Page 69 of City of Sin (Men of Manhattan 1)

"Please don't worry about what I said before. I think you're perfect for him. I mean, look at how he's looking at you."

Mason was staring at me. Maybe I was imagining it, but it wasn't that different from the way James was looking at Penny. Maybe this really could be more.

"And you're lucky," Penny said. "You don't have to worry about meeting Mason's parents anytime soon."

"What do you mean?"

"After everything that's happened between them? They're not even speaking. It's been good for him, though. He seems more grounded now."

Wait, what? He hadn't mentioned any of that to me. An ad executive made good money, but not great money. How were we here? How did he afford the dress I was wearing? Or the fact that he lived in a hotel? All that money couldn't be from his side business. Could it? I looked down at the dress I was wearing. Was it possible that Patrick had actually paid for this dress? The thought made me nauseous.

"I'm going to steal her away now," Mason said and wrapped his arm around my back again.

I almost jumped when he touched me.

"It's always a pleasure," Mason said to Penny.

"Always," Penny said. "It was really nice to meet you, Bee. And get Mason to give you my number." She looked back over at Mason. "Next time you come over, you're bringing her."

"I think I can arrange that," Mason said.

"It was nice to meet you, Bee," James said and stuck his hand out to me. "Like Penny said, you're welcome to our home anytime."

I shook it. How does Mason have such nice friends? James and Penny seemed so normal. Everything I knew about Mason was anything but normal.

Chapter 38

Mason

I steered Bee away from James and Penny. "You seemed to hit it off with Penny. Were you reminiscing about the University of New Castle?"

"A little. Are you not speaking to your parents?"

I pulled away from her slightly, but kept my hand on her hip. Damn it, Penny. "We had different opinions on how my future was going to play out."

"How are we here, Mason? How do you afford all these nice things?"

I pulled her onto the dance floor and grabbed her waist. "What do you mean? I have a good job."

"I know you have a good job. But all this?" She looked around the room. "And you're saving up to start your own ad agency on top of everything else."

"Yeah. I am. So what?"

"What money did you buy this dress with?"

"My money?" What the hell was she getting at? I grabbed her hand, spun her, and then pulled her in even closer than before.

"Could you only afford this because of people who paid you for...services?"

I laughed. She had to be kidding. Of course that's how I bought her that dress. And I wasn't sure why she was upset about it. She looked fucking fantastic. But I'd tell her what she needed to hear.

"Okay," I said. "No, I'm not talking to my parents. But they're the only reason why we're here right now. They gave me the tickets." It was true. My parents donated money every year under Matt and my names. That's the only reason I had tickets. I didn't originally tell her that because she seemed to be eating up this good guy nonsense. It was a good charity. And I was glad it was under my name. I needed the good karma. "What, are you only with me for my inheritance?"

Her face blushed. "No. Of course not. I just wanted to make sure Patrick didn't buy me this dress."

Oh. So that's what she was upset about. She knew I took money from her ex. But Patrick hadn't given me nearly enough money to pay for what she was wearing. And that was an awfully pessimistic way of looking at it in the first place. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I still got money from my old man?" I didn't. But she didn't need to know that. What little money I did have left from him was dwindling fast.

"No. I don't know. Yes?" She looked so flustered. But she kept her hands clasped behind my neck. She wasn't trying to run out on me again.

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