Mason clenched his fist as he waited for the meeting to start. Everyone seemed to sense his mood and lingered in the hall.
Reed was the first to step in. He sat at the head of the table and turned toward Mason after laying a pile of folders on the table.
“How’d it go?” Reed asked quietly.
Mason ran a hand over his stubble. He hadn’t bothered to shave that morning. Spending as much time with the kids was the most important thing on his mind.
He sighed loudly before looking over to his cousin.
“It was fine.”
Reed raised a brow. “We talking about the same woman here?”
Mason laughed. “Same old Sarah. Looks like she’s got a new man.”
Reed furrowed his brow with worry. “And how do you feel about that?”
Mason shrugged. Wasn’t much to feel at that point. He sure as hell wasn’t interested in getting back together with her. At this point, he was just exhausted and hoped she wouldn’t play any custody games.
“He seems okay,” Mason said. “Think he actually likes the kids. Glad they’ll have someone who cares.”
Reed clapped him on the back. “You’ll get through this. Before you know it, they’ll be right back where they should be.”
Mason nodded. He knew that was true, but it was hard not to worry. That’s what parents did.
“So what are the plans while they’re gone?” Reed asked.
Mason nodded to the papers on the table. “You’re looking at it. Seems like a good time to stay busy.”
Reed gave him an odd look for a moment and spread out the folders he had in front of him.
Mason watched him with suspicion.
“So,” Reed said, more nonchalantly than normal, “how is Victoria taking all this?”
Mason frowned. “She came by this morning to say goodbye.”
“Maybe you all should get together. Go out for dinner or something.”
“With Tori?” Guilt ate at Mason. She’d been so sad earlier, and he was certain that Sarah had gotten to her. If the woman had any talent, it was tearing people down with words.
“We’ve all seen the way she looks at you.”
Mason shook his head. “She’s a little young, don’t you think?”
Reed snorted. “When did you turn into such an old man?”
“I’m not—”
“Look, I’m just saying it wouldn’t hurt to start dating again.”
He stared at him, not really sure what to say. Somehow admitting the attraction to Tori did make it seem like he wanted to screw the babysitter. And that’s exactly what he wanted to do.
Mason let out a sigh as the other men filtered into the room, ending the uncomfortable conversation.
“All right,” Reed said. He stood and looked around the room at the men as they shuffled in. “Let’s get started.”
He slid the pile of folders into the middle of the table, and everyone grabbed one.
Flipping to the first page, Mason could see their latest clients all had something in common.
“Bike parts?” Mason said and looked over to Reed.
He nodded.
“The last five places to hire us all have the same problem, motorcycle parts either being stolen from their shops or in transit. Something bigger is definitely going on.”
Mason frowned. This really seemed like something the police would normally take over. In most cases like this, it was just petty theft. Sometimes it was a new business trying to cut out the competition, but that was still pretty rare.
“What’s the deal?” Cage, one of his younger cousins, asked. “Why are we on this?”
Reed looked around the room and sighed. “There’s a chance it’s connected to the Los Malos.”
Cage’s expression darkened.
Mason stared at his cousin in surprise. Months ago they had busted up the biker gang and sent a good number of them to prison. Most weren’t due out for a couple years.
It hadn’t been without cost, both in lives and permanent injuries. Cage had been lucky enough to survive getting shot, but his leg problems remained a reminder of the danger of the Los Malos.
“Ryder and I have been looking into this,” Reed said, “and it’s got all the markings of the gang.”
“We’ve been talking with Charlie,” Ryder cut in. “He’s had no luck tracing where the parts are going, but his sources spotted a couple Los Malos members.”
“Yeah, but these guys don’t even have a leader anymore,” Mason said. “Their bike shop was sold, and we haven’t had any issues for months.”
Reed shook his head. “All the more reason for them to quietly get back into the business.”
Something smelled about the situation to Mason.
The facts didn’t add up. The Los Malos had always been a hierarchy, an organization centered around someone with a bunch of lackeys. Most of the guys in the gang were just thugs who couldn’t rub two brain cells together, let alone come up with a complicated scheme.
If the Los Malos were back in operation, it meant they were working for someone.
“I want all of you to read through the files and start running down leads,” Reed said. “If the Los Malos are back, you can bet they will have a score to settle with us.”
He stared directly at Cage. The other man nodded grimly.
“Your top priority is Alex and Whitney. The gang might come for what they think is theirs, and I’m not about to take a chance.”
Cage nodded. The boy he’d adopted with Whitney had lived a hard life under the shadow of the gang. Just being connected to the Los Malos was bad enough, but he’d lived through it and somehow managed to come out okay.
Reed looked around the table.
“Anyone connected with the gang is top priority. Right now they are stealing bike parts,” he said. Reed’s gaze settled on Mason. “Tomorrow it might be guns again.”
Mason’s thoughts wandered to Tori and her possible connection to the Los Malos. Surely she wouldn’t be in danger. She’d only been involved with the gang by chance. Wrong place, wrong time.
