She swallowed as tears continued to multiply on her face. “I love you too.”
“Good.” He exhaled as though he’d been uncertain what she might say in response.
“You’ll stop trying to get me to make peace with my parents?” She narrowed her gaze at him.
He nodded. “Some things are more important than family. You taught me that. Family is the people who love you, not blood relatives.”
She smiled. He was getting it.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go home and marry Charles instead?” He stiffened, and she realized he was wondering what sort of relationship she’d had with Charles.
“I’ve only met him a few times. He’s a pompous ass with a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. I wouldn’t want to be in the same room with him, let alone marry the guy.” She shivered and then settled into Mason’s arms.
He held her tight as she propped her chin on his chest. “Would you consider moving in with me? Your place makes me nervous.”
She smiled, warmth spreading to every limb. He wanted her. She kept repeating that to herself. “That seems kind of fast.” She lifted her face. “What’s wrong with my apartment?”
Mason shrugged. “I don’t want to make it seem like you’re turning from one domineering home to another. I would never treat you like they do or take your accomplishments for granted. But I would love to wake up to you pressed into my side every day of the week. Plus, your apartment isn’t very safe, baby. Just think about it. Okay?”
She nodded.
“And one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Your parents are cutting you off from the family on December twenty-fourth at the stroke of midnight, apparently.” He raised an eyebrow. “Think you can lower yourself to living with an accountant who dabbles in MMA and likes a bit of kink on the side?”
“Can’t think of anything I’d like more.”
“The whole thing sucks, and I feel horrible for you, but you know way more about the history of your life than I do. I’ll shut up now. You’re a grown woman. If you need to cut off contact with your family, you should do it.”
She nodded. “It’s never going to be that simple. I’ll warn you now. They will hound me. At least until Christmas day, and then we’ll see if they’re capable of letting me go for real.”
“I’ll be right next to you.”
She nodded, relief flooding her. She hadn’t realized how much she valued his support until she had it. Maybe that was half the reason she hadn’t told him about her family before today. In the back of her mind, she always feared people only saw dollar signs when they met her, not Jenna.
But Mason was different. First of all, he hadn’t known there was money behind her name. And second of all, he’d chosen to support her instead of nagging her to maintain her position as the family heir. Even when he’d fought her on the issue, his motivation had been strictly based on his concern for her to maintain blood relationships.
He pulled her closer. “Hey, relax. It’s all going to be fine.”
Jenna was exhausted. She needed time to process everything that had happened. “Will you please take me home?”
He stiffened. “Now?”
“Yes. I just want some time alone. I’m tired. I need some space.”
She watched his Adam’s apple as he swallowed. Then he nodded. “If it’s what you want, of course.”
She smiled wanly. “Just give me tonight, okay? Don’t read anything into it. I’m just done for the day. I want to be alone.”
He stood, lifting her off his lap and righting her on the floor. He cupped her face in both hands and kissed her lips. And then he led her to the door.
They didn’t say much during the drive. When Mason pulled up in front of her apartment, he circled the car and walked her to the door. At the last second, he grabbed her hand and held it up to his cheek. “Call me if you change your mind.”
She nodded, trying not to cry. She was wrung out from the stress.
“I mean it. I hate leaving you alone like this.”
“Mason—”
He held out a hand to stop her. “I get it. I’m not saying I don’t. But I hate it.” He glanced around. “It’s not the best neighborhood.”
“I’m a big girl.”
He rolled his eyes. “I never said you weren’t, but stuff happens. I meant it when I said you should move in with me. Think about it.”
“I will.” She lifted on tiptoes and kissed his lips. “Thank you.”
“Any time.”
»»•««
Mason reluctantly left her at the ratty apartment. While her family lived like the king and queen of some foreign country, she lived in a run-down building, barely making ends meet. Intentionally.
Frustrated and needing release, he headed straight for the gym. He skidded into his usual spot, grateful not for the first time that he kept workout clothes on hand in his locker for an occasion such as this one. In minutes he was on the gym floor beating the hell out of a punching bag. He flexed his fingers a few times and set into a rhythm of pounding the bag until it would have been dead if it had been human.
“Mason…” The voice to his left startled him. He had no idea how long he’d been at it. He lifted his gaze to find Rafe and Rider strolling toward him.
“Dude, who pissed you off?” Rafe asked.
Mason shook his head. “No one. I’m just working out.”
Rafe raised a brow. “Joe called us. He said you’ve been beating the shit out of that bag for an hour without looking up. You have to be exhausted.” Rafe stepped up behind the bag and held it steady, his face leaning around one side.
Rider stepped up behind Rafe. What is this? An intervention?
Mason sucked in oxygen, out of breath. “I guess I’ve been at it a while.” He turned away and grabbed his bottle of water.
“Everything okay with Jenna?” Rider asked.
“Yeah. Sure.” He finished the bottle. “I mean, no.”
“What happened?” Rafe cringed.
Rider stood next to him in his all-business stance. He wasn’t there to work out. He’d been on the job when Joe had called him. And Rider was formidable in his police uniform, gun hanging at the side.
