MasonsRule-ARe (11 page)

He did not like the sound of that. “What does that mess have to do with her?”

“Shit. I thought you knew.”

“Knew what?” He was losing patience and wished one of these women would get on with it. He didn't have the time right now to pry info out of them.

Tori pulled him toward the kitchen and away from other ears. “Levi is going to kill me for this, but I think she needs you more than she needs an overprotective brother.” She paused, looking over her shoulder as if making sure no one could hear her before she dipped her head closer. “She was there the night their father was killed.”

Gabe felt some of the blood drain from his head as he tried to understand the complications of this revelation. He didn’t know the family all that well back then. His friendship with Levi had gotten him an introduction to Mason and Tucker once they realized they all had a love for kink. But he didn't know Nina or Mrs. Lewis back then.

“Gabe, are you listening?” Tori’s voice sharpened.
 

“Yeah, although I have no idea what you’re trying to say.”

“Oh good God,” she whispered. “If she was there the night the old man died, I’m guessing it wasn’t for freaking tea or some shit. Something bad happened and I’m worried Nina was involved in it somehow.” She pointed through the kitchen door. “Go see for yourself. She’s either having a breakdown or on the verge of one. Something is seriously wrong and she won’t tell me a thing.”

Gabe heard enough. He stormed through the door and marched down the hall to Nina’s office. Enough was enough. The infuriating woman had kept him at arm’s length for so many damn years, he couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed the doorknob and yanked only to discover it locked. “Nina, open the Goddamned door.”

No response.
 

“Seriously, Nina. You get over here and open this door now or I’m breaking it down.”

“Go away.” Her voice was tiny and unsure with a slight slur. So unlike the woman who enjoyed trying to bust his balls every chance she got.

Well, he was done playing games. He shifted to the right and turned his left shoulder into the door and shoved. The lock popped open. Gabe stumbled a few feet before he regained his balance and went charging into the room. He didn’t see her at first until he rounded her desk and found her sitting in the corner with a half-empty bottle of whiskey standing between her legs.
 

He started to say something when she lifted her head and faced him. What he saw not only pissed him off, it made the Dom come to attention.
 

Her eyes were red rimmed with deep, dark circles underneath, indicating she hadn’t slept in days. The normal rosy cheeks he was used to were replaced with pale, sallow skin.
 

“What the hell is going on here?”

She lifted the bottle to her lips and took a swig. “What does it look like? Care to join the party.”

Anger and sorrow ripped through him equally. “Doesn’t look like much of a celebration if you ask me.” He spoke through clenched teeth as he tried really hard to keep his temper under control.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re one hell of a perceptive guy?” She took another quick drink before slamming the bottle to the floor.
 

“I’ll ask you again. What the fuck is going on?”

Fire blazed in her eyes for a brief second before going out. Her shoulders sagged and she turned away. “Go away, Gabe. This isn’t your problem.”

“The hell it isn’t” He closed the space between them in three long strides and crouched down in front of her. “You need to tell me what happened and let me take care of it.”

“You can’t,” she cried.

“The hell I can’t. Taking care of problems is exactly what I do. Especially when it comes to you. Now tell me now before I lose what little patience I have left.”

She stared at him with unshed tears shining in her eyes. Never in all the years he’d known her did he see her cry.
 

“That doesn’t make any sense, Gabe. You aren’t one of my brothers. I am not your responsibility.”

“Damn straight, I’m not your brother. But make no mistake, darlin’. You are my responsibility.”

He was on the verge of shaking some sense into her if she didn’t give him some answers.
 

“Why?” she asked again.

He closed his eyes and ground his teeth together. Now wasn’t the time to do this. Never was the time to do this. Except this time, she wanted to force his hand.
 

Fuck it.

“Because I’ve waited too many damn years for you to come to your senses, that’s why. Every chance you get, you like to remind me how incompatible we are. Always throwing Purgatory and the BDSM lifestyle in my face as a barrier between us. Well, you’re done and I’m done taking it. So if you want to know why, then I’ll tell you why, but you’d better brace yourself, babe, because you might not like it.”

Her mouth dropped open halfway through his tirade and he swooped forward to take advantage, covering her mouth with a searing kiss. Years of hunger and denial crashed down on them as he consumed her. His tongue thrust into her mouth every bit as possessive as the rest of him. But it was the moment her delicate hands grabbed him by the hair and kissed him back that did him in.

He hung back from her because of his relationship with her brother and Mason’s unusual protectiveness of her. He always expected one day he’d have to give up something big before he could ever truly have her. Then he learned that Tucker wasn’t her only brother. She had three of them, which explained a lot.
 

Now all bets were off. His need for her went far beyond simple lust and they had to deal with it. He backed off, nibbling at her lips before finally breaking the kiss.

Her eyes were still closed, her lips still moist and slightly parted and she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. He wanted so badly to lay her out on the floor and take. The signals were good. She’d go for it.
 

And then he’d never forgive himself for taking advantage. He pulled back from her and sat back against his heels, waiting for her to open her eyes and look at him. He needed her to see him before he said what he had to say next.
 

The seconds ticked by and she still didn’t look. Finally, he broke the silence.
 

“You still want to know why?”

Her eyelids fluttered open as she nodded.
 

“Because you’re mine.”

“Gabe—” she hung her head and started to protest.

