Mason Book 2

LAUREN

“You seem a bit quiet today,” Athena observed, studying my face with a concerned look.

We were at our favorite restaurant, a place we often escaped to during our lunch breaks. Usually, Aaron and Jade would join us, but work had them tied up today.

“I know you tend to get a bit down around your dad’s anniversary, but you seem extra low today.”

I nodded, admitting, “Yeah, a bit. I’m selling my dad’s house. The deal with the buyer is already done.

“Next week, I’m heading over there to pack up what’s left. I’m thinking of donating most of it and keeping only the important stuff.”

After holding onto my childhood home for three years, I was finally ready to let it go.

It was the toughest decision I’d ever made, but there was no sense in clinging to something I’d never use again.

Plus, there had been three break-ins already. Everyone was hungry for a story. The media was obsessed with Mason lately. And, by extension, me.

Reporters seemed to be everywhere I went, covering my every move. They were desperate for any tidbits about my connection to Ginny Huddleston. They knew we had a history.

They’d been on that story for a while. They’d even broken into my childhood home and posted personal photos online. That had made me feel like absolute shit.

Mason wanted to sue them, but I wouldn’t let him. I did, however, let him install a security system in the house, and there hadn’t been any break-ins since.

Three years ago, my life had taken a turn for the better, but it came with a heavy price. I lost my parents. My childhood. Everything I thought I knew was shattered.

I discovered my real father was a mob boss, and my husband had worked for him. My emotions were trampled. I felt like I was on the verge of breaking down. I was free, but I felt trapped.

Just when I thought I was going to drown, Mason pulled me up. Those were our secrets. Our demons. Our shared pain.

To the world, he was cold and powerful, but to me, he was gentle and kind. With me, he let his guard down. Mason Campbell was my soulmate. My protector. He was a part of me.

“Oh, Lauren. Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”

“Yeah, I think it’s time,” I assured her.

I rubbed my stiff neck, my gaze drifting to the back of the restaurant. A man in the corner was watching me.

He quickly looked away when our eyes met, and my heart pounded in my chest. I was on high alert.

This wasn’t the first time I’d noticed a man watching me. It had happened twice in the past week. Different men, all keeping their distance.

I’d considered all the possible reasons why they might be watching me.

At first, I thought they might be reporters, but no reporter would stalk me for months, especially knowing I’d noticed them.

And there was something about them that just didn’t feel right.

I hadn’t told Mason about them. He’d already assigned two bodyguards to me, and I didn’t want to think about his reaction if he knew about this.

So, I decided to keep it to myself and see how things played out.

“I’ll help you pack, so don’t forget to call me and Aaron. He’d drop everything to help.”

I bit my lip to suppress a laugh, avoiding her knowing gaze. Athena was too good at reading me.

She knew me better than anyone. Nothing ever got past her.

“What did you do?” she asked, more curious than accusatory.

“Roland is coming too,” I revealed, watching her face register surprise.

Then she burst into laughter, tears welling in her eyes.

“You did not!”

“Well, you didn’t tell me Aaron was coming. How was I supposed to know? Besides, Roland invited himself, and I couldn’t say no.”

She laughed again. “I can’t believe you’d do that to Aaron. He’s going to kill you when he finds out.

“I’m not going to tell him. I want to see his face when he walks in and sees Roland.”

Aaron and Roland had broken up a year ago. They’d never shared the details, and I didn’t pry. It wasn’t my business. But Roland and I had remained friends, unbeknownst to Aaron.

Athena and I had been sneaking around behind his back, grabbing drinks with his ex whenever he was in town for work.

“Ma’am,” a voice called, and I looked up to see Rex.

Next to him stood Inigo. Both were tall, built like professional wrestlers, and trained in combat.

They’d both served in the army. Rex and Inigo were like ghosts: they could appear and disappear at will.

They were slick. Intimidating. And they were my bodyguards. They were my shadows, always right there with me.

