Meant for Me (A Second Chance standalone) (23 page)

“Oh, I beg to differ. You’d be surprised what one would give
up for the taste of money. I’ve known of some who even gave up their own kids
for it. So the question is … would you give up the one thing you love the most?
The one thing you cherish above all else?”

“How would you even know the answer to that?” I asked.

Erick smirked, lifting a condescending brow. “True, but I
have a pretty good guess. I would say it’d have to be that beautiful blonde
headed goddess you have waiting for you up in your room, am I right?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him and remained
silent. I was not going to bring Claire into any of it. When I didn’t answer,
his eyes went wide in wonder. “I guess that means your answer would be a no.
You would seriously choose a woman over money? This girl must be something
really special because Wade said he wouldn’t give her up either.”

Oh fuck no, this couldn’t be happening.
If it wasn’t
so late I would put Claire on a plane that very minute and get her as far away
as possible. They lured in Summer when Austin fought and I knew without a doubt
that was going to be the plan for Claire. What was worse was that I knew who
I’d be fighting, and if Claire found out …

Erick started to turn and walk away, and I counted down the
seconds he would be out that door and away from me before I exploded. He
stopped and turned around, his brows furrowed. “You know, I never thought I’d
ever see the day where a woman would be worth that much to a man. It baffles
me.”

With that last note, he turned on his heel and sauntered
away. Before my time was up, I
was
going to find out who Erick really
was, and I
was
going to put him away, even if it killed me.

By the time I rushed to get the pastries and made it to the
elevator, I wasn’t surprised one bit when Claire stormed out, almost bumping
into me. “Whoa, what are you doing?” I asked, catching her in my arms.

“I came to find you,” she snapped with her arms crossed over
her chest. “You’ve been gone for a really long time, Mason. I know it doesn’t
take that long in the café.”

I hated to lie, but I had no choice. Pulling her back into
the elevator, I hit the button for our floor and passed her the bag of
chocolate pastries. “I’m sorry it took so long, baby. When I was walking to the
café a couple of people from the club stopped me while on their way to one of
the bars here. I didn’t want to be rude so I talked to them for a bit. Time
slipped by me and when I realized how late it was I told them I had to go. I
know it’s our last night together and I feel terrible. Do you forgive me?”

Sighing, she glared at me for another minute before looking
into the bag. A smile finally splayed across her face when she noticed I got
not only two pastries, but four. “Okay, I think I can forgive you now. You
better be glad chocolate can heal all wounds.”

“Oh, does it?” I asked, reaching into the bag. “I have
plenty of them so let’s see if it helps.” I grabbed one of the pastries and
took a huge bite. Claire laughed and grabbed one as well, taking a bite and
getting chocolate all over her lips.

Leaning down, I licked the chocolate off her lips and pushed
her against the wall of the elevator, pressing my hips against hers. My dick
was hard as a rock just imagining how fun it would be to suck chocolate off her
nipples and possibly other places if she’d let me. She gazed at me wide-eyed
and gasped, “I didn’t think you’d be up for anything tonight after the fight. I
was sure you’d be in too much pain.”

Chuckling, I took her finger and dipped it inside the pastry
before putting it in my mouth. After I sucked it off, I shook my head and
whispered gruffly, “Oh no, baby. I may have gotten my face a little beat up,
but there certainly wasn’t any damage to the goods. I’ll be more than happy to
show you.”

Once we got into the room, it wasn’t me who showed her … it
was the complete opposite. It was an eventful night and I owed it all to the
chocolate pastry.

“What are you smiling at?” Mason asked.

“Oh, I’m just wondering what the maids are going to say when
they find the bed sheets all covered in chocolate when they clean the room
today. I wish I could be a fly on the wall when they find them.”

Mason chuckled, and reached over to hold my hand. We were in
the truck and headed for the airport so I could make my ten o’clock flight back
to California. I had called Melissa first thing and asked her if her or Brett
could come pick me up when I landed. It would be good to get back home, but I
didn’t want to go back without Mason. Secretly, I was hoping the truck would
break down so I couldn’t make my flight. To get my mind off of leaving, I
decided to concentrate on our chocolate rendezvous. Thankfully, it helped … if
only for a short while.

Mason bellowed out a laugh and kissed my hand. “I have to
admit, last night was very interesting. I think we need to experiment with
chocolate a little more when I get back to California. I never thought watching
you eat a pastry off my dick would be so fucking hot.”

“It was a first for me, too,” I added, “but I thought it
would be interesting. I’m glad you liked it though.”

We had ten minutes left before we reached the airport and
the weight of that knowledge hung heavy in the air. “I want you to call me when
you land in California, okay?” Mason insisted in all seriousness. “I’ll feel
much better when I know you’re home and that you’re safe.”

