His Pawn (The Manhattan Tales Book 1) (18 page)

I watched him as I made myself presentable as well.  I was fishing to see if he had made any plans for his birthday.  True, the forecast models were calling for heavy snow so maybe he wasn’t dancing around the possibility that people either forgot or they showed lack of interest.  I thought about Mason’s family at that moment, and a chill ran up my spine as I remembered the encounter with his sister.

“Why do you ask?”  He looked at me warily as he pulled his navy suit jacket over his shoulders.

I tried to force the memory of his sister and the bank check far from my mind as I looked up at Mason.

“I was watching the news this morning and they mentioned the snow.  I just wanted to make sure you’d get home safely,”  that was the truth, but I wasn’t about to tell him the real reason  for asking.  I gave him a sweet smile, which I hoped was convincing enough.              

I saw the faint trace of a smirk on his face as he shook his head.  “I do need to get ready for a meeting I have in ten minutes,” he said passively, which was his latest way of dismissing me.  That was alright with me, I had errands to run.  I reached up and pulled him by the collar down to my level and I kissed his cheek softly.  It caught him by surprise, and I smiled a little to myself.

12. Mason Woodward

I looked towards the panoramic view of my office.  The sky was a stormy gray, precisely matching my mood for the day.  My secretary had a box of cupcakes from a gourmet bakery delivered to the office, despite my distaste for celebrating my birthday.  It was a nice gesture, nonetheless. What I really wanted for my birthday was Jillian Pryor in my apartment on West 87th Street, bound and begging for my cock. 

She’d been quiet in the last 24 hours, only saying that she had a lot of homework and then plans with her friend, Elyse.  Then again, I was the one pushing her away.  The steaming connection between us had to be snuffed.  I could not allow this woman to attach herself to me so I did what I could to keep the arrangement in check. 

Still, my thoughts of her consumed my mind.  A simple thought of her made my cock stiff and my chest clench.  The most concerning part of this was my urge to
protect
her, to wrap my arms around her and feel her body pressed warmly against hers in the bed. 

This strong desire to keep her safe threw a wrench into my original plans to use her for revenge. She could never know about these plans, and I began to wonder if I’d truly be exhausted of her in only a month and a half, when our contract would end.  On this day, my will fought against my desire to hear her voice.  I knew she was busy, and thanks to yours truly, the light was lost from her eyes once again.  I missed that radiant smile and those bright eyes.  This was all my own damn fault.

I pulled my mobile from the pocket of my suit.  I knew how to get a woman’s attention.  I dialed her number and held the phone to my ear.  She answered immediately.

“Hi,” she answered.  I could almost see the smile on her face.

“Hello, sweetpea,” I responded.  Already I could feel that her voice was lifting my mood.

“I just wanted to remind you that you can ask Mrs. O’Malley for my Amex card at any time.  I think you’d enjoy a shopping trip.”

Jill was quiet on the phone, then she chuckled.  “You’re so silly.  I still have clothes with the tags on them.”

This was the second time she’d rejected my offer for a shopping spree.  No woman has ever turned down my credit card in the past.

Who was this woman?  Jillian Pryor.  Of course.

“Ask him to come have Mexican with us!”   I could hear a female voice speak in the background.  I piqued a brow.

“Elyse says hi,” Jillian spoke to me.  “She thinks you should come out to eat with us on Friday.”

For a few seconds, I think back to how this would have greatly annoyed me only a few weeks ago, but I was interested in meeting this friend who occupied Jill’s time.  Then a thought occurred to me.

“Actually, my cousin, Jackson, is hosting a Masquerade in New Rochelle.  I’d like you to be my date,” I stated. With everything going on in the last month, I’d completely forgotten about the invitation until this moment. Jillian was quiet.  I’m certain she was shocked by my invitation.

“Oh…  I had plans with Elyse though,” she answered hesitantly.

