Chapter 5

Charlotte

I waketo the smell of bacon. Padding into the bathroom I find a toothbrush…was that there last night? Brushing my teeth, I open a drawer and find a new hairbrush as well, that I quickly run through my hair before I splash some water on my face.

Checking my underwear, I find them dry and put them on under Mason’s T-shirt. I don’t have anything else to wear, and honestly, it covers more than my uniform.

Heading back out of the bathroom, that’s when I notice the cloth bag on the vanity.

I pull it open, clothes and products fill the interior.

I’m debating a shower when my door opens. A shirtless Mason fills the door, instantly making my mouth dry. “Come eat.”

My eyes lock with his as my eyes drift down the rippling muscles of his chest and abs. “You’re brave.”

“For what?”

“Cooking bacon shirtless,” I answer, moving toward him and the smell of food. How long has it been since I ate? “Grease splatters.”

He quirks a one-sided grin and then disappears from the door, leaving me to follow.

Stepping out into the living area, I can already see the table is set for two. A fresh bowl of cut fruit sits on the counter. Mason cracks eggs into a pan, the toaster pops, the smell of fresh toast competes with the bacon in the best way.

“Have a seat,” he says, flipping the eggs out on to plates.

Last night I asked this man to shoot me. This morning he’s serving me breakfast. Weird.

But I don’t bother to share my personal feelings on the topic of Mason cooking for me as he sets a plate of food in front of me.

I dig in, the sleep and the food making me feel somewhat normal considering.

“Can you be ready in a half hour?” Mason asks, having just finished his plate.

I swallow down my bite. “Of course. But may I ask for what?”

He leans back in his chair. “We’re stopping at your apartment to pick up necessities and then we’ve an appointment at a clothing store.”

I shake my head, trying to wrap my head around all this. “Are we still worried about those men who I watched commit a murder?”

“Yes.”

“So we’re going out shopping?”

He doesn’t look amused. And he’s probably right. One of the major crime bosses of Las Vegas probably has a better handle than little old me on what’s safe and not safe.

I’m sure very few women question him and it’s not in my nature to do so but…I’d really like to live a little longer.

“First of all, we’re going to the boutique when it’s actually closed, so it’s not really public. And second, if we’re getting technical, you are staying here while I figure out if you are or are not in danger.”

My eyes widen. There is a chance that I might get out of this? Memories from last night filter through my thoughts as I remember him telling me something similar. Somehow, that hadn’t quite computed last night. Fear, exhaustion, and whisky had made my mind dull. “You told me two years ago, if there was any more trouble, that would be the end of me…”

Did Mason Kincaid just wince? “You’ve proven you can keep a secret,” he finally answers. “And believe it or not, I’m not actually in the habit of going around killing innocent women.”

I wilt into the chair. Mason Kincaid is going to protect me. Sort of. “And what happens if they do know who I am?”

“We’ll worry about that only if necessary.”

I look out the windows at the Vegas skyline. Nothing in this town is free. In fact, it probably costs more here than anywhere else. “And the price for this protection?”

He doesn’t answer.

Slowly, I turn back to him, his eyes burning into me. Yeah. I know what he wants. And I’m pretty sure I’m game.

The thing is…I know the dangers. But I’m a twenty-two-year-old virgin because most men don’t tempt me.

This one does. I blush, dropping my gaze.

“Half an hour. We’ll talk in the car.”

With a nod, I get up from the table, automatically picking up my plate, but Mason’s hand reaches out to stop me, circling my wrist.

Electric shocks course down my arm at the touch as my chin snaps up, our gazes locking again. “I’ll clean up,” he murmurs, his gaze holding mine.

I give some sort of distracted nod as I finally tear my gaze away, my eyes dropping to where his large hand dwarfs my arm. I’ve always had tiny wrists and ankles, but he makes them look miniature as he flips my arm over, his thumb stroking over my fluttering pulse. Slowly, he raises my wrist to his mouth and then he lays the lightest kiss right on the vein.

Now it’s my breath that’s fluttering, my mouth dry as I lick at my lips.

That’s his cue to pull me closer. “Charlotte.”

“Yes?”

“I know we have history.”

I shake my head. “Not really. Meeting twice two years ago…”

“I don’t go around threatening many women either.”

Mason wasn’t a liar. He was too alpha to need to use tricks. But I was calling bullshit on that one. “Every part of you is threatening.”

He smiles again but this grin isn’t amused, it’s wolfish. “Possibly.”

He is slowly drawing me closer, enough that I have to take a step toward him. His hand slides to my waist as he leans down close to my ear. “For as long as you are under my protection, every need of yours will be met. Understood?”

A girl could get carried away with an offer like that. I nod as he closes the final distance between us, my belly settling against the hard press of his erection.

Yeah. I’m not imagining what conversation we’re having. “All right,” I whisper, my head turned to the side, my eyes closed.

“Look at me.”

I do as he asks, opening my eyes and tilting my chin up. I can’t control my breathing, my blood hammering through my veins. Looking at him like this is making my body hum with a need like I’ve never known. My hands come to his abs, my fingers pressing into the sharp ridges. “Mason?”

“Hmmm,” he lowers his head, placing a light kiss on the corner of my mouth.

With the break in eye contact, my eyes flutter closed again. “I know I told you I haven’t dated very much.”

His mouth moves a little more to center but not all the way, kissing the right side of my lips.

“But I have to tell you that I’ve never…”

He stills, his mouth freezing against mine. “You’ve never had sex?” I feel his mouth moving against mine as he speaks.

I shake my head. “No. Never.”

He’s gone before I can even find my balance and I nearly fall with the loss of his support. I catch myself as I blink my eyes open to find him standing a few feet away looking pissed off.

I grimace as I cast my gaze down again. I should have known. Men like Mason want experience. But what does that mean for my protection? We were bargaining, weren’t we? Had I misunderstood?

“Get ready,” he says before he turns and heads for his bedroom, closing the door hard behind him.

I do as I’m told, going into my room and then straight to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Wrapped in a towel, I find the bag and begin pulling out the contents, carefully lining up the makeup on the vanity, the toiletries in the bathroom.

Picking out a cute skirt and simple top from the bag, I’m relieved to see an adorable pair of slides at the bottom of the bag. Heels are the last thing I want today, and my sneakers do not go with this skirt.

I don’t have time to unpack the rest of the clothes, so I stash the bag on one of the shelves in the closet.

With five minutes to spare, I use a bit of the makeup, a little eyeliner to highlight the sexy tilt of my eyes and some lip gloss, which is the perfect shade of pale pink for my skin.

My door opens and Mason appears in an open button-down shirt and dress slacks.

“Ready?”

I swear his gaze takes in every detail. From the arrangement of the products on the vanity, to the amount of leg the skirt shows—pretty generous—but nothing like my uniform.

I stand from the vanity seat, taking one extra second to return the lip gloss and eye shadow to their proper spots. It just makes me feel better.

Walking toward Mason, he steps back to let me out of the room, but as I start down the hall, his hand comes to my waist, guiding me toward the elevator.

I can’t even pretend his touch doesn’t make me tense, full of a hectic energy that has no release. So I keep my chin up and stay silent.

He said we’d talk in the car. But that was before I mentioned I was a virgin. Should I have not told him? But Mason is not a man I want to keep secrets from, and I’m not interested in upsetting him. Still, in a game where my life hangs in the balance and there is a price to be paid, I feel like I just gave away a major bargaining chip.

I’m about to find out.