SIX – ANGER, PAIN AND POSSESSION.

MASON

“Where the hell is she, Darth? Damnit, where is she?!”

I’m pretty sure I look like I belong in an asylum. After checking to make sure Halloway was okay, I arrived at my office only to realise that Darth and Mira were nowhere in sight.

I’ve called her phone about a bazillion times but the hard headed woman keeps sending me to voicemail. A burst of rage mixed with a strange emotion trickles down my spine. Fear.

I finally found Darth on the office grounds, but Mira is still missing.

“Sir, please calm down and listen to me.”

My fingers tighten around his throat.

“I gave you one instruction. One instruction and you failed me. Where is my woman?”

To Darth’s credit, he doesn’t look scared…just worried.

“I left her for a few seconds to use the restroom. When I returned, she was gone.”

I shut my eyes for a beat, hoping to soothe the darkness that persistently threatens to crawl through my throat and strangle me.

“You and I both know that with everything going on with the mafia, it is too dangerous to let Mira roam free.” I growl through gritted teeth. “If anything happens to her…”

“Nothing will happen to Mira, boss. I know where she is.”

I let go of him immediately, my pounding pulse refusing to calm the fuck down.

“Where is she?”

Darth tries to rearrange his suit.

“I tracked her location. She’s with Vanessa Collins.”

I do not wait for him to finish. I should’ve known she would run to her partner in crime.

“Ready the car. I’ll be leaving in the next two minutes.”

I’m going to get my woman back but first, I have a few important calls to make.

She should know by now that there are consequences to disobeying me. When I find her, I will take her over my knee and not let her up until her arse is red and throbbing from my spanking.

I haven’t forgotten the tears I saw in her eyes today…tears that I caused. I haven’t forgotten the way she looked at me like she hated my guts. The hole which her hate filled words left in my heart is still very much fresh and widening by the minute.

Quite ironic that upon all the thousands of beautiful women in New York, I had to be completely and irrevocably obsessed with the most stubborn of them all.

I told her she wasn’t allowed to hate me but once again, she refused to listen. I don’t care if she cries or screams. She’s awaken the devil, and he is out for her blood.

***

MIRA

Vanessa and I spend hours burning up pictures of her and Damon. After that, we consume two full bottles of expensive champagne while discussing the most painful ways we can string the handsome-as-sin best friends by their balls.

Now, we’re thinking up ways to fry Halloway’s ass.

“I have absolutely no idea how the conniving little bitch did it, but the part where she tried to choke me to death was miraculously erased from the footage when Mason asked for it.”

Vanessa paces to the other end of the room, her fingers clenched into fists.

“Halloway Stephens. I’ve always known there was something off about her. What’s the plan? How are we going to expose her dubious ass to the entire world?”

I shrug. It’s been hours so my anger has dulled a little, but the hurt is still there…and the pain.

“I haven’t gotten the chance to think up anything yet.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes and plops on the sofa beside me.

“See, this is why you need to go down on your raggedy knees and thank the Lord everyday of your life for giving you a criminal mastermind as a best friend. I actually have a couple of great ideas.”

I decide to humour her.

“Okay, Nessa. Let’s hear it.”

She actually appears really excited about this.

“Let’s give her the scare of her life. We’ll kidnap her then force her to watch videos of psycho Zombies skinning amateur murderers like her alive.”

My eyes widen in horror.

“Vanessa…”

“No, no. Here’s the best part. After that, we’ll cut off a part of her body and keep it as a souvenir, I suggest her pinky finger, then we’ll send her back and threaten to come back for more body parts if she refuses to confess to her crimes. What do you think?”

I gave an are-you-even-serious-right- now look.

“It is too early to blame this behaviour on pregnancy hormones. It is settled. Girl, you’re crazy.”

She huffs.

“I’d love to hear you come up with a better and more creative idea then. Trust me, that bitch deserves every last bit of our wickedness and more.”

Okay. I cannot believe this.

