Phantoms of Fourteenth Avenue

Chapter 8

MASON’S POV

fuck! Can Alina just stop screaming like a deranged retard? Why was it that everytime I was not in her presence, she seemed to be screaming? I should probably check with the agency, make sure Alina was the real worker we had hired.

“Holy s**t balls!” she exclaimed, the fear on her face morphing into anger. “Can you just not sneak up on me for one f*****g second?”

I looked at her annoyed and rolled my eyes.

Yeah, because screaming at the top of your lungs after you were the one to bump into someone else, justifies you to react like the world was out to get you.

I just stared at her for a few moments and watched her even out her breath. Good. She calmed down.

I turned on my heel and started marching to my bedroom before Alina stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

She looked at me frantically and took a step forward. I could see what seemed like the start of tears forming in the corner of her eyes while she stared at me questioningly.

“Was that you?” she questioned barely above a whisper, looking like she was completely losing it.

“What… are you referring to?” I muffled as I looked around the empty hallway.

“Were you the one that went into my bedroom? Are you trying to scare me? Some kind of sick joke you're playing?” she rambled, clearly trying to make sense of what ever had happened to her.

I just shook my head with my eyes wide as I started to think that maybe this girl was nuts. She looked a little out of it.

Yes, she was hot as hell. With that perfect ass, the perfect body and what I wouldn't give to see those breasts.

I snapped myself out of it when I stared at her, the problem at hand. She was still rambling. Only, due to my testosterone filled male brain, I'd missed more than half about what she was trying to say.

Okay, think Mason. Think.

You have a girl in front of you, freaking the f**k out about something that you only heard half of.

Her rambling started to hurt my ears and I did the only thing I could think of….

I kissed her.

I put my hands on her cheeks and kissed her.

At first, I felt her trying to resist and she stood completely stiff against me.

Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea. It really was a spur of the moment thing. And now she was going to push me away, maybe slap me across the face.

But instead, she melted into my kiss. She grabbed the side of my waist to pull me closer, small moans escaping her mouth as she grabbed a handful of my hair and tugged at it slightly.

I'm supposed to stop now right? She calmed down now and she stopped rambling. But why can't I stop?

I put my arm around her waist and pulled her into me, the other hand still on her warm, soft cheek.

Yup, I should probably end this right now. Mason, you shouldn't…. But just as I was about to just give in to the moment, she tore her lips away from mine.

One hand still on my chest, she closed her eyes, breathing heavily. “Why did you just do that?” she asked, whispering.

I wasn't about to tell her that I've wanted to do that since last night.

“It seemed like… You needed it.” I tried to argue as confidently as I could.

She opened her eyes and stared at me, a small smile broke out on her face and blood rushed to her cheeks.

“yeah…” she shook her head, taking a few steps back. “I guess, I'm still exhausted from my trip… I… should probably check on Grace.”

She walked past me and opened Gran’s door and stepped inside. I decided to follow her.

Inside, she was updating her medicine, still looking a little flustered and stopped as she looked at my Gran.

I followed her gaze and stared at my helpless Gran. She was consumed by the disease. It seemed like there was nothing left of her, apart from an empty shell of the person she used to be.

“she's not going to be here for much longer.” I sighed out.

That statement was something I had had to accept for the last few months as Gran’s health deteriorated. It had been a hard pill to swallow. My parents and I were in the midst of discussing whether it would be the best choice to just pull the plug.

Alina moved a little closer and took my hand, squeezing it softly and looked at me.

“I'll do my best to make her as comfortable as possible.” she tried sweetly.

I couldn't help but smile. She was really trying to comfort me. But I had had months to come to grips with the death of my Gran slowly approaching and if I was truly being honest with myself, I would have preferred it to come sooner rather than later. Just looking at her fighting a battle that she was losing, it might be better for her just to move on.

Alina removed her hand from mine and stared at me with worry in her eyes. “Mason, There's something going on in this house.”