Mason turned back toward Rafe. “Nothing like that. We just had dinner at her parents’ house.” He paused. “Shit. No we didn’t. I need to eat.” He pulled his gloves off and set them aside, flexing his hands several times. He chuckled. “Hell, I left a pizza man hanging too.” He’d forgotten all about that.
“You aren’t making any sense, dude.”
Mason chuckled again. “Yeah. The situation with her family is pretty fucked up. I didn’t know.”
“Ah. So she told you who she really is. I see.”
Mason lifted his gaze to his best friend. “You knew.”
Rafe nodded. “I was sworn to secrecy. She likes people to treat her normally and not spend all their time thinking about her wealth. Which is nonexistent if you consider her family’s unwillingness to help her reach her own dreams.”
Mason took a drink of his water. “Do you think they’d really cut her off entirely?”
Rafe nodded again. “That’s what they say.”
Mason shook his head. Part of him prayed they were bluffing, for her sake. He didn’t give a fuck how much money she had. “The entire thing sucks.”
“It does. But she’s a strong woman. She’s been on her own for two years. She’ll be fine without them.”
“Yeah. I don’t doubt that for a second.” Mason flexed his fingers, cringing at the amount of damage he’d done to his knuckles.
“Where is she now? Why are you here beating the hell out of a punching bag?” Rider asked.
“She wanted some space. I took her home.”
“I’m sure she was stressed. It’s been a long time since she’s faced her parents.” Rafe ran his hands through his hair. “Was her sister there?”
“Yeah. I think the crazy girl hit on me.”
/> “Not surprised. She’s a spoiled brat.”
“Well, the important thing is, it’s over. Done. There’s no way she can go back there. And I don’t blame her. Now I just need her to let me back in, and I’ll show her how a real family works.” He smiled at his friends, and then he glanced at his feet. “I asked her to move in with me.”
“Already?” Rider asked.
“It feels right.”
“I get that,” Rafe said. “When I met Katy, it was fast.”
Mason chuckled. “So fast I recall punching you when she walked in the building for the first time and nailing you to the ground.”
“Ha ha. Something like that. Anyway, go for it. Sorry I gave you such a hard time initially. I didn’t see her fitting into our kind of world.”
Mason shrugged. “I don’t think I would have believed it, either. No hard feelings.”
Rider lifted a hand and gave a quick wave. “Hey. I have to get back to work. Night shift. You guys work out your happily-ever-afters without me.” He smirked as he headed to the door.
Rafe yelled over his shoulder. “Your time is coming, Rider.”
“Never.” Rider slipped out the door without another word.
“I’m gonna go home too. You okay?” Rafe asked.
“Yep. I’ll sleep better after the work out. Tomorrow I’ll pull out all the stops. How can she turn down a face like this?” He pointed at his own.
Rafe shook his head. “I’m sure she can’t.” He turned to leave the building, Mason on his heels.
Tomorrow.
Chapter Nineteen
Jenna bolted to sitting in her bed. Someone was pounding on the door. She glanced at the clock. Eight thirty. The sun was pouring in. She’d slept long and hard after calling Mariel last night to see if she could open the shop this morning, and then she’d curled up in a ball and cried herself to sleep.
Who the hell was at the door?
The knocking started again, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed and brushed her hair back from her face as she padded toward the front of the apartment. She worried it was some drunk or someone high who had the wrong address. It wouldn’t be the first time someone showed up outside unannounced and apologizing for their mistake. But they didn’t seem to be going away, either.
She peered out the peephole. Two men in official-looking suits stood outside. She’d never seen them before. And she didn’t like the looks of them. Something about them made her shiver.
Instead of opening the door, she backed toward her bedroom. As soon as she was inside, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed Mason.
“Hey, baby. You sleep well?”
She whispered, suddenly gasping for breath. “There’s some men at my door, pounding on it. I’ve never seen them before.”
“What?” His voice was stronger.
She heard them yell her name, and she jumped. “Oh, God. They know who I am. What the hell?”
“Jenna. Don’t open the door. I’m on my way.”
“What do you suppose they want? It’s a Monday morning. They’re so insistent.”
“Don’t know. Stay inside. I’ll be right there.”
“Hurry.” She hung up. She didn’t want to distract him. She wanted him to concentrate on getting to her. Hell, he would be at work. At least he didn’t work very far away. She didn’t know why she was so concerned, but the tingle crawling up her spine was unmistakable.
She didn’t trust her parents not to do something crazy like send someone to reason with her. She wasn’t in the mood. Or maybe they were lawyers. They looked like it, but what the hell for? She shook her head. Lawyers don’t make house calls.
The pounding grew louder. She shook as she moved to the back of the room as though each inch would help buffer her from whatever those men wanted. She slinked down onto the floor when her back hit the corner of the room, pulling her knees up to her chest.
Muffled sounds still reached her ears. “Jenna. Open the door. We know you’re in there. Please don’t make this harder than it is.”
Make what harder? What the fuck was going on?
»»•««
Mason drove fast, too fast. He’d dialed Rider as he’d run from his office to his car. Luckily Rider had just gotten off his shift and was currently barreling toward Jenna’s place also.
