“Hey, Laney.”
I perked up at the sound of my name. “Oh, sorry, I must’ve zoned out for a little bit.”
“No worries,” the gentle man smiled. “But do you think you could help me with something?”
“Oh?” I cocked my head to the side, wondering what he might want.
His cheeks colored slightly as he looked at his phone. “Well, I wanted a woman’s opinion on my LoveSwipe profile.”
“You’re on LoveSwipe now?” I asked, slightly surprised.
“Well eConnection didn’t really get me anywhere. So I thought I would give this a shot instead because apparently, a lot of ladies are using it. Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“No,” I stammered, slightly started. “I think it’s great that you’re getting back on the dating scene. Here, let me take a look.”
I got up and sat beside him, peering at his phone.
“Okay, so you get six pictures and an ‘About’ section. Easy enough.”
“But I don’t know what pictures to use and what to write,” he said, looking at me bashfully.
“Well, you want pictures that express who you are.”
“I have one of me at this year’s Comic Book Convention. I’m dressed up as Aquaman, it’s a rad costume!”
I tried not to giggle.
“Um, you might want to pick something else. Not all girls are into comics.”
His face fell like a droopy hound dog.
“Aww, why? I look really good.” And quickly, he pulled up the photo to show me.
Unfortunately, Jim did not look good. The orange shirt and green only emphasized his doughy body, highlighting every lump and weird bulge.
“Do you have any pictures where you’re at work?” I asked pragmatically. “Girls love animals. So if you say you work at an animal clinic, that’s sure to attract some women.”
“Maybe,” he mumbled, still disappointed. But Jim began browsing through the photos on his camera.
I stopped him before he could swipe past one where he was hugging a golden retriever. “This one!”
Jim made a face.
“What? Really? But I look so lame. Are you sure that I shouldn’t put up the Aquaman one?”
I sighed, rolling my eyes discreetly.
“Trust me on this one. This one’s amazing.”
Jim looked hesitant but nonetheless posted the picture to his LoveSwipe profile.
“Alright, anything else?” he asked.
“Hmm, let me see.” I took his phone and selected five more pictures, doing my best to make him look like a good guy. Girls liked that, and it’d only be a matter of time before he got a few matches, I was sure.
Maybe then he would finally stop clinging to me. Not that I was trying to get rid of him or anything. He was a good enough friend.
“Okay, so now what do I write?”
Jim turned puppy dog eyes to me for guidance, fingers hovering over the keyboard, ready to type anything I said.
“Hmm. Well, introduce yourself. Explain some of your –“ I stopped myself mid-sentence. Any girl who realized he was obsessed with video games would probably swipe past his profile. “Actually, just let me do it.”
As I crafted the perfect bio, Jim looked over my shoulder for a moment before turning away uninterested. He fiddled with his coffee cup for a moment before turning back to me.
“Why aren’t you dating?” was his question, eyeing my curiously. “What happened to that guy anyways? You know, your ex?”
I stopped typing and sighed.
“I’m going through a divorce. You know that, Jim.” My voice was harsher than I intended, but still. Why did he constantly ask me the same question? I was sick of it. Sure, six months had gone by since Mason dumped me, but that didn’t mean I was over him.
Hell, I didn’t know if I would ever get over him.
Because how could I?
Before old emotions could resurface, I bit my lip, holding them back.
Jim frowned. “Yeah.” He nodded. “That guy was terrible.” He toyed with the cap on his cup, fingers idle.
“What were you thinking, Laney, marrying a convicted felon?”
Instantly, my jaw clenched as anger bubbled inside my chest. My fingers tightened around his phone, breathing going fast, and then slow.
“He’s not a convicted felon,” came my strangled voice. “Not anymore. Mason won his appeal, and his record is clean now.” I defended my ex, voice coming out harsh and cold.
Jim shook his head, his frown deepening. I could tell that he pitied me, like the fat girl who’d been pranked by the prom king and his football buddies.
And I hated it.
“I don’t know about you,” said Jim airily, “but I don’t believe that an innocent man would get thrown in jail. When you’re that high-profile, you’ve got to be involved in some really shady stuff to get arrested. If you ask me, this was all a publicity stunt. Mason Evercore wanted attention on his company so he set up this performance. The billionaire’s scum, Laney, and I’m sorry you had the misfortune to meet him. Had I known, I would’ve tried to save you,” he finished with a queenly air.
Save me? What was I? Some helpless princess inside one of his video games? A damsel in distress he could sweep into his arms?
Unfortunately, the real world didn’t work like that. And I was living proof. But Jim rambled on and on, with no clue on how much he was hurting me.
“I still think you could take him for everything he has,” Jim said, rubbing his hands together like a scheming witch. “Tell the judge you suffered emotional damages or something. That the guy was a creep and –“
“Jim!” I cut in sharply.
The pale man looked at me quizzically, tilting his head as if he had done nothing wrong.
That got my goat. I was doing everything in my power to keep my composure when it would have given me great pleasure to slap this imbecile across the face and make sure he never defiled Mason’s name again.
“I think you better leave,” came my tight voice.
