Undesired Lust

by Eden Summers

  “No. The latest gossip fodder has kept me busy. I told you this would happen.”

  Yes, he had. He was right. He always was. “It’s not Mason’s fault this time.” She sighed, so overwhelmingly exhausted she wanted to crawl into a ball and sleep the drama away. “God, I’ve got so much to tell you.”

  “Yeah, well, as long as you’re safe, you can save the friendly chat for another time,” he muttered. “I’m tired, and sick to death of having to defend you.”

  “Justin—”

  “Sid, this is my career too. You need to wake up and realize doing work with this band is always going to end badly. You’re too talented to waste your skills on them. They’re always going to have the sex-crazed, drugged up reputation—”

  “They don’t do drugs. They aren’t like that.”

  “Maybe not in front of you. How do you—“

  “Please, just stop.” She released a frustrated breath and wiped a hand down her face. “I don’t want to fight about this anymore. I need you. I need to get home.”

  Justin remained silent, and she was thankful he didn’t push.

  “Please,” she begged. “Just book me a flight to New York around lunch time tomorrow. I’ll fill you in on everything once I get home.”

  “IT LOOKS LIKE they’ve been given a sedative.”

  Mason stopped running his hand through Willow’s coat and turned to Tanya. “What does that mean?”

  “For starters, this isn’t a life or death situation. Sedatives, if given in small doses, won’t cause long term damage. However, at the moment, I can’t tell how much they’ve been given or when it was fed to them. I’ll need to do tests, run an IV, and keep them under observation.”

  He sagged in relief. “Thank fuck.”

  Tanya walked past him, squeezing his shoulder lightly before making her way to the set of drawers in the corner. “The rock star has a weakness?” She glanced over her shoulder with a raised brow. “Who would’ve thought two four-legged creatures would be the ones to fracture your impenetrable heart.”

  Mason chuckled to hide a wince. Tanya had been the one to help him find his two perfect companions. He’d wanted something to guard his property, yet what he found in Willow and Shadow was much more. They’d made him soft. A fucking Nancy. And right now he didn’t care.

  “Who’s the woman in the car?” She held his gaze as she strode to Shadow’s side with an electric razor in her hand.

  My life. My love. My muse. “A friend.”

  “Well, congratulations.” Her smile wavered. “If she made her way past the hallowed gates of the Lynch estate, I wish her all the best.”

  He didn’t reply. He deserved her ire and a lot more. While they’d been working together to find his dogs, the two of them had gone down the well-traveled one-night-stand path. It didn’t end well. She’d wanted more. He’d wanted to run. So they both went their separate ways.

  He cleared his throat, welcoming the buzz of the razor. It broke the awkward silence and filled his frantic mind with static. He didn’t know what he’d do if he lost his dogs. However, the top of his agenda involved finding the asshole responsible and making them regret they ever fucked with him.

  “Why don’t you make yourself a coffee?” Tanya clicked off the razor. “I’m going to be a while.”

  He nodded. He needed to check on Sidney too. She’d been a trooper, keeping level-headed even though someone was out to make their lives hell. “Do you want one?”

  Tanya shook her head, keeping her focus on cleaning the shaven area on Shadow’s leg with cotton swabs. “Do you know where the kitchen is?”

  “No, but I’ll find it.” He went in search of Sidney first, striding down the hall toward the front door. As he entered the waiting room, his cell rang in his pocket and he pulled it out to find an unfamiliar number on the screen.

  “Hello?” His gaze swept the room. Where the hell was Sidney?

  “Mr. Lynch, it’s Detective Griffin from the Goochland Sheriff’s Department. We’re wrapping up a second search of your property and had a few questions for you.”

  “Fire away,” he muttered, knowing the detective didn’t give a shit about the investigation. They couldn’t have been on his property longer than twenty minutes and already they were ready to leave. They’d been down this road before, all threats and childish pranks leading them down a dead end.

  “I’d prefer to do it in person. Is Ms. Higgins still with you?”

  “Yeah. We’re at the Petterson Animal Clinic. My dogs were sedated by the asshole who jumped my fence.”

  “I’m glad it wasn’t poison as your security guard advised us.”

  “Poison or a sedative, it doesn’t make much difference to me. Some fucker was still on my property, causing damage and harming my dogs. I want the person responsible, Detective. I don’t care what lengths you have to go to.” Mason left the waiting area and began searching room by room for Sidney.

  “I understand your distress—”

  Mason wanted to scoff, but he wouldn’t get anywhere unless he bit his tongue.

  “—As you’re well aware from previous incidents, there isn’t usually a great deal of evidence left at the scene unless the people involved are kids. However, the pictures in your bedroom may help with our investigation.”

  “Pictures?” Mason stalked out of the empty kitchen and down the hall, poking his head into the waiting room again. Where the hell was Sid? He stepped through the doorway, and this time scanned outside, finding her darkened silhouette leaning against the patio railing.

  “Mr. Lynch, there were twelve images, all of Ms. Higgins, unfolded and spread over your mattress. I assumed you removed them from the brick.”

