A tremor wracked through me.

He kissed my ear, my cheek, my neck. He whispered to me, "She tried to come between me and my brother. That's why I hate the bitch, but he still loves her. That's why he has a soft spot for her."

"Mason," I breathed out, holding on tight. I grabbed his face and held him still. I pulled back and met his gaze.

They were cloudy with desire, much like my own. Satisfaction surged through me. I affected him the same as how he affected me. It went both ways.

And then he killed the moment when he turned to the side. A ruthless emotion came through, thick and heavy, when he clipped out, "Have you been watching? This is why I'll never do what you have to do. I have her. I won't have to dream about her."

Everything stopped in me. A cold shower went over me and I was sputtering in the harsh reality.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Adam stormed off.

We were alone.

Mason slowly lowered me so I could stand on my own and he stepped back. He watched me as if I were an animal, waiting to attack. He was ready.

He'd been hot and heavy, or so I thought, but he'd really been cold and calculating the whole time. That same unreadable mask was over him now.

"You're an ass**le," I said softly.

He nodded.

"Why'd you do that?"

He didn't respond. It took another beat before he looked away and ran a hand over his head. "Don't get all girly and shit on me. That was a show. You performed well and he bought it."

My eyes bulged out of my head. I couldn't believe this was where he was taking it. "Are you kidding me?"

Something flashed in his eyes. It was gone in that next instant. He shook his head and lifted his shoulders. "What do you want from me?"

"You played me; you pulled all the right strings."

A cocksure smirk came out. "Like you said, I'm an ass**le. That's what we do."

I took a deep breath. Something cold started in the pit of my stomach. It grew with each word he said and each second I was away from his touch. I hated how he affected me, the power he had and he knew it as well. He was fully aware of the power he had over me.

Chills broke out over me. I had to get away from him. I just had to. "I have to shower."

He jerked his head in a nod and started to leave.

My feet wouldn't go. My mind was yelling at me to leave, but my body wouldn't go. It didn't want to go. He had power over me…but I was pretty sure I had power over him too.

He stopped as he was about to go down the stairs. "What's wrong?"

I turned and locked eyes with him. I didn't know what he saw, but it worked. His hand clenched on the banister, his shoulders jerked upright. He sucked in a breath. I watched as his chest rose higher and higher.

I choked out, "Was that all a show?"

Desire was thick in his eyes. He narrowed them, licked his lips, and jerked his head in refusal.

Something flared throughout me and my legs moved now. I caught his hand and pulled him with me.

"This way." He pulled me a different way.

My heart was pounding as I held onto his hand. I was blind in my need. I could only focus on him. He led me through a myriad of stairs, through some doors, and finally he pulled me through the last one. I had no idea where we were, I hadn't cared to pay attention, but I knew we were far away from the party.

Mason dropped my hand and gazed at me. His room was dark. The shades were pulled so the morning light filtered through, but we were still in shadow.

He was watching me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. Fear froze me. I stumbled out, "I need to shower. I reek."

And then he reached forward and wrapped two arms around my waist and raised me off my feet as he walked to a bathroom. The shower was turned on and he stepped underneath. The cold water splashed down on me and I gasped. I surged forward in reaction and pressed my chest against him, but his mouth landed down on mine.

Oh god.

My hands curled into his shirt and I could only hold on.

His lips were hard on mine, a flame exploded inside of me, and I wanted more of him. I needed more. Then he started to move against me. His lips coaxed, nibbled, slid, and whispered against mine. His tongue touched the tip of my mouth and I let him in. I wasn't allowed not to. My body answered whatever demand he made. The thought of denial wasn't in me.

When my tongue touched his and his body trembled under my arms, I realized the power I had. It was addicting. It burst within me and I climbed up him. It was as before, but this time I didn't wait for him. I slipped my hand under his shirt and lifted it over his head.

Mason let it slip over and he hungrily already had mine off. My bra was stripped away in the next second and he cupped my br**sts.

I gasped into his mouth when his thumb touched the tip of my nipple. He teased it and laughed against me. I nibbled at the corner of his mouth and then moved back. He caught me with a hand to my back and met my gaze.

We held each other's gaze. I couldn't look away. His eyes were dark, hungry, and they grew darker the longer we stared at the other. Then I lifted a hand and touched the side of his face. I traced the edge of him, his forehead, the corner of his eye, the side of his cheek, his lips.

He was beautiful.

His muscles shifted under me and I felt him lower me back to my feet.

I groaned in protest. I didn't want to leave him, but he bent forward and caught my lips in a hungry kiss, a long kiss. I couldn't tear away from him if I had to. Mewling, I pressed against him again and then his hands were under my bare legs. He lifted them again and as I wrapped them around his waist, he came in full contact against me.

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