Fascination: (Billionaire Venture Capitalist #9): A Friends to Lovers Romance

by Ainsley St Claire

  “He’s a shit,” I declare.

  “I only liked him because we played football together at Stanford and had something in common, but after what happened with Emerson, I cut off all contact with him.”

  “That’s a big piece of the puzzle,” Cora shares. “We can work with that.”

  “This move places him squarely in your crosshairs. He had to know that,” Dillon states.

  “Agreed.”

  Suddenly all of my friends and family arrive, and of course, they all start to talk to me at once. Unexpectedly, I see Mason racing up in his Tesla. He runs it up the sidewalk and parks it illegally, leaving the door open as he hops the police tape and comes running over. “Are you okay?” Pulling me into his arms, he holds me tight and we kiss. I feel calm and safe again.

  A clapping sound starts, and we break apart to see all of our friends are clapping and celebrating. We hold hands, and I giggle. Looking up at Mason, I see he has a grin as wide as mine. “I guess we should tell them.”

  “Oh, we already knew when he left the hospital and moved into your place, but you two were playing it so cool,” Hadlee exclaims.

  Everyone congratulates us, but it’s very short-lived as they want to know what happened. I walk them through the evening’s events as I did with Dillon and Emerson.

  “I knew I never liked those rideshare program apps. They’re just strangers,” my mom chastises.

  “Mom, I’ve taken thousands of rides. I always check the driver, the license plate, and the make of the car. This time it was different. This guy stalked me, waiting for the right moment. It’s safe,” I stress.

  “You’re not safe. You were driven around the Bay Area for the last three hours by some strange man who was ranting and raving.”

  “Mom, you know what saved me? It was that silly window breaker you gave me after I put my car in the creek when I was twenty-two.”

  “I’m very proud of you, sweetheart, and we're all glad you’re okay,” my dad says.

  As we’re breaking up to head home, Mason stops, eyes wide. “Wait! Van der Wolfe! That’s it! Cora, one of the hackers you arrested. I know who he is. He was the bartender at the hotel where Emerson was assaulted. There’s a connection between Adam and one of the hackers.”

  “Are you sure?” Cora presses.

  “Yes, I remember because I always thought it was different that he had a three-word last name.”

  “Excuse me,” Cora says as she steps away from the group. We watch her make a phone call. It’s brief, and then she rejoins us. “Mason, you’re right. Thomas Van der Wolfe worked at the hotel. We might be able to get him to turn on Adam with this leverage. Thanks, Mason.”

  I swear Mason’s chest puffs up a little bit more.

  “We may have found your hacker and his reason for targeting you,” Cora continues.

  My dad steps in. “It’s getting late, sweetheart, and you look exhausted. We need to get you home.”

  Everyone nods their agreement.

  The San Jose policemen look a little confused. “I’ll get you a signed statement,” Marci informs them. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to have a great lawyer and so many people around me who love me so unconditionally.

  As the officers start to object, Cora hands them her business card. “We’ve got this. If you have any further questions, please contact my office.”

  Cora looks at Marci. “Can she come into our offices tomorrow morning? We’d like to go through everything that happened. We should have the 911 call by eight, so maybe we can meet at ten?”

  Marci looks at me questioningly. I nod.

  “Great, I’ll see you then,” Cora tells me. “Mason, why don’t you join us, too?”

  “Sure thing,” Mason replies. “I think I need to get CeCe home.”

  “Please,” I agree. Everyone hugs me goodbye, each with affirmations of friendship and love. While I know that should make me feel positively elated, I’m exhausted and truly grateful to have a ride home in a safe car.

  As we walk back to Mason’s car hand in hand, I see Trey pat him on the back and say something I can’t hear. Once we get settled in the car and are driving north, I ask, “What did Trey say to you?”

  “Just that he’ll cut my balls off if I hurt you.” He subconsciously reaches for his crotch.

  I laugh really hard.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “The fact that my big brother thinks he could do that.”

