Locked and Loaded (19 page)

Charlie figured it hadn't been the first time his father had told him something like that. “What happened to the money?”

She felt Mason shrug against her. “Who knows? Dad had a knack for spending money faster than he could make it.”

“Have you ever painted anything that was an original?”

Mason's fingers brushed her bare shoulder. The simple up-and-down motion coaxed goose bumps to the surface of Charlie's skin and caused a rush of warmth to flood her. His touch evoked an instant reaction in her, and her mind drifted to their earlier heated moments. She couldn't feel an ounce of shame that even after exhausting herself, she was more than ready to have him inside of her again.

“Sometimes I paint when I'm stressed out,” he said. “I never hang anything, though. It's more just for me. I'm not looking for any attention for it.”

So humble. Charlie went balls out for glory, and Mason lived his life as low-key as he could. If she had anything to be ashamed of, it was her own ambition.

“I'd like to see your paintings sometime.”

“Oh yeah?” His tone became sly and Charlie couldn't help but smile. “Trying to find a way inside my bedroom, huh?”

“Is that where you keep the paintings?”

“In my closet.”

“Then, yes.” Charlie splayed her hand over the bulging muscle of one pec. “I'm definitely trying to find a way into your bedroom.”

Mason bent his head over hers and kissed her. Gone was the frenzied, passionate urgency that had consumed them before. He savored her mouth. Kissed her slowly and thoroughly. His hands explored her body, unhurried. Charlie settled down onto the pillow and Mason slid down beside her. They kissed in the darkness. Mouths meeting, tongues brushing, breaths melding into one. They touched. Stroked and caressed each other until the flames of their passion rekindled. And still, Mason took his time with her. His fingers dipped between her thighs and slid between her slick folds.

He teased her. Enticed her. Whispered dirty, heated things close to her ear. He tasted her mouth, her throat. Kissed his way down her stomach and sealed his mouth over her sex once again. Charlie's back arched off the bed as he licked and sucked, brought her to heights of pleasure so intense, she didn't know how much more she could take before her world exploded and left her weak and shaken.

With every caress, every touch of his lips, Mason treated her as though she meant more to him than some random hookup. He treated her as though she was precious. Beautiful. Desirable. He stirred her emotions to the point that tears pricked at Charlie's eyes and her chest ached.

“Fuck me, Mason.” She needed to feel him inside of her. Filling her. Stretching her. She needed that joining of their bodies. “Please.”

He rolled away from her, toward the bedside table, and she heard the sound of the packet being torn open before he settled himself between her thighs. Charlie shook with anticipation, worse than any addict desperate for her next high. She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his stiff length before guiding him to her opening. He thrust home with a groan of relief and she hooked her ankles around the backs of his knees as he drove forward, pulled out, and fucked into her again, hard and deep. Charlie cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders as she came up off the mattress to meet the forward momentum of his hips. His breathing became heavy and ragged. His arms shook on either side of her. His muscles grew taut as he ground his hips into hers.

Time didn't exist when it was just the two of them like this. It stretched out infinitely between them, leaving nothing but sound, sensation, and pleasure so intense it brought tears to Charlie's eyes.

“You feel so good.” Mason's heated words at her ear vibrated along Charlie's flesh. “You're so tight. So perfect. God, you're so slick and wet. I can't get enough of you, Charlie.”

He couldn't get enough? Charlie was beginning to wonder how she'd function on a daily basis without wanting to drag him where they could have a few stolen moments alone. “Fuck me harder.” She needed to come, to feel that wild abandon with him again. “Don't stop until I come.”

Mason obliged her and then some. He fucked her without mercy, driving hard and deep, thrusting with a desperation that she understood all too well. Whatever this was between them burned hot and bright. It consumed them in unquenchable flames. “Come with me, Charlie.” Mason's words were a low growl in her ear. “I'm close. I want your pussy squeezing me when I come.”

Dear God. When he spoke to her like that, how could she do anything other than what he asked of her? Pleasure built and crested with every powerful drive of his hips. At her center, Charlie felt her body gather in on itself as though compressing to the size of an atom. Her thighs began to tremble and her muscles grew taut. A gasp lodged itself in her throat and she held on to Mason as though he was the only thing anchoring her to the earth.

“Oh God!”

The orgasm exploded through her. Charlie cried out as Mason fucked her. Waves of sensation crested and broke like the ocean at high tide. With every drive of his hips, Mason prolonged her pleasure. His breath became uneven and ragged in her ear and Mason's body went taut. He let out a low groan as he came and his wild thrusts soon became disjointed and lazy before his body came to rest on top of hers.