“First off, Kidnapping is a crime. Second, I’m not sure, but there should be a law that also prohibits hacking of body parts. Let’s be real here, we might hate Halloway, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in jail. We’re not actual criminals, Nessa.”

She looks at me like I’m crazy.

“Sweetheart, we are criminals. We stole from rich men for two years. Or have you forgotten?”

“What? That was different and you know it!”

“But…”

“Vanessa Collins!” I cut in before this gets out of hand. “We are not hacking off anyone’s body parts. Do you understand?”

She flops on her seat unrepentantly.

“Your loss. Just know that I promise you nothing.”

I gasp incredulously. Lord, give me strength.

After a few seconds of silence, she asks,

“So, how long do you intend to hide from your dark prince?“

At the mention of Mason, all my nerves go on high alert. That man affects me in ways I cannot even begin to explain.

“As long as it takes. I’m not going back to him while he’s still in the enemy camp.”

Vanessa makes a show of buffing her nails.

“You and I both know that he’ll be at that door kicking off a storm once he knows you’re here.”

Yes. Yes, I know that. The mere thought of it makes me go slightly weak in the knees – which is why I’m refusing to think about it. I slide to the floor and stretch my legs.

Mason’s betrayal hurt like a bitch. It still does. And the fact that he believed he could order me around in front of his psychotic best friend hurt me even more.

Do I realise that he might break down Vanessa’s door when he comes here? Yes, yes I do. But will I fight back? With everything in me.

“I’m not going back to him.” I whisper. “My heart can't take it anymore, Nessa. One minute he’s the man of my dreams and the next, he’s tearing my poor heart to shreds. One minute he’s saying that he wants forever with me and the next, he’s holding me by the throat, threatening to choke me.

I know I have fallen head over heels for the wrong man and there’s no going back, but I can’t take it anymore. I just…I can’t.”

Vanessa is quiet for a minute.

“Don’t make the mistake I made, Mira.” She finally says softly.

My eyes snaps to hers in surprise.

“What?”

“You’ve been given the chance to be loved by someone. Even if he’s the darkest, most intense, most brutal, most dominating and possessive prick in the entire world, that man loves you, and he will go through anything to protect you.

Don’t delude yourself by waiting for the white picket fence, perfect husband and kids. People like us never survive in such boring, pure love relationships. We’re built for something darker…something more devilish. If you’ve got a chance at it, grab on with both hands.”

I stare at her in shock.

“Mason almost killed me today. He doesn’t love me. He doesn’t.”

Vanessa laughs.

“Everyone sees it but you, Bebita. Everyone but you.”

I’m still pondering Vanessa’s words when the sound of her doorbell fills the room. I freeze, sending her a panicked stare.

Vanessa gets to her feet slowly and motions to me to keep silent.

When the doorbell keeps ringing without any response, whoever it is starts pounding on the door.

“Who the hell is it?” I whisper.

Vanessa shrugs.

“I have no idea.” She whispers back.

My heart thuds with panic and I look frantically about the room for a place we can both hide.

A few minutes later, the pounding stops.

Vanessa and I breathe a collective sigh of relief

Then we hear a key turning in the lock and we both freeze once more. I race to the kitchen and pick out the first knife my trembling fingers can reach, my heart pounding wildly against my ribcage.

My nerves twist in fear when I return to the sight of Vanessa’s apartment door slamming against the wall with a thunderous crash, but I experience real, mind numbing fear when my eyes meet the cold, icy ones of my darkest nightmare…Mason Lachlan.

His suit is nowhere to be found and his hair looks like he ran his fingers through it a million times. Even from the door, I can literally feel the rage rolling off him in waves.

He stalks into the room and towards me, not caring to spare Vanessa a glance. I gulp, the weapon in my hand already trembling.

Before he gets to me, Vanessa steps forward like a shield and blocks his access to me. Mason doesn’t stop. He keeps coming until he’s standing nose-to-nose with her.

