Page 81 of Mase
He’s not who he portrays to be. Not only has he encouraged me to sell my body on an app I’ve never heard of, but he’s been blackmailing me in order to get money.
The man has been relentless and claimed every tactic in the book to extort money from me, despite the fact I’veproved I have none, so he came up with a way for me to get it.
He cranes his neck outside of the door, then nods in the direction of the odd guy who followed me up the stairs. My legs tremble when I realize I’m outnumbered and most definitely underestimated just who Hugh is and what he’s capable of.
“Get in here,” Hugh demands, and just the cruel, sharp tone of his voice sends alarm bells thrashing through me. Every cell in my body is telling me to turn and run, but realistically, how the hell am I meant to get out of this? Especially when I clock another guy walking up the stairs giving the original one a chin lift and smug smile.
Hugh’s hand snaps out and grips my arm in a punishing vise, making me whimper.
It’s not the first time Hugh has handled me this way. Over the years, he’s always been cold and hard with me, his patience thin and kindness even thinner.
My stepfather couldn’t have cared less. The only input he had was how I appeared to the outside world; a pretty girl in his care who just so happened to be worth some cash the moment I turned of age.
He practically drags me into the room, then slams the door behind us, causing me to jump.
I assess the room, only too relieved to see it’s fairly well kept, if a little worn. It’s basically a small apartment with a skylight and neatly kept furniture, but a little on the older side.
“Is it all in there?” He motions toward the bag, and I drop it to the floor, pleased to be releasing the heavy weight. I stroke over the mark it left behind on my hand.
“Of course.”
Hugh’s eyes light up, and a smile creeps over his face. “Andrew, come in here.” A man steps out from another room,and I take a step back, my back almost flush to the wall beside the door.
The guy, Andrew, is a little older than me, maybe earlier twenties, and scans up and down my body, making me feel dirty. When he drags his eyes back up, his greedy eyes rest on my chest, and I have a sudden need to wrap my arms around my stomach to protect me and the babies from his view.
I can make out his resemblance to Hugh. The sharp nose, lean physique, and distinctive gray eyes, and for the first time, I realize Hugh must have relatives after all.
“She’s hot as fuck in real time.” His laugh is sinister, and the more I scowl, the more excited he appears to become; he’s practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. This guy is not all there, not at all, and the idea of being in this room with him is creeping me out.
I want to go home.
He wears slacks and a shirt buttoned up to his neck, looking geeky, but he’s giving off a crazed vibe. Then he pushes his glasses up from the tip of his nose and licks his lips without taking his eyes off me. The movement makes him appear like a predator, and I am most definitely his unwilling prey. “I can see why he wants her. She’s even better in real life.” He gloats to Hugh but stares at me, seemingly uncaring of how uncomfortable I appear. Who’s he referring to?
When he takes a step toward me, I attempt to shrink back but find myself unable to, so I close my eyes and will myself to remain calm.
I feel his hot breath on my ear, and the scent of his musky cologne turns my stomach.
Then he threads his fingers in my hair, and I snap my eyes open. “Plea-please don’t.”
His lips part, and I grimace. “I just want a little taste.”
My stomach falls, and I step up on my tiptoes, attempting to shy away from him.
He tilts his head to the side. Those gray eyes of his are like laser beams, firing straight through me. “Just a little fucking taste.”
I whimper, and he rolls his lip into his mouth as if swallowing my cry.
He twirls a lock of my hair around his finger. “I’ve been watching you. Watching you grow and undress.” As he licks his lips, his rancid breath has me recoiling. “I’ve witnessed you naked, Summer.” He grinds his hard length against me, and I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying out. Something tells me he would like the sound, and that terrifies me. He runs his fingers down my arms, and I flinch, hating being in his proximity. Then he brushes his nose against my cheek, and I have an overwhelming urge to push him away, but I remain frozen to the spot, unable to move a muscle. It’s almost like my body is shutting down on me. “I’ve watched you have sex, sweet girl,” he rasps. The use of Mase’s endearment on his lips causes me to whimper, and his eyes flare in delight.
Oh, Jesus, the sick bastard is getting off on my fear.
My mind whirls as I scramble to make sense of his words.
“I like watching you,” he says, and I make the connection.
As if in slow motion, everything slips into place for me. The cameras around the mansion, the changes of the rules on the app that got Mase so aggravated, the flash drive I’m being blackmailed with. He’s been watching me; they both have.
“Leave her alone. If it means that much to you, you can have her when we’ve finished with her.”
