Page 12 of Mason

“I don’t know if they told you why they wanted to talk to you yesterday, but my cousin Dustan was taken by The Devil’s Queens. He escaped, but The Devil’s Queens sent a ransom and in it they said they wanted you. We, I, my family, would never give you up.”

My stomach sank and I felt sick. “I’m sorry about your cousin. I should have told you sooner what happened to me. Is he okay?”

“No. He was shot and is in a coma. You need to know we are upping our security. They were after you and I’m not going to give them any chance to get to you. Until this is sorted you’ll have four guards, two with you and at least two close by.”

Shaking my head, I eased off the bed and stood. “I don’t want four guards. Please, I don’t want to have him, I mean, no more guards.”

“What! What do you mean him?”

Groaning, I buried my face in my hands. “Please ignore that. I, I, I just, with everything that happened I’m muddled.”

Mason pulled my hands away and caressed my cheek. “Tell me what happened. I know one of the guards said something. From what I was told I think I know who, but I need you to confirm.” His finger brushed my lips. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Right now, he said think, he didn’t say for sure. Maybe I was overreacting over Tony. Easing away from his touch, I looked away from him, unsure what I should do. He leaned over and brushed his lips over mine. “Bear, please tell me. I need to know.”

“I don’t want to cause trouble. You won’t fire him, will you?”

“Oh, Alexa, you’ve got such a soft, sensitive soul. I know you’d feel terrible if I let anyone go. No. I’ll just make sure he’s not assigned to you.” I hugged him and clung to his body. I loved this man. He always knew just what to say.

“Tony. I just don’t want him to guard me. I’m sorry. I really am sorry. I’m not a tease. I do want you.”

He growled and I knew I’d said too much. “Bear, you are not a tease. You are my woman. The woman I’m growing to love.”

I gasped. This was the first time he’d said anything about loving me. “Love? You . . . you’re growing to love me?”

His lips brushed mine once, twice, and a third time. “Alexa Jennings, you’re the easiest person to love.”

Throwing myself at him I cried, “I love you. I love you so much. Thank you. Thank you for starting to love me.” I hadn’t felt lucky in a long time, but as I settled against him cuddling close, content and happy, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

ALEXA WOULDN’T LET ME out of her sight for long. It was why she was going with me on my first day back at work after almost two months off. Alexa convinced me to go back to work.

“I’m looking forward to getting the tour of your gym. I’ve always wondered where everything is in it. It’s so big from the outside and with the u shape I wondered how things were spaced.”

“You could have come in.” I tried not to think about what would have happened if she’d come in. She could have avoided all the pain she’d been in and maybe Dustan wouldn’t be in a coma.

Her laughter stopped me at the reception area. “What’s so funny?”

She raised her brow and her lips were curled up into a smirk. “There’s no way the security would have let me in here.” She darted her gaze up at the cameras. “Ha, and if I did somehow get past them, there isn’t a chance in hell gym Barbie behind the counter,” she gave a head jerk over to Britney at reception. “Would let me get further than here before having me removed.”

If I’d seen her, I was sure she wouldn’t have gotten far. “I would have hel—”

“Don’t, because I know whatever you say would be bullshit. There’s no way I, in my crappy, torn, threadbare clothes, would have been allowed in here.” Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to tell her she was wrong, but she held up her hands. “No. Stop. Please don’t. I don’t want to argue with you. I want you to show me your gym.”

“How about I show you where I train? I’ll even let you in the boxing ring. Well, if no one else is training.” I grabbed her hand in mine.

“You have a boxing ring?”

“Yeah. I want to be a professional boxer.” I raised my brow. “You didn’t know? I thought I told you?”

She snatched her hand back and franticly shook her head. “No. I just thought you owned the gym. You want to beat up people for a living?”

Sighing at her look of horror, I took her hand back and threaded my fingers through hers. “It’s not like that. It’s not about beating up people. It just you and your opponent. It’s a sport. I enjoy it. I’m good at it.”

She kept shaking her head. “I don’t want you hurt. You’ll get hurt.” She embraced me and let go of my hand and hugged me tight. “How can your family let you do this? It’s dangerous.”

Wrapping her in my embrace I leaned down and inhaled, savoring her smell and just her closeness. “They don’t like me doing it, but my family want me happy. They know it’s a dream of mine. They know, too, that I take all the precautions and I have the best coach.” I didn’t want to stop my dream, but for Alexa I would. “Come and watch it. I promise you if you really hate it I’ll stop for you.”

She was quiet for a while and we just stood in the gym hall cuddling, then she eased away and gazed up at me with an intense look. “You would give up your dream for me?”

Cupping her face, I stroked her cheek. “I would do anything for you.”

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