They all knew that Ando, her father, had his criminal connections, and the Los Malos hadn’t been happy when he’d stepped in to help out Ryder. But Mason couldn’t really see them coming after Tori.
Still, worry ate at him the more he thought about it. Mason shook his head. He had a job to do, and right now that meant listening to Reed talk about the kind of parts that had gone missing and their new clients.
His job wouldn’t involve him watching the woman he should avoid.
Chapter Six
Victoria swiped a hand over the mirror in the shower and stared at herself. Her long black hair lay damp against her bare neck. Little droplets of water rolled down her chest and disappeared into the cream towel she wore.
She sighed loudly. It was something she’d been doing all day. Watching the kids leave and knowing she wouldn’t see them or Mason for a whole month made her ache inside, more than she ever thought she could. Although she and Mason weren’t together as a couple, they had managed to make a sort of family. Not having that in her life was like not having her family with her.
She blinked away a few tears that sprang up and rubbed her eyes.
Mason and his kids had burrowed into her heart so quickly. All her life she’d wished for more than just her sister. It was nice, but in the end, she was still just the sister.
Now she had a whole extended family. Victoria knew they all cared for her, but she needed more. She wanted more. A life. A love.
Someone knocked loudly on the door. Still in her towel, she raced to open it. Taylor was due any moment. She didn’t trust Victoria to pick out the clothes she’d wear to the club.
Victoria swung back the door and froze.
Mason stood in front of her. His gaze fixed on her.
Not even meaning to, her eyes moved down his hard body. He was wearing gray sweatpants and a white sleeveless t-shirt. A V of sweat had formed on his chest, and she wondere
d how long he’d been jogging. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen him this way. Often she stayed late so he could go for a run. And every time, he had the same effect on her.
She licked her lips as she thought of his tight, muscled chest. His biceps flexed, and she nearly leaned into him.
Mason cleared his throat loudly, and her eyes shot up to his.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
His voice was low and had a deep rumble that made her nipples tighten against her towel.
Victoria looked down.
“Oh shit,” she said and looked up to him.
He smiled at her, and her ears heated. All this time she’d been ogling him in nothing but a towel.
“I just…” She fumbled and backed away from the door as he stepped inside. “I’ll go take this off.”
Mason raised a brow at her. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
“I mean,” she slid over toward her bedroom door, “just wait here.”
She turned to the door, face now hot from embarrassment. She quickly pushed through the door and shut it behind her. Victoria leaned her hot cheek against the cold wood and sighed.
Was there ever going to be a time when he didn’t leave her tongue tied?
She shook her head and raced over to her dresser. Better she throw on something and find out what was going on.
Mason sat down on her couch, careful not to lean back. He’d been out for a run and decided a detour to her house might be for the best.
He ran a hand over his face. The last thing he had been expecting was for her to answer the door in a towel.
Need pulsed through him as he thought about all that soft skin on display. He sighed.
He had to get her out of his head. Ever since that morning, she’d been on his mind. No matter how hard he tried, Mason just couldn’t seem to shake her presence.
When he’d gone for his run, he’d thought about stopping by in the morning, but the more he ran, the more he knew he just had to check and make sure everything was fine. Besides, after the way Sarah had treated her that morning, he thought it might be best if he had a talk with Tori and made sure she understood that what Sarah said didn’t matter.
The door clicked open, and she stepped out. His mouth dried up.
Somehow putting on a white tank and pink shorts hadn’t really done much to temper his need for her.
She blushed when he found her eyes.
“I thought you were Taylor,” she said quietly.
Mason stood and stepped toward her until she was just outside the room to her door. The scent of her sweet floral shampoo drifted into his nostrils.
“So you’re saying I’m not special?” he said. He grinned at her.
Mason knew he shouldn’t be teasing her, but there was something about the way she blushed.
Tori shook her head, and a worry line appeared on her forehead.
“That’s not what I—” she began.
He held up a hand. “I know.” He smiled and stared into her pale gray eyes. He knew they must be some shade of blue, but when he looked at them, it always made him think of a rainy day. “How you holding up?”
The corner of her mouth turned up in a sort of half smile. The small gesture stirred something inside him.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?” she asked.
Mason ran a hand through his disheveled brown hair and sighed.
“I’ll be fine.” He looked back to her. He could see the worry in her eyes and reached out to smooth the line but stopped midair and dropped his hand.
He couldn’t seem to get ahold of himself.
“I just wanted to explain about Sarah,” he said.
She tensed at the mention of his ex.
“She shouldn’t have talked to you the way she did,” he said slowly.
Mason watched as Tori turned and made her way toward the kitchen.
“It’s fine,” she said stiffly. Her back was to him, but he could hear the pain in her voice.
Mason reached out and grabbed ahold of her arm to stop her. She slowly turned to look at him.
