by Mason, V. F.
I see three dots and groan inwardly when my heart flips in excitement, super curious what he will say.
Enough. Stop acting like a teenager.
The next part of my plan is figuring out how to stay far away from him so our paths don’t cross. The man confuses me to no end, gets my mind and body to react, which never happens, and then fires demands that make zero sense.
Although he was always the one to torture me, only to save me later, it’s like he is allowed to hurt me, but no one else is.
You are mine.
Exhaling swiftly, I hope all this will wash away memories that have no place in my life now.
If ever.
Pressing my lips to the lip of my travel mug, I wonder why his message is so breezy. He texted me just to wish me that or remind me of his power?
And why does he call me phoenix? Who gives a nickname to a woman you barely know?
Unless every woman in his life has a nickname reserved just for her…?
“Stop acting irrationally,” I chastise myself as I finally reach my door and insert the key into the lock… just as a man wearing a suit comes closer to me, a completely blank expression on his face. “Yes?” I ask.
After five minutes, he is done, but my insides scream in fury and I’m ready to smash Eudard’s face against the concrete!
The devil might have shown me kindness among his monsters, but he is just like them.
Striking me when I least expect it.
Madman
Dropping onto the chair in my spacious office, I light up a cigarette and press on the intercom button. “Sam, please prepare one mint tea and a black coffee.”
“Are you expecting someone?” I hear rustling of papers in the background. “You have no scheduled meetings for the next two hours.”
“I’ll have a guest soon.” Without further explanation, I disconnect us and lean back on the chair, pivoting on it while gazing out the huge-ass window serving as a wall.
Since the mayor’s office is located right in the heart of town, I have a perfect view of everyone’s activities at the church, school, and the main shops.
The townsfolk always glance up here to check if I’m watching, and sometimes I stand here just to rile them all up.
Yeah, I’m such an asshole; too bad there is no drink in my hand to celebrate that.
As a kid, I used to love coming here and sitting on the floor with my nose glued to the glass, studying everyone and everything while Dad had countless meetings and phone calls.
Eachann and I would play around the office or run around the entire building. Arianna’s mom would bring us cookies from her home and hide from our father any mischief we might have done.
After all, she knew him better than anyone.
Of course, that was before everything changed, and I was left to live in a nightmare so intense no one in this town even suspected.
Including precious Arianna, who never saw anything beyond Eachann and his silence, not knowing what really hid beneath both our exteriors.
I imagine she would have run screaming in the opposite direction.
The kick to the door brings me back to the present, and shortly the doors burst open right as I spin to face the angry intruder. Cassandra rushes into my office, fury written all over her features.
Samantha follows her in a second later, holding a tray with steaming cups. She walks around the female, who is basically killing me with her stares, then places the tray on my table, nods at me, gives Cassandra a wary glance, and then shuts the door behind her quietly, leaving us alone.
“You!” Cassandra barks, practically shaking. She takes a deep breath and lowers her voice to a hiss. “How could you have done this to me?”
Puffing smoke between us, I flip my lighter between my fingers and ask dramatically, giving my tone a high pitch just to see her mesmerizing eyes flare in annoyance. Ah, how beautiful she is. “I do a lot of things to earn such a reaction. Could you please be more specific?” My breezy attitude is not met well.
She plasters her palms on my desk, knocking a few folders and pens on the floor while she pants, venom coating her words. I can see she barely resists strangling me. “You closed my studio due to a sanitary inspection?”
“Oh that. Yes, I did.” I pull at my cigarette again.
With a huff of annoyance, she snatches it from my mouth and throws it in the ashtray while I blow smoke between us, but she makes no move to wave it off.
Her jaw tics and her hands fist on my desk, but she continues calmly with all the acting skill she possesses. “When I bought it from Allison, she had all the paperwork. Pipes, gas, the land, everything is safe.”
“That’s funny, because we never saw those papers.” She frowns, so I elaborate. “Her grandma didn’t pay rent for the studio for a long time, but I let it slide. She was raising her grandkid alone, didn’t seem right.” My phoenix crosses her arms, and by how she snorts, I realize she doesn’t give much of a shit to my musings, but oh, tough luck. She’ll have to listen to them. “When she passed away, I offered Allison help and told her we’d have to check the studio, but she said she had it covered.” I open my palms wide. “But she sold it to you, so now it’s your problem.”
She fishes out some folder from her bag and throws it on the table, the thing slapping loudly when she hisses, “That’s why I hired a guy who did it before I bought it. Contrary to what you believe, I’m not an idiot.”
Oh no.
She’s my mesmerizing phoenix who glistens under the sunlight streaming in the office window, giving her a golden vibe and making her the one bright thing in my life.
My hands itch to tangle through her hair and bring her closer to me, kiss her so deeply she’ll forget her name while moaning mine, and fuck her hard on this very desk while her throat becomes hoarse from all the screaming she’ll do.
Her skin will flush, and I can snatch these offensive clothes away to see all the freckles she must still have. I want to trace them with my tongue after I bind her hands together so they won’t get in the way of me tasting her, all while having her at my mercy.
