His Pawn (The Manhattan Tales Book 1) (22 page)

She smiled at Jillian and Jill gave her a shy wave.

“Jillian, this is my cousin, Piper. Piper, this is Jillian… my… friend.” 
Girlfriend.
The thought alone gave my heart a tremor.

“We met yesterday,” Piper stated matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, she stopped by looking for you.  She let me and Elyse borrow these masks.”  Jill explained enthusiastically, obviously naive as to why Piper has been hunting me down.

I really resented that I had confided in my therapist cousin.

“Have you seen Jax?”  Piper asked me, looking around.

“I haven’t seen him yet.  I believe he decided to throw a party without making himself the man of the hour.”  I smirked.

              “I’m going to look for him. Apparently, nobody has seen him yet.  But, I want to talk to you soon,” Piper poked me in the chest before leaving us at the bar.  I rolled my eyes before turning to face Jill.

  “Wouldn’t he be unrecognizable at a masquerade?  Everyone’s faces are covered,” Jillian chuckled.

“Believe me, Piper would know her own brother.  If you know Jax, you can’t mistake him, even if he wears a paper bag over his head.”  I grinned, and then led her by the hand away from the bar. 

I stood with her on the open marbled floor as she watched the acrobats swing from trapeze to trapeze.  It didn’t really fascinate me.  I was much more fascinated by the look of awe on Jillian’s face.  I suppose I lived vicariously through her, wondering what it was like to be so in awe of the littlest of things in life.

“Hey,” Elyse came up to us, snacking on a bit of bruschetta.

“This is really good.  Stay away from the table with the escargot.  I didn’t know what it was, and I had to spit it out.”

“I hope you didn’t do that in front of people.”  Jill’s eyes widened but she laughed.

“No I made sure it was into a napkin,” Elyse answered casually.  “Try this… and the brownies.  I’m going to go explore,”  She flashed us a grin and flitted away again.

I smirked as Elyse made her way through the crowds, and then turned back to Jill and my hand snaked around her waist.  For a brief moment, I glanced around as I took in the crowds.  Then, from the farthest corner of the banister at the top of the stairwell, I spotted Jax. 

He enjoyed people watching.  I could easily view him as my rival since my father repeatedly threatened to remove me and make him the sole heir to all of his assets.  I didn’t, though.  I knew Jax had no care to take over my father’s inheritance.  He sipped champagne as he viewed all of his guests.  He reminded me of the Phantom from that opera Ella once dragged me to go see.  I turned to Jillian as she linked her arm in mine, and when I looked up to see Jax, he was gone.  Just like that damn phantom.

The ceiling display ended to give the acrobats a break.  Good.  Then I could tear Jillian away and slip her down one of the dark corridors.  But then she wanted to dance when soft music began playing…

“I told you I don’t dance.”  I responded, but I couldn’t resist the doe look in her eyes.  I glanced down at her luscious cleavage beneath the red silk.  Fine.  I led her farther out onto the marble where other couples were dancing slowly.

“Don’t expect me to twirl you around,” I whispered into her ear as I pressed her body firmly against mine. 

I wanted her to feel the hardness in my pants and I knew she did when she sucked in a soft breath.  She wrapped her arms around me, and I buried my nose lightly in her hair, savoring the smell of her lavender shampoo.  I knew she could feel the heat between us, especially after the song, “At Last”  was belted out by some local singer from the front stage.  Chicks seemed to melt for that song. 

I looked up toward the east railing and saw Jackson again.  He spotted me with a charming grin and raised his champagne glass toward me.  I gave him a faint salute in greeting.

Jillian kept her body pressed against mine, and managed to sucker me into dancing two more slow songs.
Since when does a woman sucker me into dancing?
  She kept her head against my chest.  I loved the way her body fit against mine. The desire was building up within me by the minute.  By the time the third song ended, I wanted to tear that silk from her body. 

