Page 82 of House of Payne
Noah barks out a laugh. “Actually, I don’t. I don’t know what to believe anymore, London, but I do know that this is some messed up shit. I don’t even know who you are right now.”
I pull the phone away from my ear, ignore the stinging in my eyes, and bring it back again. “That’s fair. I know I hurt you, but I need you to understand the truth—”
“Truth? Whattruthis that, huh? You haven’t told meanything.”
“Because I can’t,” I reply. “Don’t you think I would if I could? Do you think Iwantto be in this situation? I did what I had to do, and I willnotapologize for that.”
I know Noah has the right to be upset, but he doesn’t have the right to tear me down. Not when he knows damn well I wouldn’t have done this if I had another choice.
The contract isn’t the only reason I can’t confide in him. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
How do I tell him what I’ve done while leaving out how magneticMason is?
How it feels like I can’t say no to him?
From the moment we locked eyes, Mason did something to me, and as much as I want to deny it, I know I can’t.
“I don’t know what kind of deal you made, or how they made you agree, but you need to come home.” My dad is on the line now, and he’s angrier than I’ve ever heard him. “We can figure this out together, but this needs to end right now.”
I clutch the phone tighter as tears fall on my cheeks. “I can’t. I signed a contract. I gave him my word.”
“Is your word more important than your dignity? Is your word more important than your integrity? I raised you better.”
I reel back as if I’ve been slapped. “I’m doing this foryou, Dad. How can you not see that? How can you…” I trail off and hear the catch in my voice. Slowly, I release a deep breath. “This is how it has to be. I’m cleaning up your mess, and I—”
“Is there a problem?”
My heart sputters when I turn and see Mason in the doorway of my room, looking impeccably put-together in his pressed suit, the smell of his cologne doing strange things to my insides.
How much of our conversation did he hear?
Will he punish me for defending myself?
Have I said too much?
Mason’s face gives nothing away.
“Who is that?” my father rages. I hear Noah exclaiming in the background, and I’m almost reluctant to answer.
I don’t want them to know who Mason is.
They can’t.
“That’s…he’smy—”
“I’m her employer.” Mason crosses the room and snatches the phone from my hand. He turns on the speakerphone and raises an eyebrow. “CanI help you?”
“How could you do this to my daughter? I don’t know how you lured her there, or what kind of false promises you made—”
“I’m not in the business of false promises.” Mason’s voice is ice cold. “Your daughter is here of her own free will. No one made her, and she is being generously compensated.”
“I’ve heard of that club,” Noah replies. “There is nothing generous or even decent about what she’s doing.”
This is a nightmare. It can’t be happening.
“If you don’t pack your bags and leave right away, don’t bother coming back.”
“I… what are you saying, Dad? That I can’t come home?”