  “No, it must’ve been Sidney.” Mason stopped in the middle of the waiting room, his stomach quickly hollowing as he tried to recall if she’d mentioned anything to him on the panicked drive here. “What were the pictures of?” He cleared his throat, fighting the restriction making it difficult to breathe. Christ. He hadn’t even known the window damage was from a brick. He’d been too caught up in catching the asshole responsible when he should’ve stuck around to make sure Sid was all right.

  “They were candid shots, nothing sinister, but we need to determine how old some of them are. Can we meet you at the vet clinic once we’re done here?”

  “Yeah. No problem.” He ran a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion. “We’ll see you soon.”

  He ended the call and dragged his feet to the front door to slump against it. He could still see Sidney through the window, her head downcast, her shoulders low with defeat. She was broken again, and he was still the cause. He was destined to ruin her, and the worst part was that he still couldn’t walk away. The guilt at destroying her was nothing in comparison to his need to have her. She was an obsession. An addiction. He finally understood why Mitch and Blake had gone so bat-shit crazy over the women in their lives.

  It was uncontrollable.

  Indescribable.

  So where did they go from here? He couldn’t take her back to his property. No matter how juvenile the threats, he was taking them seriously. His house was too big, too exposed, and secluded. A hotel would be swarmed by the paparazzi within hours. He had a private cabin a few hours away, but he wouldn’t be able to stay awake to outlast the drive. And although his mother would always welcome them with open arms, the thought of her hovering made him shudder. That left one option. It wasn’t a favorable one, but Sidney’s safety came first, and he’d do anything to protect her.

  Navigating through his cell, he opened his contact list and scowled at the most used name at the top of his list. The ability to ask for help wasn’t one of Mason’s best attributes. Pride was still his Achilles heel. Resting his forehead against the cold wood of the door, he pressed the contact details, and fought hard not to disconnect the call.

  “Mason?” Sean’s sleep roughened voice scratched over the line. “What the fuck, man?”

  “HEY, KITTEN.” M
ASON pushed open the front door of the vet clinic and came to stand beside Sidney at the porch railing. Her dark hair shone in the moonlight, her pale skin seeming like the finest porcelain.

  “How are they?” She turned to him, her eyes heavy with sorrow.

  “They should be OK. Tanya thinks they were sedated. She needs to do more tests and keep them for observation.”

  “That’s great.” Sidney lowered her gaze to the cement floor.

  “Tired?” he asked, taking a step closer and then leaning his hip against the railing. He needed to touch her, to bring the spark back into her lifeless eyes, but once his fingers grazed her skin, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He’d want every part of her. Her attention, her affection, her happiness. He’d make love to her until her sadness faded away and she fell asleep peacefully in his arms.

  “Yeah, I suppose.” She glanced up at him under thick lashes. “I need to leave.”

  “The police are on the way to ask us a few questions. Once they’re done, I’ll get you out of here.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I mean back to New York. I shouldn’t have dismissed the threats so easily. This is all my fault. I’ve already organized for Justin to book me a flight home tomorrow.”

  “Sid.” He raised his hand, needing to brush the loose hair from her cheeks, but stopped before he made the connection. A mere touch and he’d be lost in the hunger to comfort her, and this wasn’t the time or place to lose himself. Letting his hand fall, he smiled at her, trying to convey his sincerity. “The person threatening you is the one to blame. Nobody else. Not even the police were worried about the original emails.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “No.” He inched closer, clenching his fists to stop from pulling her into his arms. “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve had to deal with this sort of thing. It’s a part of the job description. Just another jealous stalker trying to scare you away from me.”

  “I don’t think so.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “This isn’t about you at all.”

  “It’s the photos then.”

  “Yeah. How did you know?”

  He shrugged. “The police mentioned it on the phone. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I haven’t had a chance. I caught sight of the brick and noticed the pages wrapped around it. I was spreading them along your bed when you ran into the house and called my name. Then we found the dogs and…” She cringed. “I don’t want to risk anyone else getting hurt. I think we’ve all been through enough.”

  Sidney turned to face the railing and stared across the street. Her body shivered and Mason couldn’t maintain the distance between them anymore. He moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, squeezing her tight. Long moments passed before she relaxed into him. When her hands found his, their fingers entwining, he knew he was home.

  “I called Sean,” he murmured into her hair. “We can get some sleep at his place, and work out what to do next once the sun comes up.”

  She stiffened. “I don’t think going there is a good idea.”

  “Why?” Because you have feelings for him, sat at the tip of his tongue. Just because Mason felt at home with her in his arms, didn’t mean the sensation was reciprocated. There was something between Sidney and Sean, and he didn’t want to take her there to witness it firsthand, only there was no other option.

  “I just…” She shrugged. “I don’t want to hurt him.”

  She turned in his arms, and he released his grip on her waist to give her space. He was a dick, an arrogant, pride-filled dick, and couldn’t stand the thought of touching her while she was thinking about someone else.

  “What happened between you two?” He’d already asked her more than once if she was in love with his friend. He wouldn’t ask again. Her answer may incite him to find the energy to drive all the way to his cabin.

  “When? Yesterday over lunch?”

  “Yeah.” And two years ago, and every other day in between.