As the other couples clapped, I kissed Jillian softly and kept my arms wrapped around her in an embrace.  I felt other eyes on us, but I didn’t care.  After a few minutes, I loosened my embrace and kissed her forehead, and she smoothed a stray lock of my hair that fell out of place.

“I’m going to get some water,” Jillian said softly.  “It’s hot under the lights.”

“I’ll get it for you,” I smiled down at her and kissed her hand affectionately before I led her by the hand away from the dance floor and back toward the bar. 

I ordered two glasses of ice water.  My mind was reeling, trying to decide if and how I could tell her that I had fallen in love with her.

“Hey,” Elyse showed up again after who knows how long. 

Her face was flushed and her hair was slightly mussed.  I handed Jillian a glass of ice water, and handed Elyse the water I had ordered for myself.

“Thanks,” She said and took several gulps of the water.

“Have you been dancing?”  Jill asked, noting Elyse’s flushed state and ruffled tresses.

“Nah,” she answered and looked around, as though searching for someone.  She glanced up toward the bannister of the balcony.

Jill snickered.  “Did you meet someone?”

“I talked with a few people, sure.”  She let out a deep exhale.  I was plenty familiar with women in a state like Elyse’s.  I could only smirk.

“Did you get to explore the house?”  Jill asked as she sipped her water.

“Yes,” Elyse responded shortly, but then she flushed bright pink and took another deep breath.

I watched Jill give her friend a cockeyed expression through her mask.

“Are you ok, Ly?” She finally asked.

“Yeah… it’s just hot in here,” Elyse answered and then ordered a rum and coke before she left us again.

“She’s an interesting character,” I commented.

“She’s acting unusual,” Jillian stated. “I bet she met someone.”

“Oh, I know she did,” I smirked.  Then I took her hand and led her down the corridor.  She compliantly followed me, but my cousin stopped me.

“I finally found Jackson,” Piper announced.

“So have I,” I answered, sighing.

“I need to talk to you,” Piper stated.

I closed my eyes, already annoyed and she’d barely spoken.

Typically, therapists did not interfere on this level but she was my cousin.

“I’ll go find Elyse,” Jillian said as she squeezed my hand with a smile, leaving me with my harassing cousin.

Piper led me into an old study that is never used.  She closed the door and we stood behind a set of old bookshelves.  We spoke in low voices, even though it was highly unlikely that anybody would come in here.  Even the air smelled musty in this room.

“She’s really sweet,” she said to me as she removed her mask.

“Yes, she’s a gem,” I answered drily, ripping the damn thing from my face as well.  I was impatient to get back to Jill, and run my hands down the curves of her body, and suck on those luscious tits.  I had yet to take her back to the city, back to the apartment I promised her.

“I like her,” Piper said.  “I like her
for you
.  You can’t go through with this.”

“I’m not,” I grit my teeth. 
I couldn’t hurt her.  I love her.

“Are you only saying this to shut me up?  Because you were very intent to use her for your stupid revenge just a few weeks ago.”

“That’s old news,” I responded sharply.

“My business is my business, Piper.  I told you all of this in confidence, not so you’d harass me for it.”

“I cannot sit by and let you use that girl for collateral damage simply because her brother slept with your fiance.  It’s sick, Mason.  Therapist or not, She’s the one who will be damaged. And she’s good for you.”

“I’m not going through with it!  Damn it, Piper,” I yelled.

My cousin was quiet for a moment. 

“Fine, it’s just that I know about some of the ruthless business tactics you have used in the past to get people to do what you want.  I wouldn’t put it past you to have sex with her and then send those pictures to her brother.”

My lip twitched, as did my hand.  My cousin had a point.  I have not been proud of the last five years.

Suddenly, realization kicked in and Piper gave a slight smile.

“Oh, I get it now.  You lo-”  But she didn’t finish her sentence. 

Her face suddenly went pale as she looked past me.  I turned to see Jill’s face, staring at the both of us.  She lowered her gold mask to look at us; Her brow was furrowed, her eyes watery.  Her mouth was curved downward as her lower lip trembled.

