Page 23 of Boundaries

“No, it’s mine Mason and there’s other stuff on it. You can’t have it.” I almost screamed in frustration.

“God you’re a fucking handful. Give it to me now, I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.” He made a move toward my camera and I twisted my body, my Nikon swinging under my arm. My eyes flickered down to check it was OK, before I lifted my head and gave him my death stare.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” I huffed, now feeling helpless.

“You’ve been taking pictures of people without their fucking permission, Amy. That’s about as wrong as it gets.” He had a point.

I rubbed the shiver from my arms, “So, I wasn’t doing it to cause any harm, I bet the shots are amazing. Beautiful even.”

He looked at me like I was dumb, “There is nothing beautiful about fighting.”

“Why do you do it then?” I blurted.

“I get off on it, but it isn’t beautiful,” he repeated in a firm voice.

“I disagree, I could show you the shots and you’ll see what I mean. You looked magnificent.” I wasn’t really complimenting him; it was my work with the camera that I was giving the credit to. My God, I was rambling like a school girl.

He slowly repeated my words as if he couldn’t believe I had spoken them, “I looked magnificent, what the actual fuck. Are you high?” Mason bit out, thoroughly exasperated.

I sniffed, “Well you did, beautiful, as I said.” What shit was I trying to sell now? I wasn’t sure I was in complete control of my mouth at that point.

He rolled his eyes before giving me one of those, ‘Are you for real’ looks he’d mastered so well.

“Being called beautiful has got to be a first. The SD card Amy and stop trying to change the subject.”

I wanted to shove him away and run for it, but I was trapped, “If you damage it or delete anything, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Like I give a shit,” he replied with a stony expression.

“You’re such a bully,” I stated.

“You haven’t seen the half of what I’m capable of, Amy, but you will if you don’t give me the photos right now.” He eyed the camera with distaste.

I looked up at him with a forlorn look, “Please Mason. Don’t take them from me.” I hated that I had to resort to begging, but what could I do? The guy was bigger than me, I couldn’t exactly fight my way around him.

Tears of frustration threatened and my eyes watered.

Mason dashed a hand across his jaw, “Don’t you dare start with the waterworks!” he all but yelled down into my face.

I could see from his suddenly tired expression that he’d had enough. As he moved to lift my camera from where it sat under my armpit, I encircled his wrists with my fingers in a poor attempt to stop him.

Mason drew his hand down, breaking the contact and I yipped in surprise.

“You’re such a frail little thing,” he accused in an annoyed tone. He then placed both his hands around my wrists, effectively trapping me. I was then helpless as he yanked my arms up over my head and held them there with one hand against the tree. Mason’s free hand then lowered to my camera, searched for the SD slot, and then to my dismay, released the card single handed.

With a slight smile, he pocketed it in his jeans. A fat tear ran down my face. It suddenly felt like I’d lost a limb, as who knew what other precious shots were on there. Would he throw the card away or damage it?

“Don’t you dare lose it Mason as I’ll be wanting that back.”

“Oh, I won’t lose the card Amy, but I may have to lose it with you,” Mason drawled, the tone of his voice changing pitch. It had dipped lower and he was looking down at me with a strange, guarded expression. Like he was toying with his thoughts. I pulled against his hold, trying to free my hands but he didn’t let go. A maelstrom of emotions powered through my body. None of which I understood.

Due to my arms being held above my head, my breasts were pushing against the thin material of my camisole.

Mason’s nose was so close to my own and my neck ached from retaining eye contact. He then lifted his free hand that had just pocketed my saved photos and drew a finger down my face where that large tear had run, almost tracing its path. His digit continued its journey and I gasped as he traced it down my body in between my cleavage.

He whispered against the shell of my ear, his lips slightly gazing at the skin there, “One day, you’ll learn your lesson.”

“What stupid lesson?”

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