  I reach over and grab his hand. “I’ve waited my entire life for you. I’ve known for a very long time that you were the one for me. We’re going to be just fine. And now that we have SHN’s issue figured out, we just need to figure out mine.”

  Chapter nineteen

  CeCe

  “CeCe, wake up. We’re home.” Mason lightly shakes my shoulder.

  Where am I? We were just leaving San Jose, but looking around, I see I’m in my garage at home. How did I get here? I look at my phone and notice the time. I can’t believe I slept all the way home.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

  “You were tired. I totally understand. Don’t worry about it. You need to rest. You’ve been going nonstop for weeks. I know you’re exhausted.”

  I nod, still a little disoriented. I just want to curl up in my bed and go back to sleep.

  Once the garage door shuts, Mason gets out of the car and walks around to open my door. “Let’s get you upstairs and into bed. We’re going to sleep until we can’t stand it tomorrow.”

  “I called Jim and let him know what happened. We’re going to meet him here at the house and they’ll drive us over to Cora’s in the morning.”

  I nod.

  Angela swings the door open. “Miss Caroline, you’re okay. I was so worried when I saw the news.” She gives me a hug.

  “Thank you. It was scary, but everything’s okay.”

  “You probably didn’t have dinner. What can I make you?”

  I’m more alert now, shaking the sleep from my brain. “Thank you, Ang, but I think I’m going to just go to bed.”

  “No problem.” She steps aside so I can walk upstairs. “I’ll be ready to make you a big breakfast in the morning.”

  Mason takes me by the hand and begins leading me upstairs. “We’ll probably leave about eight thirty. I’ll get her downstairs at eight. She’ll need protein to make it through the interviews tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be ready,” she announces.

  “Let’s get you in bed,” he says.

  “Mason, are you trying to get in my pants?” I flirt.

  “Normally that would be my plan, but tonight I want you to sleep. I can head back to my apartment if you’d like.”

  “I can sleep in the same bed and not have sex with you.”

  “I know you can, but the question is, can I?”

  “I need a shower,” I announce. “What time did I agree to be at Marci’s?

  “At nine. We’ll go over to Cora’s from there.” Mason sits on the bed to remove his socks. The light captures him and distracts me. When he pulls his shirt over his head and I see his chiseled chest, I want to forget the shower and just jump on him. I’m fully awake now, and my body has missed him so much.

  “I think if we aim for leaving the house at eight thirty, we’ll have thirty minutes to get the twenty-two blocks. That should be enough to get there on time. I alerted Jim’s team.”

  “Thank you.” I feel gross from spending three hours with Adam.

  I start taking my clothes off as I walk to the bathroom, dropping clothes as I go figuring, I’ll pick them up in the morning. “I guess what you’re trying to tell me is that moving forward, Jim’s team is going to be driving me everywhere.”

  “Yes, with everything going on and after this mess, it’s the smart thing to do. Ces, I can’t tell you how worried I was when I got the message. I don’t know what I would have done had he done anything to you. And he won’t be the last. We need to recognize that for a while, if it isn’t me d
riving you, then it’ll be someone from Jim’s team.”

  Before today I would have fought and made a scene that I didn’t need a constant companion, but now I know differently. It isn’t just Adam, though. Someone is gunning for my company, and I can’t give up and let them win.

  I turn on the shower and let it heat up before I step in. As the hot water rains down on me, I have the pressure at the highest I can stand. I want to wash away any scent of Adam. I remember back to when I got the call from Emerson that morning. She woke to find herself in a hotel room; Adam drugged her drink and took advantage of her. I wanted her to go to the police so badly, but she had already showered and was angry and embarrassed that she got herself in the situation.

  I kept trying to tell her that she shouldn’t be angry at herself, she should be angry at Adam, but it was incredibly private. I didn’t understand, but I wasn’t going to push it. She’s a lawyer, and she knew they always seem to blame the victim in those kinds of cases. She was also worried what the guys at work would do. We now know they would have hurt Adam badly, but together Dillon and I did something that may have started this.

