Professor Cline: Redeemed (Professor #2) (22 page)

“Mason, my sister works for John, and she’s had an affair with Donicko.” I could hear the panic in her voice. “Are you telling me she’s in danger?”

I turned toward her and lifted my hand to calm her, making sure to keep my distance.

“No, she’s too well known for them to do something like that.”

“I-I need to leave.”

The panicked expression was still on her face, and I moved to block her from leaving.

“Listen to me, Emma.” She stopped, but she didn’t bring her eyes up to look into mine. Instead, she stared at my chest, mouth set in a straight line. I didn’t blame her for not wanting to look at me; I didn’t want to look at me, either. “This information is going to be out in the open soon. I couldn’t keep it in any longer. You might still have questions, but this is what you needed to know. I’m not a good person. My past is far from pretty, and we all need to pay for what we’ve done.”

I lifted a hand and ran it through my hair, speaking my next words carefully. “You say you like me more than you should, but do you like me now that you know me? This is my darkest secret. This is the man you’d have to see every day,” I stated, gesturing to myself.

She shook her head and a tear fell down her cheek.

“I
need
to go,” she said through her tears.

I moved to the side and watched her walk out of my life. I knew it would come to this. I knew she would walk away and fuck, I didn’t blame her. I couldn’t stand living in my own skin, so how could I wish for someone to stay with me after knowing what kind of person I truly was?

I stood there for a few more minutes, thinking about how much my life was going to change within a matter of days. The decision to air my dirty laundry didn’t come easily, but after seeing Sophia trapped in her own mind, I knew I had to do something, something I should have done a long time before.

I walked into my office and headed toward my desk, grabbing the scotch along the way. The pain I felt in my chest was the reason I’d stayed away from any sort of connection.

Another loss to add to my list.

Taking a seat at my desk, I grabbed a glass and poured some scotch. I had no idea what the outcome of my actions would be, but I was willing to accept it.

Grabbing my phone, I slid my finger across the screen with the intention of calling Victor, the only person I knew who could defend me, when I saw I had a missed call with a voicemail. I dialed it to listen.

“Mason, it’s Phil Morison. I received your email. Give me a call as soon as you can, day or night.” I listened as he read off his phone number and jotted it down.

Phil Morison happened to be Steve Morison’s dad, part-owner of one of the prestigious newspapers in New York.

After my meeting with Victor, I knew that if I wanted to finally put the Black Widow Corporation down, I needed something substantial. I’d known that all along, but I wasn’t sure how to get it. Donicko gave me that perfect opportunity.

Before my meeting with him, I’d made the decision to keep my phone on ‘record’ in my pocket while I was there. I had no idea if he’d have me frisked or what kind of security he’d have. Being the man he was, I figured he’d have more men guarding him, but apparently he felt safe in his own home. And even if he did have security, I had to take that chance, especially since I’d had no idea what he wanted to see me for.

That’s where Steve’s number came into play. I wanted it just in case. I knew if I got something good, I’d end up calling. What I wasn’t prepared for was Donicko giving me more than I could have asked for or even wanted. I was still battling with the information, and I wasn’t sure how to cope with it. He’d turned my life upside-down in a matter of minutes.

Dialing the number, I sat back in my chair and waited.

“Morison,” he stated into the phone.

“Mr. Morison, it’s Mason Cline.”

“Mason, thank you for calling me back. I have to say, I’m speechless from the email you sent.”

I wasn’t surprised.

“That’s understandable. What did you need to speak to me about? I was pretty detailed in what I wanted to happen in that email.”

I heard Phil let out a sigh. “You do realize what you’re asking me to do. This is big, Mason. Huge. You come out with this story, it’ll go national, I’m sure of it. This is…the biggest story we’ve had around here in a long time. But as a friend of Steve’s, I have to ask you, are you sure you want to go through with this? Authorities need to be involved. And—”

“The FBI has already been sent information, too,” I stated, cutting him off. “However, I’d like that to stay out of the story. They received the same information you did, plus more.” I wiped a hand down my face, exhaustion taking over my body. “I’m sure I want to go through with this. It’s been hidden for far too long. When are you going to run it?”

