Falling Under

by Jenika Snow

  “Mason, I can get you the money. I will get you the money.”

  14

  She was playing with fire. Olivia knew that. But she couldn’t help herself.

  Being with Mason had her feeling freedom, had her feeling this rush of life. He’d taken her— kidnapped her— and she should feel repulsed by him, feel disgusted that she’d been in his bed, under him, and had his dick deep in her body; but all she felt was this warmth consume her.

  She wanted to help him, despite what she “should” have felt.

  “Why would you want to help me?” he asked. He stared at her for only a second before turning and walking over to the window. He stared out of the dirty glass; maybe it was a mirror image of what she should have felt on the inside.

  “Because,” was all she said at first. He didn’t move, didn’t say anything, and didn’t look her way. “Because what you’re doing is for you sister, and I have to believe it’s always for a good cause where you’re heart is concerned, even if it wasn’t the right way to go about it.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” He turned then and faced her, and the self-hatred she saw on his face.

  “I know exactly what I’m talking about.” She was frustrated, not just with how this situation was going, but because of her own torrid emotions.

  He walked up to her then, but she held firm, not about to let him know there was still a part of him that scared her. For long seconds he didn’t say anything, just looked into her eyes, his big body impressive, massive. “You haven’t been here that long, or I would suggest maybe you’d come down with that captive and kidnapper bullshit.”

  Stockholm Syndrome.

  This wasn’t about any of that. She knew what she wanted, what she’d been missing out on, and she knew that for the first time in her life, she felt this openness in her. Because she was feeling bold, she lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. Her own heart was thundering.

  Could he hear it?

  How affected was he?

  “I know what I want,” she whispered.

  “Yeah?” he responded, his voice thick, deep.

  “Yeah.”

  They were like that for long moments, neither moving, speaking, or hell, even breathing.

  “I should scare the fuck out of you, Olivia,” he whispered and grabbed her wrist in a tight, unyielding hold. “Taking you was wrong, keeping you here was a mistake.” He looked at her mouth, and she felt her belly flip. “I should have let you go when you ran. You should have tried leaving again.”

  “I want to be here,” she whispered back.

  “You shouldn’t.”

  Before she could respond, he had his hand on the back of her head, and his mouth was on hers.

  “I don’t want to let you go. I want you to be mine,” he growled the words out.

  He plunged his tongue between her lips, claimed her there, as well, and she couldn’t help but open her mouth and accept it all.

  She wanted more, so much more.

  “And I’ll give you more than you can handle if that’s what you really want.”

  Had she spoken out loud?

  “If you want me to stop, you better say so now.” He gave her lips one last lick before pulling away. “Because once I start I won’t stop until you’re mine completely … irrevocably.”

  “I want to be yours.”

  As soon as that last word was uttered, he had her in his arms, turned, and placed her ass on the edge of the counter. She was lost in the sensations of his hands on her body, of his mouth on her lips, neck, and her chest. He kissed and licked her everywhere, showed her what it felt to be desired above all else.

  Mason showed her that she wasn’t dead inside, and that even in the darkest hours, she could feel like she belonged, like she wasn’t alone.

  15

  Later that night, Mason couldn’t believe how happy he was. Olivia was wrapped around him, and they were talking about the future.

  The fucking future.

  It was so strange how things could change as drastically as they had. But God, did it feel good.

  “I hate to do this to you, but we have to talk about the news and what to do.”

  “It’s simple. We’ll make an appearance in a coffee shop, and I can say that I’ve been so busy with my new love that I’ve not had time to watch the news or anything. It’ll work, I promise.”

  He held her close, kissing her head. “I don’t think they’re going to believe you.”

  “Why?”

  “The slashed tires.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Damn. Well, we have to think positive. It’s simple. I don’t know why the car’s tires were slashed. I had already left with you.” She reached up, touching his cheek. “You really need to stop thinking of the worst thing. It doesn’t have to be that way.”

  Mason sighed. “It’s hard to even think of letting go and just being happy. I’m used to everything going wrong.”

  “You’ve got me now, and you don’t have to worry about anything. I’m going to help you and your sister. I promise.” She climbed on top of him, smiling down. “Now, how about I take your troubles away?”

  Gripping her naked hips, he couldn’t help but play along.

  “Go on then, baby. Show me how good this can be.”

  Olivia took control, and as they really got into it, and found their pleasure, he looked down. He loved watching her ride his cock. It really was the best thing in the world to see.

  And having her in his life was the best thing in the fucking world.

  The next day

  Olivia took a sip of her hot tea and smiled across the table at Mason. They were in a coffee shop in the city, and even though she was nervous, she was so excited for the future, about what they could accomplish together.

  This whole thing was crazy, and although it had started off dark, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

  “After we’ve dealt with the media and my family, I want us to go and arrange the surgery for your sister,” she said.