“Stay away from my best friend . I’m warning you.” She raves.

Did I say Mason was angry? Okay, let me rephrase that. He’s fucking enraged. Even behind Vanessa, I can make out the icy darkness of his eyes. His lips are pinched in a tight, straight line.

Mason Lachlan is not angry. He’s murderous.

“If you do not get out of my way right now, I will forget that you are Damon’s woman and I might do something we both later regret.” His voice is a low, savage growl. “Get. Out.”

I can see Vanessa’s arm tremble, but she sticks out her chin and stares him down.

“First of all, I am not Damon’s woman. Second, I won’t let you touch her. Not when you’re in this mood. You could hurt her.”

His jaw ticks.

“I assure you that that is exactly what I intend to do.”

My breath ceases.

“I will say it one last time. Get out of my way, Vanessa. I do not go easy on anyone who keeps me away from my woman. “

I feel my throat close up. He’s literally angry as a mule but still calls me his woman. Talk about brain damage.

When Vanessa still continues to stand her ground, Mason looks over his shoulder and pins me with those intense, dark eyes.

It’s just a look… just a glare, but my skin almost peels from the heated intensity. My heartbeat doubles and I begin to feel dizzy.

Dear Lord, this man will be the death of me.

With his eyes still on me, he growls.

“Darth.”

As if he was waiting for the call, Darth marches into the room and I look on in horror as he lifts Vanessa into his arms and proceeds to March her off the building.

“No! No. Let me go! Let me go!”

Vanessa’s screams sound like they’re coming from another dimension because the angry devil before me stalks closer and I begin to feel closed in.

With each step he takes forward, I take one back, my blood roaring in my ears.

“D-don’t come any closer.” I whisper, waving the knife in front of me like a lunatic.

When my back finally connects with the wall, I almost wail in frustration.

Mason keeps coming, not giving me a chance to catch my breath.

Seeing no other option, I force my legs into motion and bolt in the opposite direction.

I barely take two steps when strong arms wrap around my waist and snatch me against a hard, heaving chest.

“You know that running from me is useless,” he growls against my hair. “Why then do you keep doing it?”

My eyes snap to him and I finally regain my momentum.

“Because you’re a monster, Mason Lachlan. A monster!”

Something lights up his eyes…something that looks strangely like hurt, but I do not care.

His arms tighten painfully around my waist until I can barely breathe.

“Let me go, Mason. I said let go!”

“You have a lot of nerve talking back at me after you so explicitly disobeyed my instructions.” He slams me harder against him and lowers his head until his lips are dangerously close to mine,

“Do you have any idea how worried I was when I realised you were gone? You will be punished for this, Mira.

When I’m done, it’ll be a goddamn miracle if you can sit for a week.”

Stunned at his obscene words, and more at my traitorous body’s reaction to those words, I tighten my fingers around my knife.

“You do not have any right to say those kinds of things to me, Mason.” I seethe. “You have no right.”

He comes closer and I realise right then that if this man touches me, I might not be able to hold on to my rage. I will be an absolute goner.

Without thinking, my hands shoot out and I press my knife against his throat, my chest heaving with nerves.

“If you do not let me go right this instant, I will slash this knife through your throat. I’m not joking here, Mason.”

Mason’s gaze becomes harsher, if that is even possible. He looks from my face to my trembling hands. In one smooth motion, he pushes me until my back hits the nearest wall, then he slams his forearms against the wall, successfully caging me in.

To my horror, he pushes his throat harder against the knife. When he speaks, his hot, minty breath sends hot chills through my bloodstream.

“I am going to say this for the first and the last time, Mira. If you ever point a knife at me, you better intend to use it, otherwise you might not be able to handle the consequences.”

He pushes harder against me, his face a dark, icy mask.

“Come on then, princess. Stab me. Stab me because I swear to God, if you don’t, I will fuck you right here, right know and it will hurt…mark my words.”