Mason's Revenge
Page 14
Chapter 67
Polly
* * *
“Have you got everything?”
“Yes, Polly,” confirmed her mum.
“And are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
“No, I have my lovely carer coming with me.”
Today was the day her Mum was off to visit the MS specialist. She’d be gone for a couple of weeks to undergo tests and treatments. All thanks to Mason, who had organised it.
It was nice for her mum to have a bit of hope for a change. The past few years had seen a gradual deterioration in her health. There was no hope, her mum lived with continuous underlying stress, worrying about what was going to go wrong next. Polly felt so grateful for Mason for providing this hope. The treatment wasn’t available on the NHS and there was no way she could afford it even if her mum got past the waiting list.
“Any final instructions?” she asked her mum.
“Nope, nothing. Except we’re getting new neighbours. I’d like to welcome them myself so could you do it for me? I made a cake – bring it around later. We don’t want them thinking we’re an unfriendly street.”
The new neighbours was news to her. Fine, was that it?
“Yes, and remember to go out and enjoy yourself. Don’t work too hard.”
“Of course,” she lied as she set off for work.
“So what’s the plan for this evening with your mum out of town?” Louisa asked as she was about to leave the office after an uneventful day.
With a shrug, she suggested she was just going to watch TV with a ready meal and maybe treat herself to a glass of wine.
“Don’t go too crazy.”
Haha. But she was looking forward to a nice, quiet evening in by herself for a change. It never happened often.
At home, she saw the cake her mum made with a post-it note. Don’t forget to bring it around. Urgh. She wasn’t in the mood for socialising. To get it over and done with, she grabbed the cake and went next door. Funny, she didn’t remember a for sale sign going up. It must have been a private sale. She knocked on the door and she heard the sound of footsteps. The door opened. The figure of a well-built man stood there. A very familiar figure of a well-built man. She should have known. It was Mason.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Hey. It’s Polly Taylor, isn’t it? I remember you from school.”
“Uh?”
“I’m Mason Harris. Do you remember me? It’s great to see you again. You haven’t changed a bit except you’re even more beautiful.”
“What are you doing, Mason?”
“Well actually, I’ve had a bit of success and I’ve bought the company in town. The finance one. Do you work there by any chance?”
“Yes,” she sighed.
“That’s great. I hope we can work together and catch up like old times.”
“Mason…”
He stopped her.
“I just want to say – before we become firm friends and hopefully lovers – that I was a bit annoyed at you when we were fifteen. You didn’t stand up for me and I now realise you probably had your own problems. I just want to say – as Mason Harris, the man you haven’t seen since you were fifteen – that I apologise for being so self-absorbed and not trying to find out what was going on in your life. So if you want to ever talk about it, then I’m always here. I live here now.”
“Mason, you’re not really moving back to Stillwaters? You hate it here.”
“No, I only hated myself. But I’ve had a huge wake-up call and I just want to come home.”
“What are you doing Mason? Have you banged your head or something?”
“No, I’ve gone back in time. So Polly, how have you been? Come on inside for a cuppa and we’ll catch up.”
He took the cake and pulled her inside. She looked around the modest, three-bedroom house. She supposed buying this house so he could enact his little role play was nothing to him.
“Actually, I’m moving here permanently.”
She shook her head. There was no way someone with all the money in the world could live here.
“Polly, I said I wanted to move home and home is wherever you are. I know that you’ll never leave your mum and I understand and respect that. So I will be next door to you. I’ll be here whenever you want. You can visit me. You can move in with me or you can ignore me. But I’ll be popping over to have tea with your mum. I went over this morning before she left.”
That sneaky woman.
“What about your job?”
“I can work from home. London’s not too far, nor is the airport so it’s not a big deal.”
“You can live so small?”
“Living small is living without you.”
“But we only had a two-week fling.”
“What are you talking about? What fling? I’ve just met you after fifteen years.”
“Shut up. And I went out with your best friend.”
“How do you know Rupert?”
“Stop it!” she shouted in exasperation. “Please be serious. There’s too much to consider. Too much stuff has happened.”
“No, not enough stuff has happened. I’ve gone the past year without you. I should have been with you every day. So no, we’ve missed out on too much and I’m here to make up for it.”
“I don’t know…”
“You told me to go back in time. Now, I can spend all my money trying to invent a time machine – and I will do that if you want me to. Otherwise, this is the best I can do. This is all I’ve got left in me. There’s nothing else.”
She paused. She wanted him so much – she was prepared to play along.
“So, tell me what you’ve been up to for the past fifteen years?”
“Really?”
“Really,” she agreed as he made her a cup of tea and they sat down and talked and talked all evening.
Chapter 68
Mason
* * *
He was absolved. All that anger and angst – gone. The huge chip he’d been carrying on his shoulder since childhood, gone. They discussed Charlie White. He could finally think about him without clenching his fist. He talked of the immense pleasure he took from punching him – even if it had cost him a hundred grand.
They ordered food. Opened a bottle of wine. By the time he checked his watch, it was 2 a.m.
There was still so much to say but for now, they had a lifetime to say it.
Bed? He suggested. Polly pulled him in and they made love on the sofa. They spooned naked on the sofa afterwards with a throw over them. Both too exhausted to go upstairs.
