by Ann Lister
Mason’s head snapped towards Tessler after that comment. “You never mentioned he was here,” Mason said quietly.
“There’s probably a lot of things Tessler hasn’t told you,” Barry said and laughed.
“He knows everything,” Tessler countered.
“Is that right?” Barry said with a sneer. “Does he know about Gavin and LJ and the trilogy?”
“Of course he does,” Tessler said with a shrug of his shoulders.
“That would be a first for you to tell one of your hook-ups about all of that,” Barry scoffed.
“He’s not a hook-up, asshole,” Tessler seethed. His eyes shifted to Mason and he nodded.
Mason nodded back but he wasn’t exactly sure why he’d done that. Was that nod supposed to make him feel more secure about his status in Tessler’s life? Standing here face to face with the douche bag who Mason felt was largely responsible for Tessler’s shortened young adulthood and so-called “sexual awakening,” it was difficult for Mason to keep himself from lunging at the prick and punching the smug expression right off his fucking face.
What kind of a man took a kid of Tessler’s age back then to a sex club, and then allowed him to be passed around for a bunch of older pervs to enjoy? Sick fuck. Mason was well aware of Tessler’s claims he’d fully consented to everything he’d experienced at that place, but how much consent was a twenty-one-year-old really capable of giving? At that age, was Tessler emotionally mature enough to fully understand what the hell it was he was even consenting to?
“What the hell happened to you, Tessler?” Barry asked snidely. “You were never this bitter or hostile when we were together.”
“I grew the hell up, asshole,” Tessler countered, “and acquired different tastes.”
“Is that what you think happened?” Barry said and laughed under his breath. “Listen, there’s still a few things we need to discuss. Can I talk to you for a moment—privately?”
The question quickly pulled Mason out of his own head and back to the situation at hand. As far as he was concerned, he still hadn’t cleared Barry as being a threat to Tessler, so leaving his proximity didn’t feel right. His eyes darted to Tessler’s and tried to get a read on his level of anxiety. He leaned in and brushed his lips over the shell of Tessler’s ear.
“You okay?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Tessler answered.
“I’ll wait outside,” Mason stated.
“It’s not necessary for you to leave,” Tessler countered.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Mason explained to Tessler, then with his eyes turned to Barry he said, “I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.”
Mason stepped through the glass and metal door and glanced back inside to make sure he could see Tessler at all times. On his way out, he’d also calculated it wouldn’t take more than a couple of seconds for him to get back inside to help him if it came down to that.
He watched them talking for a bit, then Barry inched closer and Tessler shifted away. The body language between the two was very telling in itself. Barry obviously had a very skewed understanding of how things were between himself and Tessler, but so far Tessler showed no fear of the man, just annoyance. As long as Tessler appeared to be relaxed, then Mason would continue to give them privacy.
Unfortunately, the illusion of tranquility was short-lived. A moment later, Barry stepped into Tessler’s personal space, and when Mason saw Tessler’s arms lift up in a defensive posture, he was pushing through the door to get to him. Mason grabbed a hold of Barry’s shoulders and spun him away from Tessler before he slammed him against the opposite wall. His movement was so fast that a rush of air hit Mason’s face when Barry’s back hit the wall.
“You touch him and I will hurt you,” Mason bit out while holding Barry by the throat.
“I wasn’t trying to touch him,” Barry said as he squirmed in Mason’s firm grip. “So, take your hands off of me!”
Mason glanced over his shoulder and met Tessler’s eyes. “Still okay?” he asked him.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Tessler replied.
“Did he threaten you in any way?” Mason asked.
“His threats mean nothing to me now,” Tessler said.
Mason turned back to Barry and glared at him. “You threatened him?”
“I did no such thing,” Barry protested.
Tessler stepped closer to where Mason still held Barry against the wall. “You need to leave,” Tessler said. “This time, you better not come back.”
Mason turned Barry to face the wall and twisted one of his arms up the center of his back as he cried out in pain. “Were his words clear enough for you this time?” Mason asked. “I’m going to escort you to the curb now, and you’re going to leave and forget you know this address. Do you understand what I’m saying, Barry?”
“You better think long and hard about what I said, Tessler,” Barry said. “I’ll be doing that press conference in ten days—with or without your … blessing.”
“Fuck you,” Tessler said.
Mason began to haul Barry through the door while Tessler remained in the foyer. He had no more words for Barry, just a firm shove onto the sidewalk before he pulled open the door to Tessler’s building again and came back inside. A beat later, Mason had Tessler in his arms. He quickly pressed a kiss to the side of his face and inhaled his scent.
“You sure you’re okay?” Mason asked.
“I’m better now that he’s gone, that’s for sure,” Tessler said and turned his face to rest in the warm bend of Mason’s neck. “Thank you for your help.”
Mason tightened his embrace. “That’s what I do for a living,” he explained. “Well, that’s what I used to do before I got hurt.”
Tessler leaned back and smiled at him. “I think what you just did more than proves that you’re ready to do your job again, Mase.”
“There’s a lot more to it than what you just saw,” Mason explained.
