Chapter 4

MADISON

4

The soft knocks on my bedroom door after the sound of the doorbell ringing force me to turn my music down. My room is an oasis of solitude from my parents. The stupidly large home we live in has two floors with four bedrooms on the top floor. My bedroom is at one end, and theirs is at the other. Three bathrooms and two bedrooms give us plenty of space to avoid crossing paths.

"Yeah?"

My mother, Tina, opens the door with a grin on her face. "You could have warned me your teacher wanted to speak to your father and me."

"Which teacher?"

"Mr. Montoya. He said that he told you to let us know he'd be stopping by?—"

"He's a liar," I snarl. I have no idea what Mason's playing at, but this game is interesting. I just don't want my parents involved in my business. They might do something crazy, like make him stop seeing me or get him fired.

My mom purses her lips and eyes me with an inquisitive glare. "Maddie, you've been making this senior year very difficult for no other reason than to spite us. I'm leaning toward it slipping your mind. Lucky for you, we're actually staying home this evening. Now, put on something respectable and come have dinner with us."

"When you say us, do you mean just you and Dad?"

"No, Mr. Montoya is here, too. Come on, Maddie, and be on your best behavior." She leaves my room, and I glance at myself in the mirror. A wall-to-ceiling mirror hides a sliding door to my closet but lets me glance at my room through the reflection. Black furry carpet sits under my black bed, canopy with sheer curtains and gold embellishments.

Gold trim frames everything in my room. It's the compromise I agreed to since they wouldn't let me paint my walls black. One black accent wall with light gray walls has thin swirling gold lines that let me lose myself in my own world. A world where my parents aren't hassling me about my plans for the future.

The reflection of my body, my face, I'm not ready to see Mason. While my blonde hair looks decent enough in a high ponytail, my shirt isn't showing enough skin. My sweatpants are too loose. It takes less than a minute to slip out of my clothes to put on a perfectly respectable sundress. It's cut low enough to show the roundness of my tits and high enough to give Mason a show if I bend over.

When I come bouncing down the stairs, it surprises me to see Mason and my parents having a lively conversation. It can't be about me since they don't have matching expressions of disappointment.

"Maddie, why didn't you tell me your teacher was the son of Barron Montoya?" my father asks with pride.

"I don't even know who that is," I tell my father with a scathing look. "Besides, Mr. Montoya's new to the school."

"Forgive our daughter's ignorance, Mr. Montoya," my father says.

"Please, Harold. Call me Mason. You have a lovely home and a lovely family. I'll be sure to let my father know about this welcoming reception." Mason's tone is smooth and charismatic. Even at his younger age, he's a leap ahead of me in the real world.

"Why don't you join us for dinner?" My mother invites him to stay, and I'm ready to scream. He's in my house when his fingers were just in my pussy a few hours ago.

"I'd love to," Mason says with a devious smile.

I can't find the words to engage with them. My mother sets dinner on the table, roasted chicken and vegetables staring back at me as Mason takes a sip from the glass of Bourbon my father poured for him. He's treating Mason like a colleague, and it's driving me insane.

"Tell us how Maddie is doing," my mother insists, nudging me in the side to stop spreading food around my plate and pay attention.

Mason takes another sip. "She's willful and determined to pass this English class, by any means necessary. I'm here because I have some concerns about Madison's plan after graduating."

"You and us both." Dad laughs. "I've been trying to tell her to focus on school so she can pick a college of her choosing."

"Ha." I scoff to myself between small bites of food.

"Maddie," my mother chides.

"Actually," Mason says, "Madison's indecisive about her plans. It's a direct contradiction to who she's shown herself to be. I understand she feels pressured to fall in line with your plans, and I'm here to offer a solution."

"I don't need a solution to deal with my daughter's future," Dad says with his nostrils flaring.

My mother jumps on my father's side. "Yes, we know what's best for Maddie, and if she just agrees to apply herself, everything will work out fine."

Mason sets his drink down and laces his fingers together on the table. "I understand and agree with you, which is why this is more of a proposal than a solution. My father runs a rigorous internship training program for undecided high school graduates who aren't sure about their future. I've been through the program myself."

"What?" I ask him.

My father nods. "I've heard of the Scholar to Power program and its success over the past six years. How did you enjoy it?"

Mason shrugs. "It's okay. I'll be 25 in a few months and have been testing out a similar program for post-degree applicants. Right now, I'm a teacher, substitute at first, and now a more permanent role."

"How would Barron feel about you staying a teacher?" Dad asks with disappointment and his gaze shifts toward me. But Mason being 25 is news to me. No wonder he's hot.

Mason laughs. "He'd want me to teach at private schools or an Ivy League. But, overall, the decision's up to me. Also, I do have some side obligations I've agreed to fulfill since Barron's loosened the reins on the direction of my life. That's why Madison's situation encouraged me to reach out."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Montoya. It's wonderful when young teachers take an interest in their students. Isn't this good, Harold? Yeah, so tell me more about it."

Mason takes another swallow of his drink. My eyes can't stop following the way his mouth and throat move as he speaks. "The program is run by Barron Industrial. Because the company deals with energy and a bunch of other products and services, interns get to spend two years working in various departments. There's everything from janitorial to digital marketing and social media."

"I don't know what I want to do. I don't understand how many times or how many ways I can tell all of you adults that I don't know…" I have to take a breath from the frustration. "Listen, Mom, Dad, I love you both, but I don't want to be a lawyer. I don't know what I want to do and that has to be okay."

"It is, Maddie," Mom tells me with a weak smile to Mason. She's obviously trying to stop me from having one of our blow-out arguments regarding my life. She says, "What if there's a compromise here? Harold, let's just hear Mr. Montoya out. How did the program serve you?"