“Oh please.  I’ll be fine.”  I could hear Elyse in the background.  I liked this girl already.

“Tell your friend that we can make a raincheck on the Mexican dinner, and I’ll ring my cousin to say we’re bringing Elyse.”

“Really?”  Jillian seemed delightfully shocked.  “Wow, ok, thanks Mason.”

“I’ll see you tonight at six,”  I said just as my assistant paged my office phone, and I ended the call immediately.

“Mr. Woodward?”

“Yes Elizabeth?”

“Your father is on the line.”

There goes my lifted mood.  I picked up the receiver and punched a button.  I knew he was calling to scorn me about something. 
What have I done wrong now?

“Good afternoon, dad.”

“Son, what the hell am I looking at in the entertainment section of the New York Times?”

I gripped the receiver so tightly, I’m surprised it doesn’t crack within my grasp.  “I don’t know,
dad
, what are you looking at?”

“There’s been bits of gossip about you traipsing around with some gold-digging whore.  Are you trying to anger me?” He roared into the phone.

I closed my eyes briefly.  Before Jillian, my father was the only being on the planet whom I could not exude control over.

“You read the Times Entertainment section all the way from London?  I’m impressed.”

“Mason Alexander Woodward, stop dicking around in my company or you’ll be out on your ass.  I don’t want to see another mention about this tramp.  Our family has an understanding that you will marry Aislinn Meadows. You’ll keep it in your pants and save it for your future wife.”

My jaw clenched.  Aislinn Fucking Meadows.  The girl was as prissy and flowery as her name.  She is the sole heir to her Father’s Banking enterprise, and our union would make us one of the most powerful families in the world.  Miss Priss would never be able to handle me. 

I thought about the woman who waited at my penthouse every night.  The girl who listened to Lynyrd Skynrd, my favorite band, and enjoyed when I pounded her rough and hard from behind. She was wrong for me on so many levels, but those levels are also what made her perfect.
Mine.
My heart leapt when I thought about Jillian.  Aislinn Meadows.  I say fuck that.

“You already swore that Zara cannot handle such an enterprise,” I spoke sardonically, mentioning my sister.  “I have no brother and you know I strike deals for you left and right.  You’re going to toss me out because of one woman?”

“Reputation and status is everything to our family.  How do you think we’ve managed to stay on top of the food chain for centuries? Why do you think I married your
mother
? You have no future with this nobody. You cannot throw away our family legacy for this bitch. I’m serious about this, son.  I won’t think twice about putting you out and naming Jackson Rochester my sole heir.  He is my beloved sister’s only son, after all. You’ll be out in billions before you can bat a lash.  Let’s see how much the whore will hang on to you then.”

Considering she keeps turning down my shopping sprees, just fine I think.
   I kept that thought to myself.

“Well, dad, this has been lovely, but I have a follow-up meeting,” I lied.  I ended the call before he could say another word.  I sat, gripping the armrest of my desk chair, my fingers tapping angrily.  I wanted to break something, punch someone.

I hadn’t felt this angry since…  six years ago.  Feeling my temper flare, I hit the
Do Not Disturb
button on my office phone.

I sat and thought quietly, tapping my pen on on my polished desk.  Jax Rochester is Piper’s twin brother. Born and raised in New York, he usually wants nothing to do with our family, and I don’t blame him a damn bit. I see her often, but he’s a real estate tycoon who often secludes himself in a  hermit-like state. 

The fact that he’s even hosting a party on Friday floors me.  I don’t doubt for a second that my father would disinherit me and hand over the reigns to Jax.  The act would be done to spite me, which is the very reason why I’ve developed my own thriving hotel franchise.  My father seems to forget that I have my own income, independent of his company.  He sure as hell did not support my venture when it first began at the young age of twenty-two.  Now I’ll soon be opening a third hotel in Las Vegas, right on the strip.  I’m prepared if it ever comes down to being disowned.  Why the hell did I spend so much time with the Pryors during those happier years?  I don’t need to spell it out.  They did for me what my family never did… until the bastard betrayed me.