  I lean my head against the shower when it hits me.

  Shit.

  It may be my fault that Adam went after SHN.

  Getting out of the shower, I remember he let it slip that he had taken pictures of Emerson while he hurt her, and we knew there were others. I talked to the district attorney, but he couldn’t do anything, so I asked for Dillon’s help, and we found some black hat hackers to erase Adam’s cloud server. We had a pickpocket go after his phone, and we dumped all his electronics in a deep bath of saltwater. It hurt Adam. And now he’s taken his revenge. One bad deed begets another.

  Walking into my bedroom, I see Mason propped up, fast asleep with some reports on his lap. Apparently I’m not the only one who’s exhausted. He looks so peaceful; I don’t want to disturb him. I put the reports on the side table and kiss him lightly on the forehead. Grabbing a T-shirt from the drawer, I pop it on and crawl between the sheets, snuggling in close. Half asleep he pulls me in and we spoon, and I fall right to sleep.

  I roll over and look at the clock next to my bed—4:00 a.m. My brain is spinning. Why did Adam go for me now? Who’s trying to kill my company? What will I do if Mason decides the world I live in is too much?

  Then it hits me. Since we went after Adam ourselves, that explains why he’d want to hurt SHN, and it could be why he went after me. But even though he didn’t mention Metro, could he be behind the problems we’re having as well? What about Liam? Could a defenseless little baby be at risk to get back at Emerson and Dillon? What’s going to happen today? Am I at risk of going to jail if I admit what Dillon and I did? I can’t go back to sleep. Running away seems like a good idea.

  “Are you okay?” Mason asks, still half asleep.

  “I’m sorry I woke you. I can’t go back to sleep.”

  “I’m sorry. Do you want me to hold you?”

  “No, you should go back to sleep. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think I’ll go get on the treadmill downstairs and work off some of my energy.”

  Mason’s eyes spring open. “You’re going to work out?”

  He knows me so well. I can’t help but smile. “I know, it’s not my typical way of dealing with stress, but maybe this is what will make me feel better.”

  “Okay, sweetheart.” He drifts back to sleep in a matter of moments. I wish I was more like him—able to sleep regardless of what’s going on around him.

  With my earbuds in, I put on an audiobook I’ve been listening to and get on the treadmill. I set it at a fast walking pace, and I walk for the next twenty-five minutes. It’s probably been three years since I was in this room. Working out isn’t really my thing. By the end, I’m out of breath, my face is bright pink, and I feel sweaty and gross, but I head upstairs feeling better. I have the energy to meet the day. Maybe this workout thing isn’t such a bad idea, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.

  I take a quick shower and get ready, including blowing my hair out. Going in search of my Christian Louboutin black pumps, I look over at Mason, who’s still sleeping. We promised to meet Marci early today. I can go without him, though he’d be upset with me if I did. But he’s clearly exhausted himself; so many things have come to fruition so close to one another.

  I sit down next to him. Leaning in, I softly kiss him on the lips. “Hey, sleepyhead. If you’re going to join me this morning, you need to get up.”

  Mason kisses me back, his tongue pressing against my lips for entrance. “You smell so good. I thought you were going to work out.”

  “I did.” I nod toward the clock. “Look at the time. We agreed to meet Jim’s team in a little over a half hour.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realize I was so tired.”

  “What would you like for breakfast?” I ask as I stand up.

  “I think I’d like you for breakfast.” He looks at me, his eyes hooded.

  “That’s incredibly tempting, but I hate to make so many people who are coming in on a Saturday morning wait for us.”

  “You’re right. I hate that you’re right, but”—he takes my hand and guides it to his hard cock—“this is all for you.”

  “And tonight we’ll see if we can make it fall off.”