"My folks were just like you all," Mason begins with a nod to my parents, acknowledging their commitment to my future by reflecting on his own. God, I want him so much.

Mason continues, "I wasn't sure about my talents lining up with my interests. For example, Madison here knows how to persuade others to see her way of thinking."

Liar.

I couldn't get him to give me a passing grade to avoid this shit.

"It would seem she'd be a fantastic lawyer," Mason says with a nod.

"Right. See? Tina, I told you we were on the right track with this." Dad chuckles, elbowing my mom lightly.

Mason lets out a huff. "Madison is phenomenal at arguing the side of her argument that ends in getting whatever she wants. However, when it comes to actual work, deadlines, submitting contracts or reports on time, she falters. Perhaps, she might find her stride in sales or client management. What I'm proposing is that she go through a proprietary program with Barron Industrial. As long as she graduates, she'll participate in the paid internship. However, she'll be occupied within the company for the next two to three years."

"You said, 'paid'?" I ask him.

The slight upward curve in the corner of his mouth tells me enough.

My parents look at each other, and my father turns to Mason. "She's over 18, so neither of you actually need our permission."

Mason tips his head. "I understand that, but it's clear to me that Madison values your opinion in the direction of her life. I want to respect that and make sure she gets every opportunity available to her as my student."

"Oh. This is being offered to every student?" Mom asks.

"No, Mrs. Nichols. I have a select group of individuals that I'm pushing into the program. They'll be a reflection of me, and I don't want to send in anyone who'll reflect badly on myself, Barron Industrial, or themselves."

My father begins to speak when his phone rings. He politely takes the call out of the room. My mother doesn't have time to ask any questions before we hear my father yelling into his cell phone. We remain quiet for the next few minutes before he returns in a panicked hurry.

"I have to fly out to L.A. tonight. My client is being raided, and we need to get out there. Babe, come help me get ready. Uh, Madison, show your teacher out. Thank you, Mason, for coming. I think it's a wonderful idea. We'll leave the final decision up to Maddie." My father doesn't wait for Mason to respond before leaving the table, and my mother follows him away from the dining room with a worried look etched into her face.

Alone with Mason, my English teacher, is unnerving in my house.

"Show me around, Maddie." His voice is deliberate and not to be defied.

"I have to clear the table," I tell him, looking at the dishes still sitting in front of us.

"I'll help."

Mason wasn't lying when he said he'd help as he takes a few dishes after I do, clearing the table and following me into the kitchen. I bend to load the dishwasher when I feel him behind me.

He whispers. "Did you wear this for me?"

"If I did?"

He chuckles. "You know what you're doing to me, Maddie. Don't move."

Before I can protest, I feel Mason's hands sliding my dress over the curves of my ass. He moans and lowers himself, so if anyone walks into the kitchen, they'll never see him slide his tongue over my delicate slit.

He kisses my pussy like a man who didn't just finish a full meal. The way Mason laps at my pleasure has me gripping the edge of the counter, biting my lip to stop myself from making noises loud enough for my parents to hear.

Shit.

"Mason, you're c-crazy," I pant in a hushed tone. "My parents… shit. They're right upstairs. They can come?—"

He pulls his mouth away from my pussy long enough to say, "Shut the fuck up and come on my tongue, Maddie."

The walls of my apprehension slide away just as easily as my body's control over my orgasm. My core tightens, and pussy lips pulse with his tongue working the inside of my walls and sucking another climax out of me. My legs tremble as Mason stands tall with a diabolical laugh.

"You're mine, Maddie. Tell me you want this dick for dessert." He kisses me with such passion, I'm ready to come all over again.

My words come out in spurts, barely above a whisper. "I want it. I need you for dessert, Mr. Montoya."

I don't even get another moment to breathe. The moment he sinks his erection inside of me, Mason's hand comes around my mouth from behind. Bend, don't break.

"You have no idea how much I've pictured this moment, Maddie," Mason growls against my ear while drilling every inch in and out of me.

My mind is all over the place. What if we get caught? What if I can't keep my climax to myself? Shit. My folks are going to come down any minute.

"Hurry," I tell him in a hushed tone.

"Anything for you." His devilish chuckle as he pounds into me, feverishly, forgetting that his speed echoes around the large kitchen. Skin to skin, Mason pumps in and out, sliding his fingers into my mouth with a sturdy hand gripping me at the hinge of my waist.

A few strokes later, Mason's releasing his climax inside of me just as my parents make sounds that let me know they're coming downstairs. He pulls out of me, spinning out of sight of the doorway to the kitchen. I purposely stay behind the island, uncertain if it looks like I've just had sex with my English teacher.

My father comes down first, heading straight toward the front door, but turns to speak. "Tell your teacher I'm sorry we had to rush him out of here. Let's reschedule. Maybe ask him to set up a tea time for me and his father. Okay? TINA, LET'S MOVE. I GOTTA CATCH THIS FLIGHT. Later, Maddie."

He rushes through the door, with my mother speeding down the stairs, tossing her jacket around her shoulders.

"Thank Mr. Montoya, honey. He's going above and beyond for you. Don't be so stubborn and let the guy do something nice for you. If you take up his offer or ours, all of your expenses will be paid. Gotta go. I'll be back in an hour or so, just clean up the kitchen."

"You got it, Mom," I choke out as she hurries out of the front door.

Before the door closes, Mason's back behind me and spins me to face him. His cocky grin exaggerates the angular arch of his brows, the slight twinkle in his deep brown eyes. I'm too attracted to him.

"You heard your mother," he says, peppering me with kisses. "Thank me."