“Don’t bother. We both know this has been coming for a long time. Although I ain’t gonna deny this is bad timing.” He grasped her chin gently and lifted her head. “So you’re going to remember what I said and after we work through whatever is going on, you’ll deal with me then. Okay?”

She nodded.

“Babe, I gotta hear you say it this time so I know you aren’t going to forget. Okay?”

“Okay, Gabe,” she whispered.

“That’s my good girl.” He brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. “Come here.” He held out his arms.

For the first time, she didn’t fight or try to twist his dick with her smart mouth. She moved the bottle of whiskey from between her legs and practically flew into his embrace, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.
 

He twisted them around until he was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall, legs out in front of him, and a beautiful but possibly broken woman draped across his legs. They sat like that for a long time not speaking. He waited for tears that to her credit never came.
 

“Nina,” he said.
 

She stirred in his arms but neither let go of his neck or gave him her face.
 

He nudged her with his shoulder. “C’mon, babe. We’ve gotta talk. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Slowly she dragged her torso away from him and looked him in the eyes. The anguish still showing there shredded his gut.
 

“It’s bad. And it can’t be fixed.”

“Anything can be fixed. I just have to know what it is so we can come up with a plan to deal with it.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to drag you into this. You might not get back out.”

“Don’t care. Tell me.”

When she still didn’t start talking, he threaded his fingers into her soft hair and gave it a slight tug, making sure he had her full attention.

“Tell me. Now.” He infused enough steel in his command to make her eyes widen before her shoulders sagged in resignation.

“I’ve been having dreams. No not dreams—nightmares. I’m afraid to go to sleep.” She lifted her head and he met her gaze. “I think I killed my father.”

Chapter Ten

Four days later, Mason paced impatiently through the cabin of the plane waiting for Rebecca. His normal reserve deserted him the minute he boarded to find his submissive had not yet arrived.
 

Late again.
 

The snap of his nerves made it abundantly clear she had him wound tighter than he liked. He was counting down the time to see her again without even realizing it. He exhaled slowly, reaching for the reserve of calm he counted on when needed. The driver should have easily delivered her more than thirty minutes ago.
 

Time to teach her he didn't tolerate delays. Especially when he’d barely seen her so far this week. Work had kept him at the office for long miserable days as he prepared for this trip. Now that he’d cleared his schedule to be with her he was anxious to get back to her. He moved through the cabin and began stowing his laptop case. His time on board today did not include work of the computer variety.

His personal flight attendant appeared from the cockpit of the plane and greeted him with a smile.

"Mr. Sinclair, your driver just called and he will be arriving with Miss Adams any moment now."

"Thank you, Anne."

"Is there anything else I can get for you before we take off? A beverage perhaps?"

He shook his head. "Only privacy for my guest's arrival. If we need anything I’ll let you know."

She dipped her head. "Yes, sir, then I will prepare for takeoff and wait to hear you and your guest are ready."

The woman disappeared through the door she arrived from and he once again felt the silence engulf him. He stuffed his hand in his trouser pocket, pulled a coin out and began rolling it between his fingers. Remaining idle wasn't something he did well. With a to-do list a mile long, he had more than enough to keep his mind occupied. Except today, work took a backseat in favor of his thoughts of Rebecca. They already wasted four days. Precious time considering they only had thirty.

Although he had to admit, coming home to her every night to find her waiting or asleep in his bed had made his long days well worth it. By night three she was antsy again about the no sex thing and he made the decision to make her wait only one more night. She was so much damn fun to toy with, if his cock didn’t hurt like hell he might draw it out longer. As it was, he couldn’t wait anymore either.

A noise at the front of the cabin drew Mason from his thoughts as he looked up to see her enter in a rush, a small bag draped across her shoulder. Her silky blonde hair had slipped free of its confinement at the back of her head and soft curls framed her pixie face. He leaned forward and caressed a lock of her hair, remembering how it felt against his bare chest. She lifted her eyes to his and the pressure in his groin raged out of control.

"We'll be taking off in about ten minutes or so. Do you need to freshen up or anything? There are two private bathrooms available. One here in the cabin and another in the bedroom suite." He pulled away from her gaze, grabbed her bag and stowed it in the closet next to them.
 

"You have a bedroom suite? On a plane?"

He smiled. "I have a lot of things on this plane, Miss Adams. The bathrooms are minor in comparison."
 

She smiled in return. "Are you going to try and intimidate me the whole trip or is this just your way of reminding me you live in a rich ass world?"

Mason laughed. How could he not? He was trying to intimidate her and she saw right through him. He needed to learn more about her and what kind of world she came from. "Well, since you seem to have a fair amount of disdain for my rich ass world, I guess not. And since you don't seem to need a bathroom, then I guess we should get started."

"Started?" Her brows drew together and the delicate skin between her eyebrows furrowed.
 

He reached up and drew his thumb across her brow until her skin relaxed and she sighed. "I’m ready to play, Ms. Adams. Four days wasn’t long enough for you? Now it’s just you and me in the middle of the day. I think now is as good a time as any." He pulled back. "Remove your blouse."

"Right here?"

Mason shook his head. "I thought we'd gotten past this part."

Rebecca took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling in rhythm. "You're right, Sir. I just didn't think here. I mean—we're standing on a plane about to take off. Shouldn't we buckle up or something?"