Wicked Lil' Brat(26)

There's only one reason that she could have been here. Only one thing she could have been doing.

"Becca," Mason says to me, looking at me. As much as he acts the completely dominant alpha-male around me, I see in his eyes true concern for what's going on in my head. He takes a step closer to me. "Listen to me before you jump to any conclusions."

"There's no conclusions to jump to, Mason," I tell him, surprising myself with how calm and cool I sound. "I think I have a pretty fair idea what you two were up to."

Mason sighs. "We didn't fuck, if that's what you mean."

Maybe he sees me wince as he says the word fuck. I'm imagining my mother claiming him. My Mason being conquered by Mom. Taken away from me.

Maybe because I start trembling.

"Hey," Mason says and I'm about to respond but the fact that I'm about to lose this man to someone as vile and deceitful and conniving as my mother is enough to make my knees tremble.

The next thing I know, Mason has his arms wrapped around me and he's holding me from falling.

My knees have given way and had Mason not held me, I would have crumpled to the floor.

But holding me up is seriously about as much effort on Mason's part as maybe opening a door.

With ease and almost no exertion, he picks me up and starts walking to his bedroom.

"What's the matter with you today, babe?" he asks, his eyes finding mine as he walks into the bedroom.

I shake my head.

I mean, you're probably even rolling your eyes at me right now, aren't you. You're used to getting to know strong, confident, sexually mature women whenever you sit down with Alexis.

Why am I acting like this? I mean, you remember when I first met Mason? That was me. I was strong. Confident. An independent and sexual woman who wasn't afraid to go after what I wanted.

But now, it seems that I've turned into this 21-year-old hapless little damsel in distress, doesn't it?

If you only knew what I went through that brings these memories back. If you only knew the things--

"Babe," Mason says as he puts me on his bed, taking off his shoes and getting in next to me. "Tell me what the fuck is going on. Is this because of Lorna?"

I mean, it is and it isn't.

"There's nothing going on with me and her," he says through clenched teeth. "I know it looks bad, considering the fact that she is legally married to me."

I close my eyes, trying to will the thought away. The fact that Mom is married to him makes it feel like daggers being thrown at my face.

Mason sees this and he immediately runs his hand down my cheek.

"Hey, babe," he says, his voice soft. "Look at me."

It takes me a moment, but eventually I open my eyes and look at him.

"I will never, ever touch that woman," he tells me, his eyes piercing into mine. "I will never be with her. Never have an intimate moment with her. I swear. You will never have to worry about that. The marriage wasn't even a ceremony … just paperwork. It's not even worth talking about."

Maybe it's the intensity by which he says it, or maybe it's how he's looking at me, but I believe him.

I do. I swear. I may not know all of what's going on, but I know at least that he's telling me the truth.

Please, don't worry about me, okay? Instead, just help me figure out what's going on with Mason.

"Why are you guys even married in the first place?" I ask him, my eyes flashing curiosity as he smiles. "I mean, what the fuck?"

He shrugs. "I'm still trying to figure out what she can get from me," Mason says to me, as his hands run idly down the curves of my body. "All I know is that I need to be careful. She's been after my company for a long time."

"Kane Price?" I ask. He nods.

"She's had her eye on it since before I went public," he says to me. "She had her fucking eye on it even while her dad was alive. She'll do anything to get it."

"She'll do anything to get what she wants," I say, and almost instinctively I scooch closer on the bed next to him. I wrap my arms around him. "Don't let her get you, please."

Mason wraps his arms around me.

"What did she ever do to you?" he asks, genuinely concerned. I mean, come on. The way I'm acting would concern anyone.

"There's too much hurt and too much pain with her, Mason," I tell him, nestling my face into his chest. "She's taken too much."

There's a pause from Mason as he kisses the top of my head.

"Has she ever taken someone you loved?" he asks me.

I draw my head back and look him in the eye.

I'm astonished, you know?

It's like this guy is so attuned to how I think. He knows me on a deeper level.

I mean, I didn't even tell you some of the things that Mom has done to me. But he seems to know just by holding me.