Page 69 of House of Payne

“Dad.” My voice rises a little. “I’ve already signed the NDA, and I can’t breach my contract without getting into a lot of trouble. Listen, I’ve got to go, okay? I’ve got a work dinner thing.”

Neither of us says anything for a while.

We end the call on a terse note, and the knots in my stomach have hardened into something cold and pliable. The sick feeling stays with me through the night as I toss and turn and try to escape the image of Mason in my dreams.

When the first patches of golden light stream through my window, there’s a tingling sensation between my legs and rivulets of sweat sliding down my back.

I don’t like knowing that Mason has this kind of hold on me. I can’t even get away from him in my dreams.

In the bathroom, I stare at myself in the mirror and forget about my dreams and how having Mason’s hands all over me was electric.

How his mouth felt against my bare skin.

With a frown, I switch on the water and leave my clothes in a heap on the floor.

I spend a few extra minutes under the shower, shaking off the unease. By the time I step out, I’m almost convinced I’ve gotten Mason out of my system. I try not to think about running into him as I pull on my clothes and stuff my uniform into a backpack. On my walk to the mansion, I feel the heat of the sun on the back of my neck and press my lips together.

The security guards posted give me a brief nod and let me pass.

No one looks up when I walk in.

I hurry across the empty floor to the elevators in the back and drum my fingers against my thighs. The elevators smell like sweat and heavy perfume. When the doors open, I spot Mason across the room, engaged in conversation with a man with bulging arms and a buzzcut, and my heart does an odd little somersault.

It’s just lust. Get a grip, London. Focus.

I feel his eyes on me as I stalk past toward the locker room. Miss Deveroux is applying lipstick in a mirror. She offers me a smile before sauntering off. When I come back out to the main floor, my nerves are steadier, and I walk past Mason without faltering.

I’m repeating the same mantra in my head when I reach Miss Deveroux, and she gives me a knowing look.

“What?”

She hands me a bottle of water. “I know you said you have a boyfriend, but you might want to reconsider that.”

I unscrew the cap and take a long sip. “The men here are creeps. Even if I didn’t have a boyfriend, I wouldn’t want any of them near me.”

Miss Deveroux leans forward, and her sickly sweet perfume almost makes me gag. “I’m not talking about the men here. I’m talking about one man. I know you know who I’m talking about.”

My fingers close around the bottle, and I stiffen. “I thought there was a rule about mixing business with pleasure.”

Miss Deveroux pulls away and shrugs. “It’s more of a suggestion, but when you’ve got someone looking at you like Mr. Payne is… he can give you one hell of a good time.”

“I don’t think it would be worth it.”

Miss Deveroux raises an eyebrow. “Not even to shave time off your debt?”

I clear my throat. “I doubt he’d shave off enough…”

The more Miss Deveroux jokes about it, the harder it is to ignore.

I am not desperate enough to sleep with Mason to clear my father’s debt. Still, knowing that he watches me and that his hunger is evident to those around him, makes me want him even more.

Damn it.

Why does the only friend I have in this place have to be observant?

Why can’t she just give me cleaning advice while we joke about making it out of here?

I don’t like knowing Mason has staked his claim with a bracelet, and I like it even less knowing that my resolve is wavering.