Mason had no idea what he might find, but he had a bad feeling. And Rider was the best person he could think to call for backup.
The drive seemed much longer than normal. As Mason pulled up to the curb, he saw Rider coming up behind him, lights on. They both jumped from their cars at the same time.
And then Mason ran to the front door. He could see it was open. Dammit.
As he got closer, he noticed it was actually broken off the hinges. Jenna hadn’t opened it. Someone had busted it down. He heard her scream. “Get off me. I’m not going anywhere with you bastards. Get the fuck out of my apartment.”
Rider grabbed Mason’s arm as they reached the open door. “Let me.”
“Like fuck,” he growled.
A deep male voice rang out. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, Jenna, but my hands are tied.”
“Tied with what? My parents’ goddamn money?”
“Come with us nicely, or we’ll be forced to restrain you.”
Mason reached the door to her bedroom at the same moment as Rider. “What the hell is going on? Get your fucking hands off her.” He pushed into the room, swinging first. Questions later.
One man had Jenna by the wrists and was holding her face down across the bed.
Mason saw flames as his fist hit the bastard in the jaw.
The tall man in the gray suit released Jenna and fell backward, landing on his ass. He was no match for Mason.
The other guy in the darker suit stepped back a pace, lifting his hands. “I don’t know who the hell you are, asshole, but we have the paperwork to pick up Ms. Mathews.” He actually held up a folder and waved it.
“Pick her up for what?” Rider asked, reaching for the file.
“Her parents had her committed.”
“What?” Mason screamed. “You’re fucking shitting me.” He grabbed the asshole he’d knocked to the ground by the front of his starched white shirt and hauled him to standing. He got right in his face. “You can’t drag somebody off to the psych ward without cause. Have you ever met Jenna? If anyone should be taken to the loony bin, it’s her parents.” His voice didn’t lower as he kept shouting.
The other man spoke behind him. “Actually, we can. Apparently they presented enough evidence for a judge to make this ruling for her own safety. An emergency injunction.”
Mason shoved the first guy back down on his ass and stepped toward the second squatter, short man. Rider was still looking at the papers and shaking his head.
“Just following the judge’s orders, sir. I suggest you get out of our way and let us do our job.” The man took two paces back toward the wall as he spoke. Coward.
“Not a chance in fucking hell, asshole. You’ll not be taking Jenna anywhere today or any other day. Get out.” He pointed to the door and narrowed his gaze at the man he’d yet to punch like his friend. He’d take any provocation he needed to ensure the guy had an equally black eye.
The man looked at Rider, his gaze sliding up and down. “You’re a cop. Tell his dude to back down.” He pointed at the paperwork. “It’s all there. You can see for yourself. If Ms. Mathews wants to contest her commitment, she’ll have to take it up with the medical staff at the hospital.”
Now Mason was moving to beyond fucking pissed. Not because there was any chance these assholes were taking Jenna anywhere, but because he was tired of them being in his face.
Jenna crawled up on the bed and scooted to the far corner, her face a stream of tears. She didn’t say a word as she curled her legs up tight.
Mason turned to her. “You okay, baby?”
She nodded stiffly.
“I’m afraid there isn’t anything you can do, sir,” repeate
d the man in the darker suit. “It’s done. At least for today. Tomorrow you can go to the courthouse and see about getting her released.”
Rider held up a hand. “Not so fast.” He held up the paperwork. “It doesn’t mention anywhere here that you have the right to break and enter.”
“Just doing what’s necessary to get the job done,” said the asshole behind Mason as he stood and smoothed his suit coat. He touched his jaw and cringed. He looked toward Rider next. “Please arrest this man for assault.”
Mason’s fury rose to a new height. The only thing that kept him from swinging again was Rider’s laughter. “I don’t think so.” Rider pulled a set of cuffs from his back pocket, and before either man knew what was happening, he slapped them on the fat man in the darker suit, yanking his weak hands behind his back as the guy grunted and struggled.
“You can’t do that. We’re here to do a job.”
Sirens wailed, making Mason wonder how he hadn’t noticed them before that moment. He heard the screech of tires outside less than a second from registering the police sirens.
Rider left the first man and stepped toward the second. “This is what I see. Illegal force and entry with intent to assault a woman in her bed.”
“That’s absurd,” the punched guy shouted. “We were hired to pick up this woman. She’s unstable.”
“Hired by whom?” Rider asked. “Money?”
The guy paled.
“That’s what I thought. Given enough money, you’ll pick up anyone for any reason using any means necessary, won’t you?” Rider asked.
Mason stepped toward the bed, intent on reaching for Jenna. “Not today, asshole. The only person going anywhere today is you two. To jail.” He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Jenna to his side.
Two more cops entered the room. Mason hardly glanced at them as Rider gave them the short version and slapped another set of cuffs on the guy Mason had punched. Mason heard words like assault, resisting arrest, kidnapping, illegal entry…
He didn’t take his eyes off Jenna’s again as the five other people finally exited the room and then the apartment.
Mason lifted Jenna’s chin to meet her gaze. “So sorry, baby.”
The Fight Club - Boxed Set Page 39
