Page 40 of Power Play Daddies

“Wait.” His hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me mid-step. His grip is firm but not rough. I glance back, and his jaw ticks, his expression searching.

“Talk to me, D,” he says, voice low. “What am I being punished for?”

There’s a lump rising in my throat, but I push it down. “You know I heard you and Beau in the locker room, right?”

He drops my hand like it’s burned him, taking a small step back. “Wow. Judgmental much?” His tone is sharper now, almost defensive.

“Judgmental?” I glare at him. “What the hell does that mean?”

“I thought we already talked about all this,” he says, shaking his head. “Wow.”

He turns, water splashing around him as he starts walking away. My stomach knots. Why the hell is he pissed? I’m the one with every right to be mad.

“Mason!” I call out.

He stops, glancing over his shoulder. “What?”

I storm toward him, the water sloshing around my thighs. “You think I should be apologizing? For hearing you and your friend discuss how bad I was in bed?

He spins around, holding up his hands. “Whoa, whoa. Baby, what the hell are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about,” I snap, heat flushing my cheeks. “I’ve been nothing but nice to you. To Beau. And this is how you talk about me? Like I’m, what? A fucking game?”

He stares at me, his expression shifting from frustration to something softer. “Daisy, you’re not making any sense.” His voice drops, then he says. “You… you slept with Beau?”

Now I’m the one confused. “I thought you knew that.”

“No,” he says slowly, dragging the word out. “I didn’t know that.”

There’s a long pause, the sounds of the beach fading as the weight of his words sinks in.

“The day in the locker room,” Mason says carefully, “Blaze and I were talking about Avery. She invited both of us to some… sex party. I already told you we’ve shared women before, remember?”

My stomach twists. “That was… Beau?”

He nods. “Yeah. Blaze turned her down, and so did I. I wasn’t interested, D. I kinda like someone else.”

My breath catches. “So you guys… you weren’t talking about me?”

Mason steps closer, his gaze steady. “No, honey. No.”

A breath escapes me, one I didn’t even realize I was holding. My chest feels lighter, the knot loosening.

They hadn’t been talking about me at all.

“So,” I hesitate, “why does Beau hate me so much? Is it because I’m a journalist?”

Mason’s lips twitch, almost like he wants to smile but doesn’t. “Beau doesn’t like journalists much. But that’s not about you.”

“Why?” I ask, taking a step closer, my fingers brushing against his hand. His skin is rough, callused.

He hesitates, opening his mouth like he’s about to say something. But then Kieran’s voice cuts through the air, calling me from the shore.

“Thanks,” I whisper, my voice barely audible over the waves. “But I’ve gotta go.”

Mason nods, his eyes following me as I turn and start swimming back to the shore.

I’m not the same woman who waded into the water a few moments ago.