“You were going to do what?”  Jillian asked me shakily.

“How long have you been standing there?”  Piper asked her.

Jillian’s lips tightened but she spoke softly.  “Long enough.”

Her dark eyes darted to me, searching, questioning, heartbroken. Heartbroken doesn’t begin to describe it. She was devastated.  Crushed.

“Is that why you had those surveillance photos in an envelope?”  She looked at me.

I was tempted to sweet talk her, but I couldn’t smooth talk my way out of the conversation she’d just overheard.

“Yes, but I’ll explain everything.  It’s not what you think,” I answered. 

My anger towards her brother was nothing compared to the shame I felt in this moment.  My need to hold Jillian and convince her that I could never actually go through with the plan was far stronger than any need to avenge her brother’s betrayal.

“That’s why you walked out on us.  Travis slept with Ella?  I don’t understand how seducing me would…”  Her voice trailed off.

She suddenly broke down, brushing tears from her face.  “I cannot believe this.”  She spoke hoarsely.

“I gave you everything I could give,” She looked at me accusingly.  “How could you… to
me
?  After
everything
?” 

Tears openly spilled down her face and it tore my heart out seeing her like this.  She was a girl who never wanted people to see her cry, and here she was, exposed for us to see.

I took a step toward her, but she backed away from me.  “Jill please, let me explain.  Give me five minutes.”

“NO,” she grit her teeth, wiping her face with both hands.  “Stay away from me.”

“I never sent him those pictures,” I declared, taking another step toward her.  I was desperate for her to see that I was serious.  “I never will.”

“Only because I found them.  Everything has been a lie, Mason.”  She backed away from me again.  I’d always had a way with words.  I was always skilled in getting others to do exactly what I wanted, when I wanted, but in this moment with Jillian, I could not find the right words.

Piper stepped in this time, blocking the path between the door and the bookshelf.  “Jillian, please listen to Mason.  He’s telling you the truth.  He never sent those pictures, and he never will.”

Jillian’s chest heaved up and down as she struggled to keep her composure, but tears still streamed down her face.

I took the opportunity to take Jillian by the arms.  I held her firmly in place as I looked down at her.

“Please, Jilly Bean.  Listen to me-”

“Don’t. Call. Me. That.”  She retorted.  “Don’t you dare.”  She struggled to get out of my grasp, but I held her in place.

“Give me five minutes.”

“Let go of me!”  She demanded.

“No,” I said sternly.                I held her even as she tried to struggle away from me.

“Let go of me!”  She shouted.

“I’m not letting you go because I love you!”  I shouted.

She stopped flailing for one moment when I said this.  She looked up at me with glassy eyes.  The mascara had streaked down her face, but she was still beautiful to me. 

“I could never bring myself to hurt you.  I have loved you for weeks now, but I was afraid to admit it to myself. Please, Jillian, let me tell you everything.”

She looked up at me with glassy eyes.  I thought for a moment she would cooperate and listen to me.  Give me that five minutes I required of her.  Her face had softened for a moment, but then it suddenly hardened to a mask of stone.

“I don’t believe anything you say anymore.  You had last night to say that.  Why
now
?”  She snarled.  “Let me go or I’ll scream bloody murder.”  

I released my grasp on her arms.  I knew that she was not bluffing. Once she was free of my grip, her hand struck my face with such fury.  She winced from the impact her hand had made but she looked up at me with eyes of fire.

“Fuck you, Mason. Stay away from me.”

She threw her mask to the floor, then whirled around and ran from the study, leaving the door wide open as she fled.  I stood there for a moment, feeling helpless.  I had no control over the situation.  It had been years since I’d felt so helpless, and I had no idea how to rectify this situation.  Piper warned that this would come back to bite me in the ass.  But it didn’t bite me in the ass.  It tore my fucking heart out.