Page 73 of Forbidden Desires

“I’m sure he is.” He’s such a nice guy. We make it to a room at the end of the hall, and right before we go in, he drops his head to my ear.

Goosebumps scatter over my skin. “I’m so sorry, Gisele,” he whispers before shoving open the door to the vacant room. There is no sign of Parker, but Lana grins at us, and I freeze on the spot. Mason shoves me forward through the door. I dig my heels in and drag them along the carpet, but it’s no use, he’s so much stronger than me.

Mason closes the door behind him. My skin prickles with unease instantly. What the hell is going on?

“Where’s Parker?” I ask, my voice shaky, even though my mind is racing with a million other things. Like, what the actual fuck is going on here?

Lana’s lips turn into a slow smile that makes my stomach churn uncomfortably. I feel my pocket for my phone and realize it’s back in the conference room, still sitting on that last tableI dressed. “You’re a real sweet girl, Gisele, but you picked the wrong brother, and it’s time my boy got what he was entitled to.”

I blink back at Mason, trying to process what the hell is going on. “Brother?” I squeak.

“You betcha.” He smiles a dark, depraved smile that scares the hell out of me.

“The paper didn’t report the full story, dear,” Lana states, and I flick my head back to her. “How does this sound: Alexander’s affair produces more than one heir to the hotel throne. I reckon I could write them stories the Prescotts publish.” She chuckles darkly.

“How, why…” I stutter out, not able to form a sentence. Mason takes a step closer to me, his eyes fixing on mine. I can see it now, the family resemblance. His hair is a little darker, but it’s there. They are related, for sure. I don’t know how I didn’t see it earlier. I take a step back, not wanting to be caught up in whatever this fucked-up mess is.

He steps closer again, not allowing me the distance I need.

“Emerson and Brody are on their way back here now, and when he gets back, we will have a friendly sit-down to iron out some very important details.” Lana motions to the table and chairs in the center of the room and what looks like a contract of sorts.

“Details?” I stutter out.

“He’s a smart man. Now that he knows the truth, I’m sure he will see this place is as much Mason’s as it is his.”

“Why do you need me?” I whisper, my body starting to tremble.

Her lips turn up at the sides, a sadistic gleam in her eyes. I have only had a few brief conversations with the woman. She always gave me an odd vibe, and now I know why. She’s pure evil. “Collateral. I can see how important you are to him. He willdo anything to make sure you’re safe. Even turn over his beloved hotel.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, glancing back to Mason. “You don’t need to do this. You can just talk to him, he’s a reasonable man. If you talk all this over with him so he can see it from your perspective, I’m sure he will.” I try negotiating as best I can, anything to put a stop to their plans.

He closes the gap between us. “That’s why you’re here, sweetheart. To make sure the negotiations run smoothly.” He runs a hand up my arm, causing a cold shiver in its wake. He lowers his nose to my hair, inhaling. “Fuck, you smell good. Should we have a little fun while we wait?” His eyes meet mine. He’s not messing around this time. He’s deadly serious.

Bile rises in my throat, the sickness swelling, coming dangerously close to leaving my mouth.

“Tie her up, Mason. I don’t want her escaping before he gets here,” Lana growls, sounding demonic. The two of them have lost their minds. And somehow, I have been caught in their dangerous web.

Mason pulls me into his body, holding me tight. I struggle against his grip, but his large arms are like a vice squashing my small body. I feel his breath crawling over my skin. “What, Ma? She’s okay, she’s not going anywhere.” He licks along my jaw, and my body shudders involuntarily. How did I get him so wrong? He’s not the sweet man I thought at all. I think back to our date. Maybe it wasn’t a mistake I got so drunk that night, maybe this was some fucked-up set-up all along. I feel sick when I think of what could have happened to me that night if Brody hadn’t been there to take me home.

Out of my periphery I see Lana pull a gun and face it in our direction. “Tie her up, Son,” she yells in our direction, and this time her voice is more threatening. She’s a woman on the edge of completely losing control, I can see it in her menacing eyes.

He glances from me to her. “Ma, you said no one would get hurt, just friendly negotiations. Remember, you said I could keep her.”

She said he could keep me, like I’m some fucking pet. Oh, fuck no, this shit is not happening. I struggle against him, a white-hot sweat sweeping over me as I search the room for a way out of this madness.

“My sweet boy, everything will be fine if they comply. If not…” She looks toward the hole in the wall where a window should be. “Look at that view, Gisele. It’s spectacular, isn’t it?” She smiles at me, all teeth.

“Yes,” I agree, my voice shaky.

“Big drop. Wouldn’t want to fall all that way. Let’s hope for your sake your man chooses you.”

I feel my heart pounding in my ears. This crazy bitch is going to shove me out the window if Brody doesn’t agree to her contract. She can’t do that. This is insane. “Mason.” I look back to him for help.

He drops his mouth close to my ear. “I’m sorry, Gisele. Don’t worry, I won’t let her force you out the window. If things go south, you’re coming home with me,” Mason whispers darkly, and my blood turns cold. He’s suddenly scaring me more than her, and she’s the one with the gun. Lana motions with the gun toward the chair, and he shoves me toward it, forcing me to sit and have my hands tied.

“This business has been in The Alexander family for three generations, and the eldest son always gets it passed on to him. But this time it was split between two of his children. I was in the old man’s will, you know, till a week before he kicked the bucket, then something changed,” he tells me like his story should help explain why I’m being tied up, with my life hanging in the balance. This is all over money, over what he thinks he’s entitled to.

Lana moves to stand in front of me. “When I married Charles, he swore to me Mason would be looked after for the rest of his life. It was his birthright to inherit this hotel along with Emerson and Brody. But someone stopped that from happening.”

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