Page 70 of King of Sinners

“Here?” I turn to look at him as I take a bite of my own breakfast.

“I’m not going to be further away than a few floors if you need me.”

“Thank you,” I say as I watch him go. Is he staying in the building for my benefit? I swallow down a lump as I finish my breakfast and then start getting ready for the day. Once I’ve blown out my hair, I pull the pictures from the printer, adding them to the book I’m creating for Mason.

Sitting on the couch, I spread my project out on the coffee table, adding pictures here, rearranging them there. I’m creating a story with them, only I don’t actually know the ending.

I’ve done all the pictures in black and white and the whole series is an ode to Mason. It begins as fractured pieces, just small shots of his hand or his arm, and builds to fuller, whole pictures, and finally the emotional images from last night.

It feels like some sort of culmination, and I suppose it is.

I’ve given Mason my virginity and my heart. But I started taking these pictures to answer the question of his intentions.

I start from the beginning. The images are beautiful but cold.

As I move along, they warm. Is that my feelings or his? I stop on the one from last night where he looks at me before he kisses me.

What do I see in his eyes? Possessiveness, but that’s always been there. Tenderness too. It’s in the way his hand is wrapped about my back. He’s not grabbing my ass, he’s supporting my weight.

And the kiss, it’s hot and yet it’s gentle. More gentle than I ever imagined from him. Blood is rushing in my ears. Am I imagining it or does Mason have some feelings for me too?

He told me he’d protect me forever. Maybe, I’m not…

My phone dings again and I leave the photo book to pick it up.

It’s Kim.

Hey you, you promised to call. Where are you?

But my brow wrinkles. It’s the only message from her. There are none from last night and I click back out of my chat with her and look at the list of messages.

I gasp, nearly dropping my phone. My late-night messages were not from Kim.

They were from Leo.

Of course he had my number when we dated. I never changed it, but I also would have thought he’d have deleted me from his contacts a long time ago…

My hand trembling, I touch the messages, my eyes flying over the words.

I know you think you’re all cozy in that penthouse with Mason as your big bad protector.

But you should know that he promised the entire family that he’d give you to the Dukes to punish the Italians. Did he tell you that while he tucked you in his bed?

He never cared about you. You have always been a means to an end.

Like I said. You chose the wrong brother.

I don’t even realize I’ve sunk to the floor until my hand presses to the tile.

My eyes have blurred so I can’t even read the messages again. Is it true? Was I always just a pawn in Mason’s plot for revenge?

Did he plan to turn me over? I’ve been wondering why he’d go to such lengths and now I feel like I have the piece of the puzzle I was always missing. It all makes sense.

I shake my head, carefully setting my phone next to me on the floor. My head spins as I try to get up. What a stupid fool I was…

Drawing in a deep breath, I try to come up with a plan…

Picking up my other phone, I call down to Jackson.

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