“Is it time already?” I asked, checking my watch. I flashed Athena a smile, sliding off my chair and straightening my clothes. “Sorry, but I have to go. Call me?”

She gave me a half-smile. “Yeah, sure.”

I reached into my purse and laid five hundred-pound notes on the table.

“I know you’re richer than me, but I can afford to pay for lunch.” Athena shot me a playful glare, and I chuckled. I gave her a quick hug and headed out the door with Rex and Inigo following close behind.

The summer sun warmed my face as I stepped outside. The weather had been unusually warm lately, the air soft and velvety, but there was a sweet scent in the air today.

Inigo opened the back door of the car for me. Once I was inside, he shut the door and took his place in the front seat.

“Enjoy your lunch, ma’am?” Coop asked from the driver’s seat.

“I did. I’m still waiting for you to accept my invitation.”

He let out a hearty laugh. “I’m afraid that won’t happen, ma’am.”

Inigo hit the intercom button, like he always did. “We’re good to go.”

He was talking to Rex, who was driving the car behind us. They took turns driving my car every day.

I told Mason it was unnecessary, but he had a knack for ignoring me when it came to my safety.

The car eased onto the road.

Coop and I dove into a deep conversation. We laughed and joked, and he shared stories about his new girlfriend.

I had played matchmaker for their first date, and they’d been going strong for three months now. Rex and Inigo didn’t really talk. They always kept a poker face, acting like I wasn’t there.

Apparently, that was part of their training. To not interact and always stay alert.

When the car stopped, Indigo got out and came back a few minutes later. The back door opened, and a little head peeked in. Silver eyes met mine. His grin widened.

“Mommy!” He flung his little arms around my neck, and I lifted him onto my lap, hugging him tightly.

Arden.

He was mine and Mason’s. Our three-year-old little boy.

He pulled back and looked at me with eyes that were the spitting image of his father. His dark hair was tousled, neatly trimmed on the sides. Arden looked more like Mason every day.

“How was school, sweetheart?” I asked, settling him down next to me.

Arden’s face lit up before he unzipped his bag and handed me a piece of paper. I took it and smiled warmly at the picture he had drawn of the two of us.

I loved him so much.

When I found out I was pregnant with him, I panicked because I didn’t think I’d be a good mother. But the moment I held him in my arms, I knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do for him.

“You didn’t draw Daddy.”

His little eyes widened as he clapped his hands over his mouth in surprise, and I laughed, ruffling his hair. “Don’t worry. You can draw Daddy at home, can’t you?”

He nodded.

The gate opened, and Coop drove down a path that led us to the large building, where we stopped. Coop opened the door for Arden and helped him out while Inigo opened the door for me.

I thanked them, took Arden’s little hand in mine, and climbed up the stairs.

“Welcome home, ma’am,” Amelia greeted me as soon as we walked inside.

Arden let go of my hand to rush and hug her.

I had hired Amelia when Arden was just seven months old. She had been a huge help with him over the past few years, and Arden loved her too.

Whenever I couldn’t be there for him, she would step in for me, but I tried to spend every minute with my son.

“Thank you, Amelia.”

She picked him up and walked upstairs, leaving me to head to the kitchen and pour a glass of wine. I knew Mason was still at work, so I didn’t bother looking for him.

I went upstairs and changed, then went to Arden’s room to help him with his homework.

We ate and played together for hours. I FaceTimed Beth, who still lives in America, but she visits London every now and then.

When she moved, I was worried we would drift apart because of the distance, but our friendship was still as strong as ever. It was like she never left.

We called and texted each other constantly. She had a wealthy British boyfriend who was a notorious player. Beth made him work for it before she agreed to date him.

It was around eight p.m. I put Arden to bed and read him a bedtime story. I went back to my room, stripped down, and got into the tub.

All the stress seemed to melt away, leaving me with a peaceful mind.

I didn’t hear the bathroom door open, but I felt him before I saw him. A grin spread across my face as his cologne filled the bathroom.