“It’s not okay, but there’s not much I can do about it,” he said.
“I get it,” Tori said. “She’s your ex. You have history. She’s the mother of your children.”
Her eyes refused to meet his as she spoke, and it only pissed him off that he couldn’t see how she was really feeling.
Mason leaned in as she pressed herself against the wall. His hand came softly to her chin and guided her head back toward him.
“No,” he said, his voice far deeper than he had intended. “I don’t think you understand.”
Victoria’s breath came out in little puffs as she stared up at him. His fingers still rested against her chin.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
“The lawyer said I have to play nice.”
She closed her mouth. That hadn’t been what she thought he was going to say. After the way things had been that morning, she’d just assumed that Mason still had feelings for Sarah.
He sighed loudly.
“If I play nice, then it will make the trip easier for the kids, and when she doesn’t comply with the custody terms we agreed on, it will make it easier in court.”
“Oh,” she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.
She watched as his eyes settled on her mouth. Victoria licked her lips, suddenly very aware of how close he was standing.
“I thought…” She let the words die in her mouth as she fumbled to find something to say.
His soft brown eyes made their way back to hers as Mason stepped in a little closer. She could feel the heat from his body, just a fraction of an inch away from her own. The raw energy bouncing off him only seemed to excite her more.
Her nipples pebbled under her shirt, and she cursed herself for not bothering with a bra.
Mason raised a brow. “What did you think?”
The room closed in on her as she stared at him, not even sure what she was trying to say anymore. Confusion, embarrassment and lust warred in her.
Victoria took in a shallow breath and let it out.
“That you might still want her.”
The words slipped out and before she could even regret them, Mason pressed himself firmly against her body. She could feel his hard length.
“She’s not the one I want.”
Chapter Seven
Victoria lifted her head. She gasped as Mason’s mouth pushed hard against her mouth. Her head tilted to the side as he pressed in more, his skillful mouth moving against her.
Her hands slid to the back of his head, and she loved the feel of his soft hair between her fingers.
He smelled of sweat and soap. It only enticed her more.
Victoria ran her hand to his neck. His muscles flexed under her touch. She trailed over to his shoulder and down his firm bicep.
She knew he was well built, but she never imagined she would have the chance to examine his muscles so closely. A shiver passed through her and shot directly between her legs.
Victoria squirmed a little. She was getting wet just from kissing him.
Mason teased her bottom lip, and she parted to let him in. He moaned as he slipped his tongue into her mouth and tasted the mint from when she’d brushed her teeth.
Her fingers were driving him insane. She was running them over his body but not the way he wanted. He wanted her hands on him with both of them naked and sweaty from hours of fucking.
He grunted when her hips move against him. Her stomach pressed firmly against his hard cock.
It wasn’t enough. He needed more.
His mouth pulled away from her, and he stared down at her flushed face. Her lips were red from his kisses, her eyes not quite focusing on anything.
Mason smoothed his hands down her ribs. Her breath came in short bursts the lower he moved. His hands circled her and dipped down to cup her ass in the tiny shorts she wore.
Her eyes widened.
Mason
lowered his head back to hers. He would take his time he needed. He wanted to hear her little moans.
His mouth touched hers. He lifted her up and pressed his body between her spread legs. His hands moved to the backs of her thighs. His thick, hard cock pressed toward her hot pussy.
He groaned a little as her thighs squeezed around him. Her legs wrapped tightly around his middle, pressing him even closer.
Her arms wrapped around his neck and wove back into his hair.
Mason kissed her hard. His tongue delved into her mouth and teased her tongue.
Fire burned through him. He wanted her.
The moment she’d opened the door wearing nothing but a towel, he’d been straining against his raging hard-on. He thought he might get a little relief when she put on some clothes, but the little shorts and t-shirt hadn’t really helped matters much. Slowly, water from her hair had seeped into her shirt, creating a wet spot directly on her breasts, showing off just enough to make him crazy.
One hand came away from her thigh as he roughly tugged her shirt up just enough for him to run his hands along her soft stomach.
Tori trembled in his arms as she pulled back from his mouth to watch him.
His rough fingers grazed the underside of her breast, and she moaned softly.
Mason watched her face as he moved further along her chest and ran his palm over a pebbled nipple.
Tori nibbled on her bottom lip. Something about the act made him ache to be inside her.
He thrust his hips forward as his fingers rolled the hard peak between them.
Tori closed her eyes and leaned back. Her hips moved faster against him. Mason worked against her, desperate for the friction.
Mason switched to the other breast and rolled it hard between his fingers.
Her breath came out in short bursts. She was close. He could see it.
His hand slipped away from her breast and made its way down to where their bodies met. Mason pressed hard against her wet heat.
He pushed his finger in and out of her in a steady rhythm, Tori tightening around him. Another thrust followed, then another. He wanted his cock to be inside her, but the ectasy on her face from his fingers was almost as good.
Mason: #6 (Allen Securities) Page 3