  He throws his head back and laughs. “I’m game if you are.” Throwing the covers back, he starts to get out of bed. “I’ll take a quick shower, and then we can head downstairs together. Angela should have breakfast ready for you.”

  While I wait, I look through my PeopleMover page and check emails. I’m not even done when he comes out looking good enough to eat. How is it that men can get ready so quickly and look amazing in under ten minutes?

  He extends his hand, and together we walk downstairs and into the kitchen. The simple gesture makes me feel special.

  “Good morning, Miss Caroline and Mr. Mason. I see you’re on the news this morning.” She points to the television in the corner of the kitchen.

  I look at it and realize someone caught everything on a cell phone camera. They captured me standing at the crime scene, talking to the police, and all of my friends arriving, including Mason rushing up and wrapping his arms around me, followed by a passionate kiss.

  This is not good. My stomach drops to the floor. “I hope you’re ready, because the paparazzi now have you in their sights,” I tell Mason.

  “I can manage.” He scoops a bite of eggs that Angela placed in front of him and winks at me.

  “Tell me when you’re done with their mess.”

  “Done with their mess? They’ll get bored with us just like they did with Trey and Sara.”

  “They didn’t get bored with them. Trey and Sara go out of their way to not be seen and work hard at their privacy.”

  “And we’ll do the same.”

  “When it gets to be too much, you just need to tell me. Please don’t do what Frederic did or any of the others who dumped me publicly. I could take it from them, but from you, it would be devastating.” I’m trying so hard not to cry.

  Mason stands and pulls me into his arms, giving me a deep, full kiss. When we break apart, he holds my shoulders and stares into my eyes. “Caroline Arnault, I want you to know that I love you. I’ve loved you for a very long time. I assure you, there is nothing the paparazzi can do that will convince me otherwise.”

  I can’t believe he just declared his feelings so directly. I’m not sure I heard everything he said correctly. “You love me?”

  He nods. “Without any doubt.”

  I’m over the moon. “I love you, too.”

  He pushes his lips hard against mine, then pulls me back in for a tight hug. “Good. Then it’s settled. We know the paparazzi are going to do their part to drive a wedge between us, but we don’t need to worry about them. We’ll manage the paparazzi, our work issues, and any other speed bump that comes our way together.”

  The weight on my shoulders is lifted. There’s always the pos
sibility that he doesn’t understand what he’s just agreed to do, but knowing we’re going to get through this as a team is a surprising relief.

  Angela, who’s overheard the entire conversation, tells Mason, “You hurt Miss Caroline, and you better hope I don’t have access to your food, because I won’t use some silly plant like wolfsbane. I’ll use straight-up rat poisoning, and you won’t survive.”

  Mason holds his hands up in mock surrender. “Reading you loud and clear.” He winks at her, and I know we’re a unit. We can do anything as long as we’re together.

  Jim walks into the kitchen. “Did I hear Angela just threaten Mason?”

  “No. She was just letting me know the ground rules—rules I can happily live by.” Mason grins.

  Angela hands him a cup of coffee, and Jim joins us at the table. “Good. Now, here’s the plan. The car is in the garage. There are two members of my team waiting to go when you’re ready. There’s some press out front and in the alley behind the house. The Suburban has tinted windows, and we can load the two of you so they can’t be sure you’re in the car. From there, we’ll drive to Marci’s office, where we’ll enter through the garage. At no time are you to go anywhere without us.” Jim looks at me and waits for me to agree.

  “Nowhere without a member of your team with me. I got it,” I assure him.

  “Caroline, you know we need to have a conversation about how you can’t be picking up rideshares anymore.”

  “I understand. I’m not happy about it, but I get it, and we can circle back to that at a later time.” I see both Mason and Jim ready to argue this with me. “Much later, after all of this is a distant memory for everyone.”

  “Agreed,” they both say in unison.

  “Marci let me know that the FBI will be at her offices since it’s a Saturday,” Jim states.

  “I guess that means we’re heading to Marci’s office,” I say.

  Chapter twenty