The Price of Mason (Forbidden Men 10)

My sister only giggled. “You’re weird.”

“Weird?” I gasped in feigned outrage. “If I’m weird, it’s only because you like me best that way.” Then I commenced to tickle her until she was laugh-screaming for me to stop.

Chuckling, I had mercy on her and kissed her forehead before telling her goodbye and slipping out the back door.

My mother had been right though, I was happier these days. Even when I was miserable over missing Reese, things had been better than they’d been before.

Needing a fix from my source of happiness, I visited the library that afternoon. I’d spotted Reese on the other side of the quad earlier in the day, but that just wasn’t enough for me. I needed more.

Since I knew she worked part-time at the college library on days she didn’t babysit Sarah, I went there, hoping she might be on duty.

I struck pay dirt a few minutes later when I caught sight of her organizing books on a shelf up on a small, second-floor browsing area. My first instinct was to bounce right up there and say hi. But this joyous bubbling sensation in my chest had me freaked out, wondering if I’d just make a huge fool of myself if I approached her right now in the overly eager mood I was in.

So I found a butt-ugly green couch to crash on, not far from where she was working, and I pulled her copy of The Chamber of Secrets from my messenger bag, deciding to read until she noticed me and she did the approaching.

But that plan backfired when Monica, of all people, appeared in front of me, trying to get lucky. I had thought I had her convinced to stay away from me, but Patricia must’ve gotten into her head and bolstered her ego or something. She was more persistent than ever. And sadly, I couldn’t bitch her out like I had last time—not with Reese being so close and within hearing distance. I tried to keep it low-key and reject Monica as subtly as possible. But she ended up leaving me her business card before strolling off, and I could only imagine how awful the whole encounter looked to Reese… If she’d even noticed at all.

I risked a glance her way, but she seemed intent on her work, so I couldn’t tell if she’d detected her English professor’s brief presence or not.

I was about to just stand up and go talk to her already when a smirking Eva strolled up, her arms crossed over her chest and expression full of evil mischief.

Ah, hell. This could not be good.

“Well, look who’s hanging out in a library, actually reading,” she greeted. “Or is that just a front to meet some horny skank?”

I could barely blink at her before she slapped Reese’s book from my hands, sending it crashing to the floor, and she sat on my lap in its place.

“What the hell?” I hissed, leaning backward away from her.

She looped her arms around my neck and loudly claimed, “I just saw Dr. Janison up here. Isn’t she one of your regulars?” Then she leaned in and more quietly whispered, “I told you to stay away from her or I’d make you pay. Well, rent’s due, buddy.”

“Eva,” I growled. “Get off me.” I tried to tug her off by grabbing her wrist and pulling, but she didn’t budge.

“So, did you two actually do it up here,” she went on conversationally, lifting her voice again because I’m sure she knew Reese was close and could hear us, “or were you only setting up your next appointment? Personally, I think it’d be hot to do it in some place public. Like a library. Except we’d have to be too quiet.”

Shifting my face to the side, I gnashed my teeth and lifted my hands, not sure what else to do. “Seriously, you need to get off me. Now.”

“Seriously,” she repeated smugly. “You need to loosen up.”

She started touching me the way I hated it most when clients touched me, and a sick, cold dread consumed me, because I knew Reese could see.

She could see exactly what I was.

A part of me died, knowing another one of my dirty truths was being revealed to her. Because this was me; this was what people did to me, and I let them.

“So, I’m not drunk now,” Eva went on, killing all sense of hope and light inside me. “You don’t have to be a gentleman any longer. Still want to turn me down?”

“Yes,” I seethed, restraining myself as best as I could to keep from bodily harming Reese’s cousin. “I’m not going to sleep with you, Mercer. Ever.”

“Why?” she growled, losing her evil, playful edge and growing just plain pissed. “Because I’m not one of your professors? Because I can’t give you an automatic A for every orgasm well received?”

I shook my head, just wanting this over. She’d already accomplished her mission and allowed Reese to see me as the filthy whore. Why was she drawing the torture out? Could I not just crawl off and waste

away in peace now?

“Actually, there are several reasons,” I said. “And none of them have to do with that. First of which, you have a boyfriend. Not to mention, I don’t want to have sex with you, plus your cousin is—”

“Don’t you dare mention Reese,” she hissed. “She’s been through enough and doesn’t need another loser asshole hurting her. So just stay away. Got it?”