Page 80 of House of Payne

“Listen, you son of a bitch—”

“Take one more fucking step, and you’re going to lose a leg.” Mason materializes out of nowhere, the first few buttons of his shirt undone and a look of deadly calm on his face. “You don’t strike me as the gambling man.”

“Man, back the hell off. I saw her first.”

Each of Mason’s steps toward us is slow and measured. “Apparently, you’re even dumber than you look.”

Steven’s eyes tighten in anger. “What the fuck? Who do you think you are?”

“Mason Payne,” Mason says evenly, “and I suggest you get the fuck out of my club before I give you something to cry about.”

Steven swallows and glances over at me. Then he looks back at Mason and fear flashes in his eyes. “I don’t want any trouble, man.”

Mason is in front of Steven in an instant and twisting his arm behind his back. “I am not your man, nor am I anything to you except your worst fucking nightmare. What are you still doing here?”

Steven shakes with fear, the color rapidly leaving his face. “I’m leaving. Just let go of my arm.”

Mason hauls him away and doesn’t look back at me.

I stare at them as they earn a few curious looks on the way past. When they’re halfway to the elevators, a few security guards materialize to yank Steven away. I stand there for a long moment, wondering what to do next.

When Mason spins and looks at me from across the room, the rest of the world disappears.

I turn away, forcing myself to place one foot in front of the other until I reach Miss Deveroux. I feel Mason’s eyes on me the entire time, but I refuse to look back, drained of the energy to keep doing the same old song and dance with him.

The rest of the day passes in a blur until my shift ends.

Mason is waiting outside the locker room when I come out.

I’ve had my phone on silent since the debacle with Steven, and I’m almost afraid to take it out now.

He’s probably already told Noah.

The fucking asshole.

“Do I need to remind you of the terms of your contract?”

I grip the straps of my bag and avoid his gaze. “Which terms wouldthose be?”

Mason steps into my path, forcing me to look at him. “Don’t play dumb, London. You know what I’m talking about.”

I frown. “I can’t help it if someone recognizes me, and I definitely can’t do anything if the creep comes after me.”

Mason raises an eyebrow. “There are rules in place for that sort of thing.”

“I couldn’t find anyone to help me.”

Mason holds my gaze. “You and I both know you’re lying, so why don’t we try that again?”

I narrow my eyes and say nothing.

Mason’s expression changes. “He knows someone from your life, doesn’t he? Let me guess, your ex?”

“Noah isn’t my ex,” I reply tightly.

“You didn’t bother to deny it,” Mason continues as if he hasn’t heard me. “I knew he wasn’t worth your time, but being friends with someone like that? He’s an even bigger piece of shit than I thought he was.”

“Don’t talk like that about him,” I snap. “Noah is a good person.”