Nodding, I tried to plaster on a fake smile and complied, “I
will. It says my flight should land around two o’clock.”

The airport loomed closer and closer and with each inch of
progression I could feel the dread settling like a weight in my stomach. My
instincts told me that something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t decipher what it
meant or what I should do. Mason slowly crept down the road because up ahead we
would have a choice to make. Either park and go in with me or drop me off at
the terminal.

“Do you want me to park and walk you to your gate?” he asked
softly.

Closing my eyes, I tried to keep the burn behind my lids at
bay. I wanted him to walk me in, except it would only add to the agony of
saying good-bye. Instead, I released a heavy sigh and shook my head. “Mason, if
you don’t mind I want you to drop me off at the terminal. Prolonging all of
this is just going to make it harder,” I muttered warily.

Taking a deep breath, he blew it out slowly and murmured,
“Okay. If that’s what you want that’s what I’ll do.”

Pulling up to the drop off terminal it was almost like déjà
vu staring at me in the face. It reminded me of the time when I was the one who
dropped him off at the airport on that fateful day all those months ago. Mason
squeezed my hand, and tilted my chin in his direction.

“Come on. I’ll get your bags out of the trunk.”

Once he got them out, he walked me to the door and set them
down. Scooping me in his arms, he held me tight and buried his face in my neck.
“I love you so fucking much, Claire. I promise I’ll come home to you soon,” he
vowed wholeheartedly.

“You better … and I love you, too,” I whispered back.

Breathing him in one last time, I prayed the woodsy smell of
his Burberry cologne and the natural male scent of his skin would stay
ingrained in my mind while he was gone. I didn’t want to let go, but I only had
an hour to get through the gate, check in, and make it to my terminal.
Reluctantly, I loosened my hold on him and leaned up to kiss him on the lips.
It started off gentle, but then Mason clasped his strong fingers around my neck
and held me to him as he deepened the kiss.

“I have to go,” I cried, pulling away.

Nodding quickly, he bent down to pick up my bag, and placed
it on my shoulder. With my rolling suitcase in hand, I was ready to go. I
smiled at him one more time and kissed him hastily on the cheek before turning
to walk away.

“Be careful, Mason,” I called out, keeping my gaze on the
approaching door.

“I always am, baby … I always am.”

I didn’t look back, either out of necessity or the fear that
I would break down and refuse to leave. I had to keep going. When I made it to
the ticket counter there wasn’t that long of a line so I got through it pretty
quickly. By the time I sat down to gather my thoughts I had thirty minutes left
before departure. They would most likely let us board soon so I checked my
emails from my phone and scrolled through Facebook to kill the time. Most of my
friends were married or were about to get married while some posted pictures of
their newborn children. I didn’t think anyone would want to know my true status
update. It would read something like this:
I’m sitting in the Las Vegas
airport, just being dropped off by the man who dumped me over four months ago
who now happens to be the man I’m in love with. He’s an undercover cop on a
dangerous mission to figure out why there’s been a string of deaths in the MMA
community. Not to mention, he used to be a fighter himself who was undefeated
and screwed countless women in celebration to his undefeated wins. I don’t know
if he will make it home safe or if he will make it out alive. Please keep me in
your prayers.

If I were to post something like that my friends would
probably laugh and think it was all a joke. Nothing bad ever happened to them
or at least that was what it seemed. I couldn’t be the only one out there with
a psychotic family member and a boyfriend who ran to danger instead of away
from it.

“First class passengers for Flight 2578 to Sonoma can now
proceed to board at this time. I repeat, first class passengers for Flight 2578
to Sonoma can now proceed to board at this time.”

Groaning, I put my phone in my bag and zipped it up as soon
as I heard the announcement. People lined up to get on the plane and as I
waited for the line to clear, I laid my bag down on the seat beside me and
stood up to stretch. I didn’t see the point in rushing to the plane when I was
going to have to do more waiting once inside.

After stretching my legs, I turned to reach for my bag that
I had placed in the seat and noticed it wasn’t there. “What the hell,” I
hissed.

Frantically, I searched around, looking under the chairs and
at the people walking around nearby. It would be hard to miss since it was
bright pink with white stripes on it.
How the hell could I lose it?
My
bag had my phone in it and everything. I couldn’t leave without it.

Out of the corner of my eye, a flash of pink caught my
attention. It was my bag, except it wasn’t just lying on the floor; it was in
someone’s hands. The guy holding it let it swing back and forth, no doubt to
get my attention and it surely did. I couldn’t tell who he was because of his
lowered head and the baseball cap hiding his eyes.
What do I do?

