the elevator with my shoes and bag in hand, shimming my dress up my legs and discarding the T-shirt on the floor.

The elevator doors slide open, and I’m met with myself. I look into the mirror, tears burning behind my eyes.

All I see is her.

Just as the doors begin to close, Mason rushes forward, putting his body between them and forcing them back open.

He grabs me in a desperate hold.

“Get off me!” I yell, hiding my face from him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he demands. “Did Elliot fucking pay you last night?”

I snap my head up, looking straight through him. My chest feels like it’s cracking into two.

Does he honestly think that?

He can’t think that.

The first tear breaks the dam, and he releases me as if I’ve slapped him.

“Shit. Nina, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” He runs his hands through his hair, his eyes wild.

I slam my palms against his chest with everything inside me, pushing him back and clear of the doors.

“Leave me alone, Mason.”