And the fact that I can’t do any of those things without her running away from me drives me insane, but it’s all right.
I can be a patient man when I know the outcome.
Her screaming my name in the throes of passion in my dungeon with no escape from me.
Then this beautiful phoenix will be forever trapped in a golden cage of my creation.
She clicks her fingers in front of my nose, demanding my attention, and continues her tirade. “Remove the freaking citation on my place.”
Picking up the folder, I flip it open and quickly scan the report, searching for one specific thing, and when I don’t find it, my satisfied chuckle echo in my office.
Of course her eyes narrow, and I really want to drag her to the bathroom so she can remove those fucking contacts. She can glare or be pissed as long as her violet diamonds are gazing at me.
“What about the rodent inspection?”
She blinks in surprise. “What about it?”
“Have you done one?” I lean forward, resting my elbows on the desk and tapping the folder. “Based on this, you haven’t. I can’t allow you to let kids inside when we are not sure whether rats might bite them.” I sigh dramatically. “What will all the concerned parents say?”
Her jaw drops open at this and she huffs, pulling at her ponytail. “This is ridiculous. This town has never had a rat problem. It’s a far-fetched possibility—”
“And you made such an assumption after only living here less than a month?” She shifts uncomfortably, so I dig deeper. “You can’t. You’d have to live here for years. Actually no, you’d have to grow up here.”
“I think—”
“No, you don’t think. You bought it on an impulse, and now you h
ave to face the complications attached to it.” I get up, my chair scraping against the flooring as I walk around my desk, to perch on the end of it while still holding her gaze. “But you are right. We’ve never had a rat problem.”
Her arms loosen and she takes a deep breath, straightening her spine. “Look, I understand you have to be careful and all. But even you admit there are no rats. So could you please allow me to use it, and I promise I will do a rodent inspection.” She musters up a smile for me, acting polite and shit.
Which is boring to me. Where is her usual fire that blazes whenever we speak?
“Nope,” Her eyes narrow, all traces of politeness gone when she steps closer to me, poking me in the chest and fury coating her every word.
That’s better; there’s my phoenix.
“This is because your sister sold me the house, isn’t it?” She twists her finger, digging it deeper, and I almost groan at her touch. “And you think it’s not a harassment? I’m not one of your subjects in this kingdom where you deem yourself the king!” She shouts the last part, her ponytail swishing to the side. “You think I will keep my mouth shut? I have no idea what your problem with me is, but if you continue to do this, I will retaliate.”
I burst out laughing at this, because just the idea of her threatening me is laughable.
“You freaking jerk!” She raises her hand to either punch me or slap me, but I block it, catching it midair and pulling her to me, our chests bumping against each other while a gasp slips past her lips. She tugs at her wrist, wanting to escape me, but I don’t let her.
Instead, my other hand wraps around her waist, and my legs open up to cradle her between them.
Ah, completely at my mercy, just how I like it.
“Easy there, tigress,” I murmur above her lips, and her breathing changes. It’s raspy while her back tenses, although her gaze stays on me stubbornly as if to show me she is not afraid of me. “I’m not the enemy.” I hope she will always remember those words no matter what I do to her.
For I want to trap her, but I never want to physically hurt her, and despite the madness that’s my life, she is safest in my arms.
Too bad she always wants to fly away from them, disappearing in the night.
But this time around, I won’t let her do that.
“Let go of me,” she says, her voice trembling as the veins in her neck pulse. She shivers in my arms when I lean closer, her eyes closing and scrunching like she expects pain from me.
My touch though never brought anything but pleasure to her.
Slowly, so slowly, I trail my fingers from her neck to her chin, lightly caressing it with my thumb, breaking goose bumps in my wake. “You have the softest skin I’ve ever touched,” I whisper, cupping her cheek and tap my finger on her temple so she looks up at me once again, fear and something akin to… desire?… flashing in her eyes, and I move even closer.
Her mouth opens, and she shivers in my arms. I know she expects me to kiss her.
And fuck how I want to.
Not yet.
“I have a proposition for you.” She leans back a little, stunned with my words, and I close her mouth with my finger. “I will remove the citation and allow the studio to open if you go to the ball with me.”
She licks her lips, fucking tempting me to take them anyway, and only my self-control allows me to hold back. “To the ball?” She shakes her head, and our pose must register in her brain, because she pulls at her wrist, and this time I let her go.
She stumbles back a little and then tugs on the end of her ponytail, suspicion dancing at the edges of her voice. “What ball?”
Taking the red envelope from the desk, I wave it at her. “This one. I have an honorary invitation to the Browns’ annual charity ball hosted at their mansion. Eight o’clock sharp tomorrow.” Her brows rise at this, and she snatches it away from me, flipping it open and quickly reading it. “It’s a plus-one invitation, so I need a date.”
Anger crosses her face, but she masks it with indifference, putting the invitation back on the desk. “I’m sure a man like you has no problem getting a date.” There is a bite to her statement that amuses me.
