Whatever It Takes (23 page)

Laurie was confused about how he could find out all of that.

He must have read her expression and because he smiled and
said, “On top of being a hell of a dealer to the Latin gangs in the city and
the best hotdog vendor in the park, I also moonlight as a private investigator.”

Dewayne slapped him on the back. “That’s right, if our boy
Rafe can’t find information on something, it doesn’t exist.”

Rafe grinned proudly.

“Yup, he’s always been a nosy bastard,” Mason remarked.

Rafe smirked at him then they both laughed.

They all visited for a while longer then Rafe had to leave.
He promised to keep digging and let them know if he heard about anyone out to
get Laurie. Dewayne announced he was going downstairs to take a nap. Mason looked
at Laurie and grinned.

“I have plans for you, woman.”

* * * * *

Laurie hung her foot off the side of the bed and tried to
shake the feeling back into it. They had been at it for hours and Mason knew
she needed a break. He closed the laptop, satisfied that they had ordered all
the paint, flooring and accessories for the downstairs part of the house. He
reached for her foot and began massaging it. She leaned back against the pillow
and closed her eyes. Her purr of pleasure went straight through him and his
dick took notice. He leaned forward and took her big toe in his mouth, and her
eyes popped open as she laughed and struggled to pull her foot away. After a
few moments of her squealing and wriggling, he surrendered and went back to a
simple foot rub.

“So you just spent more than a few thousand dollars today,”
she said.

He nodded and gave a shrug.

“I was just wondering. Was that just your way of keeping me
locked up in your tower?” She motioned around the bedroom.

Mason gave her a blatantly fake look of confusion. His girl
knew him too well already.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he unconvincingly insisted.

She pulled her foot away and crawled to him, sitting above
him on her knees.

“Did it ever occur to you that you could just ask me to stay
home? I really wouldn’t have minded just hanging out with you.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You could have let me know
that before I dropped six thousand dollars in one online shopping spree, you
know.”

“Yeah, I know.” She hovered her lips above his and grinned.

Mason stared at her for a moment before he laughed and pulled
her down to him for a thorough kiss. He had some specific ideas about what they
could do for the rest of the day.

Over the next week, Laurie kept herself busy working on the
house. Dewayne helped with painting and moving heavy furniture. She appreciated
the help but she was sure Dewayne’s assistance was more about guarding her for
Mason while he worked than him really wanting to be helpful. She was getting a
little stir crazy and by the end of the week, she couldn’t take it anymore.
Over breakfast, she informed Mason that she needed to do some grocery shopping
and he insisted she just make a list and let Dewayne go for her. Frustration
overwhelmed her and she slapped her hand on the table.

“I’m sick of being stuck in this damn house. You can’t just
keep me locked up in here forever.”

“I’m not trying to keep you locked up, Angel, but until we
know what’s going on, it’s not safe for you to be out in the open.”

Laurie narrowed her eyes. He sounded calm and reasonable,
which pissed her off even more. She shot to her feet and began pacing.

“I don’t care. We don’t even know for sure that
anyone
is after me. We don’t even know if any of the things that happened are related.”

“It’s unlikely that it is all coincidence—too much has happened
and I’m not taking any chances,” he insisted.

“
You’re
not taking any chances?” she yelled. “You are
not the boss of me, Mason. I am an adult and I am capable of making my own
decisions and taking care of myself. I don’t need you telling me where I can
and can’t go.”

“Apparently, you do,” he countered, moving to stand in front
of her, close enough to invade her space. “I can’t believe you’re even
considering going out after nearly being shot a few days ago. Use your head,
Laurie.”

She shoved him back and stomped around him toward the living
room. “I’m not staying locked up in this fucking house another day. I’m going
out and you can just deal with it.”

“No, I’m not going to deal with shit, ‘cause you ain’t going
anywhere. Now that’s enough,” Mason shouted, coming up behind her as she headed
for the door.

She spun around to face him. “That’s enough? Don’t you dare
talk to me like I’m a child. I am a grown woman and if I want to go, I will
fucking go and you can’t stop me.”

“The hell I can’t,” he growled, coming closer.

Laurie backed toward the door, seeing the mixture of
determination and anger on his face. She tried to spin around and run for the
door but she wasn’t fast enough. He caught her, tossed her over his shoulder as
if she weighed nothing and headed for the stairs.

“Put me down, you bastard. Who the hell do you think you
are?”

“I’m the man who’s fixin’ to be your husband and the only
person in this house who’s thinking clearly right now. You are my woman and it’s
my job to keep you safe and that’s what I’m going to do, even if I have to tie
you to the goddamn bed.”

Laurie kicked and shrieked as he carried her up the stairs.
She had no doubt he fully intended to tie her up. She pounded his back as hard
as she could but he didn’t slow down.