“What? Why?” Unbelievably, my so-called friend was genuinely surprised.
“Now!” I hissed. “Or I swear, you’ll regret it.”
“Laney,” He looked at me with a fearful expression. “You aren’t mad at me, are you?”
“Jim.” It was his final warning.
His eyes widened before he scrambled out of the booth and rushed the coffee shop, the blonde strands of his hair like downy fluff.
And as soon as he was gone, I sighed, leaning back.
Why had I done that?
Why did I still choose to defend the man that had broken my heart?
It didn’t make any sense.
Because deep down, I couldn’t stand to hear those things being said about Mason. Yes, he’d dumped me once he had his freedom, but that wasn’t criminal. And deep down, I knew my lover wasn’t a criminal. The appeal was legitimate, no matter what anyone said.
Sitting in the booth, my mind wandered back to Mason’s proposal. It wasn’t much, but he had done everything in his power to make it romantic. The look in his eyes. The way he touched me. The sweet words from his mouth. The memory was so vivid that I could almost sense his presence.
God, I missed him so much. My heart twisted with pain, the air painful to breathe.
I had tried so hard to forget him and to move on with, but it was real hard. The billionaire had been my first. He’d made such an impression on me that no one could take his place. Not now, not ever.
Guess I was just doomed to stay single for the rest of my life.
A sad, chubby woman living in her one-person apartment, lying in a narrow twin bed.
That was me, and there was nothing more to it.
Slowly, tears filled my eyes right there in the coffee shop. Why was my life like this? You have to do better, admonished the voice within. Buck up Lacey, this isn’t the end of the world.
But it sure felt like it.
I wanted to die. My cells should dis
solve becoming nothing but air.
But then the atmosphere shifted imperceptibly, a shiver running down my spine. My head shook ruefully. It was probably Jim. He had a habit of leaving at least one thing behind every time he left a restaurant, like a forgetful little boy. Usually, I was the one to snag his coat or his car keys. I was becoming his mother, full stop.
But when my eyes opened, time stood still.
My heart froze, the second hand locked in place.
What?
No.
It couldn’t be.
I blinked in disbelief.
But there he was.
Mason Evercore.
Huge and looming in a dark suit, just as impossibly handsome as ever.
What was he doing here? In this tiny hole-in-the-wall coffee shop?
Was I dreaming?
With those piercing blue eyes locked with mine, the huge man sat down. Already, there was a spark to the air, as that massive build loomed in the small stall. I wanted nothing more than to lean in and catch his scent once more, the devastating masculinity that made my insides go loose. But I couldn’t. We were getting divorced, and fear and pain held me back.
But why was he here? For six months, the man hadn’t spoken a word to me. So what brought him to this corner of the world? It was my little space, and he should stay out.
But the billionaire doesn’t take orders.
“Laney. We need to talk,” that low voice rumbled, making me go hot. Oh god, my nipples stiffened, pussy pulsing a little already. Stop, stop! I ordered my body. Stop, this isn’t the time!
Thankfully, it worked somewhat. I pressed my lips together, holding his gaze. It was difficult and frankly almost impossible to resist him, but somehow I managed.
The corners of his lips twitched into an almost frown.
The alpha wasn’t pleased.
Good.
It was about time he learned what it felt like to have someone deny him something. I wasn’t his ‘yes’ girl anymore. That ship had sailed long ago.
“Laney,” came that low rumble again. He leaned forwards, hands reaching out for mine.
I didn’t move one inch, frozen in place.
He wasn’t going to win this time. This man might have broken my heart, but he wasn’t going to take away my dignity.
“Please,” he growled, blue eyes intent, boring into mine. “Please sweetheart.”
The words escaped my lips, bitter and quick.
“Don’t call me that,” I said sharply. “I’m not your sweetheart.”
My jaw ached from clenching so tight. But I couldn’t give in. I couldn’t give in, was my mantra.
“In private then,” he said, voice low and soothing. “Let’s talk in private.”
God, this was so hard.
It didn’t help that my heart ached for him. Deep down, I still had feelings for this man – hell, I probably still loved him – but fool me once, fool me twice. I wasn’t going to fall for this again.
Still, the alpha’s was impossible to ignore, magnetic and charismatic as always. I was being pulled into his orbit, despite my best efforts. Maybe, just maybe, he had come to his senses and seen the errors of his ways?
Fuck, who was I kidding?
He probably ran out of models and I was the next best thing.
Just a back-up.
The girl he turned to when supplies dried up.
“Why don’t you come back to my hotel room with me?” he growled, low and seductive. “We’ll have privacy that way.”
The air burned in my lungs.
He was insane if he thought I was going anywhere with him.
We stared at each other, tension rising.
“Fine. We’ll just talk right here then,” was his purposeful voice, eyes mesmerizing my soul. “Here is fine, if that’s where you want it.”
But I wasn’t going to make the first move. He was here, on my territory, so I remained mum, waiting for him to explain.
The alpha took a deep breath, blue eyes distant for a moment as he looked out the window.
“I made a terrible mistake,” came the rumble from deep in his chest.
