Rising Up: Finding Me book 1

by J J Harper

  "Shhh sweetie, don't say anything here. Come on I've got you."

  "Maddie." Mason calls her as we walk away. "There's a car outside waiting, don't walk her home."

  We go straight out of the office I don't even stop to collect my handbag, and Maddie keeps her arm around me all the way. Neither of us notices Mark watching us leave, even though I've noticed him watching me, over the last three months he hasn't asked me out again, but he is still a bit creepy.

  Maddie puts the kettle on as soon as we get back indoors. "Tea, that's what we need, a good cup of old-fashioned English tea, I know I'm waffling but give me a few minutes to get my questions ready in my head." She turns and gives me a weak smile but her eyes give her away when they start to fill with tears.

  "It must have been my bloody mother she must have found out, she's like a teenager crushing on a boy band! It's pathetic, she's fifty-something for crying out loud, and he knew how she felt and would feed off it like a fucking succubus constantly flirting and teasing her." I'm up and pacing by now. "Well they are not going to starting fucking around with my life again, I put up with it when I was living there, but they are not going to ruin my life anymore."

  I don't seem to have a stop button on my mouth and can't control what came out of it. "I had two and a half years of bloody wasted time with him. I was never good enough, never thin enough, I had too many opinions and I was supposed to just stand there and smile while he stuck his nose in any crotch he fancied.

  Do you know the first night I got together with Mason, it wasn't planned and he didn't have a condom, but I knew I could tell him I was clean because I kept having checks due to all the little wannabe starlets he liked to fuck!! You know how handy he was with his fists Maddie."

  "Yeah, but Ginny I never knew it was that bad, I'm so sorry I've been a rubbish friend."

  This stops me short and I twirl round to face her. "God no Maddie, don't feel like that, you had your own shit to deal with and I could've told you but what could I say. 'Hey Mads, you know that really hot shot TV star I'm dating, well when he can be bothered to stop shagging around he likes to come home and beat the shit out of me and force himself and his friends on me just to prove he's more important than me." I stop and look up at Maddie and see her horrified face but it's not because of what I said but because of who is stood behind me. Shit, shit and triple shit. Mason!

  My shoulders tense as I wait for the rage, I'm used to rage I can cope with rage. What I didn't expect was his pain at hearing those words.

  In a voice that was way too small for his massive frame. "He used to beat on you, did he force himself on you? Shit Imogen, babe. Why didn't you tell me?" He walks slowly towards me looking very apprehensive, as if he doesn't know if he can touch me anymore.

  I look at Maddie and she's no use, she's crying her heart out in the kitchen. I decide to try to lighten the situation up a bit. "I think we need the hard stuff to go in the tea now as well Mads." I can hear her giggle through the tears. "I didn't tell you for two reasons, the first is because it didn't seem like a good thing for you to know, and secondly, and this is the more important one, because of the way you are looking at me now. It's a mixture of pity and fear.

  I don't need one, and don't want the other. Mason I'm the same woman now as the one you shagged hard against the wall of your shower last night, so please reel it in and focus on the now. I need and want my Mason back, the Big I Am Mason, the kind thoughtful Mason and the shit-hot-sex-mad Mason. Can you do that for me please?”

  "Yeah too right I can. Now come here so I can fucking kiss you." His face relaxes and he opens up his arms for me.

  This makes me smile, and I readily step into his embrace. Maddie walks back to us with three mugs of tea and from the smell of them they have been heavily laced with Scotch, so before we drink them, I just check that none of us are expected back at work today, and it seems that only Maddie needs to go back and hers is just straight up tea. We both watch Mason expectantly waiting for him to take his first sip. Luckily we are not disappointed.

  "Fuck! What the hell have you put in this Mads, jeez I think I've gone blind in one eye." He splutters and coughs hard before laughing.

  Bursting out laughing Maddie takes a bow. "And I think my job here is done. Be good to each other today you two, there is plenty of time to have the heavy conversations, don't wreck the good thing you've got going on here, I don't think there is anything better than what you two have. It's the real fucking deal. I love you both." She kisses my cheek and goes back out to work.

