Rising Up: Finding Me book 1

by J J Harper

  Imogen

  Maddie has turned up with armloads of clothes and Lake is behind her with two suitcases presumably full of my belongings and it hits me hard that Mason expects me to move in completely with him and I'm really not sure I want to do that yet, I thought it would just be a few things just to get me through this crappy situation. I'm going to have to talk to him about this later, I think we've had enough serious conversations today. Leaving Mason and the guys to deal with the police I head off to the bedroom with Maddie.

  "So what's going to happen now Ginny?" Maddie's questions bring me out of my trance.

  "With what? Mason wants me to stay here and I thought it was just for a little while, giving Lucas and the police time to catch Jake and all his sick friends, but by the look of what you've brought makes me think he is expecting me to stay for good." I can feel the frown on my forehead and I know that Maddie has noticed it too.

  "Don't you want to?" Maddie sounds surprised.

  "I don't mind staying for now but he wants me to be surrounded at all times and I feel that you and I are missing out on all the things we were supposed to be seeing and experiencing, and now it looks like we won't even be able to slope off for a sandwich at lunchtime or a short notice shopping trip and I think any time we want to go to the bar we are going to have to be supervised.

  I feel that even though his thoughts are well meant and in my best interest, I'm going to feel just as confined and restricted as I did with Jake, and this is all because I was too fucking stupid to stand up to that prick and tell him where to go after the first time he hit me!"

  Sighing I collapse back on the sofa and wrap myself in the fleece from earlier like it's my security blanket, as I try to work my way through the confusion in my head, but I realize my thoughts of being confined by Mason are ridiculous, he loves me and will never want to control me.

  "Imogen Bloody Banks, don't you dare blame yourself for this, he's done this to you. He always made you believe it was your fault! Remember his words 'if you didn't go out dressed like a slut then I wouldn't treat you like one.' One of his better excuses don't you think? I think that one ended in a trip to the hospital didn't it?"

  "Yeah, for the first and last time. Someone recognized me and took a picture, he managed to black the other eye for that one." I shrug ruefully and then look up to Mason and the police looking at me, one of them speaks up.

  "I think you have more things to tell us Ms. Banks but let me go through the medical files and we'll go from there." Turning to walk away he steps back and looks at me again. "If I may be so bold as to say that I think you are a very brave and intelligent woman who has a very strong survival instinct, not many women survive the abuse you have suffered.

  Hold on to this woman very tightly Mr. Reynolds I don't think you'll find another one like her again." He gives me a small smile and shakes both mine and Lucas' hands.

  "Don't worry Sir she'll not be going anywhere, I'm afraid she's stuck with me." He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me back against his chest and kisses my hair. The policemen chuckle and leave. Turning me to face him and softly kisses me. "How are you feeling babe? Shall we get something to eat?"

  Hell yeah, I'm starved!" Lucas rubs his stomach, grinning like a loon.

  "I wasn't asking you Asshat!" A cushion from the sofa flies up and hits him in the face.

  "I'm hungry too." Lake walks out of the bedroom. What was he doing in there all this time? "That's your clothes and shit put away Ginny, why the hell do you girls have so many clothes and shoes?"

  "So we can look gorgeous all the time for the likes of you sweetie." Maddie answers fluttering her long eyelashes at him before flipping round on her heels and sashaying away.

  I see Lake take a deep breath and gulp heavily. So, he does still like her, I knew he did and the little wink she gives me shows me the she knows now too. Good, I didn't want this to be over for them both.

  Mason throws his arms up in the air. "Fine! Whatever." He stalks out of the room and towards his bedroom I get up and follow him.

  "What's up Mason, don't you want them here? They have all done so much for us today and we didn't even have to ask."

  "I know babe, but after hearing all those awful things and the photographs of your injuries and knowing that those strangers even if they were police officers watched you being so savagely raped, I'm struggling to cope with all the emotions boiling up inside me.

  I wanted time alone just you and me so that I could show you what being loved properly feels like. This also gives me the excuse to bury myself inside you and wipe those images from my mind. I love you so fucking much Ginny, please don't ever doubt my commitment to you."

