Page 16 of Forbidden Cravings

His fingers caressed my neck while his other hand pulled at the strap of my nightie. “This is doing nothing? You’re teasing me again, torturing me.”

“The fuck I am. You’re torturing yourself. I told you I would back off and I have.”

He chuckled, his eyes lightening with the smirk he gave me. “You call those words you said to me last night backing off? You think putting thoughts of that sexy mouth around my cock, those tits bouncing as you drop to your knees, those moans rolling over it while I’m fucking your mouth backing off?”

My legs quivered, the images making me so wet I swore it dripped down my thighs.

“You’re playing just as much as I am Casey and it’s going to get us both in trouble. I can’t have you and you can’t have me. Now put some fucking clothes on before one of my men walks in here and I have to kill him for seeing this much of your flesh.”

I took a ragged breath, and his eyes perused my body once more, his hand leaving my neck to trace its way down to my shoulder, where he pushed my strap aside. It slid down, exposing the top of my breast, and I watched as his eyes darkened again before they returned to mine. His jaw was clenched so tight I could hear his teeth grinding.

Pulling my strap back up, I brushed past him, returning to my room and sitting on the bed, my legs too weak to hold me any longer. I’d never craved a man like I craved Mason, and I was wishing I had stayed in Armina and never seen him again. I needed to get out of this house and away from Mason’s world. My return to Armina was still two days away, but that didn’t mean I had to sit around this house.

I took my time showering. Pulling on a pair of jeans and a light sweater that emphasized my chest, I pulled my hair back in a cute ponytail and walked through the house, searching for Riley. I was hoping to drag her out with me and take her shopping in the city. The snow had stopped, and the roads should have been cleared by now. I searched the lower level of the house and didn’t find her. Shooting her a text, I looked out the window, seeing one of Mason’s men in the distance as he made rounds. A small guesthouse stood to the right, and Iremembered Tyson telling me Mason had moved Riley into it after the Randall event. It seemed odd that she was in the main house now, but maybe he’d wanted to keep a closer eye on her. Or maybe he wasn’t ready to relinquish complete control of her again.

My phone buzzed, her message indicating she was in Mason’s office upstairs. I chewed my lip, not wanting to see Mason, unsure of what my body’s reaction to him would be. There was no way to avoid him for the rest of my stay, especially with Tyson away, so with a sigh, I found the stairs and made my way up to the top floor. Mason’s office spread the length of half the second floor. Surrounded by windows, it held a beautiful view of the property. I hadn’t realized just how much land he owned. The fact that his house held so many windows spoke volumes about how secure he was in his position and his men. He was a target no one could touch out here…although someone had tried and used Riley to break him.

Mason and Riley were deep in discussion when I found them. They were looking at a laptop, Riley studying whatever it was they were concentrating on. Mason’s eyes drifted to me, lingering slowly on each curve before meeting my gaze. The lust was there but shadowed behind the steely look.

“I want to go out. Shopping, maybe lunch. I was hoping Riley would come with me.”

“No,” Mason said, before dropping his attention back to the screen.

That terse answer fired me up, and I snapped at him. “No?”

Riley gave me a questioning look.

“No,” he repeated, not looking back at me.

“I don’t think so,” I said. “Ri, wanna come with me?”

“She’s in training and she’s not going anywhere. Neither are you.”

He still hadn’t bothered to look at me.

“Finally letting her in?” I layered my words with sarcasm and his jaw ticked. “Fine, I’m going out. I’ll be back in a?—”

“Is there something you don’t understand about the word no?” This time he did glance at me.

Riley was looking between the two of us, her confusion clear.

I put my hands on my hips and snapped, “I understand clearly. You’re trying to control me like you did Riley, but that’s not the way I work. I’m not on a leash.” I saw Riley cringe and threw in a quick, “Sorry, Ri. Now, I’m leaving. Assign whoever you want to go with me, but I’m heading to the city for some shopping.”

I turned on my heels, hearing him grumble. Walking through the hallway out toward the main rooms, I heard him mutter to Riley to stay as he hastened after me. He grabbed my arm and threw me against the wall, my exhale escaping with the force, but not like the last time he’d been rough with me.

“What is your problem, Mason?” I hissed. “You push me away, then bring me back, only to push me away. I know you’re struggling, and I’ll respect that, but I’m not yours to control.”

He stepped into my space, a dark look in his eyes that reminded me why he was a feared boss. “You’re mine to keep safe while your brother’s out of town.” I saw right through the excuse and felt the stake he was trying to claim on me.

Laughing, I replied, “You can’t have it both ways, Mason. I’m not yours if you won’t let yourself have me.” I yanked my arm from his grip and pushed past him. “Now assign me protection so I can treat myself since I can’t treat myself with you.”

This time it was his fingers in the strands of my hair, yanking me back to him. The move drenched me, and I melted into his chest. “You’re a brat, Casey.”

“Well, you did call me a little girl,” I played. He tugged harder. “You keep doing that, and you’re going to need to finish what you started.”

He released me, and I turned to him. His eyes were hooded, but the strain was clear in the clench of his jaw. He had his phone in his hand, and I sighed as he said to whoever was on the other end, “Casey’s going out. I want two men on her at all times. Take her where she wants to go, but stay within the city.”

The call ended, his gaze intense before he stormed back upstairs. I stood there for a few minutes, trying to calm my body. He was killing me every time he touched me, every time he even looked at me. By the time I got my coat and trudged outside, my mood had shifted to a melancholy I couldn’t shake, and a car was waiting for me.

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