My phoenix doesn’t much like the idea of me with other women. Not that I give much of a shit about other women when I have a singular obsession in life that is her.
“You are right.” Her lips curl up in a snarl at this, so with a chuckle, I add, “But I want to go with you.” Rubbing my chin, I add, “Do that and have access to your studio again.”
“This is blackmail, pure and simple.”
“Take it or leave it.”
She drills her stare into me and finally groans, placing her hands on her hips. “This all comes back to your desire to keep me away from other men, doesn’t it? You want to publicly stake a claim. If I’m yours, then I’m no one else’s.”
I push back from the table, and she tenses, but I walk toward the couch and sit on it, hiking my legs onto the small table in front of me. “Yes. But who cares about reasons? You’ll have your studio back.”
“Or you can just get off my back and realize I don’t plan on seducing Ralph.” She takes a step in my direction before stopping. “You have no right to control my life here.”
“Yet I do. Would you look at that,” I muse, lighting up another cigarette and taking a deep pull. “It’s either my way or no one’s way.” I use her earlier analogy, waiting for her reply.
She should be thrilled I’m giving her access to Patricia’s house again and opportunities to dig her pretty nose where it’s not supposed to go. I don’t give a shit about the ball, but how could I pass on showing her off to everyone on my arm?
Ethan White already ignored my silent warning, but I suspect not everyone is stupid or cocky like that.
Although none of them truly knows what I’m capable of.
“You won’t touch me again,” she finally says, her voice calm, even though a stormy expression settles on her delicate features. “Do not do that again.”
“I will never take what’s not willingly given.” She frowns at my answer, her cheeks heating before she shakes her head. “Liza will bring you the dress I want you to wear.” She opens her mouth to protest, but I tsk. “Choose your words carefully. I won’t make an offer like this again.”
She closes it, huffing furiously, and then without another word spins around, darting to the door and shutting it so loudly the walls rattle.
Picking up my coffee cup, I toast her as my laughter echoes in the room filled with her scent.
Ah, my phoenix.
You might have risen from the ashes, but you still belong to this devil all the same.
After all, our lives are forever entwined.
Cassandra
Racing out of his office, I fly past the secretary’s desk and press the elevator button viciously, hoping it will come faster.
I need to get the hell out of this place before Eudard confuses me with his almost kisses or pisses me off more with his demands that ruin my perfectly laid plans.
And besides, why does my freaking body not let the memory of his touch shrink away or go into panic mode? Instead, it seems to yearn for it, curiosity always flashing through me, expecting fear but only experiencing gentleness.
Don’t force yourself to date. When the right man comes along, you will open up to him.
The words of my shrink ring in my ears, but Eudard is hardly the right man. Or am I cursed to want him because he was my first?
“Cassandra!” Samantha calls after me, her heels clicking loudly as she catches up with me and tugs on her pencil dress. “We haven’t had the chance to introduce ourselves. Samantha Henry.” She still uses her maiden name—must mean she never married.
“Nice to meet you,” I mumble, and that’s all the politeness I’ve got for her in my current state of mind. If she thinks I’m a snob, she can blame her boss for that.
“Oh no worries about that. Eudard can be difficult.” She laughs, winking at me. “I actually think yo
u are fun for getting such a rise out of him. We’ve never had to close anything here due to sanitary reasons.” Amusement crosses her features, but before I can comment on it, the elevator dings its arrival and I step inside, my brows rising when Samantha follows suit.
Since the building literally has three levels, I just press ground floor and plaster myself to the wall, while she continues to chat, oblivious to my whole fuck-off vibe. “But he always takes care of the people here, so I can’t hold it against him.”
“Well, you are his personal assistant,” I murmur, wondering why the hell this elevator doesn’t move faster.
“He doesn’t pay me to praise him though,” she says, and the elevator finally dings again. I rush outside, ready to…
To do what exactly?
The jerk ruling this town cancelled pretty much any of the activities I’ve planned to do here.
Maybe I should have just shown up with a gun and killed them all. No fuss, no muss. This grand-plan strategy so far sucks like no one’s business; I played like an amateur with experienced opponents.
“Cassandra?” Sam’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I realize she’s asked me something. Probably reading my clueless expression, she motions with her head toward the door. “I’m heading out for brunch with Meghan. Want to join us?”
I open my mouth to refuse but then close it. Acting like a loner in this town when I just moved here would be letting my emotions rule my mind, and I can’t have that. So I might as well spend some time getting to know the town anew. You never know when certain information might be useful.
“Sure, thank you.”
She grins and shrugs, leading the way to the café a few feet away from the building. A few bikes pass us by, the riders waving to her and she returns them, while I hold back a smile.
I forgot about everyone’s courtesy to each other in this place; in big cities, everyone mostly moves in such a blur no one pays much attention to you. You can live in the same apartment for years and know nothing about your neighbors.
Which suited me just fine, but there is something about the warmth of this place that always pulls at my heartstrings. “I love it here, not only because it’s like two minutes away from my job, but Marta has the best pancakes in the whole damn world.” Since I’ve traveled the world, I wholeheartedly agree on that statement.
