The Price of Mason (Forbidden Men 10)

My arms tightened around her, unable to let go. “Reese. Please.”

Tipping her head forward as if torn, she said, “You might not have charged me a fee, but kissing you is too big of a price for me. I didn’t sign up for this. Now let me go.”

Fuck. I choked out my denial and then loosened my hold enough that she

could push free with ease. Which she did.

And then she was gone.

Yeah, I don't think I want to confess anymore. You can see for yourself what happened next.

Shaky and uncertain that I was really doing the right thing, I blew out a breath and then inhaled slowly, trying to clear my head. Everything inside me wanted me to chase after Reese. Forget Patricia; I wanted to be with Reese.

But I had to make sure Reese was safe first.

I’m not sure how long I took to bolster myself into walking next door, but I finally shook the hesitation and regret from my limbs, left my house, and kept my promise to Reese by remaining outside, just barely easing through the gate that separated my yard from the landlady’s.

Patricia stood at the back door, waiting on me. When she saw me, she held it open, but I shook my head, refusing to move closer.

“Can you make this little talk quick?” I growled. “My sister is home alone.”

Patricia made my skin crawl with the pleasure in her voice as she said, “Well, it looks like you’re already worked up and ready to go, so don’t worry. I doubt it’ll take us long at all.”

“It’s not going to happen,” I promised. “And do you mind never spying on me again? Your rude, creepy vibe just went through the roof.”

She fluttered out a non-concerned shrug, her silhouette showing me that she was wearing a silk robe and little else. “I thought you said the little babysitter was just your friend.”

“And I thought I said it was none of your damn business,” I bit back. “That part’s still true.”

“Tsk, tsk. There’s no reason to be insolent, Mason.”

“Jesus, why do you care if I get a girlfriend or not? What do you care if I have sex with every female in Florida? You’re the one who sent me to other women in the first place.”

“But, darling, sex is not the problem. Everything would’ve been perfectly fine if you’d only screwed her and moved on. It’s you falling in love with her that’s the problem. Because once you fall in love, you’ll want to be all monogamous or some such horseshit. I know you, you will. And judging by the way you look at her, you already have. But I can’t allow it. I can’t allow some silly little twit cheerleader of a girl to play havoc on my extracurricular activities. I’m not finished with you yet.”

“Well, I assumed you were. You brought your fiancé over to Sarah’s party and paraded him around in front of my mother like you were taunting her for not having her own man. You don’t need me anymore.”

“Mason, Mason, Mason, you poor deluded boy. You couldn’t be further from the truth. Ted is a dear, sweet man. Rich, charming, handsome. In fact, I will love being married to him.”

“Then you probably shouldn’t cheat on him,” I snarled, tempted to turn away and leave this stupid conversation where it was; we were repeating old arguments and getting nowhere, and it was aggravating as hell. But I knew she hadn’t played her ace yet. I had to learn what she had against Reese.

“But, sweetie. I won’t be able to help it. He just doesn’t do it for me in the bedroom. Not the way I’ve trained you to. I need you more than you realize.”

“Well, that’s too bad, because I’m never touching you again. We haven’t been behind on our rent in over a year.”

She hummed out a sympathetic sound as if she felt concerned for me. “Well… With inflation and the economy the way it is, I’m afraid I might have to raise your rent.”

“I don’t care,” I hissed. “We’ll pay it. Whatever it is. And if it gets too ridiculous, we’ll just move. You have no hold over me whatsoever.”

Patricia chuckled softly.

“Is that so?” she murmured. “And what if I called a certain police officer I know to tell him about an illegal prostitution scandal going on over at the Country Club?”

“Go ahead,” I challenged, beginning to wonder if she had any troublesome information about Reese at all. Had she just played me? Again? “I don’t give a damn. I’ve already stopped taking clients anyway. No one is going to arrest me for speculation and since I’m finished, no one can catch me in the act.”

“Wow, you think you have it all figured out, don’t you?” She shook her head slowly.

“Yeah, for once, I do. Now when are you going to get it through your thick head that it’s over? I will never have sex with you again. There’s nothing you can say or do to get me to walk back into your house.”