Chapter Twenty -Two: Pleasure? Or Guilt?

Mason lifted me like I weighed nothing and settled me on one thigh, his knee pressing deliciously against my clit. A jolt shot through me.

“You’re trembling?” he whispered against my ear. “Has anyone ever touched you like this?”

I couldn't answer. His teeth grazed my ear before he nipped, sending pain then waves of pleasure through me. I ground my hips against him without thinking.

“Answer me.”

“No.” I gasped suddenly, feeling out of breath.

I heard his breath hitch, it was barely there but I felt it against my neck. His hand slid up my back, slowing like he was trying to memorize every inch of me.

“Say you're mine. I'm the only one that owns this pussy.”

“Mason…” I whimpered and all my thoughts were wiped away.

“You can't come until you say it, angel”. He pinched my nipples and I yelped.

“Yes… I'm yours.” the words tumbling out of me. “You're the only one that owns this pussy. Just please—let me come.”

His hands moved to my hips, guiding me, setting the rhythm. Pressing me down with just the amount of pressure. Tension gathered low in my belly, coiling tighter and tighter…

So close. So close—

I arched my back and cried out his name as the pleasure crashed over me. He took my nipples into his mouth, intensifying the pleasure more.

Coming down from the high, he planted soft kisses from my breast up to my mouth as I trembled from the aftershock.He eventually lowered me onto the couch, rearranging my clothes. I glanced at the wet spot on his pants where I’d ridden him.

My face burned.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling that. Let alone having my first orgasm.

Mason blue eyes had gone dark and stormy. “I told you before.” He said quietly. “I don't like sharing what's mine.”

My heart skipped. He leaned closer.

“Go prepare for dinner. I need you strong for when I finally fuck you properly.”

My lips parted. The image of him pressing me against this couch, fucking me deep, relentlessly. Made me throb all over again. My eyes dropped to his pants, his bulge which was impossible to miss. Holy shit, was it big.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I might think you want me to take you here right now.” My entire face turned red. I immediately scrambled to my feet on wobbly legs.

“I–I need to go.”

Mason's low chuckle followed me out of the room as I hurried up the stairs, my heart pounding.

I caught myself against my bedroom door, breathing hard. I could still feel the wetness on my thighs.

What just happened?

Images of how I grounded shamelessly against his thigh flashed through my mind and I covered my face with my hands, groaning.

I shouldn't be encouraging this. This man could throw you away whenever he feels he's tired of you.

The worst part? The thought of the filthy way he spoke to me made me feel wet again.

Deep down a part of me was happy. At least I knew I wasn't immune to physical touch. But at the same time it scared me a lot. Because for the first time I began to question myself if I had actually loved Ryan as much as I claimed to believe.

My hands found the necklace round my neck.

It was still on the day of my tenth birthday party. Mom had just gone inside after her talk about the moon and stars. I was wiping my eyes heading back to the party, when a boy crashed into me.

“ Watch where you're going!” The words coming out are harsher than I meant. I came face to face with blonde hair and brown eyes.

“I'm sorry, are you okay? Should I get ice? I knew I shouldn't have come–.”

Seeing how flustered he looked, my anger floated away.

“Hey, it's okay.” I softened. “Help me up?”

“Oh sorry.” He pulled me to my feet. “Ryan,” he said, smiling at me.

“Iris.”

“Are you going inside?”

I nodded.

“Great, let's go together.” And we head to the party. “Wait, I almost forgot.” He gave me the purple box in his hands, and thrust it at me.

“Here. My mom helped me pick it. I had no idea what to give a girl.” His cheeks went pink.

Was he nervous?

“You're not here to see Julia?” All the other kids brought presents for Julia. Not me. I didn't want to expect anything, only to be disappointed.

“Why would I bring a present for Julia? It's your birthday?” I opened his presents and a silver necklace was in it with a little heart pendant.

“Do you like it?” Ryan looked at me and he shifted from one foot to another.

“It's perfect.” I said clutching it to my chest as we walked into the party.

My fingers caressed the necklace around my neck. Guilt overcame me. I was in trouble.

Mason was already sitting, completely back to his usual self . So put together. His hair, which was still damp, dropped lightly on his face. Apart from that you wouldn't know anything ever went down.

I moved towards my usual seat across from him.

“Come. Sit beside me .”

I took my seat beside him, suddenly aware of the little distance between us. Mason, of course, looked completely unbothered. As if I hadn't been grinding on his lap twenty minutes ago.

I tried not to look at him. My eyes drifted up anyways, over his jaw and settled on his mouth.

His jaw clenched.

“You should work on your staring.”

I snapped my gaze away, my cheeks going hot. “We don't have to sit this close together.” I muttered.

His hand reached over, his thumb brushing my lower lip.

“How else would I be able to touch you whenever I want?”

My eyes widened.

His gaze lingered on my lips then dropped to my neck, his eyelashes framing his eyes.

He does have long eyelashes.

He touched the pendant, tracing it slowly. “You always wear this.”

“It's from a friend.”

He raised a brow. “Not Kim?”

I shook my head.

“Will I get to meet this friend?”

“We aren't… close anymore.” I hoped that ended it.

Before he could press further, the dining-room doors opened and relief washed through me. It didn't sit right, telling him the necklace is from Ryan. Not yet, anyway.

Jason came in with the maids, directing them as they served.

Mason withdrew his hand.

Mason pov

She didn't want to tell him who gave her the necklace.

The omission made anger flared in him. A friend. Not Kim? Was it a lover? Did she still love him?

He had never understood what it was about her that made him react unusually…so… not in control.

Yet Iris had a way of disrupting that control without even trying.Two weeks of avoiding him had been enough to make him realize just how much he had grown accustomed to her presence.

He had noticed every change.The way she disappeared before he returned home.The meals she ate without him.

And then there was Owen.

Seeing his cousin's hand on her had awakened something Mason spent years burying.Possessiveness. It had irritated him.

More like, it unsettled him.

Because he had never intended for this marriage to become complicated.

When Iris first came to him asking him to marry her, he had seen an opportunity.

Her family had destroyed far more than they knew. The betrayal between their families ran deep, he intended to settle that debt. He knew the Davidsons were having some financial problems. His plan was simple, delay breaking the engagement, then when they had no choice but to meet him for help as their only hope, he would end it. Leaving them hopeless to fall.

Then she looked at him with those large brown eyes asking him to marry her.

The same brown eyes from that night at the hotel.

And somehow, he said yes.

He still didn't understand why? Curiosity preharps. Or the way she looked at him, as if he were her last hope.

Or perhaps it had started that night at the hotel, when he tasted her lips and realized he simply wanted her.

He hadn't cared which daughter he used to execute his plan. But Iris came, making him feel things his father had drilled him never to feel. And the worst part? He didn't hate it.

His gaze returned to her. She was focused on her food. But the blush on her cheeks gave her away.

After dinner he called Clara.

“Send Owen to handle the London branch.”