Devour

by E. K. Blair

My mouth fell down, but no sound came out. My heart was deafening now.

  Garrett’s eyes slid to mine. As the doors started to close again, he drawled, “Ya gotta keeper there, girlie.”

  When the doors had closed and the elevator moved down, Mason swept a hand around my back and propelled me towards one of the two doors on the floor. He slid his card in and opened it as I entered first.

  I didn’t look around before I whirled back to him. “My biological dad is cheating on his wife with your mom?”

  Mason grinned as he started to shred his clothes, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I guess.”

  “Your mom is a cheater.”

  He toed off his shoes and grabbed my hand before he pulled me towards a king size bed in a corner of the room. As he sat down, he tugged me between his legs and looked up. “My mom’s a bit hard when it comes to men, especially after what my dad did to her.”

  “She’s the other woman.” I slid my fingers through his hair and took hold. As he started to rest his forehead against my stomach, I raised his face to look up.

  His eyes were bleak. “She wasn’t before and it’s complicated.”

  “It’s always complicated.”

  “Your mom was the other woman too. My dad was the other man.”

  My heart started to pound again. When I heard a slight condemnation in his tone, I was breathless as I asked, “Is that what you think is normal?”

  Would he cheat like they all did?

  “Cheating?” A dark loathing flared over his face and I stepped back in reaction. It was intense. It rattled me for a second. “Cheaters are weak. They’re selfish and they’re cowards. No, I’m not a cheater and I never intend to be.” He focused on me. “Why? Are you?”

  A laugh ripped out of me. My hand reached for him again and I closed a fist over his hair. “After my mother, now my biological dad, and what Jeff did to me? Are you kidding me?”

  His eyes softened and he slid a hand underneath my shirt. “People don’t know what they’re made of until they’re tested. You need to pull yourself out of a situation and think of the collateral damages, if it’s worth it.”

  “You speak from experience?”

  He grinned and leaned forward to kiss my stomach. My shirt was lifted higher and he started to tug me down onto him. Both of his hands went around my back and up to my shoulders as he pressed me down. I sunk down and felt him harden between my legs. He kissed his way around my neck to my lips and whispered against them, “I had a girlfriend once.”

  I wound both arms around him and held him against me, tighter than I knew I could. “Oh yeah?”

  “She cheated on me.” He leaned back and waited for my reaction.

  “What?”

  He laughed and nipped at the corner of my mouth. His lips nibbled their way around my lips before he opened against them. His tongue touched the corner of my lips and I opened for him. He swept inside and his hand gripped the back of my head to hold me still. The ache started to throb inside of me and I squirmed against his lap. I needed to get closer, I had to.

  Then he pulled back and fell against the bed. He gazed at me with lust in his eyes. They darkened as he nudged me higher on his waist. “My friend, Marissa. She cheated on me.”

  “Are you joking?” I frowned at him.

  He laughed and lifted my shirt over my head. “Yeah, I am about her. I didn’t date Marissa. I had a few other girlfriends and most of them cheated, but I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t dating them for their caliber, if you know what I mean?”

  “You didn’t cheat on them?” His hand slid to my back and he tipped me down to him. I was breathless as my head landed on his shoulder where I turned and licked. My body stretched as his hands slid to my bottom. He cupped my cheeks and grinded me against him.

  “I’ve never cheated. Being faithful was one thing I valued as I grew up. I made my mind long ago that I’d never be like my dad. I’d never do that to a woman I respected, even to someone I didn’t respect. I won’t lower myself to those standards.”

  I whispered against the side of his mouth, “Logan cheats.”

  He caught my mouth with his and whispered back, his lips brushed against mine, “Not if he loves the girl and I don’t give a damn what he does.” Then his mouth took command of mine and I was lost after that.

  I tipped my head back, but I was blind with lust. As his hand slid to my pants and he slipped two fingers inside of me, my throat was full. I couldn’t talk anymore and I groaned when he rolled me underneath him.