  The tears build up in his eyes and my heart breaks. "Mason my love, don't do this to yourself. I'm okay and I'm here, so let's not spare him any more time or thought he's so not worth it. Come on let's go and order food before world war bloody three starts out there, I can already hear Maddie winding up Lake. They need to sort themselves out, it obvious they still fancy each other like mad."

  "Okay, but once they've eaten they can all fuck off home. I want you way too much to be polite to them all night.

  I’m laughing as I walk away and back towards the noise and bickering.

  "All right you lot! Stop fighting. It's my place and I'll choose." Mason looks over at me. "Ginny babe, what would you like?” He looks over at Lucas. “What?"

  "Why is Ginny choosing then?"

  "Because Dick-for-brains she lives here now too and I love her way more than I love you."

  "Whatever dude. You just want in her panties tonight."

  I'm laughing. "Well I'm damn glad he doesn't want in yours Luc!"

  "So am I sweetcakes, but FYI its commando all the way for me!"

  "Eww, that's just too much information Luc, thanks for sharing that I may not be able to eat anything now." I’m looking back at Mason with my nose still wrinkling up at the thought of Luc's disclosure. "I don't mind, I'm happy with anything."

  Everybody throws their arms up and start talking over each other getting louder and louder. I just lean back into Mason's arms and watch this very happy family that I'm so glad to be part of. Mason leans his head down to my ear and whispers. "I bet you wish you'd let me make them leave now, eh babe."

  He kisses me and runs his tongue down my neck and licks the sensitive spot behind my ear before grazing his teeth over the spot causing a soft moan to escape me. Mason growls low and pushes his hips forward so his erection rubs against my back, my hands reach round behind me and start to stroke him through his jeans. Opening my now glazed and barely focused eyes and see Maddie watching us.

  "Okay boys, change of plan, we're going to go to Lake's place to eat, Ginny has had a stressful day and is exhausted and doesn't need us messing around in here." Lucas starts to grumble but when he looks up at us Mason clears throat.

  "Okay fine, I don't care where we are I just need food before I waste away." He pulls himself up off the floor and follows Lake out.

  "Thanks Maddie, and thank you guys you've done so much for me today and I'm really grateful, but I'm exhausted." I walk them to the door, closing it quietly behind them.

  "Not too exhausted I hope babe." His eyes sweep over me and darken. “You are so brave and strong whatever did I do to deserve you?”

  I look him straight in the eye. "You waited for me. You didn't settle for anyone else. You were made for me sweetie, just for me." I kiss him and lead him through the bedroom to the shower. "Let's get all the grime of the day off us."

  Mason

  Her eyes are hooded and dilated as she looks at me and starts to peel of her clothes. The shower starts and she's already in it before I catch up and start pulling my clothes off and step in beside her.

  Tonight isn't about a fast fuck, this is about loving each other, about taking our time to explore each other, so that after taking our time to wash each other, each touch a caress, each glance sensual and exciting. By the time we have dried each other
and stepped back into the bedroom, Ginny's eyes are drooping I know how tired she is so lifting her into my arms I lay her down on the bed and climb in next to her pulling the covers over us. Pulling her into my arms and holding her tight I feel her start to tremble as she sobs into my shoulder.

  "Shh darling, you're safe here with me now, please don't cry just sleep Imogen, let the cops do their job, let Lucas do what he's an expert in and let Lake sort out all the legal shit. And as for me and you? All we have to think about is ourselves. Please Ginny don't cry because of him anymore he is not worth your tears." I rock her gently in my arms till her sobbing ceases and her exhausted body gives way to sleep. It is only a few more minutes till I follow her.

  I'm dreaming I'm sure of it. It feels like the best blow job ever, my body is stretching and my skin feels alive and humming as warm air is blown over my cock and down to my sac. A hand clutches tightly on my dick and starts to stroke up and down slowly, languorously causing a moan to escape from my parted lips then a gentle kiss and slow swipe of a tongue over the seam of my lips wakes me up. Ginny is straddling my hips, her hair is hanging in soft waves over her shoulders the ends reaching past her pert breasts and hardened nipples.