A tingle spread through my arms, filling my body. My stomach fluttered. When I saw him, my heart pounded in my chest. There was this intense pull between us.

Even after three years, I still craved this man.

“You’re back.”

“Sorry, I’m late.” He was dressed in a custom-tailored suit, but the jacket was left unbuttoned. His clothes were wrinkle-free, but he was missing the tie he had been wearing that morning.

His eyes were heavy. He looked tired. Only Mason could look hot when he was tired.

He knelt at the edge of the tub and took my hand, turning it over to place a soft kiss on my palm. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yeah, but it was quiet and boring. I had lunch with Athena, though, so that made the day a little more interesting.”

A smile crossed his lips, and he dipped his other hand into the water, stirring it slowly.

“I wanted to come see you at work, but I got caught up in meetings and stuff I needed to sort out.”

“I understand.” I turned toward him a little and ran my fingers through his smooth hair. He closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re tired.”

He rested his cheek on my palm and groaned softly. “Tough day, Lauren.”

He comes home like this every day. I thought he would ease up a bit and not overwork himself.

But Mason didn’t like to rest. He was always working, pushing himself to the limit. I worried that something would happen to him if he didn’t slow down.

“Do you want me to put you to bed?”

His shoulders shook with laughter. “Will you read me a bedtime story?”

I pulled my fingers from his hair and pinched his arm. “I’ll tuck you in too,” I joked.

Mason lifted his head and looked into my eyes, and a flicker of emotion crossed his face. I licked my lips, and his eyes darted to my mouth.

With a heated look, his hand in the water began to trace my leg, moving his fingers in a slow caress, up and down.

I was having trouble breathing now.

“Mason.”

Mason slipped his hands under me in the tub, lifting me up with him as we left the water behind. He didn’t bother with the towel on the floor, instead carrying me straight to the bedroom.

He gently set me down on the bed, leaning in close. His head found the crook of my shoulder and neck, his breath warm as he kissed his way down my throat.

Mason held me close, his grip firm. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers pressing into his skin. He drew in a sharp breath at my touch.

His voice was a soft murmur against my skin. “I can’t believe you’re mine, Lauren. You’re the only one who can calm me down. Your touch... it makes me feel alive, warm.

“Every time I have to leave, all I can think about is coming back to you. I don’t know what I’d do if you ever left me.”

I kissed his neck in response. “I’m yours, Mason. I’ll always be by your side. Nothing’s going to change that.”

He pulled back, his eyes meeting mine. We were so close I could count his eyelashes.

“But what if there’s someone out there who wants to hurt us? Who wants to take you away from me?”

His voice was gentle, but the fear in his eyes made my heart skip a beat.

I knew what happened three years ago still haunted us. We’d almost lost each other so many times, and Mason couldn’t forget that. He still carried that fear with him.

It ruled his thoughts and controlled his heart.

I leaned in and kissed his lips.

His gray eyes were dark with desire as he traced a line down my bare shoulder. His touch sent a shiver through me, followed by a rush of heat.

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

He didn’t answer, just rested his forehead against mine and cupped my face in his hand. “No.” His thumb brushed my cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Everything’s fine.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“I didn’t mean to scare you, love.”

I tilted my head, not buying it for a second. There was something he wasn’t telling me. Something that was tearing him up inside.

“Are we okay?”

“Hm?” He kissed my cheek. “Nothing’s going to happen.”

I tightened my grip on his shoulders. “To us,” I clarified, and he nodded.

“Nothing’s going to happen to us.” He kissed me again, then pulled back to whisper, “I’ll always protect you and Arden, Lauren. Nothing’s ever going to happen to you.”

He kissed my cheek. “Ever.” Then my lips.

His kiss was passionate, his tongue sweeping over mine. My fingers tangled in his hair, matching his fervor. I tugged at his jacket, wanting to feel his hard, muscular body against mine.

When he gently pushed me back onto the bed, he hovered over me, capturing my lips once more.

God.

I loved him.