They came down from the high together. Kisses. Caresses. Slow, measured breaths. His heart beat against hers, and Charlie closed her eyes as she relished the almost imperceptible thump. Seconds passed. Minutes. She had no idea how long they lay like that, but when Mason finally rolled away, she felt his absence with a gut-wrenching ache.

Charlie floated somewhere between wakefulness and sleep. “Have you always been claustrophobic?” It was hard to imagine anything scaring Mason or making him uncomfortable. Ever since the flight to L.A. she'd been curious.

“My mom died when I was two.” The low timbre of his voice lulled her closer toward sleep. “My dad was gone a lot. One time, when I was five, he left me with a neighbor and she shut me in the closet for eight hours. When he came home and found me, I was pretty freaked out. I'd never seen him so angry. He threatened the babysitter. Told her if he ever saw her face again, he'd put her in the ground. I didn't know what it meant at the time, but I guess I must have been pretty traumatized because it freaked my dad out. He took all the doors off the closets after that. It was literally the only time growing up that I felt like he wanted to take care of me. The older I got, the harder he got.”

“Mason.” Emotion clogged Charlie's throat. “I'm so sorry. That's awful.”

He kissed the top of her head. “My dad was a bastard, but he never let me be scared of enclosed spaces when he was around. He tried to distract me and keep my mind off it. You did that for me.” He paused. “You make me feel like I can breathe, Charlie.”

Her heart pounded at the admission. “You make me feel like I can breathe too.” It was true. Being with Mason somehow made everything okay. That sort of comfort was a rare commodity.

Mason pulled her close and Charlie tucked herself against his body as she let sleep take her. She was officially lost to him. There was no going back.

Chapter Nineteen

Last night had been the best one of Mason's life. Charlie had let him forget, if only for a few hours, what he was really doing in L.A.

He'd passed Kieran's test, and in doing so, set in motion something that he couldn't ever undo. Charlie thought he was a good man? A good man was loyal. A good man didn't turn his back on his family. A good man didn't use his own brother for intel and turn him into a government asset.

Mason wasn't a good man. He was barely a decent human being. Whatever Charlie saw in him was an illusion. He was Jensen Decker's kid, for shit's sake. That was a stigma he wouldn't ever escape.

“I'll meet you in the lobby in twenty minutes?”

Mason looked up at Charlie. She waited by the door, sleepy, disheveled, and so goddamned beautiful she took his breath away. He crossed the room to where she stood and reached past her to open the door. His arm brushed her breasts and he recalled how their lush fullness felt, bare against his skin. Mason's cock perked up and he willed the bastard still. They needed to get their asses to the airport and back to San Francisco. Playtime was over.

He didn't want it to be over, though. As far as Mason was concerned, whatever this was between him and Charlie was just getting started.

Charlie gazed up at him. Did she have any idea how sexy she was when she played coy? Being close to her for the rest of the day and not touching was going to
kill
him. He leaned in close and kissed her once. It would have to be enough to sustain him for now. When she pulled away, a slow smile spread across her rosy lips. “Don't be late,” she murmured as she ducked under his arm and hurried down the hallway.

Mason leaned out into the hallway to watch her go. He straightened and looked to his left to find Kieran standing just outside the door to his own room at the end of the hallway. Ashamed of his own smug satisfaction at having gotten one up on Kieran, he met his stoic gaze for only a moment before ducking back into his room and letting the door shut behind him.

From the day his dad had taken Kieran in, Mason had fought to prove he was just as good as Kieran. As smart. As successful. As charismatic and charming. As goddamned hard. And Mason had always come in second.
Always
.

Until last night. Mason had taken something that Kieran wanted. And despite the fact that his interest in Charlie hadn't been spurred because of Kieran's interest in her, it still made him feel as though he'd finally gotten the point across that he was Kieran's equal. He only hoped that Charlie wouldn't get caught in the middle of this power play that still existed between them even after so many years.

Twenty minutes didn't give Mason much time to get showered and ready to go. He'd slept all of about two hours and he wanted to stand under the scalding hot spray of the shower and let the water relax his taut muscles. What he really wanted was to be standing under the jets with Charlie, lathering her body and letting his hands slide over every slippery inch of her.

