Déjà vu is a bitch.
I try to stay calm as I say, “I’ll let you out.” Darting past him, I stop at the locked door and close my eyes for a second before I force a burst of laughter over my lips. “You have the key.”
“Lucky for me,” he says. He comes up behind me and taking hold of my shoulders, he turns me around. “You think I’m going to make a run for it?”
Okay, this is not playing out according to the script.
I let out a nervous chuckle, and admit, “I have no idea what you planned to do.”
Taking hold of the back of my neck, he pulls me to his chest. He presses a kiss to the top of my head just like he did the last time we slept together.
Before I can pull back, he brings his other hand to my chin and nudges my face up. “Stop overthinking things, Hunt. I’m not ready to talk about my feelings, so don’t take it the wrong way and think I’m pulling away because I’m not.” He presses a kiss to my mouth, then grumbles, “Get your ass dressed, and let’s go grab some food.”
I walk to my closet and grab a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. Holding the clothes in my hands, I turn back to Mason. “I’m sorry I keep misreading things.”
“I understand,” he answers, and sitting down on the edge of the bed, he continues, “Once you know me better things will get easier.”
I nod because he’s right. I place the clothes on the side of the bed then rummage through my drawers for underwear. “What’s your favorite color?”
“Black.”
I let out a huff of laughter, then I tease him, “I should’ve known.” I turn around with a pair of matching black lace underwear.
“Oh, wait. In that case, I don’t have a favorite color. We can go with translucent.”
I begin to laugh as I drag my panties on and almost losing my balance, I quickly brace my hand on the bed.
“Is it weird that I love your clumsiness?” Mason asks as he gets up, and crouching in front of me, he takes hold of my panties and pulls them up my legs. He presses a kiss to my hip, and it makes me feel treasured.
I stand with a grin as he picks up my bra and leaning into me, he clips it on then he holds the straps open for me. “Arms.” I push them through the loops then burst out laughing when he adjusts the girls in the cups.
Shooting me a smile, he grabs my jeans, and when he has me fully dressed, he leans in and presses a kiss to mouth and taking my hand, he says, “Let’s go eat.”
When we get into the elevator, he brings his free hand up to my hair and combs his fingers through the strands. “You had a couple sticking up.”
“I wonder why?” I wink at him, and it brings the sexy grin back to his face.
When we walk out of the dorm, I press my cheek to his arm and smile up at him. “I like this.”
“Yeah?” He lets go of my hand and places his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his side. “I like it too.”
Mason
When Tuesday comes, it feels like I’m on a high.
I get dressed in a suit but skip the tie. Looking at myself in the mirror, I make sure I look every bit the part of the future president of CRC.
When I walk out into the living room, the corner of Falcon’s mouth lifts. “Dressed to kill?”
“You’ve got that right.”
Lake comes out, struggling with his tie again. “Mace, help.”
I walk over to him and fix his tie, then pat him on the shoulder. “Good to go.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
There’s a knock at the door, and Falcon opens it. Preston clears his throat, his eyes on the screen of his phone. “I’m all set. The servers are pinging all over the place.”
“I feel I should warn you,” Lake says as he walks toward Preston. He places his arm around his shoulders, then gestures to Falcon and me. “If you make yourself irreplaceable they will never let you go. You still have time to save yourself, unlike me.” Lake pulls dramatically away from Preston. “Run, Preston. Save yourself.”
Falcon begins to chuckle, and I can only shake my head while I smile at them.
Preston still has to work on his sense of humor, because he’s dead serious when he says, “No, thank you. I’m hoping that will happen.”
“Why?” I ask, taking a couple of steps closer to him.
Preston looks down at his phone, then tucks it into his pocket. His face flushes red before he answers, “I don’t want to be known as a nerd or just another paper pusher who happens to have a brain.”
I cross my arms and feel Falcon move closer until he’s standing next to me.
“I want to make something of myself. You know? I want to be more.”
“And you think working with us will give you that?” Falcon asks.
Preston shakes his head, and then he glances at me before looking at Falcon. “I don’t think so. I know working with you will make it happen.”
Falcon moves first and goes to stand in front of Preston. He holds his hand out to him, and when they shake, he says, “Then I look forward to creating the future with you.”
Preston’s face lights up. “So, I won’t just be working on the business plan with you?”
Falcon shakes his head and smiles, “No, you’re going to help me bring ideas to fruition. When the business plan is completed, we’ll begin looking at patents we can purchase.”
“Holy cow, that’s going to be awesome,” Preston almost gushes.
“Let’s get going, guys,” I say.
When we walk out of the building, Falcon walks ahead, with Lake right behind him. I’m last, and as my eyes scan over the grounds, I notice how students stop to watch as we head to our cars.
Preston falls in next me, and whispering, he asks, “Why do you always walk like this and not next to each other?”
Smirking at him, I say, “Falcon protects Lake.”
“And you?”
I throw my arm around Preston’s shoulders. “I make sure no one stabs them in the back.”