  "Oh good you're awake." She whispers to me as her tongue slides back into my mouth, her hand leaves my hard dick as her long nails scrape sensually up my body taking in every taught muscle making them clench even harder. My hands stroke up over her thighs and up to her hips and try to pull her onto my cock I need some relief from her constant touching. "Uh Uh, not this time Mason, I'm in control this time." Pulling my hands off her hips and holding them over my head. "Keep them there, if you move them I'll stop."

  Her voice is still barely a whisper and it is the goddamned hottest sound ever. "What are you planning to do to me?" My voice sounds hoarse and strained as she runs her hands back down my body and follows with her tongue, my hands are gripping the headboard tight as she starts to circle the swollen head of my cock with her tongue causing my hips to rise of the bed as I try to push myself further into her mouth.

  "Now, now Mason. Patience darling, isn't that what you always say to me?"

  I can feel her grin as I sigh and lower my hips back down. "You're killing me here babe. I want you so much."

  "Me too, but just embrace the feeling and enjoy the anticipation, it will be worth it."

  Then her mouth comes back down on me and takes me fully inside her I can feel the tip at the back of her throat and this always wants to tip me over but she pulls back only to repeat again, over and over, my head is thrashing on the pillow and my fists are painfully gripping the wrought iron on the bedhead, and then just when I'm about to come her mouth leaves me and a desolate moan bursts from me.

  Her body moves up over me and she guides me inside her soaked hot channel, the muscles pulsing and squeezing around me. "Shit Ginny, I'm not gonna last." But as soon as I say this, her body moves up so that just the head of my dick is inside of her and she leans over and her breasts are in line with my mouth so I take one in my mouth and suck and nip the tender skin while she's just pulsing herself over and over the end of my painfully engorged cock.

  This is the best damned thing ever and I can tell she's getting close, so I move over to her other nipple and roll my tongue over and over before sucking it hard into my mouth. Then, fuck it's over for both of us, I bite down on her as she plunges down onto me and starts to ride me hard. "Fuck Ginny, God don't stop!" Then sitting upright with her hands cupping her breasts she slams down on me and my orgasm bursts from me like a rocket as she clenches around me and cries out my name over and over like some kind of mantra as her own climax consumes her.

  Exhausted and sweating Ginny collapses on top of me and my hands unclench themselves from the iron, and I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight as our breathing tries to even and regulate. I feel her start to move off me but I hold on. "Not yet Ginny, not yet, I need to feel you on me for just a while longer." Eventually my grip relaxes and we roll over so we are face to face and her hand reaches up to stroke my cheek.

  "Thank you for loving me Mason." Tears are shining in her eyes but are not released but I kiss them anyway.

  "You don't need to thank me Imogen, I'll love you for the rest of my life I promise." We kiss lightly and fall quietly back to sleep.

  The morning comes around to quickly but we quickly shower separately, and watching Ginny get dressed I can see the tension building in her as it gets closer to us leaving.

  From the outside you couldn't see any difference in her, but I knew her and I can see she is only two small steps from falling apart. "It will be fine Ginny, I promise. No one will be able to get close enough to you. Lucas is going to go through the security plan with all of us when we get in to work. He is getting all his team up to date with things this morning, so we will meet him in his office at 11.30.

  I will be talking to April as well. Please don't worry babe. Come on let's get going." I clasp her hand in mine and can feel the tremors in her body vibrating down to mine. As we get to the elevator Lake's door opens and both he and Maddie walk out. My eyebrows raise and Ginny gasps and starts to smile.

  "Will you two stop gawking at us please?" Maddie splutters out at us causing us to both crack up relieving a lot of pent up tension. "Oh fuck off the pair of you." At this point Ginny laughs so hard she trips up as she walks towards her friend. This sets Maddie off and suddenly the morning seems much lighter.