“That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about. If all things go according to plan, it’ll be the headline story on Monday, then probably national news for the rest of the week.”

I nodded to myself. I knew this was going to happen fast, so I’d been preparing myself mentally for the past week.

“That sounds good to me. Please forward me the final story.”

“I will. And Mason?”

“Yeah.”

“For what it’s worth, you’re a good man. I don’t know all the ins and outs, but no child should’ve had to go through what you did. I hope they burn in Hell.”

My lip curved into a slight grin. “Me, too. Me, too.”

We ended the call and I sat there, staring at the scotch I’d poured. I’d need a lot more of it to get me through the next few weeks. Once the news hit the stands, all Hell would break loose.

Emmalynn

A week had come and gone, yet I was still in a daze after my visit with Mason. When I’d arrived at his house that day, I had all intentions of pampering him and making sure he was okay. Things went differently, but nothing I didn’t want to happen. I wanted him to know my feelings. I wanted him to open up to me. I just didn’t realize
how
open he’d be. The information he threw at me was overwhelming, and I didn’t know how to process it. I needed time to go over all of it alone. Part of me was hoping it was all a lie, but that was too elaborate of a story to tell someone if you just wanted to scare them off.

It was Saturday morning, and I hadn’t talked to or seen Mason since that day. I had, however, seen him on TV. Once the story broke, he began to be stalked by reporters. They asked him an obscene amount of questions, but that friend of his, Luke, was always there to back them off and tell them ‘no comment’. But the look on Mason’s face spoke volumes. It brought a pain to my chest. He was hurting, and in a way I didn’t understand. I didn’t know what to do.

He told me things I could never imagine someone I’d have feelings for to have done.
Can I look past that? Could I have a future with someone who has that kind of past, including his sickness of self-mutilation?

And what about my family and friends; what would they think? This wasn’t something I’d be able to keep from them. This news was turning national, and they were bound to find out about his past sooner or later.

I stretched and looked around my new room. Quinn had moved in with her boyfriend over the past week, and I’d spent a majority of my downtime getting the room organized and fixing things to my style. I tried to enjoy the time, establishing my independence, but it was hard for me to do so with Mason taking over all my thoughts.

I flipped my new fuchsia and purple polka-dotted comforter off my body and slid out of bed to head to the kitchen. I needed coffee to get through another day.

As I walked into the kitchen, I noticed Mel sitting at the table reading the newspaper. Another source of media I was avoiding. I didn’t want to read what was being written about Mason or his dad, John.

“Good morning,” I sing-songed, trying to be cheery.

She glanced up at me briefly then went back to the paper.

“So, what are the plans for the day? Do you want to do some more shopping with me? I really need to get a bedside lamp.”

I was trying to get Mel out of her own head. Things at Slone & Cline had been rocky, and she feared her job was on the line. John was forced to take a leave of absence while they investigated his involvement in embezzlement and things involving trafficking women. When the news spread to Mel, she was flabbergasted. She couldn’t believe she’d worked with a man who was capable of doing such things. And then when it came to Donicko and his name being flashed all over the news, things went from bad to worse.

She liked him more than I’d realized she did. With the news spreading that he was the head honcho of the whole corporation, she lost it. She didn’t know how to handle that the man she was secretly sleeping with could have taken her and sold her off to the highest bidder. Like Mason had said, I didn’t believe that to be true, but there was no reasoning with Mel. She was terrified and broken. She felt disgusted for sleeping with him, stupid for believing he actually liked her, and guilty for all the lives he’d probably ruined while he was with her.

I tried to continuously tell her that she couldn’t have ever known, that she needed to move past it, but I knew it was all words. This was hard on her, just like it was on me.

“Have you spoken to Mason?” she asked without looking up.

