Page 35 of Beneath the Surface

He winks, and a small grin makes its way onto my face, my heart skipping. Breaking our stare, I give my attention back to Annabelle.

“Only when it keeps me safe.”

16

Mason

“No, do it like this.”

Chase’s voice snaps my eyes away from Lily, and I look down at the dinosaurs printed on the kid’s menu—the fifth one we’ve gone through since getting here half an hour ago.

It hasn’t been a good day. I’ve never had an issue with Chase; he’s always been a laid back, chill kid, but today he was crying for Lily the second he woke up. We played Monster trucks and sang “Baby Shark”. Built Legos and made castles out of Play-Doh, but still, he just wanted his mom.

I can relate.

So, I packed him up and we made the trek toDina’s Diner. I should have brought him here earlier. It’s a win-win situation. He’s happy just by being able to see her, andI’mhappy watching her blush every time I catch her stealing a glance.

I haven’t stopped thinking about the way her lips felt on mine since the moment it happened. Jesusfuck, I can’t get it out of my damn head. The past twenty-four hours have been filled with vivid images of filthy things.

Things I’m not sure she’ll let me do.

Things I should know better than to evenwantto do.

My eyes drop to my cell on the table, the missed call log filled with messages from Don. He usually isn’t so persistent, but I’ve also never avoided him like this. If I answer, I’ll have to own up to the fact that I’m breaking the cardinal rule.

Never interact with the target.

And definitely don’t get them alone, press them against a wall, and slide your tongue in their mouth. My stomach tightens at the memory.

Lily bounds from around the corner and prances over, making my pants tighten and my heart skip like a schoolboy with a crush. She seems light today, and a smile cracks my face before I can stop myself. Whether I want to admit it out loud or not, the reason I’m avoiding Don is because ofthis. Because when I’m here, all I can focus on is how nice it is to be with her. To be with her kid. To be part of something that feels so goddamn real. Andthatmakes me a pussy, because it’s not something I should be thinking. Or wishing for. I gave up rights to that life a long time ago, and I haven’t looked back since.

I haven’tletmyself look back.

But suddenly, I can’t figure out how to separate thoughts of my past from the feelings in my present, and every time I’m around Lily they start to creep back in.

Would I have been a good dad?

“Mommy!” Chase drops the purple crayon from his fist, launching himself into Lily’s arms. My splintered chest aches.

“Hey, baby.” She rubs his back. “What are you two doing here?” she asks, her eyes darting everywhere except for my face.

Slinging my arm across the back of the booth, I grin wide at her, letting my gaze linger. If she isn’t going to look at me, I can at least make sure shefeelsme. I’ve been ready to explode ever since I felt every inch of her delicious body pressed against mine, and now that she’s standing in front of me, I can’t help but want to eat her fucking whole. Devour her until she doesn’t know up from down and left from right.

Show her what it’s truly like to be worshiped by a man.

I doubt she ever has been.

Her discomfort makes my cock harden, desperate to see her squirm underneath me instead of somewhere I can’t reach. Grabbing a toothpick from my pocket, I slip it between my lips, the sudden craving for nicotine swimming through my veins and tightening every nerve.

I nod my head toward Chase. “He missed you.”

“I had a bad dweam,” Chase whispers, his head resting on her shoulder. “And when I woke up, you wewen’t there.”

She brushes her fingers over the back of his dark hair and squeezes him to her tighter.

“Well, I’m here now, baby. You ready to go?”

He nods, pushing his head farther into her neck. I watch, fascinated and oddly, a bit jealous at their closeness. A blind man could see it’s the two of them against the world, and while my chest expands with warmth knowing they have that with each other, it also makes me feel like shit.

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