Mason groaned and braced his arm against the shower wall. He didn't think he'd be able to get her out of his head if he tried. With a flick of his wrist, he turned the knob to the right. He sucked in a sharp breath as the cold water hit him and he forced himself to stand under the spray until the icy missiles dulled his racing thoughts. Playtime was over. Back to business. He'd managed to pass Kieran's test, but that didn't mean he'd gained his unwavering trust. It didn't mean Mason would confide in him about his involvement with Faction Five.

Since he'd taken this assignment, Mason's focus had been on what he'd get out of it if he was successful. The U.S. Marshals Service had been his endgame since the day he'd joined the police academy. Now, though, he wasn't thinking only of himself. He wanted Charlie to have the win. To be able to prove to her father and anyone else who'd ever doubted her that she was a force to be reckoned with. He'd do whatever was in his power to get that for her. He'd hand Faction Five to her on a silver fucking platter.

Mason finished his frigid shower and dressed. He slung his duffel over his shoulder and headed for the lobby. His gut tightened at the prospect of facing Kieran. He hadn't taken Charlie from Kieran. It wasn't a betrayal. It felt like one, though. It didn't matter how much time had passed. Or that they hadn't talked in years until recently. Kieran was still Mason's family. Was it guilt over what had happened between him and Charlie that got under Mason's skin? No, it was the shame that nagged at him since day one: He was manipulating Kieran. Deceiving him. The task force claimed to want Faction Five more than Kieran. That the information he could provide them was worth more than his arrest. Mason knew they were blowing smoke to placate him. They'd arrest Kieran as soon as the opportunity presented itself. What made Mason feel like an asshole was that he pretended the possibility of Kieran's arrest wasn't inevitable, to justify his own selfishness.

Charlie and Kieran were already in the lobby when Mason got there. They sat together on a couch, deep in conversation. It seemed the task force hadn't needed Mason at all. Charlie had managed to easily dazzle Kieran. She could have single-handedly infiltrated Faction Five. She was capable of anything.

“Hey.” She flashed him a blinding smile that made Mason's chest ache.

He wanted to return the gesture but he couldn't manage more than a slight grimace. “Hey.”

Her expression fell. Mason wanted to kick himself. His eyes slid to Kieran, who pinned him with an accusing glare. From here on out, things were bound to get shittier and a hell of a lot more tense. It wouldn't do him any good to come across as regretful or even guilty. Charlie wasn't a prize to be won. And he wasn't going to let Kieran treat her like one. They were all adults. Time to put childish rivalries behind them.

Kieran cocked a sardonic brow. A sly, half smile curved his lips. He was up to something. Who the hell knew what. Kieran was always working an angle. What was important was for Mason to be sure he kept one step ahead of him.

“How was your night?” Kieran's confident expression didn't waver. “You look a little tired.”

If he was trying to bait him, it wasn't going to work. “Hotel beds,” Mason responded. “They kill my back.”

Kieran checked his phone as though totally unconcerned with how Mason spent last night or any other night. He pushed himself up from the couch and held his hand out to Charlie. “Our car's here. Ready?”

She gave him a pleasant smile and let him help her up. “Ready.”

Mason tried not to appear too crestfallen when she walked out ahead of him, beside Kieran, to where the car waited. They weren't a couple by any stretch of the imagination. Pretending that they were wouldn't do anything but make Mason look like a sap. Not exactly great for his street cred.

Kieran settled in next to Charlie in the backseat, leaving Mason to flank him by the window. His mood took another spiraling dive. “What's our cut?” He'd planned on waiting until they were back in San Francisco to talk business, but he felt the sudden urge to ruffle Kieran's feathers.

“What do you mean?” The innocence in Kieran's tone made Mason want to slap him.

“You know damn well what I mean. You made ten million off Katarina last night and didn't have to lift a finger for it.”

“Someone had to kill that warlord to get the diamonds,” Kieran replied.

“Someone did,” Mason agreed. “But it wasn't you.”

Kieran's answering chuckle grated on Mason's nerves. There was no end to his arrogance. “Doesn't mean I didn't have to work to get my hands on them.”

Whatever. It probably hadn't taken more than a quick phone call. Hell, Mason wouldn't be surprised if someone from Faction Five had offed the warlord. It wasn't as though Mason wanted any of the money. Hell, if he'd wanted to make millions, he would have followed in his dad's footsteps to begin with. But Mason had committed to the part he was playing. He'd told Kieran he was in it for the money. There was no point in not acting as though that wasn't the most pressing thing on his mind right now.

“You knew you had a snowball's chance in hell of getting Katarina to pay your price. She's wise to your bullshit. That's why you brought Charlie and me along. Without us, you wouldn't have that considerable paycheck. We agreed to your test, but neither of us agreed to work for free.”