Oh, here we go. The clichéd speech every guy makes whenever he wants to get back together with his ex. I’ve seen it a million and one times on TV. He confesses everything, there’s a tearful reunion, and they walk off into the sunset, arms around one another.
But that’s TV. This is real life. So I cut him off before he could say another word.
“Don’t bother, Mason,” was my sharp entreaty. “If you’re here to apologize, there’s no need. I forgive you already.”
As soon as I spoke, he grabbed my wrists, holding them so tight I couldn’t pull away. But the big man is always gentle, and the grasp didn’t hurt. If anything, my heart beat faster, mesmerized by his touch.
And that blue gaze grew intense, burning into my own. “Please. Just listen to me for five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.” The words sounded almost desperate.
Mason Evercore was pleading with me?
Me, the no one? The wife he dumped unceremoniously?
Something had changed. So I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, if only because I couldn’t leave.
And seizing the opportunity, Mason pounced.
“I made a mistake,” he rasped, thumb gently caressing the back of my hand. “My lawyer showed me these photos. You were with a man, and I lost it. I saw you kiss and hug him. You were clearly fond of him. I jumped to conclusions. I thought you were cheating.” He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out the photographs, spreading them out across the table.
I stared at them. They were me and Jim, out and about in the city.
“Are you kidding me?” I said slowly, turning my eyes to him. “Where did you get these photographs?” I picked one up, recognizing the scene where I had broken up with Jim.
Mason was silent for a moment.
“Tell me!” I demanded, fingers curling on the prints.
The billionaire ran his fingers through his hair before confessing, a guilty look on his face. “From a private investigator,” he admitted. “My lawyer hired him to make sure you weren’t sneaking around behind my back.”
I was stunned. What? Why? Confusion and outrage swirled in my head.
“So while you were in prison, you had a team spying on me,” I said slowly. “Me, your wife. Or your ex-wife. Have you ever heard of something called trust? People tend to trust each other when they’re in a relationship.”
I shook my head. This had to be some kind of a joke and yet, the photographs on the table were all too real. “Why?” came my voice again, a note of pleading in the tone. I hated myself for it, but there was no way to stop. “Why?” came the plaintive word again.
The big man growled, eyes intent, making me shiver once more.
“You know I’m a rich man. Worth billions. And my lawyer thought it was the best thing to do,” he shrugged. “Women always pull fast ones. They always say one thing, but do another. So he convinced me to hire a PI,” were his careless words, tossed off like they meant nothing.
But I wasn’t taking it. Outraged, I leapt to my feet.
“Don’t blame this on your attorney,” were my harsh words. “Like you said, you’re the boss. He only does what you tell him to do. So don’t you dare try to pull the wool over my eyes and play innocent because I know damn well you’re the one who ordered this.”
Silence settled in the coffee shop following my outburst. A few people cast wary glances in my direction, but I didn’t care. Blood boiled in my veins even as a dagger shredded my heart. How could he?
But Mason knows how to play his cards. Because slowly, the big man nodded.
“Yes, I did,” he enunciated clearly. “The buck stops with me.”
That only made me angrier.
“Tell me,” I spat furiously. “Did you have them follow me even after we got married? After you said all those things about loving me till death do us part? Or did you just want me to
be your fuck toy because there were no better options while you were locked away?”
The words were like a slap across his cheek, but I continued, my fury unstoppable.
“I loved you, Mason Evercore. And this is what I get? Did you spy on me the whole time?” I demanded, the pain unbearable. “Even after we were married?”
Oh god, this was killing me. I could barely breathe, and yet I had to know.
And slowly, Mason nodded again, those blue eyes never leaving mine.
The air in my lungs evaporated. I couldn’t breathe, my heart literally stopping before pounding like a drum once more. Because this couldn’t be happening. This was some kind of a sick, twisted joke.
But I was going to have my say, come hell or high water.
“You want to know the truth about these fucking pictures?” I asked, picking one up and shoving it in his face. “Yeah, I used to date this guy, but we broke up when I met you. And you know what happened when I broke it off? He crumbled into a nervous mess. I felt sorry for him. So I continued to hang out with him. What was I supposed to do? He was my friend. And yes, maybe I’d kiss him on the cheek sometimes, just to make him feel better, but that’s all. It was never anything more than platonic. It never could be anything else, not while you were in the picture. I gave you everything – my heart, my soul, my body,” was my tortured voice.
“Laney,” he interrupted, eyes burning like coals.
But I was on a roll.
“I trusted you with everything,” came the anguished torrent of words. “Everything. And yet you were so worried about your precious money that I never had a chance.”
The accusations exploded from my chest like grenades, and yet Mason took it like a pro. That big body was unmoving, his eyes burning into mine.
Why was he looking at me like that?
Did he feel no regret for what had happened? For ruining my life?
For the third time, he simply nodded.
“I know,” came that low voice.
My body froze.
“What do you mean, you know?” My eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Wait. Jim was here just a minute ago. You knew that too, didn’t you? You were spying on me even now, weren’t you? You watched him leave,” was my accusatory hiss.
Prison Fling: A Dark Bad Boy Romance Page 16