Mason (Trinity Academy 2)

I feel Kingsley yank against the door, and not thinking, I bend down and throw her over my shoulder.

“Mason!” she shrieks.

I carry her back to the bedroom and drop her on the bed, then go to lock the door and pocket the key so she can’t leave the room until we’re done talking. I take a couple of deep breaths before I turn around to face her.

“What the hell are you doing?” she hisses at me as she gets off the bed and stalks toward me.

As pissed off as I am, I can’t help but notice how fucking beautiful she is when she’s angry.

“Can you calm down for one minute and just hear what I’m saying?” I ask, my voice tense with anger.

She turns her face away from me and closes her eyes for a couple of seconds before she brings her blazing gaze back to me. “I am not some business deal. A contract? Have you lost your mind? If you can’t trust me, then what the hell would be the point of having a relationship with me?”

Fucking hell, how am I going to get her to listen to me?

I take a step toward her, but she quickly moves back and holds her hand up between us. “I swear I will lose my shit if you touch me.”

I take another deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Kingsley,” I say, not quite sure how I’m going to fix this mess. “You don’t understand. I ne –”

“Oh, I understand.” She places her hands on her hips and shakes her head at me.

I suck my bottom lip between my teeth to keep from responding in anger.

“Don’t do that,” she snaps.

“Do what?” I ask, confused.

“Don’t do that lip thing. You can’t look hot while I’m fighting with you.”

I let out a burst of laughter, because fuck, this woman will be the end of me.

The laughter fades away as I lock eyes with her. “I’ve never had a serious relationship before, and I’m really trying here.”

Pain flashes over her face, and sounding disappointed, she whispers, “Mason, if you can’t trust me, then you don’t know me at all.” She moves back and sits down on the bed. “Ugh. This is so hard.”

After a while, she gets up again and holds out her hand to me. “Give me the key.”

Bringing my hand to my face, I wipe tiredly over my eyes before I say, “Neither of us is leaving this room until we’ve resolved this.”

“Seriously?” She crosses her arms. “It’s resolved, Mason. I won’t be in a committed relationship with a guy who can’t trust me.”

Before I can open my mouth to tell her she misunderstood about the NDA, she continues, “I have to ask,” her voice begins to tremble, and I hate when her eyes start to shine, “Have I ever given you any reason to not trust me? Yes, we’ve only known each other for a couple of months, but when have I ever done anything to make you doubt my character?”

“Hunt,” I say, trying to get her to shut up for a second.

“Have you heard me tell people we slept together?”

“Kingsley, shut up,” I snap, just needing a fucking second.

“It really hurts, Mason. I had to trust you with my life twice, and you want me to sign a document?”

“Woman! Shut the fuck up so I can just get a moment to speak!” I shout.

Her eyes widen, but at least she’s quiet.

“I never said I want you to sign a fucking NDA.”

She begins to blink as if she still doesn’t understand what I’m saying.

“Did you hear what I just said?” I let out a frustrated breath. “I was just telling you about the fucking document, but I never said I didn’t trust you and you had to sign it.”

“You didn’t?” she asks, the anger draining from her face and leaving her with a look of embarrassment. She lifts her shoulders and pulls an awkward face. “Oops.”

“Oops?” I let out a heavy breath. “You just lost your shit and oops?”

Kingsley glances down at her hands where she’s wringing them, then she whispers, “I’m sorry. I really thought you wanted me to sign the thing.”

“Then I would’ve had you sign it before I fucked you the first time,” I remind her.

“True.” Her shoulders slump, and she looks downright miserable. “Trust me to ruin the moment.”

“Can I touch you now?” I ask to make sure it’s safe. “Or are you going to slap me again?”

Looking apologetic, Kingsley does this fucking cute thing with her mouth where she presses her lips together and glances up at me with huge blue eyes. “I’m sorry I slapped you.”

“And you won’t do it again.”

Her lips begin to lift at the side, but only slightly. “I won’t do it again.”

When I don’t move, she places her hands behind her back and takes two steps closer to me.