  I take a long look at Mason while he attempts to drink his tea. "Leave it Mase, I don't want alcohol at...” I look at my watch. "Hell is it only eleven o'clock, it feels much later than that. But I don't want to hit the hard stuff this early in the day. How did you get away from the office without raising any eyebrows?"

  "It was easy, I had an appointment at the bank and then a free afternoon for paperwork so I just cancelled the bank and here I am, so Ms. Banks what are you going to do with me now?"

  "Oh I'm sure I can think of something. What fun do you reckon we could have with your tie?"

  "Imogen babe, now you are talking." He leans down and kisses me slowly letting the heat build-up inside me. Thank God I brushed my teeth as soon as I got back.

  Mason

  I didn't think I would be able to get past Ginny's words but I know she is still my Ginny, and I will get a chance to talk about later. So we get down to good old dirty fun for the rest of the day making the most of an empty apartment and managed to make love on most surfaces and furniture in the main room, I don't think I'll look at the dining table ever again without smiling.

  It's almost time for Maddie and Lake to get back, so we have gone ahead and ordered pizza so that we can go out for a few beers later, the doorbell goes, so I shout out to Ginny. "I'll go babe, it's either the pizza guy or Lake." I don't bother to look through the spyhole but shit, I really wish had.

  "Hi man, what do I owe you?" I look up after grabbing my wallet and see Mark stood there. "What are you doing here Mark?"

  "Oh, I’m sorry, I thought Imogen lived here, I came to see if she was feeling better, but I must have got the wrong apartment." He turns to walk away, and I think we’ve got away with it, but no, the shit has to get worse.

  "Mason sweetie, was that the pizza delivery? I'm starving." Ginny is wearing my shirt and as she wraps her arms around my waist, she kisses my very naked chest. "Oh Shit! You're not the pizza man."

  "No I'm not. I just came to see if you were okay, but it's very obvious that you are." He looks straight at me the fury rolling off him. "No wonder you warned me off."

  Just then, Maddie, Lake and Lucas walk out of the elevator, and true to type Lake has got his arm over her shoulder. Jesus, sit-com writers couldn't have written this shit.

  "Oh I get it now, the rule only stands for the employees not the bosses. Message received and understood 'boss'!" He sneers at us, his sarcasm couldn't have been any thicker and walks off barging through the others coming down the corridor.

  "Well I think we can all agree when I say that the shit has most definitely hit the fan." Lakes wry chuckle snaps me back and I turn to Ginny. "Don't worry babe, we'll sort this."

  A couple of minutes later the delivery guy turns up, "Hey dudes, did you order pizza?"

  "What...? Oh yeah we did, thanks man." Lucas hands him the cash and relieves him of the boxes.

  "Oh and do any of you guys know who owns the black Porsche in the parking lot."

  I look up at him. "Yeah I do, why?"

  "'Cos dude, there's some guy smashing the shit out of it!"

  "What the fuck? Thanks for telling me." I go to grab a shirt but think better of it and start racing down the stairs, I can hear Lake and Lucas following behind, but we're too late, the damage has been done and the perpetrator, presumably Mark, has gone. Looking over at my car I assess the damage and he's done a very thorough job of the windscreen and a couple of dents on the hood, but not too much, he mu
st have run off after being seen by the pizza guy. "Well I think he's just earned his pink slip, don't you guys?"

  Lake is on the phone to security to get the camera footage checked, and Lucas is calling the police but I just stare at the mess. Anger rolls over me and I call the garage and arrange for a tow truck to come and pick it up.

  "C'mon Mason, we've got this sorted, let's get back to the girls before they eat all the pizza. I've never seen girls eat as much as they do, how the hell they stay looking so hot I'll never know." Lake walks back inside. The security at the desk confirms that it was Mark, and will deal with the garage when the truck arrives and the police are going to take statements later.

  "Well, we really know how to fuck up a perfectly good Friday night, don't we?"

  Lake claps me on the back. "Yeah but at least we're gonna get laid tonight, poor Lucas seems to be having a dry spell. Hey Luc, what's going on with you, is your pretty face not enough for the girls anymore?"