  Thirty minutes later, after Mason arched over me for his last thrust, my body collapsed onto the bed and I waited as the waves rode over me. He groaned and fell onto me. I welcomed his weight. He entrapped me, but I felt sheltered. Safe. My legs felt heavy with exhaustion and slid down the length of his to fall onto the bed.

  It wasn’t long after that when he propped himself on an elbow beside me. My throat was still thick with desire and I gazed at him. My fingers twitched to touch the side of his face, to feel how soft his eyelashes were, the slight stubble on his chin, the dip in his shoulders where his muscles attached together...I wanted to touch all of him again.

  I struggled to clear my throat and asked in a hoarse voice, “Is it always like this?”

  He shook his head in a slow motion. “No. It’s not.” His eyes darkened again and he bent down to me.

  I tipped my head back and met his lips with mine. It was a soft kiss, but it didn’t deepen into more because a soft beep sounded before the door swung open. Mason cursed and jumped to block me from whoever entered.

  “You better put some clothes on because if you think that sheet’s going to keep me from having a word with your new girlfriend, then you’re not the son I thought you were.”

  Mason cringed. “Mother, leave.”

  “I want to talk to her—”

  He spoke over her, “We will come upstairs to have this conversation.”

  She laughed and the sound gave me chills. There was an intelligent shrewd tone in her voice, but the anger sat me up in attention. “With Logan to interject with his snide comments, I think not. This conversation will happen without your brother’s snarky attitude. You think I’m a fool so the three of you can team up against me? I’m no fool, Mason James. Logan likes your litty bitty. He’s told me that he supports the two of you.” She drew in an angry breath. “I’m not having it.”

  “Fine, mom.” Mason had been holding a sheet in front of him and let it drop. “We’ll have it out like this.”

  “Put something on,” she hissed. “I’m not some high school cheerleader you can intimidate or make me squirm by showing your penis. I’ve seen it before. I was the one who changed your diapers.”

  He bit out a laugh and sat down instead. He gathered the sheet around his lap again, but kept his back to me.

  “Oh for the love of your grandfather, she’s going to have to face me at some point. Get some clothes, Mason. I’ve been waiting all week to meet Analise’s daughter. It might as well be now,” her tone gentled.

  Mason’s shoulders stiffened. “It’s not going to happen like this, mom. Go upstairs. We’ll be up in a few minutes.”

  There was a silence that filled the air with more tension.

  Then she sighed. “You’re not going to budge, are you?”

  “And you’re not going to come over and move me.”

  “You’re as stubborn as me.” She bit out a laugh that resembled Mason’s. “I don’t know if I should curse your genetics or mine. Fine. Be upstairs in five minutes, not a minute late or I’m coming back down.”

  When the door shut, he looked back and grimaced. “She’s been after us all week to call you. She’s the real reason we didn’t call.”

  I drew my knees against my chest and hugged them tight. “Why does she want to meet me so much?”

  “Now it’s because of this, but it was about revenge against your mom before.”

  “Revenge?”

  He ran a hand over his face and looked exh
austed. His shoulders slumped and he let out a deep sigh. “My mom’s not dumb. She’s known about Analise since she was poking around dad. And knowing that the guy she’s been seeing is your biological dad, I’m not too surprised. My mom can be calculating, Sam.”

  I swallowed over a painful knot. “Why did she want to see me before so much?”

  He stood and started to pull some clothes on. As he poked his head inside of his shirt and tugged it down, he remarked, “I think she wanted you to like her more than your mom. Logan and I haven’t been quiet. She knew you weren’t happy with Analise any more than we were. But now...” He trailed off as he looked towards the door.

  “But now,” I prompted.

  He shook his head and bent to grab my clothes. He handed them over as he sat beside me again. “I have no idea.”

  As I fitted my bra on and reached back to clasp it, I muttered, “I bet she thinks I’m like my mom now.”

  He didn’t respond.

  I looked up and saw the pity in his eyes.

  “Don’t,” I hissed at him. “You don’t feel sorry for me, not now after all the crap that’s happened to me.”