I poured my coffee and turned to look at her. It was the first time since the news broke that she’d asked me about him. I wasn’t sure if she was too consumed with what was going on with her job or if she was waiting for me to bring it up.

“No,” I answered honestly. I hadn’t talked to him since the night I walked out on him.

I diverted my eyes and stared at the floor, remembering that night. A part of me wished I hadn’t left, but the other part knew I needed time to think.

“Tim stopped by yesterday afternoon,” Mel blurted, setting down the paper to pick up her mug.

I furrowed my brow. “What?” I asked unbelievingly. “What did he want?”

She shrugged. “You, I guess.” She sipped her coffee and set it back down. “He said he’d heard about your professor and wanted to see how you were handling it.”

I scoffed. “And why the hell would he care?” I mumbled to myself before walking to the table to take a seat.

“I think he really misses you,” Mel stated softly.

“Yeah? Well, I still don’t.” I looked at her questioningly. “Why would you even mention that? You know there’s no way I would ever get back with him.”

Mel sighed. “I know, but I just want you to get Mason off your mind, Em. You might think I haven’t noticed, but I can see your face. I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

Her words fueled fire in the pit of my stomach. “Don’t you think that’s my decision?”

“No,” she stated as she sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t, because you think with your heart and not your head.”

“I haven’t talked to or seen him in over a week, Mel,” I exclaimed, my voice raised. “You’re acting like he’s dangerous or something, but he’s not.”

“How do you know that?” she asked, flailing her arm.

“Read the paper, Mel. He was only seventeen when he was brought into all that crap. He was young, underage, scared, pressured. Take your pick.”

She shook her head. “That’s the thing about journalism, Em. Just because it’s written doesn’t mean all the facts are right.”

But I
did
know. She just didn’t know I received my facts from the source.

“Plus, you don’t know what kind of men Donicko or John dealt with. Do you think they’re going to be happy with losing money? What kind of damage do you think Mason caused? There are going to be some pissed-off people, and Mason is the cause of it, Em. Right now, he’s dangerous to be around. I’m only looking out for you,” she stated with a sympathetic look.

I understood her concern, but I didn’t think he was dangerous.
Shit.
I don’t want to put myself in danger, either.

She had my mind whirling in a ton of possibilities. Things I didn’t need to think about because I hadn’t talked to him and didn’t know if I would.

I missed him. I missed him more and more as the days went on.

I was falling for him before he’d told me his sordid past, so what had changed? I still thought he was a great man. Smart, sexy, dominant, gentle, caring—so many things I was just discovering. I didn’t want to think of the possibility that he could be dangerous. I needed to talk to him first before I would come to that conclusion. I had no idea what was happening on his end, what actions he’d taken or what exactly to believe.

“We don’t know what’s happening, Mel. And right now, it doesn’t matter because I haven’t talked to him anyway.”

“I’m just worried,” she responded as she reached an arm out to rest her hand on mine. “I don’t want anything to happen.”

“With Mason’s name being thrown all over the news, I highly doubt anything would happen. If something did, they would know exactly who the responsible party would be.”

“Just please, be careful. Okay?”

I nodded to her and grabbed my coffee before getting up. I needed some time alone to think. What was I going to do? All this week, all I’d been thinking about was Mason. I needed to talk to him, but I knew he wouldn’t contact me. He threw the ball in my court. I was the one who needed to take action.

I walked into my room, closing the door behind me, then took a seat at the small, student-sized desk I’d bought for super-cheap at IKEA I stared at my phone lying next to my laptop, like I’d done on many occasions that week, debating on whether or not I’d pick it up to text or call him.

Should I take a chance? Should I follow my heart and not listen to my brain?

I bit my lip and grabbed my phone as nervousness flowed through me. I could text him and not get a reply, or he could tell me to leave him alone. Maybe I’d waited too long.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I pulled up his name.

Me: Hey, are you home?