He kicked open the bedroom door and dumped her on the bed.
Quickly unbuckling his belt, he whipped it off and came at her. She rolled to
her knees and tried to crawl across the bed but he caught her by the ankle and
pulled her back.

Giving up on trying to flee, she rolled over and swung at
him but he caught her wrists and pulled her arms over her head, easily pinning
them with one hand. She tried to squirm and kick but the weight of his body
kept her in place. He wrapped the belt around her wrists and in only seconds,
he had her securely tied to the headboard. Straddling her hips, he looked down
at her intensely, making an obvious effort to slow his breathing. She struggled
against her binding, feeling a stab of panic when she realized that he wasn’t
playing around. She couldn’t get loose.

“Stop struggling or you’ll hurt yourself,” he ordered.

“Mason, untie me. This isn’t funny.”

“It not supposed to be funny. It’s supposed to keep you safe
until you start using your brain again.”

“Quit calling me stupid.”

Mason laughed and poked her forehead with his index finger.

“I didn’t call you stupid. I said you’re not using your
brain. There’s a difference.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“I know,” Mason snapped.

Laurie stopped thrashing and looked into his eyes, surprised
by his admission.

“I can’t believe you actually tied me up.”

She’d barely finished the statement before she started
laughing. Mason laughed also and kissed her cheek then gazed into her eyes.

“I’m going to figure this out, Angel, and things will be
normal. You’ll be able to come and go as you please. I promise I’m not usually
an overbearing bastard.”

He chuckled at the skeptical look Laurie gave him.

“Okay, I’m not usually this
much
of an overbearing
bastard but I can’t lose you, baby. You’re what I wanted my whole life and I
didn’t even know it until you walked through my door. I have everything I could
ever ask for now but none of it matters without you. I couldn’t take it if I
lost you.”

“I know, babe. I know you’ve only been trying to protect me
and I’m sorry for being such a bitch.”

“You’re not a bitch, Angel. I understand you’re frustrated.
I couldn’t handle being locked inside a house all day, every day either. I
should have thought of how hard it would be and given you a break. How about if
we go out to dinner and do the shopping this evening when I get home? We can
even stop at the mall and pick you up a few things. My shredded panty and shirt
collection is getting pretty big so I guess I need to replace the clothes I’ve
ripped off you before you really do end up having to run around naked.”

Laurie liked the idea. She smiled up at him, and nodded.

He kissed her and the kiss quickly grew from sweet to hot.
Mason leaned back and stared down at Laurie, the heat in his eyes had changed.
As soon as she saw it, Laurie’s body reacted. She instantly remembered his
threat to tie her to the bed if she ever tried to leave him again, and images
of what would take place flashed through her mind. She met his eyes and knew he
was thinking the same thing.

Mason saw the mirrored desire in Laurie’s eyes and kissed
her frantically. She teased him with her body, rubbing against him as he
devoured her lips. She whimpered with need and he rose up to look down at her.
He slowly removed his shirt, watching her face as her eyes longingly traveled
the length of his torso.

Her ardent gaze caused fire to spread through his body and
he fought to remain in control of himself. He ripped open her shirt, paying no
attention to the buttons that popped off and flew across the room.

He unsnapped the front closure of her bra and caressed her
skin. He rubbed the peaks of her nipples with his rough fingers until they
stood at attention and begged him to take a taste. Laurie moaned when he grazed
his chin over one of the sensitive buds, abrading it with his stubbly beard
then taking it in his mouth and sucking hard.

She wrapped her legs around him and rocked her hips. He did
the same, knowing his hardened cock teased her clit through the thin fabric of
her yoga pants. She moaned and he realized she was close to coming. He damn
sure wasn’t going to let her waste one of her lovely orgasms on dry humping.
When she came, he intended to have his cock deep inside her. He reached down
and unhooked her legs from around him. She released a whimper of protest but he
ignored it. He moved lower and nuzzled her belly then sucked hard just below
her bellybutton, grinning at the hickey he left there. He reached her waistband
and raised up long enough to yank her pants and panties completely off,
launching them across the room where they landed on the dresser. Laurie was
panting and squirming as she lay before him naked, bound and completely at his
mercy. She was fucking exquisite. He lowered his head to her knee and gave her
a sharp bite before soothing the spot with a wet kiss. She cried his name as he
continued his torture, moving up her leg until he reached her wet and willing
pussy and took her in his mouth.

“You’ve got the sweetest little pussy, baby,” he whispered
as he teased her with his tongue.