  The corner of his mouth curved up. “You don’t know my mom.”

  “I know you respect her.” I held his gaze for a long drawn out moment. “I know you love her and you want to protect her.”

  “I did.” He leaned forward and kissed me. “But that was before I realized something.”

  “What’s that?”

  He stood and waited until I pulled on my underwear and jeans to tug me beside him. Then he drew me in his arms for a tight hug and spoke against my shoulder, “I’m pretty sure my mom went after your bio dad to get back at your mom.”

  I lifted my arms and hugged him back. “Why do you think that?”

  “Because in my mom’s thinking, Garrett’s the only guy your mom couldn’t get.”

  “Why do you think that?” I leaned back and looked up.

  He ran a finger down the side of my face in a gentle caress. “It’s something I might do, if I was pissed off enough.”

  “If that’s true, then...” A stone dropped to the pit of my stomach and a cold feeling started to sweep through my body. “Then you’re right. I should be scared of your mom.”

  He grinned down and lifted me so I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our eyes met and held as his hand spread out over the bottom of my back. He leaned forward and nipped at my lips. I grinned and caught him in a deep kiss when he did it again.

  When he started to walk out of the room and to the elevator, he sighed against my lips, “I won’t let her do anything, Logan too.” He breathed against me again. “I think that’s why she’s so mad. We won’t let her hurt you.”

  When the elevator rose to their floor, he set me on my feet. The door opened and he took my hand in his. “You ready for this?”

  I gave his hand a squeeze.

  ***

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  When we entered the top suite, I drew in a deep breath and let go of Mason’s hand. He glanced back, but I shook my head. I needed to do this on my own, somewhat. Logan sat on a couch in the corner. He had two bags of chips on the table in front of him, a small television in his corner, and a cooler beside him. His smile couldn’t be wider on his face and when he saw our entrance, his hand slid into the cooler. It came back up with a beer and he started to chug half of it down.

  “Are they here?”

  I flinched at the tone of their mother. When no one answered, she came around the corner. Her hand was raised to fix an earring in place. When her eyes lit on me, her hand fell down in slow motion. She straightened and crossed her arms over her chest as she lifted her head high and her shoulders were squared.

  For a moment, I was speechless. She was beautiful. She had a model’s body, tall and lean with long legs. She wore a white business skirt with a pale pink cashmere sweater over it. A necklace of white diamonds rested above her cleavage. They matched the diamonds in her ears and I caught a flash from her wrist. My eyes couldn’t get any bigger at the sight of the diamond bracelet there. Even her pale pink high heels shimmered from the diamonds on their straps.

  She had golden blonde hair, which looked streaked from sunlight and that rested high in a loose bun. Tendrils fell to the nape of her neck and with her clear blue eyes; she looked the image of a goddess. But her lips had formed into a sneer as she took her time to study me in turn.

  Her wrist flicked at me with irritation. “This is Analise’s daughter?”

  Logan choked out a laugh, but guzzled some more of his beer.

  Mason and their mother threw him a glare. He sank back against the couch and raised a hand across his lips. They were zipped.

  Mason frowned at him, but sighed. “Yes, mother. This is Samantha.”

  Someone buzzed on the door and Logan jumped to his feet. He scurried around the room to open the door. Garrett Brickshire straightened as he viewed the room dressed in a navy blue suit. He’d been leaning with an arm near the top of the door.

  “What’s he doing here?” Mason rounded to his mother.

  Logan’s eyes widened. His smile grew and he hurried back to his seat. He picked up a bag of chips this time and started to munch on them.

  Their mother grimaced, but swept past us. She rested a hand to Garrett’s chest as his lips skimmed a kiss to her cheek. She gave Mason a small smile. “I figured it’s appropriate. He is her real father after all, and you know about the two of us. We can deal with two birds with one stone tonight. Mmmm? Don’t you agree?”

  Mason glanced at Logan. “You okay with this?”

  He made a show of showing his zipped lips again and shrugged.

  “Thanks.” Mason didn’t hold back a wry tone to his voice.