I stared at the text box and waited for an ellipsis to show up, but I knew it was still too soon. I couldn’t expect him to text me back right away. It was only nine in the morning; he could still be sleeping, or not around his phone, or busy.

Ugh.
I placed my phone on vibrate and headed out of my room to shower. If he sent a text back that was great; if he didn’t, oh well. I definitely wasn’t going to show up at his house uninvited again.

While in the shower, Mel knocked on the door to let me know she’d be heading out to run some errands. I didn’t bother to ask what they were because at the moment, I didn’t care. I had other things on my mind. Things like Mason and my phone.

I finished up and tried to take my time as I dried off, but it was no use. I was in too much of a hurry to see if he’d texted me back.

Walking back into my room with one towel wrapped around my body and another on my head, I grabbed my phone to see, disappointedly, that he hadn’t texted me back. I knew it didn’t mean anything, but I was still bummed.

In the shower, I’d thought about my conversation with Mel that morning. I’d said some things in Mason’s defense I hadn’t thought of before. He was so young when he was thrown into one hell of a mess. Just a child. He had no mother, no one to guide him, no one to protect him. I knew that was why he had so many issues, but what if it was also the reason why he’d never had a relationship before?

He’d had nothing but a bad experience. Plus, the information he told me about his mother. He blamed himself for pushing her down the stairs, even though it was an accident. In his eyes, he still killed his mother. I can’t even imagine what everything had been like for him. I sympathized for him. I wanted to hold him in my arms and not let go. It made me regret walking out so abruptly on him that night. I should have stayed and talked to him. He was going through all of this alone. And he didn’t have to tell me anything. He could have just let me find out from the papers. That in itself told me there was something there. He wanted me to choose whether or not I could be with him.

He’d asked me if I liked him once I knew his dark past, and the truth was I still did. No matter how many times I’d tried to get him out of my head, I couldn’t do it. He was etched into my brain and permanently in my heart.

Setting my phone down, I finished drying off and dressed before heading back into the bathroom to blow-dry my hair.

After my hair was done and I’d lightly put on some makeup, I went back into my room to grab my phone and call Victoria. I still needed to get some things, and it was always more fun when someone else was shopping with you.

I pressed the home button to wake the phone and my eyes widened as I saw a text reply from Mason.

Mason: Yes. I’ll send Carlos for you. Wear a jacket with a hoodie. Reporters are camped out.

I bit my lip as I thought about that.

Me: I could take a cab.

Mason: No, it’s easier this way. Trust me.

I stared at his words and caved. I did trust him.

Me: I’m ready if you want to have him come now.

Mason: He’s already on his way.

That was very presumptuous of him, but such a Mason move.

Grabbing my purse and a hooded jacket, I walked out into the living room and sat down to wait. I’d just have to go shopping another day. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see Mason if I could.

Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door and I opened it with a smile.

“Hello, Carlos.”

“Ms. Blake.” He nodded.

The drive to his house was quiet as I thought about what I’d say, what he would say, what his mood would be like, how I’d feel seeing him again. So many things swam through my mind that we arrived and I hadn’t even realized it.

“Ms. Blake,” Carlos stated. “We’re here. Mr. Cline wanted me to remind you to put your jacket on, as well.”

I grabbed the jacket I had laid beside me and slipped it on, all the while wanting to ask Carlos what he thought about the whole situation.

Carlos slipped out and walked around to open my door, but before I stepped out, I turned and looked out the other window and down the driveway. There were, in fact, reporters camped out outside his property, and it seemed like my arrival had gotten their attention.

“Don’t mind them, Ms. Blake. If they can’t see your face, they’ll never know who you are.”

I turned, gave him a small smile and quickly stepped out of the car and up to the house. The door opened right away, and I walked in without even looking up.

I spun around as I pulled the hood down from my head to see Mason close the door and slowly turn his head to look at me.

My heart skipped a beat just looking at him. It had only been a week, but his hair was longer and his face held more than just his usual scruff. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, too, something I’d seen only a few times before.