“Right.” The words sink in, and with wide eyes, he sputters, “I-I’ll n-never do t-that.”
Patting him on the back, I chuckle, “I’m just fucking with you.”
Chapter 25
Mason
“As a firm supporter,” Senator Weinstock pauses and jabs his forefinger at the podium, “CRC Holdings have backed me every step of the way. They have provided the much-needed funds to help create jobs.” His eyes scan over the ocean of people who are here to support him. “And today, more small businesses have been able to keep their doors open over the past six months, due to the support of CRC Holdings.”
Glancing to the Senator’s left, I watch Serena smiling brightly where she’s standing next to her mother.
My phone begins to ring, and I step to the side before I answer, “Chargill.”
“Are you all set?” Julian asks. “Do you need me to come down to the rally?”
“No, we have everything covered. Trust me to handle this.”
I went to meet with Julian when I popped into the office. He agreed to let me take his place after I showed him the proposal Dad had me look at. Lucky for me, it was from the Senator, and how he planned to expand the harbor. Also lucky for me, Preston hacked into the Senator’s home computer where we stumbled across his real plans. He would pocket half the investment from CRC. So, it’s with a clear conscience that I’m ruining the Senator’s career.
“I trust you.” I hear Julian take a deep breath, and then he says, “We should have dinner, Mason.”
“We can meet up next week.”
“That sounds great.” He lets out a relieved sigh, and it makes me feel like shit for putting a distance between us after Jen’s death. There’s a moment’s pause, then he adds, “Remember, make sure CRC comes through this unscathed.”
“I’ve got this.”
“Good luck.”
I end the call and walk back to where Falcon and Lake are.
Pressing on my ear, I ask, “Preston, are we good to go?”
&nb
sp; All four of us have earpieces so we can communicate easily.
“Yes, you remember the signal, right?” his reply comes through the earpiece.
“I adjust my cufflink.”
“Break a leg,” he says, then he begins to sputter, “I-I don’t m-mean literally.”
Lake pats me on the shoulder and says, “I’m going to head to the rendezvous point, so I’m near Preston if anything goes wrong.”
“You do that.”
I turn to Falcon, and when our eyes meet, he says, “Go do this for our women.”
I nod and squaring my shoulders, I grumble, “Time to make my debut.”
A stage assistant comes over to me and attaches a microphone to my jacket.
“You’re good to go,” she says as she steps back.
The Senator begins to introduce me, which has me fisting my hands at my sides.
“Mason Chargill is a bright young man, born and bred right here in California. Today he represents CRC Holdings as the future president, and it is my great pleasure to welcome him to the stage.”
One hell of a loud applause breaks out, and when I walk out onto the stage, it grows even louder.
I take Senator Weinstock’s outstretched hand and shake it. He leans closer and says, “I’m sorry to hear Julian’s under the weather, but we’re honored to have you.”
“Thank you, Senator.”
It took me eight days to plan this moment, and now that I’m here, it makes me feel a sense of power I haven’t felt before. My heart is racing in my chest as my eyes scan over the ocean of people.
Cameras move in front of the stage, and for a moment, my stomach turns with nerves from being on live television.
When silence falls over the crowd, I raise my chin and square my shoulders. Placing my hands on either side of the podium, I wait for a pregnant pause to build before I say, “Thank you for having me, Senator Weinstock.”
I clear my throat and begin with the fake speech so I’ll sound like I’m here for CRC and not revenge. “We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening.” I swallow, and my eyes lock with the camera in front of me. “Some of us let these dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.” Taking a deep breath, I lift my hands from the podium and take a step backward. “Words spoken by Woodrow Wilson.”
Applause breaks out, and I wait for it to die down.
Fuck, there’s so many people.
I take another deep breath, then I continue, “During my attendance at Trinity Academy, I had the great pleasure of meeting two students who brought sunshine and light to our campus. Like any other student, they hope their dreams will come true. We at CRC Holdings invest to help bring those dreams to realization.”
Another applause engulfs the area.
It’s showtime.
My stomach feels like it’s twisted in knots while my heart keeps racing as if I’m running a fucking marathon.
I wait for the applause and cheers from the crowd to calm down before I bring my hands up as if I’m going to adjust the collar of my suit jacket, and taking a deep breath, I adjust my cufflink.
This is for you, Hunt.
Within seconds all the screens around the LA Memorial Coliseum blacks out. Static noise fills the air, and then manic laughter sounds up.
“What’s happening?” I ask, hoping to God I’m pulling off the surprise act.
“And your microphone is cut,” Preston says through the earpiece. “I will tell you before I turn it back on.”
I nod, knowing he can see me.
A murmur of confused voices spread through the crowd.
“Time to pay the piper, bitch,” comes over the speakers. Preston electronically altered my voice for the intro.
“What’s this?” Senator Weinstock asks.
“Daddy,” Serena anxiously cries. “Make it stop. Quickly!” Panic settles over her face as she looks at me.
I walk over to her and place my arm around her shoulder, so it gives the crowd and cameras the impression that I’m supportive of Serena.