  Logan bobbed his head up and down as he reached for another beer.

  And then there was another buzz at the door. Helen frowned as she walked to it and peered through the peephole. “Who could that be—oh my god.” She turned back with a panicked look on her face. Her chest started to rise and fall at a rapid pace and she seethed at Mason, “Were you behind this?”

  “What—no...”

  Garrett rubbed a hand over his jaw and shook his head. A low baritone chuckle escaped him. “Now, darling, it only seemed appropriate for me to call her. She is my daughter’s real mother after all.”

  “Garrett,” she snapped and cursed at him. “Now’s not the time to be charming.”

  He lifted a shoulder and arched an eyebrow before he perched on a couch’s end. “Answer it, darling. They’re going to find out anyway and it might as well be now. They can’t be angry at us later for withholding information. I know Analise would throw that at me.”

  “Mom, what’s going on...” The words died in Mason’s throat as she opened the door and his father walked in, followed by my mother. Both of them wore reserved expressions, but when Analise saw Garrett, she sucked in her breath. Her face stretched at every angle over her skull. She looked in pain and then her eyes swung towards Helen. A confused look replaced the horrified one.

  Logan groaned behind us. Something that sounded like a mix of laughter and curses slipped out. He snorted next and pressed his head into a couch cushion as his shoulders shook.

  “Honey, what are you doing here?” Analise asked me. She was cold and formal.

  “Helen? Why are we here?”

  All eyes turned towards James, who was frowning at Mason.

  Garrett stood from his perch and stretched to his fullest height. “She didn’t call you. I did.”

  Analise jerked forward with fists clenched to her sides. “Why?”

  He swung his head towards us. “Ask them. I was doing my fatherly duty.” His lip curled up in a mocking manner.

  “Sam?”

  “Mason?”

  “Garrett, what are you doing here? Sam, did you call him?”

  I choked on my own vomit. “Are you kidding me?”

  He drawled out again, “Nah, the girl doesn’t wa
nt anything to do with me, Lise. You did a good job. She hates the sight of me.”

  I ducked my head and wished I could disappear. This was not somewhere I wanted to be.

  “Why? What did you do to her?”

  “Honey,” James tone was soothing. “We were called here for a reason. Helen, you weren’t behind this?”

  She choked out an angry snort. “Are you kidding me? I’d like to handle our sons without your interference.”

  “And why would you have to handle them?” His tone cooled. “Mason? What is your mother referring to?”

  Analise’s look was filled with loathing as she glared towards Garrett. “Why in the world are you here?”

  Helen’s laughter peeled out this time. “I can take credit for that one, Analise.” Her lip curled up in disdain. “You’re going to find out anyway. Everything’s going to come out now.”

  “What are you talking about, Helen?”

  “Helen, let’s spare some of the sordid details.”

  She threw a seductive grin towards Garrett. “I think I’m going to have to. Your ex doesn’t look like she can handle all the details, not just yet anyway.”

  My mother paled and she jerked forward a step. “What are you talking about? Garrett, what is she talking about?”

  He threw his head back and rolled back his shoulders. A cocky smirk came out. “I’m leaving my wife, Lise. I fell in love with someone else.” And he threw a pointed look towards the middle of the room.

  Analise seared everyone with a glare. “And why do I get the feeling you’re not talking about your daughter?”

  Helen smirked and poised with a hand to her hip. “He’s talking about me, Lise. We were going to wait until his divorce was final, but we’re engaged.” And with that, she flipped a ring around on her finger. The diamond was double the size of my mother’s. It sparkled as she wiggled her fingers around. “You like it? It matches the rest of my accessories. Only another woman can appreciate my outfit.”

  Mason groaned next to me and sat on the couch beside Logan. He passed the chips and the two munched away.

  Analise gasped as the information sunk in and James cursed under his breath. He pulled his fiancé back with a hand tucked around her arm. “Are you kidding me, Helen? And how did the two of you meet? I’m supposed to believe it was by chance?”