“I’m sure there is, but at least you know you’ve got your agility and strength back,” Tessler countered.
“I also need my doctors to sign off on me being physically ready to return to the field,” Mason added. “From what they’ve told me, I’ve still got a ways to go before they’ll feel I’m ready.”
“Your doctors didn’t see what I just saw you do,” Tessler said and grinned.
“Well, I’m glad you have such faith in my skills,” Mason said and brushed his lips to Tessler’s.
“Oh, I never questioned your … skills,” Tessler replied and bit Mason’s bottom lip. “I’m duly impressed by every one of your moves. In fact, you can be my bodyguard any time you want.”
“Lucky me,” Mason grinned and kissed Tessler again. “Would the bodyguard position still come with the added bonus of sleeping with you?”
“Most definitely.”
“Then, I truly am a very lucky guy,” Mason said.
Chapter Twenty-Six
They walked outside together to wait for Mason’s car service to pick him up. Tessler wanted to hold Mason’s hand so badly, but he didn’t dare draw attention to them before discussing it with Mason first. Not because touching in public bothered him, but he wasn’t sure how Mason felt about PDA’s, and he certainly didn’t want to make him uncomfortable by showing him affection.
Tessler glanced up and down the sidewalk to be sure Barry was no longer hanging around. He hated that this jerk from his past was once again trying to embed himself back into his life, and doing so right when he was starting something really great with Mason. His days with Barry were over a long damn time ago. Why couldn’t Barry understand that? It was embarrassing that Mason had to see this and meet him, too. Tessler was deep in thought while he stared at the pavement on the walkway when Mason’s fingers trailed the length of his arm to get his attention.
“Can I ask what Barry threatened you with?” Mason asked.
Tessler squeezed the bridge of his nose. “He’s an asshole,” he said.
“Yeah, I’d already gathered that much,” Mason agreed. “Now, I’m trying to figure out if he’s a real threat to you or just busting your balls.”
“He wants me to write another book to add to the trilogy,” Tessler explained.
“Why’s that?”
“Financially, he could still have a connection to that project,” Tessler said. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to give my attorney a call today and have him look in to it.”
“Would there really be a lot of money in it for him if you wrote another book?” Mason asked.
“You have no idea,” Tessler replied and shook his head. “It would be guaranteed money, since the trilogy broke so many sales records, and the financial numbers would be ridiculously good for anyone associated with the project. For him, it would be easy cash; that’s why he’s pushing me to write another book. If I don’t do this project, he’s threatening to tell the world who the real author is for the trilogy.”
“That’s LJ Mechum, so there’d be no way for that to point back to you, right?”
“He’d connect the final piece of the puzzle to reveal all three of my identities,” Tessler stated flatly as he looked aimlessly down the street.
“How bad would the damage be?” Mason asked.
“Not sure,” Tessler answered. “I’ve wrestled with that very question inside my head for the last several years. No one in my family knows about LJ; they’d be horrified to know I wrote such a dark, erotic story, which was also based on my own life. The Author’s Note that was included in the beginning of the book declares that fact in black and white. I don’t think any parent wants to read about their child’s sex life as it is, especially something written about their experiences from inside the walls of a well-known sex club and basically played out in a public forum.”
“Barry would make this announcement during the press conference,” Mason stated.
“Yeah, he suggested that I think long and hard about writing another book for the trilogy,” Tessler said and shrugged. “If I decided to do the project, he’d use the press conference to announce the next book in the Black Key Series, and if I refused to write the book, he’d use the platform to expose all my names instead,” Tessler said and shrugged. “Simple as that.”
“What are you going to do?” Mason asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Tessler replied. “I need to talk to my lawyer first to see what options are available, and then I’ll make a decision.”
“Do you want to write another book for the series?”
“Fuck, no!” Tessler protested. “Mainly, because that club is no longer a part of my life and hasn’t been for such a long period of time. Writing another book about the place now feels almost criminal, since I’d be writing the book for the sole purpose of the money I would make off of it. How could I expect other authors to applaud my blatant attempt at cashing in on a popular series? Hell, I’d lose respect for myself if I did that.”
“Is Barry good for the threat?” Mason inquired.
“Most likely,” Tessler nodded and met Mason’s eyes. “Something about the timing of this feels weird to me though. I can’t help but wonder what’s going on in his life that would push him back into mine like this. Why now, when it’s been years since I’ve seen or heard from him?”
“Maybe he’s broke and needs the money?” Mason suggested.
“That’s what I’ve been thinking myself,” Tessler added. “I mean, if he’s only looking for money, then I thought maybe I could offer to pay him off instead of writing another story for the series or having my identities revealed, but I don’t want to have to give him anything—especially money.”
“This smells of extortion,” Mason replied. “You shouldn’t have to resort to shit levels like that to appease him.”
“I wasn’t his only client back then, although I know I was his biggest,” Tessler admitted. “I also know he has several clients signed with him now, which would give him a viable source of income, so it’d surprise me if he was broke. It really makes little sense. He shouldn’t need me.”
“Well, if you were that lucrative to him with the trilogy, then maybe his other clients aren’t bringing in enough income for him to enjoy the lifestyle he was once accustomed to,” Mason suggested.