“Please don’t do this,” she hisses.
Leaning closer to her, I whisper, “I fucking warned you, Serena. You fucked with the wrong man.”
The footage I took from the Thanksgiving function pops up on the screen. I fake another surprised look, while I remember how hard Preston worked to blur out all the faces. Except for one, of course. He also had to go through months of footage to compile voice clips of Serena talking so we could play them while the video showed.
The video up on the screens shows Serena walking with the pie behind the lining of tables, and then her voice sounds up, “You degraded me and offended my parents in front of the entire nation.” Serena waits until Layla gets closer and then only does she step up to the table, holding the pie out to Layla.
“Oh, God!” Serena whimpers. “I can’t believe you’re taking this so far.”
I turn my head to her, and growl, “I’ll never forget Falcon’s face while they were treating Layla. Honestly, if I could kill you, I would. Unfortunately, I can’t so I have to settle for this.”
“Shut it down!” Senator Weinstock yells, when it’s clear they can’t bypass Preston to take back control of the system.
Then Serena’s voice echoes loudly from the speakers, “You made a big mistake.” The image switches to Layla collapsing and being rushed out of the room. “You made a big mistake.”
The screen blacks out again, and Senator Weinstock’s voice returns to the speakers, “Shut it off!”
“Mason!” Serena screams as she turns to me, fear tightening her face.
My eyes meet hers with a glacial stare before I look back to the screen. “We’re not done yet.”
The footage from the indoor pool begins to play, and my heart painfully constricts as it shows Kingsley’s near-drowning. Her face has also been blurred out, but not Serena’s.
There’s chaos on stage as people rush around to try to stop the footage from being broadcasted on live television, but the cameramen keep airing.
“I had them eating out of the palm of my hand,” Serena’s voice sneers and then the scene plays out where she pushes Kingsley into the pool.
Seeing it again doesn’t make the blow of pain any lighter, and I bring my hand up, shoving my fingers through my hair as I watch Kingsley go under. She only comes up once before she sinks again.
I turn away from the screen, facing Serena because I know what’s coming next and I want to see her expression as she watches Kingsley’s body stop fighting for air. The only time I watched it, it left me puking my guts out.
Knowing everyone is preoccupied, I take a step closer to Serena and growl, “I had to watch the woman I would die for, gasping for her last breath,” When she glances at me, I snap, “Watch the fucking screen.” Her eyes dart back to the footage, and she lifts a trembling hand to cover her mouth. “Her heart stopped because of you. To me, you are nothing more than a fucking murderer.”
Every bit of anger I’ve been holding back, every speck of hatred I had to swallow rushes to the surface when I hear Serena’s voice come over the speakers again, “You made a big mistake.”
“I didn’t mean for her to drown,” Serena sobs and then her face crumbles as she begins to cry. Suddenly her head snaps up, and a look of desperation flashes in her eyes. “Mrs. Reyes told me to give Layla the pie. I only did as I was told.”
What the fuck?
The icy prickles of shock ripples over me.
Surely Mrs. Reyes wouldn’t have gone that far?
Would she really hurt her own son like that?
The questions are fleeting before the answer settles hard in my gut.
Yes. Yes, she would.
Needing to make sure Serena isn’t lying, I ask, “Do you have proof?”
Rage makes it hard for me to speak, as I bite out, “You’re getting off light, Serena. If I had my way, you’d be dead. You just saw it for yourself,” I gesture to the screen where all the plans the good Senator had for CRC’s investment, scrolls over the screen, “accidents happen so easily.”
“You’re a corrupt bastard,” a man shouts from the crowd.
“Thief! That money was meant to better our lives!”
“Down with Weinstock!” another yells, and it catches on until the crowd is chanting, “Down with Weinstock!”
I turn to face Senator Weinstock who’s frozen with shock, his skin almost looking grey from worry.
“Your microphone is active again,” Preston’s voice sounds up in my ear. “You’re good to go.”
Leveling the senator with a glare which shows everything I’m feeling, I say, “I am shocked to my core by what I witnessed here today. CRC Holdings will look into this horrifying matter, and if proved to be correct, then CRC Holdings will no longer support Senator Weinstock and charges will be brought against the Senator and Miss Weinstock.”
When I finish, an elderly woman asks, “What happened to those poor girls?”
“She’s a murderer!”
“Get them!”
Absolute chaos breaks out in the stadium as people rush the stage. Security quickly surrounds us, escorting us to the back.
I split away from the security team, who’s trying to get the Senator and his family to safety and jog over to where Falcon is waiting.
“Let’s get Preston and get out of here,” I say. “The crowd’s going crazy.”
“Preston, get your ass to the rendezvous point right now,” Lake’s voice sounds over the earpieces.
“I’m coming.” I hear Preston’s breaths as he runs, and then he gasps, “Next time can we pick a place that doesn’t have so many stairs?”
“We’re running out of time,” Lake sings. “Oh, there you are. Move it. Move it. Move it.”
Mason (Trinity Academy Book 2) Page 14