“I might work from home today,” a sleepy Polly suggested the next morning.
He laughed.
“What?”
He knew he wouldn’t let her get much work done that day as he turned her around, caressed her soft skin and breasts. He felt his erection rise again as he made love to her one more time.
“I’m never letting you go, Polly Taylor.”
Epilogue
Rupert
* * *
He was at home again. He’d not been out much lately, preferring to keep company with his whisky bottle. The phone rang. Of all the people, it was Anna from Hong Kong.
“Hey you, I’m glad you called. I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”
“Pick away, cutie,” she said.
“People are under the impression that we slept together in Hong Kong. I never told anyone that.”
“Don’t worry Rupert, your reputation as an international playboy is well and truly still intact. I let people believe that you came back to mine and we had sex. I didn’t tell them what really happened.”
In truth, he was quite drunk. Anna had led him to a taxi which he believed was going to his hotel but instead took them to her place. He staggered up the stairs with her, too drunk to get away. And then he bored her all night by talking about Polly and then passing out and waking up the next morning. Absolutely nothing happened between them. He let Pol
ly believe he’d slept with Anna as he knew she was having a difficult time dumping him.
“So Rupert, are you still loved up with Polly?”
“No, she’s with Mason now.”
“What! How? She’s your true love. You’ve got to fight for her!”
“Actually, I set them up.”
“Why?”
“Because I love them both.”
And just then an involuntary cry escaped from his lips. He hoped Anna didn’t hear that pathetic noise. She did.
“What was that?”
“That Anna was the sound of my heart breaking,” he said as he let the tears pour out and he sobbed down the phone. “I loved Polly so much…”
“I know you did. You poor baby. Let me come and comfort you?”
“Thanks, Anna,” his voice still shaky. “But I need to be on my own for a while.”
“I understand.”
“Bye then,” he said as he was about to hang up.
“Rupert?” she said. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”
“I know.”
And he would be eventually. Rupert Hall, international playboy, was always fine.
The End
About the Author
* * *
Lorraine is a 40-something mum of two writer originally from the UK but currently living in Spain. Mason’s Revenge is the first in a series. Look out for the next book featuring Rupert and whether or not he will get his happy ending.
Lorena Jackson also writes under the name of L.M Barrett. If you liked Mason’s Revenge, check out her other full length books - no billionaires but still highly entertaining.
A Reflection of Sophie Beaumont
A wickedly, twisty suspense you won't be able to put down.
When a devastated husband returns home one evening to discover that his beautiful, perfect wife has committed suicide, it sends him on a journey to unravel the mystery of why Sophie, with her seemingly perfect life, would do such a thing.
When he uncovers deep and dark secrets from Sophie's past, will it lead him to agree with her suicide note - that she deserved it?
Follow the twists and turns in Sophie's life and delve into both sides of the story which leads to the real reason for her demise.
For fans of Gone Girl, The Girl Before and The Wife Between Us.
- Mystery and intrigue with a little bit of "50 shades" thrown into the mix!
- Excellent book, kept me gripped throughout and can definitely recommend.
- Interesting how the story unraveled......addictive. I Had to read it in one session. The ending was totally unexpected.
- I couldn’t put it down. I loved everything about this book. This book was so engrossing and I got so caught up in it.
Read now from Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077QQ5RH4
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077QQ5RH4
You, Me and Other Stuff
A funny, heart-warming story that will put a smile on your face. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Marian Keyes and David Nicholls.
Declan's a tad annoyed. Not only has the love of his life run off with 'Superman' but she's also unwittingly caused his current hostage situation.
This is the story of two childhood friends and the 'stuff' that always gets in the way of their relationship. Mostly the fact that Sarah is engaged to another man and Declan is being held prisoner.
Find out what Sarah did to cause Declan's current situation and if Declan will ever forgive her. Can things ever go back to the way they were?
Read now to find out.
* * *
- A fabulous read! I've smiled, I've laughed, I've empathised, I've found myself rather emotional and I've loved every single sentence...
- Wonderful writing, hooks you in from page one…
Read now from Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WPW458V
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WPW458V
The Marlow Project
* * *
A fast-paced thriller full of twists and turns.
For Fans of Black Mirror, where the use of technology comes with a dark side.
After years of relentlessly pursuing his dreams, the brilliant Dr Marlow finally achieves his life ambition with his pioneering brain surgery.
Set in the near future, Dr Marlow has discovered a method to transfer the brain of a terminally ill patient into the body of a fit and healthy 'volunteer' death row prisoner.
What could possibly go wrong?
Read about the disastrous consequences and the lengths Dr Marlow will go to in order to salvage his project in this riveting medical thriller.
- Brilliant book, was hooked by the first paragraph.
- Much details and descriptions support this very cleverly told story concerning science, ambition, greed and the criminal mind! Enjoy!
- Loved this book - this is why I'll be looking for more books in the medical thriller genre. Fast paced and riveting.
- This was an intense tech thriller that I totally enjoyed! Read this book in two days - could not stop turning the pages!
Read now from Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S8C69WQ
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S8C69WQ
Authors Note
* * *
I hope you enjoyed Mason’s Revenge. If so, please recommend it to all your friends and consider giving it a review on Amazon, Goodreads or anywhere else. I would be so grateful!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPF4PHL
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZPF4PHL
.