  “Okay. I’m not going to argue.”

  She took his hand, kissing his knuckles. “Will you stop worrying? Everything is going to be fine.”

  Mason kept looking around the shop, waiting, and she didn’t understand why he was nervous. It was just a coffee shop, and they were both here willingly. She couldn’t believe that a kidnapping had helped her to find her love.

  Yeah, she loved Mason. There was no doubt about it to her. She really did love him, and she wanted to make him happy. It made absolutely no sense, and yet, to her, it did.

  He tightened his hold on her. “I’m not used to being so open, especially after what I did to you.”

  Tilting her head to the side, she was charmed by how different he was from the other men in her circle. She was used to being told what to do and how she was supposed to react to people. And although maybe that’s how it had all started between them, it would work out in the end.

  Once they finished their coffee and their pastry, they left the shop and made their way outside. The feeling of being watched surrounded her, and she felt her body react. Her heart raced, her palms became sweaty, and everything around her became intensified.

  “Wait, something’s wrong.”

  Mason kept her close, and the worried look on his face told her he might feel it too.

  “Yeah, I feel it. Come on.” At his car, they were stopped by three police officers.

  “Excuse me, Olivia Redman?”

  She looked between them. Someone had recognized her and alerted the police. Of course, this is what she wanted, but the fear of the reality slammed into her.

  “Miss Redman?”

  She found herself nodding.

  “You have to come with me,” the officer said. “We were alerted of your whereabouts by a citizen. Your family has been looking for you.”

  Something didn’t feel right. She stepped forward, but when Mason tried to put himself between her and the
officer, she knew something was terribly wrong. The officer had a painful hold on her hand, and she gasped.

  “Let me go.”

  “What the hell are you doing?” Mason asked, his entire body now seeming ready for a fight. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

  And then a gun was trained on Mason.

  “Sir, you need to step away.”

  God, were these even official police officers?

  “Let me go,” she said, trying to tug out of his hold.

  The police officer wouldn’t let her go, and with every second that passed, she was becoming more panicked.

  Turning her gaze to Mason, she was worried as the gun was still trained on him.

  “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I assure you, you’re making a big mistake,” she finally said.

  “Your father is the one who sent us, and he wants us to make sure you’re safe.”

  She tried to fight them, but another one dressed as a police officer pulled Mason away. He struggled, fighting, trying to get back to her.

  Everything happened so fast, and before she could even scream for help, one of the guns went off, stopping her from fighting.

  16

  She felt dread settle in her belly. She’d heard the gun going off, but everything in the next few moments happened so fast, she didn’t know what was going on anymore. She was tossed in the back of the police car, where she searched frantically out the window. She saw them caring Mason away. He held his arm, blood making a slow trek down his bicep before landing on the cement. She breathed out a sigh of relief. He was alive.

  The police officer got into the car and, without saying anything to her, started the engine and pulled away from the curb. She knew her father had a lot of men under his thumb, high-ranking officials that could get him whatever he wanted. He even had the police department in his pocket; that was clear right now.

  “There are witnesses. They saw you shooting a man without any cause.”

  He didn’t respond. “I’ll make sure you and the department that’s behind this corrupt shit get what you deserve.”

  He chuckled then, but it sounded dead.

  “For as smart as your family is, you’re a stupid girl for thinking anything like that.”

  The rest of the trip was made in silence. Her heart was in her throat, she felt beads of perspiration line her spine and between her breasts.

  It was sometime later before she saw her father’s estate come into view.

  “Where are you taking Mason?”

  Silence greeted her.

  “Fucking answer me, you asshole.”

  More silence.

  Although she hoped the wound to his arm was just superficial, she also worried about the long-term situation. What would her father do to him? It was clear he knew Mason had initially kept her, but he wouldn’t know she wanted to stay there. They hadn’t stopped to get her story, didn’t ask how she and Mason came to be together. Someone had called the cops or her father, but it was the extreme outcome of it all that she’d never contemplated.

  God, I really am stupid.

  They pulled to a stop in front of the stone steps that led to the door. It opened as if whoever was on the other side had been waiting. She could see the vestibule behind her father. His stern expression was trained right on her.

  The cop got out and walked around to the back to let her out. She ran her hands over her pants, ready to tell her father exactly what was going on. But she’d always felt so small, so insignificant when before him. He was powerful, his life so different from hers, from what she wanted for herself. She’d been this pawn he could use.

  Be strong. Mason doesn’t deserve this.

  No matter what happened with Mason in the beginning, or how they came to be in each other’s lives, things were different. Fate was a crazy bitch.

  She wouldn’t let him go down, not without a fight.

  Mason’s arm was on fire, and he felt the trickle of blood slide down his arm in a continuous flow. With his arms behind his back, and his hands restrained with zip ties, this was a fucked up situation.