  "What's going on then Lake? Owned up to being a dickwad and apologized, have you?" I smirk at him.

  "You heard Maddie 'fuck off'!" The elevator arrives and we are on our way to work.

  Maddie and Imogen walk between us and it is a brisk walk to the office, I've promised to send out for coffee once we are all in, I know Ginny can't function without one. I just want her to have a day at work that isn't full of drama and fear.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  Imogen

  I can't believe this is what my life has become. I came here to escape the fear and violence caused by Jake bloody Williams, but still after moving half the world away he is still managing to balls up my life.

  My moaning to Maddie about being forced to live with Mason soon proved to be a moot point by my fear of leaving the safety of the apartment at half past eight this morning. Luckily the moment was lifted my Maddie leaving Lake's apartment, not quite a walk of shame moment, since she had fresh clothes on, so I shall have to find out what went on there last night. Not all the gory details, just the basic scene setting will do. It will be good to be normal rather than the center of attention all the time.

  April has been made aware and is being extra vigilant with any phone calls or mail. It is soon time to go and meet with Lucas, and I must admit I am a bit nervous, I know I've seen him in 'work mode' before but I think this is going to be yet another side of him I haven't seen.

  Mason knocks on my door just before 11.30. "Are you ready babe? It's time to go." Walking towards me he helps me out of my chair and kisses me soundly. "We've got this covered babe." Kissing me again he looks down and frowns. "Something is different, what have you done?" His face screws up all confused but then I lean down and retrieve my stilettos. "Ah that's it. You're shorter than the last time I kissed you."

  I laugh. "You don't seriously expect me to keep these killers on all day, I'm not in Sex and the City y'know." I slip them on and kiss him again.

  "I have no idea what you've just said but point taken. Come on Shorty we don't want to keep Lucas waiting, he's grumpy enough at the moment."

  "Wait." I pull on his arm as he leads me to the elevator. "Why is he grumpy? It's not because of me and all this shit I've brought with me, is it?"

  "No babe, it's not I promise you, this is the sort of stuff he thrives on. I think he's going through a bit of a dry patch." He looks at me when I frown at him questioningly. "Y'know. He's not getting laid at the moment, there is a girl he's got his eye on in the bar but she's not interested, and that is not something he normally h
as to deal with."

  I can't help but laugh. "He's not getting any sex. Wow! That must be a massive blow to his ego, I need to find this girl and shake her by the hand." Mason and Lake had been very candid about Lucas' extracurricular activities and had both Maddie and myself in hysterics over them. "Poor Luc, maybe we should help him out and find him a nice girlfriend who'll just hang off his arm and tell him how pretty he is all the time."

  Mason throws his head back and laughs putting his arm around my waist and pulling me against him. "I knew there was a reason to keep you babe. I love you."

  "I love you too, sweetie, so bloody much it hurts." We reach Luc's offices and we're shown straight through to his conference room. Maddie and Lake are already there along with the policemen from last night and six other people I don't know which made me a nervous. "Who are they?" I whisper to Mason.

  "That's the security team that will be following and protecting you. Lucas will introduce them to you, don't worry they're on our side." He gives me his little half smile that turns my stomach upside down.

  "Thank God for that, they look a bit scary, well maybe not the women I never thought about women being in the protection sector. I don't know why."

  "Well Big John there." He subtly points a large African-American out to me. "He can hardly follow you discreetly into the ladies restroom now can he?"

  This causes me to snigger just as Lucas walks in and scowls at me, so I put on my best contrite face and pretend I'm standing outside the Headmaster's office at school which unfortunately makes me giggle even more and when I look up at Maddie she's trying to hold back her laughter too. So with my nails digging into the palms of my hands I turn to concentrate on Lucas.

  "Are you okay Imogen, would you like a glass of water?" He sounds so serious and not at all like the man moaning who got to choose the food just last night,

  "No. I'm fine, sorry Lucas." Mason looks at me and shakes his head at me and mouths 'spanking' at me, this causes me to clench my thighs together and of course he notices this because his hands have moved down to the top of my thighs as a reminder.