Her need grew with every lap and flick of his tongue and
soon she was thrashing beneath him, seeking relief. Grinning to himself, he
took his time, giving her pleasure but pulling back every time she was close to
release, only to start over again. She was frantic and nearly in tears from
longing when he rose up on his knees and unbuttoned his jeans. He pushed them
down, giving himself sweet freedom, and she moaned and bit her lip as she
stared at his rigid cock.

“Please, Mason, hurry,” she pleaded in a shaky voice, as she
writhed and bucked her hips.

Her urgency fanned the flames that were already burning out
of control. His hands shook as he lowered himself, gripped her hips and plunged
into her well-lubed center.

“Never going to get tired of fucking you, baby,” he
breathed.

Laurie cried out and came as soon as he hit bottom. Her
muscles tightened around him and he nearly blew right then. He had to take
several calming breaths before he continued.

When he started moving again, she wrapped her legs around
him. Encouraged, he thrust into her hard, jolting her body enough to make her
beautiful tits dance each time he hit home. He was no longer afraid of getting
carried away and hurting her. He trusted her to let him know if he ever went
too far, but so far, she liked everything he did to her. She gripped him with
her legs and rocked her hips, urging him to go faster and he was happy to
comply. He gripped her hips and thrust into her in a wild, pounding pace.

He knew he couldn’t hold out much longer but he wanted to
see her come again before he got off. Slipping a hand between them, he caressed
her clit just the way she liked and she shattered. She whimpered his name and
arched her body toward his as her muscles clenched him so tight it was almost
painful. Grasping her hips tight enough to leave marks, he groaned as he blew
inside her and then held himself in place until the last of the tremors worked
their way through her inner muscles. He didn’t want to miss a single one of
those.

As their breathing slowed, Mason rolled to the side and lay
on his back beside her, staring up at the canopy.

“That was amazing,” Laurie said breathlessly. “I never
thought being tied up could be so intense. It’s just so naughty.”

Mason chuckled and rolled to his side so he could look at
her.

“So I guess that means I bring out the naughty girl in you.”

He ran a finger from her hip to her breast and circled the
nipple. She squirmed and wiggled against the belt at her wrists.

“I’ll untie you if you promise to be good for me.”

“I’ll be good,” she said. “I promise I won’t try to leave.”

Mason gently kissed her as he untied her and then rested his
weight on an elbow so he could look down at her.

“I wish I could stay here like this all day but I’ve got a
busy day lined up at the shop.”

She nodded and he reluctantly let her go. He rolled off the
bed and then turned back and gazed longingly at her, stretched out before him,
naked except for the shredded remains of her shirt. She stayed where she was
and enjoyed the show as he pulled up his jeans and searched for his shirt. She
blushed as she handed his belt to him. He grinned and gazed devilishly at her
as he put it back on. When he was fully dressed, he leaned over her for a kiss
and caressed her breasts as he nibbled her bottom lip.

“Maybe I should tie you back up and keep you like that all
the time. Just pinned down and ready for me whenever I want. I could come back
every time I get a break at work and help myself.”

Laurie pushed at him and huffed as if offended at the idea
but he caught a hint of smile. He laughed and straightened up.

“It was just a thought,” he assured her as he backed toward
the door. “Besides, if I left you tied up naked all day, who would have my
house clean and dinner ready when I get home?”

“You’re such a dick.” She sat up and launched a pillow at
him, looking a little closer to being offended than before.

He caught the pillow and tossed it back at her as he
retreated to the door, still laughing mischievously. He liked seeing that fire
in his eyes.

“I’ll see you in a few hours, Angel.”

Laurie lay back against the pillows and listened to the
sound of Mason going down the stairs. She gasped when she heard Dewayne’s
voice. He was talking loudly.

“Damn, big guy, I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole
neighborhood heard that. Y’all really are hopeless. You can’t even have a
decent fight without humping.”

Laurie covered her face with her hands and groaned as a wave
of humiliation washed over her. Had they really been that loud and had Dewayne been
downstairs the whole time?

She heard the rumble of Mason’s voice, couldn’t quite make
out what he said but she suspected it was something like
Fuck off, Dewayne.
Dewayne laughed and then Laurie heard the back door closing.

She thought of his suggestion that when she passed the bar
exam she should work out of the house. He had the idea to section off the
basement and put an office down there for her because there was a separate
entrance that would be perfect for clients.

The basement was huge and he had big ideas for that space.
He wanted to build a room for Dewayne and one for her office. Laurie smiled to
herself as she thought about Mason. She definitely couldn’t accuse him of not
thinking of the future.

She thought of the first day she met him. Even though she’d
been inexplicably drawn to him, she would have never guessed that one day she
wouldn’t be able to imagine her life without him, but that’s exactly what had happened.
He had become the most important person in the world to her and she could feel
herself falling more and more in love with him every day.