              ****

              My father called twice more that afternoon, but each time I had “stepped out” as I kindly told my secretary to inform him.  He turned to my mobile, which had to be shut off.  I turned it on around five pm to inform Mrs. O’Malley to have a bottle of Macallan waiting for me in my home office and something soft and classical playing from the entertainment room. On days like this, I usually required either Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, or Chopin’s Nocturnes.  I needed to unwind, and the combination of good whiskey and calming classical pieces removed the edge from my temper.  I couldn’t even trust myself around Jill at this moment; It was a good thing she had plans out with Elyse.

“Good evening, Mr. Woodward.”  I gave a stiff smile to Gus as I entered the elevator in my hotel lobby.  He seemed a little jittery from the tension radiating off my body.  I had that effect on people, especially on days when dealing with my father.

“Happy birthday,” he said as the bell chimed, signaling that the golden doors would open into my foyer.

             
I wish people would stop saying that bullshit
, but instead I gave another tight lipped smile.

“Thanks.”

As soon as the elevator doors opened, my nose was greeted with the rich smell of… something I hadn’t experienced in years.  The lights were dimmed in the penthouse, just as I instructed Mrs. O’Malley to leave it.  I wanted something soft to be played from the entertainment room, but there was no such thing happening.  Instead, I could make out the faint notes of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “
Tuesday’s Gone”
wafting down the hall from Jill’s room.

What. The. Fuck.

I didn’t know whether to be pissed or intrigued as deja vu washed over me. I recalled how her bedroom stereo used to fill their small apartment with the lyrics of my favorite bands. 
Our favorite bands.
I walked into the dining room, where I noticed candles lit on the long table.  There was a chocolate cake and a lasagna. My heart fucking clenched in my chest. 
Jillian
.

“Happy Birthday,” She said softly from the doorway.

I smiled wryly, as I still surveyed the spread she’d prepared. “I see you found my credit card.”

“No, I used money from my last paycheck from the Sloanes. I said I don’t want your money.”

I finally turned to face her and the smirk on my face was erased when my eyes fell on her.  She wore her glasses, and her wild hair spilled down her shoulders.  She was wearing one of my silk button downs, which was left partially open at the top, and nothing more.

The blood rushed to my cock.

God, I love this girl.

Shit.  I couldn’t love her.  I was incapable of loving anyone.  That ship sailed long ago.

Her eyes were bright as she looked up at me.  Smiling, sucking on that bottom lip.  She looked damn sexy as hell in nothing but my shirt.

Nothing in my life compares to what this woman has done to me. For me.  I’d had so much pressure from my family, from my corporate reputation, from my quest for revenge…

“Oh, fuck it all,” I said sharply, gripping her fiercely and pinning her to the wall.

I inhaled the scent of her lavender shampoo.  She grabbed the stiff collar of my shirt and pulled me down to her lips, and I devoured her mouth, kissing her with more intensity than I knew I had within me.  Her tongue eagerly caressed mine as she wrapped her arms around me and stroked the back of my neck with her fingers.  My lips left hers and trailed down the nape of her neck to her shoulders as I tore the shirt from her body.  Buttons flew in all directions but I was much too focused on the gorgeous sight in front of me.  With no panties, she stood nude before me. Her supple breasts and glistening pussy were bare just for me.

I grabbed her round ass with both hands and hoisted her, with her body still pressed against the wall.  Her legs wrapped around my waist as she kissed my mouth and trailed kisses down my neck.  I felt the soft moans escape her lips as I firmly pressed my groin against her bare heat.

“Mason…” she breathed into my ear and I felt myself unravel more. 
She is perfection.

I paused in our passion long enough to look into her eyes.  She deserved so much more than
this
.  She deserved the thing I should have given her from the start.