  Of course, he deserved it all, no matter how things had ended in being with Olivia.

  God, was she okay?

  The room he was in was sterile, and although the police had hauled him off, he didn’t go to the station.

  The police are clearly on her father’s payroll.

  There were no doubts her father was involved in this, and fuck knew the lengths he’d go to get his point across.

  The sound of a lock disengaging came from behind, but Mason didn’t move. He heard the door open, heard more than one set of footsteps, and then the door closed with a resounding click.

  He stayed facing forward and didn’t give the fuckers who’d entered the pleasure of seeing emotion on his face. Hell, Mason didn’t care about anyone in this fucking world aside from his sister and Olivia.

  The first man who stepped up was dressed in a dark suit. He had an earpiece in, maybe getting his questions fed to him. Clearly, he was the muscle for the next man who showed himself.

  Olivia’s father.

  The man looked stoic, emotionless. He took a step in front of Mason, and for long seconds they stared into each other’s eyes. Mason wasn’t about to back down, not to this fucker, not to anyone.

  “Where’s Olivia,” Mason finally asked.

  “She’s not your concern,” was the bland reply.

  “If you hurt her, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what?” Olivia’s father leaned forward, a graying eyebrow lifted. “You’ll hurt me? Come after me until I pay for taking her away from you?” He shook his head and leaned back against the chair. “I don’t think so.”

  More silence descended.

  “Is she safe? Did you hurt her?”

  He’d grown to love her, and her safety was paramount.

  “She’s fine. She’s my daughter. You think me a monster?”

  Yes.

  “Did she tell you what happened?” It didn’t matter what story Olivia went with. He just wanted to make sure she was okay.

  “The story she gave me doesn’t matter one way or another. I looked into you, found out about every aspect of your life. I know the trash you are, and I’m not about to let you ruin my daughter or the plans I have for her.” He leaned forward again, and Mason wanted to bare his teeth. He strained against his restraints. “I’m going to make sure you realize and understand the mistake you made by messing with me.”

  17

  Three weeks later

  “You can’t keep me here,” Olivia said. Her father hadn’t allowed her to leave the house and had even confined her to her room with a guard stationed outside. Every time she tried to leave, they found her, and dumped her right back here. According to the news, her father had run with the kidnapping story. What scared her the most was the fact that Mason was not mentioned. She didn’t like that, because she knew something shady had gone down.

  What had happened to her man, and what had happened to his sister?

  “You’ll do as you’re told,” her father said.

  She glared at the man who had made her life a misery for so long. “You think so?”

  “Yeah, I do. Now, we’ve got the media downstairs. You’re going to tell them that you’re fine and you’re happy the monster who took you has been taken care of.”

  Taken care of? Oh. God.

  “Where is Mason?” she asked.

  “You don’t need to worry about him.”

  Fear and dread filled her even more.

  “Now, Olivia, I’ve wasted enough time on this. Do as you’re told.”

  She stared at him, her heart thumping. Her father really believed that she was going to tell the media exactly what he wanted her to?

  How long had she been dictated to?

  All of her life she’d done as she was told. He’d wanted her to stop her charity work and do what he wanted. Her mother hadn’t even come to see her while she�
�d been a prisoner. What kind of life was this?

  Looking at her bedroom, the prison that he’d kept her inside for years, she wanted to cry so badly.

  She’d rather be poor than deal with the shit world her father had created for her rather than be his prisoner for the rest of her life. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile to her lips.

  “Let’s get this over with.”

  Heading toward the door, she made her way downstairs. Her mother was at the base of the steps, along with a huge crowd of media.

  You can do this, Olivia.

  You don’t need to worry.

  Mason is the reason you’re fighting for this.

  Her mother kissed her cheeks, and Olivia ignored the fact this was the first interaction they’d had since she’d come back.

  This wasn’t about anything other than getting free.

  Closing her eyes, she counted to ten and listened as her father made the introductions and thanked everyone for their kindness during this “difficult time.” When it was time for her to take over, she saw the cards that had been left for her to read from. This was her speech, and she hated it.

  This was all lies. Her family wanted her to lie.

  Mason. God, where are you?

  She was going to find him.

  “Hello, everyone,” she said, clearing her throat.

  “Are you okay?” someone shouted.

  “Did you know the man who took you?” another reported yelled out.

  “What happened to him?”

  Questions came all over, and she held her hand up.

  Do it.

  Take charge of your life.

  Tell the truth.

  She stared at her mother and father. They tried to look like the caring, concerned parents.

  They were frauds.

  “I don’t know what you people have been told, but I wasn’t kidnapped.” Maybe at first that’s what had happened, but things had changed. She’d changed. “I don’t understand what is being said. You see, I wasn’t kidnapped; I was with the man that I love, and the police who apprehended us outside the coffee shop wouldn’t listen.”