“I didn't agree to pay you, either.”

Always a loophole. This was why Mason had shunned the life he'd been brought up in. There was
no
honor among thieves, no matter what anyone said to the contrary.

“This is bullshit and you know it, Kieran.”

Mason couldn't explain why his temper crested so quickly. So far, everything had gone according to plan. Hell, after last night with Charlie, he could safely say everything had gone better than according to plan. So why was he so annoyed? Why did every word out of Kieran's mouth make him want to punch him in the face?

“If you're in it for a few bucks, Mason, I can cut you a check and we can call it a day.” Kieran turned to Charlie. “Whaddya say, Charlie? Want to follow Mason's lead and bug out, or are you prepared to make an investment for an even bigger payday?”

Mason leaned back in his seat and caught sight of Charlie. To think that he'd once doubted her ability to keep her cool in an undercover situation. After only a week of tutelage, she was a seasoned pro.

“I want the big payday,” she said without missing a beat. “But that doesn't mean that I'm okay with being kept in the dark.”

“You could learn a thing or two from her, Mason.” Kieran cast a sidelong look Mason's way. “She knows how to play the game.”

* * *

It took a sheer act of will to keep her eyes off Mason. To not behave as though her entire world hadn't been changed in the course of a few amazing hours. Charlie couldn't help but smile. When she'd left his hotel room, she believed that nothing could quash her upbeat mood. Mason's current sour countenance was doing a pretty good job, however.

“Charlie doesn't know you like I do.”

Mason's dark tone sent a shiver up Charlie's spine. Why the sudden animosity? Mason was supposed to be playing nice with Kieran, not antagonizing him.

“If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to insult me, Mason.”

Kieran was answered with silence and Charlie stepped in to keep their quickly sinking ship afloat. “We want the payday,” she said. “Both of us. I'm willing to concede that we didn't do much of the legwork. But we should at least be compensated for our time.”

Kieran grinned. Charlie had known him long enough to realize when he was trying to use his charm to manipulate the situation to his advantage. “A free trip to L.A., a nice meal, and a luxury hotel aren't enough compensation?”

Charlie kept her expression stern. “No.”

Kieran's smile grew but it didn't reach his eyes. For the first time since they'd met, Charlie felt as though she might be pressing her luck. It was easy to forget that Kieran Eagan lived his life on the opposite side of the law. And like Mason said, he wouldn't hesitate to protect his own interests first.

“All right. So tell me, what do you think your services are worth?”

Charlie had no idea. It's not like she'd studied any illegal-diamond-broker rate sheets. Her dad always told her that it was important to consider her time as more than valuable. People paid for her expertise and it was okay to put a value on that knowledge. Of course, he'd later scoffed when she explained the government pay scale to him.
They're devaluing you, your education, and your expertise
. There was a pretty good chance that Kieran and her father shared a similar philosophy.

“I want a hundred thousand,” she said. “And Mason should get double for not only negotiating the deal, but for having to deal with Katarina afterward.”

“From the way Katarina made it sound this morning on the phone, Mason hardly suffered for those two extra hours.”

A spark of jealousy flared in Charlie's esophagus and she swallowed it down. Kieran was trying to get a rise out of one of them, and she for one wasn't going to take the bait. “Doesn't matter.” Charlie looked away. “He spent that time with her whether it was pleasant or not.”

Kieran turned his attention to his right. “I didn't realize you needed Charlie to negotiate your paychecks for you, Mason.”

Charlie leaned back to look at Mason. His mouth formed a grim line and his bright green eyes narrowed with annoyance. “We're partners,” he said simply. “I trust
her
.”

The rib didn't go unnoticed. “Considering CBP is still cutting you a paycheck, you can understand why trust might continue to be an issue for us.”

Mason faced Kieran. “Isn't that why you brought us down here? To reestablish some trust?”

Kieran hit Mason with the silent treatment again. It was totally his favorite intimidation tactic.

“We don't need you, Kieran.” It was a bold move, but Charlie wanted to prod at Kieran's pride. “Mason and I can find our own niche in this business. It'll take us longer to turn a real profit, that's all. Which is why Mason reached out to you in the first place. We wanted to fast-track, not take the scenic route.”

“You're certainly not shy about admitting that you're using me.” Kieran's tone was a little too sour for someone who gave the impression he didn't care.

“How did you get a leg up?” Charlie dug her heels in. “Did you make your own way or use Jensen's connections to give you an immediate boost?”