“That’s a possibility, but it’s also not my problem,” Tessler answered thoughtfully. “Maybe he’s just a greedy prick.”
Mason laughed at that last comment. “Well, it’s probably some of that mixed in with the rest of it,” he said. “I’ll be working at the Ventura Security office today. If you want me to, I could do some digging into his background while I’m there.”
“You can do that?”
“Hell, yeah,” Mason said and grinned. “I’d have to have probable cause to get my boss to sign off on the search, but Barry’s threat to you certainly gives me that.”
It took Tessler a moment to answer Mason, but when he did, a smile lit his face. “Yeah, go ahead and see what you can find out on him.”
Mason nodded. “Okay, then text me any information you have on him, such as his full name, last known address—stuff like that, and I’ll let you know what I find out.”
The car service picking up Mason arrived then and pulled up next to them at the curb. Mason’s knuckles brushed the back of Tessler’s hand. “I really want to kiss you,” Mason whispered.
“What’s holding you back?” Tessler said and grinned.
“You’re cool if I did that to you in public?”
“I don’t give a shit what anyone around here has to say about me kissing a gorgeous man on the sidewalk,” Tessler said and winked. “If I’m lucky, they’ll also guess you spent the night in my bed.”
“Jesus, don’t say shit like that,” Mason said. “I’m getting hard at the memory.”
It was Tessler who finally stepped in and took the kiss, but it was Mason who leaned in and wrapped Tessler up in his arms to own it. If any passersby reacted to their kiss, neither Mason or Tessler would have known. At that moment, the only things that existed were each other, the wet suction of their mouths, and the wrestling match going on between their tongues.
“Stay with me again tonight,” Tessler said breathlessly when their kiss finally ended.
“I’m not sure I can,” Mason said. “I’ll probably be working late at Ventura, and then the drive to get back out here ...”
“It’s okay,” Tessler said. “I’m acting like a needy, little bitch right now.”
Mason slanted his head again and took another quick kiss. “You’re not being needy. I really want to come back,” he said against Tessler’s well-kissed lips. “I’ll see what I can manage with the time, okay?”
“We still have some Tiramisu leftover from last night to use up,” Tessler grinned. “Wouldn’t want that to go bad now, would we?”
Mason moaned out loud and closed his eyes as if he were in pain. “You’re being a total dick tease, Tess.”
“Only for you.”
Mason’s smile grew wider at that statement. He opened up the back door to the vehicle waiting for him and started to climb inside. “I’ll call you later,” Mason said and reached for the door.
“I’ll look forward to it,” Tessler replied, then he watched as Mason closed it and his driver pulled out into traffic before he walked back into his building.
He had the driver bring him directly to the Ventura Security office instead of going home to change. Mason was too eager to get to work; he’d rather forgo the next few hours of sitting and waiting at home. Now that he knew about the threat Barry had made against Tessler, he couldn’t see straight. He needed to talk to Victor and Fizzbo as soon as possible to see what options he might have to protect Tessler. If that’s what the situation called for, then Mason wanted the protection already in place when it was needed, not after the fact. Mason was certain that Tessler wouldn’t look at this situation as one that needed a professional security detail, but there was no way Mason was dropping the ball and risking any
harm coming to Tessler.
“Everything all right?” Victor asked Mason as he came out of his office and into the main area. “You’re not due in until later.”
“Something came up,” Mason stated.
Victor sat on the edge of a desk in the main office and began to sort through a pile of mail. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Mason took a seat behind his desk and spun his swivel chair to face Victor. “I’ve been seeing someone, a man who—”
“You’re seeing a man?” Victor asked.
“Yeah, why does that come as such a surprise to everyone in this office?” Mason asked.
Victor grinned and tilted his head as if in deep thought. “Maybe because you’ve never once mentioned you like men, nor have I ever seen you with a man.”
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you have a conversation with the guys here in the office over which gender happens to share your bed,” Mason pointed out.
“Okay, touche,” Victor said. “You win, but it’s more that you always seem to operate as the lone wolf—all quiet and mysterious. You never have a lot to say, but what ends up coming out of your mouth is always important and has some weight to it.”
“Anyway, as I was saying,” Mason interrupted. “I’ve been seeing this guy who also happens to be a famous author. He has an ex-agent who threatened him this morning while I was there. I’m wondering what my options are to properly protect him, and I’d also like to ask if I could use our data systems to do a quick background search on the agent to see what his motives might be.”
“What’s your guy’s name?” Victor asked.
“He goes by one name: Tessler.”
“The sci-fi author?”
“Yes, that’s him,” Mason admitted. “He has another pen name as well as his birth name.”
“I’ve only read his science fiction books,” Victor said. “I wasn’t aware he had other books under different names. He’s damn good. I’m guessing you’re a fan?”
The glint in Victor’s dark eyes told Mason he was doing his best to tease him. “He’s a really nice guy, kind of reclusive and sticks to himself, like a typical author. He certainly doesn’t deserve to be threatened the way he was this morning,” Mason said.