  “I don’t know.” She stared at his chest, the slender length of her throat convulsing. “He told me he has feelings for me. He wanted to know if I’d give him a chance to see where things might go between us.”

  Bam. Direct shot straight through his heart. Mason took a step back and she raised her gaze to meet his.

  “And what did you say?” Flashbacks of Sean and Sidney cozy on the picnic blanket slammed into his mind. Followed by the memories of them flirting in the bar, the way she’d enjoyed Sean the night of the Grammys, and every laughter filled moment before that pivotal night.

  “I told him I adore him.”

  Mason took another step back, his heart climbing to his throat, and prepared himself to walk away. He didn’t want to hear any more, yet he couldn’t stop staring at her weary eyes.

  She heaved a ragged sigh. “But I still have feelings for you.”

  They stood in silence for a long time, as Mason warred with the guilt and relief flooding his veins. He was an arrogant asshole, and a large part of him wanted to revel in the victory. However, there was still a tiny part of him that didn’t want to see his friend hurt. Before this weekend, he honestly hadn’t known Sean was still interested in Sidney. The two of them hadn’t spoken civilly about her since the scandal. And over the last twenty-four hours, all Mason could do was convince himself Sean was flirting with her to piss him off. Now he knew better, and he didn’t know whether to feel remorse because his friend deserved Sidney more, or ecstatic that his worthless ass had won.

  “Kitten…” He took the first step to bridge the distance between them when he heard the front door squeak open.

  “Sorry to interrupt.” Tanya poked her head outside. “I’m about to lock up Willow and Shadow. Do you want to say good-bye before I do?”

  Mason nodded as headlights streamed down the road. All three of them watched in silence as the police cruiser pulled into the drive.

  “I’ll stay here while you say good-bye,” Sidney offered.

  “I won’t be long.” He placed a kiss on her temple and headed for the door, already eager to get back to her side. She was trying to convince herself to fly home, and while she had any doubt in her mind not to go, he wanted to be right there with her, persuading her to stay.

  ***

  SIDNEY GREETED THE two police officers with the best smile she could muster at three in the morning. Yet the jovial expression didn’t last long under the myriad of questions they flung her way. She was too tired to think, let alone concentrate, and the two men had a certain sneer to their words that put her on edge.

  “How many people know you’re in Richmond staying with Mr. Lynch?”

  “I…don’t know.” She shrugged. “Probably anyone with an Internet connection. The images from last night are all over the web.”

  “And who knew you were coming here in the first place?”

  The barrage continued until she felt like the guilty party rather than the victim.

  “Are all these questions entirely necessary?” She’d lost her backbone, withering under their judgmental stares. There was no doubt they’d watched the sex tape, it was written all over their faces, from the way they looked down their noses at her, to the superior rise of the younger man’s brow.

  “Yes, ma’am. Your reluctance is only slowing down the process of finding who is responsible.”

  Assholes. “Leah Gorman, the Reckless Beat band manager was the one who asked me to come here, and my assistant.”

  Mason swung open the front door, and then came to her side, placing a strengthening arm around her waist.

  “Apart from those two, I don’t know who else was aware of me being here. But I’m happy to give you their contact details,” she ended in a saccharine tone.

  “You didn’t tell any friends or family about your travel arrangements? What about business associates?” One of the detectives asked, tapping his pen against the notepad in his palm.

  “No.” Any strength Mason’s presence gave her vanished. There was a pause while
not only the detectives scrutinized her, but Mason too.

  “I’m sure working with a guy like Mason Lynch would be worth bragging about. Are you sure there wasn’t someone else you might have told?”

  Sidney clenched her jaw. No, she didn’t have anyone else to brag to, and having to paint the lonely picture of her life wasn’t something she appreciated. She’d given her honest answer. What more did they want, a declaration of how pathetic she was?

  “Unfortunately, I have no one to brag to, Detective. My parents disowned me two years ago, along with any close friends and distant relatives.” She raised her chin, taking the shame of the statement head on. “So, yes, I’m quite sure I didn’t tell anyone else.”

  The detective scribbled onto his notepad, one brow raised in superiority. As if humiliating her wasn’t enough. She wanted to wipe the snarl from his lips, to slap the arrogance from his wrinkled face, and if they didn’t quit their line of questioning soon, she might give him what he deserved.

  “Is that true? Did you lose all your friends too?” Mason whispered, his lips brushing past the hair near her ear, his hand tightening on her waist.

  She didn’t turn to him, couldn’t stand to see sympathy or pity in his eyes. “Next question.”

  “We need to find a connection between these events,” the detective continued. “What about the third party involved in the original scandal? Wasn’t he also at the bar the night you received the first email?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Where was he when the two of you were being photographed in the pool?”

  “Sean went home.” Mason stiffened beside her.

  “Do you know where he was tonight?”

  “No,” Mason barked. “I’m not his mother.”

  “You had a fight with him in front of the officers who arrived at your house this morning, am I right?”

  Sidney’s heart began to pound, not liking the direction of their questions. She’d already put two and two together, and had skipped ahead to a myriad of other equations.

  “Yes, but this has nothing to do with him.” Mason’s tone was defensive. “Sean didn’t do this.”