  "Shut up Asswipe!" Lucas swipes at his brothers shoulder with his fist.

  As Lake predicted most of one pizza had been demolished by the time we make it up to Ginny's, and the wine had been opened and was flowing well. Ginny looks at me, gorgeous green eyes sparkling. "Was it Mark, did you catch him? He gives me the creeps he's always watching me." She shudders at the thought.

  "Yeah he was always hanging around, I'd noticed him too, Ginn." Maddie seems to share Imogen's revulsion.

  "Why had we never picked up on this?" Lake looks at me, his mouth full of pizza and a bottle of beer open in his hand ready to be drunk.

  "I sent I sent you an email about warning him away from Imogen, and all the other women. Did you even read it?"

  Ginny interrupts. "We want to go dancing, we've had a shitty day and Mads and I want to go and strut our stuff. Please, please Mason."

  "Sure, why the hell not, you up for it too Luc?" I turn to ask him.

  "Hell yeah. It’s time to find a new itch to scratch." He smirks and raises his eyebrows suggestively.

  "Ew. Luc no wonder your single!" Maddie slaps his arm. "Come twinkle-toes let's go and get all pretty." She drags Imogen off to get changed.

  The cops call while they're getting dressed up and we can give statements tomorrow and that, they have seen the video confirming Marks identity, they assure me he will be brought in for questioning.

  "Hey Ginny, I'm gonna shoot home and get changed I'll be half an hour tops." Her head pops round her bedroom door and she nods and waves.

  Waiting for the elevator Lake speaks up. "What do you want to do about work? I'm sure he will have called everyone to tell them what's gone down."

  "We're going to have to amend the policy and explain why. But I still don't want people on the same team dating, there's too much at stake professionally. I mean shit it’s not like he caught me fucking her over my desk." I shouldn't have thought of that because that's all I want to do now. "It was out of hours and he called here even though I'd already given him a verbal warning to stay away from her."

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Imogen

  I managed to get a call in to my dad when Mason left, and he thought that it was my mother who told Jake where I was, but didn't know for sure.

  "Don't you think it's just a little bit weird Dad, I mean why is she still in contact with him?"

  "She doesn't mean any harm dear, she just really likes his company. In fact she's out with him again tonight at a restaurant opening. He makes her feel young again she says."

  "Oh my God Dad, why the hell are you letting her do this?" A chill spreads over my body as I decide to voice my concerns. "Is she having an affair with him? Because he sure as hell cheated on me all the time and he never hid that."

  "Don't be so silly Imogen. She's much older than him. I can't believe you would suggest such a thing. I could hear him spluttering down the phone. Any way when are you going to stop this silliness and come back?"

  "Really, are you sure? And he's only ten or twelve years younger than her. He is a nasty piece of work, I mean do you remember all the bruises I used to come home with?

  Yes?

  I know you do. Well that’s what you call 'a handsome well-mannered man' used to give them to me. So if I were you I'd pull your head out of your arse and start recognizing what's going on, she's taking you for a fool! Oh and by the way I'm changing my number so don't try and call me again, and I am most definitely not coming back." I slam the phone down and want to scream.

  *

  Walking back into the bar with Mason holding my hand I felt a lot happier than I did this morning, I can't believe he found me, but my life has changed dramatically and I love it. Pushing the earlier conversation out of my mind it's time to have a good time. Tammy walks up to us as we reach the bar and leads us to a table in her section, it's good to see her again, so I tell her.

  "It's good to see you again Tamsin, but you really need to take some nights off so we could hang out."

  "I love that Imogen, I'm going to be dropping a couple of shifts soon so things will ease up then, and we'll be able to get together, I promise. I'll bring your drinks over."

  An hour or so later, Mason runs his hand under my hair and strokes it lightly across my shoulder blades and neck, sending shivers all down my body. "You look fantastic tonight babe, I can't wait to get you dancing. I want your tight ass rubbing up against my body."

  I’m pleased with my choice of outfit, I picked out a fitted black dress that has a halter neck top and hugs my boobs and hips to flare out before ending half way down my thighs. I love how I can wear fuck-off five inch heels and still be shorter than Mason that never happened with Jake.