The decision was made for me when the guy with my bag
started to saunter off still carrying my things. He looked over his shoulder
and I could see the telltale sign of a smile when he noticed me following. The
last thing I wanted was to follow him outside alone; however, I didn’t get the
chance to do that because out of nowhere an arm draped over my shoulder and I
yelped in surprise. “Quiet,” a voice hissed in my ear.

Gasping, my breaths came out in rapid pants as I was pulled
to a corner and backed into a wall with the hulking frame of none of other than
Chase Benfield in front of me, blocking me from view.
You have got to be
kidding me! Can I not catch a break!
He wore a black T-shirt and jeans, and
instead of a blue mohawk like he had the last time I saw him it was now raven
black to go with his black as coal eyes.

Before I could open my mouth to call for help, he slammed
his hand over my lips, growling low, “I’m going to warn you now; if you scream
I’ll make sure Mason suffers for every ounce of attention you draw to yourself.
I need you quiet and I need you to come with me.”

“What are you talking about? Where’s Mason?” I snapped.

He moved forward so quickly that I hit my head against the
wall to get as far away from him as possible. I didn’t get very far.

“Oh, you’ll see him later, sweets. Did he not tell you
what’s going on?” Chase asked smugly.

Closing my eyes, I clenched my teeth and sucked in a sharp,
angry breath.
No, he didn’t tell me.
I knew something was going on, that
Mason was keeping something from me, but I didn’t expect it to involve me.
Thoughts of Summer came to mind, and in that moment it all made sense.
That’s why he wanted me to leave, but I didn’t get away fast enough.

“Oh, I can tell by the look on your face that he didn’t,”
Chase sneered. “Well this is going to be fun. Are you sure he didn’t tell you
about the fight?”

Glaring at him, I pushed my hands against his chest to get
some space, but being a wall of muscle he didn’t move. “No,” I hissed through
clenched teeth. “He didn’t tell me about the fight.”

Chase guffawed. “You know I bet that’s why he wanted to send
you home packing. He’s a smart guy, but I guess not smart enough when he told
Erick you were leaving this morning. That just wasn’t going to do because we
had plans for you.”

Turning my head, I crossed my arms over my chest, hoping it
would get him to back off. He moved back slightly and finally I could breathe
again.

“So you followed us here?”

“Yep, and here we are. I’d say everything worked out
perfectly,” he chided. “However, now we need to leave and I need you to come
quietly. Can you do that? I don’t want anything bad to happen to Mason before
we have our fun.”

I didn’t know what other choice I had other than to go.
“Fine,” I said darkly. “Just back up and give me some space. I’ll come quietly
if you stop touching me.”

Lifting his hands in the air, he smiled wide and backed up,
letting me out of the corner. “As you wish,” he chimed.

Walking side by side, we made it out the doors to the
airport and there waiting by the curb was the guy who took my bag, standing by
a black Mercedes G500 with dark tinted windows and the backseat door wide open.

“Mason’s going to get the surprise of his life when he sees
you tonight. I’m sure he’s going to love seeing you with me,” Chase whispered
in my ear, coming around behind me. His fingers grazed across my arm and over
my breast right before he grabbed my waist and pushed me forward. Sliding into
the backseat, Chase came in behind me and reached around to pull the seatbelt
over my chest.

“We have to keep you safe,” he chided tauntingly.

He put his hand on my bare thigh, and I wanted to kick
myself in the ass for wearing a pair of shorts. Thank God, it wasn’t a skirt.
Either way, I could feel my blood pressure rising by the minute. Inch by inch,
he moved his hand up higher on my thigh and being in the position I was in, I
reacted out of pure anger. As fast and as hard as I could do it, I elbow struck
him in the neck since my reach could only go so far. Immediately, he removed
his hand and grabbed his throat, sputtering and gasping for air. Snickering,
the driver pulled away from the curb and led us away from the airport.

“So help me God, Chase, if you touch me one more time I’m
going to do a lot worse to you than just hitting you over the head with a
bottle or a simple elbow strike. Next time you won’t be getting up,” I growled.
I tried to put as much force behind my hit as I could muster, but given the
fact that he righted himself quickly it must not have been too effective. At
least I tried to make a point.

Chase coughed and then burst out laughing while pulling out
his phone. “You are too much, Claire. I love a woman with fire.” Rolling my
eyes, I turned away from him and stared out the tinted window of the Mercedes.

Chase dialed a number on his phone and when the person
answered on the other end he responded, “Yeah, I have her, and no, she didn’t
put up a fight,” he paused, and rubbed his neck, “well not much of one anyway.
Once I mentioned harming Mason she complied immediately.” He listened to the
other person speak a little longer and then hung up the phone.