  "Mason what dirty stuff are you whispering to my bestie? She's blushing again!" Maddie laughs and downs her margarita as the bar calls last orders.

  "Wouldn't you like to know? Let's get out of here and hit the clubs." Even his smirk turns me on.

  The club is hot and loud and full of sweaty people, it was exactly what I needed especially after such a crappy day. "Come on Mads, let's start strutting our stuff." Grabbing her hand I kiss Mason and walk towards the center of the dance floor, and I know that he's going to be watching me, I pull out all the stops and start dancing my arse off, I've always loved dancing and took all types of classes growing up, I think when I kept growing my mother expected me to be the next Darcy Bussell, but as I kept getting taller unfortunately for her my boobs kept growing too, not really ballet dancer material. I think we're into the fifth song when I feel Mason's hands on my hips and I lean back into him.

  "Okay babe, it’s time to stop teasing me." He starts to grind his hips to mine keeping perfect time with the music whilst running his hands up and down my body letting them linger just under my breast so he was able to run his thumbs on my tender skin.

  I don’t know why I’m surprised at how well Mason moves to the beat of the music, he looks fantastic and is seriously turning me on. Raising my arms up to reach behind him and hold on to his neck I really start grinding hard against his groin and smile when I feel his hardness pressing into my backside as his hands hold my waist, gripping them tightly as we dance together.

  Spinning me round to face him, the look on his face astonishes me, the love shining from his eyes leaves me breathless, so I do the only decent thing and kiss him, pouring every emotion I have into that one kiss.

  Breathing hard I break away first. "Shall we go home?"

  "Hell yeah!" Grabbing my hand we find the others to let them know and we're off. A short cab ride later and we're back and racing for the elevator. "My place tonight babe. I want to hear you screaming my name."

  "Well, to repeat your words 'hell yeah!'." My smile is huge and my underwear is wet and when we escape the confines of the elevator, we run to his apartment and our clothes leave a trail from the front door to his bed, I’m the lucky one and only have my dress and lacy underwear to come off, and although Mason has more to remove, he is doing well to keep up with me.

  “Keep your sexy-
as-fuck shoes on please babe. I want them wrapped around my neck.” His beautiful blue eyes are virtually black with lust.

  *

  We crash back on the bed breathing hard. "Wow Mason! I think you’ve killed me.” My chest is bursting as I try and get more oxygen in to my lungs, and my heart beats loudly in my ears as blood races around my body as I come down from my climax.

  "Yeah, but what a way to go, death by orgasm!" He's lying back stroking his hand up and down my stomach dipping in and out of my belly button, who would have thought that it was an erogenous zone? It seems to get my skin tingling.

  As I try to ineffectually slap his hand away he chuckles. "It's okay Ginny, I promise I'm not starting again. Well not any time soon." His voice takes on a more serious tone and I feel my body tense. "We need to talk about Jake tomorrow Imogen, I need to know what went on so I know how to make sure you are protected and safe."

  "I know we do, but you're not going to like a lot of the stuff Mase. He's not a very nice person." I can feel the furrows on my forehead developing.

  "I know, I've spent some time reading about him, the in front of the camera good boy act, and the away from the fans real Jake Williams."

  "I should be angry with you for that but I’m not, because I know you love me and will keep me safe. I'm going to shower before we sleep, are you joining me?"

  "Babe, that's an invitation I'm never gonna turn down. Lead the way you sex kitten!"

  "No! No more sex tonight Mason."

  "Of course not babe, I'm joking!"

  As it turns out he wasn't, but damn that man is good.

  I wake up before him and it's not surprising. He did put in most of the work in the shower so I let him sleep. I know I'm not going to enjoy our conversation later this morning, so go about making breakfast, trying to keep my mind occupied on simple things, but my concentration is broken by my phone ringing, running to grab it quickly so as not to wake Mason up. I don't bother to look who it is and answer.

  "Hello?" I don’t get an answer but I can hear someone breathing hard. "Hello?" I look down this time and see it's my father. "I thought I told you not to call."