Bound by desire

Chapter 5: The deal

The penthouse suite hung before her, its glassy structure gleaming, as did the view of the city lights below, cast as perfectly as a kaleidoscope. The structure, just as much as did the man who owned it, carried an air of insurmountable riches. Lily, for a moment, hesitated, and her finger moved over the button of the elevator before moving on.

Every step on the polished marble floor, clicked on with the sound of her heels, reverberated back to her in the empty hall. She wore the slip dress in a deep red, which Mason had brought to her in the late afternoon. The silk enveloped her graceful form in a way that exposed her and made her feel exposed and unprotected, but she still wore it. This wasn’t about comfort or confidence, it was about survival.

Every time the elevator ascended, her heart rate rose and a bowel obstruction ensued. That much unknown at the other end of those glass panels made its way right up her spine with a jolt. Yet, the image of her Brother Matt, tortured and mutilated by Mason's thugs, was just such an image which was enough to enable the girl to return to her feet. This wasn’t a choice; it was a necessity.

When the elevator doors opened, Mason Stone was there. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his commanding silhouette framed by the sprawling city scape. The space at the back of him was perfect, clean-cut, coldly elegant, just like the person behind.

“You came", he said, his voice a smooth baritone that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.

“You left me no choice", Lily replied, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her.

Mason turned, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. His fitted black suit appeared constricting and a barely there smile that almost grazed just above his gum line. He approached her in the manner of a person accustomed to obtaining what he desired at any cost.

"Want a drink? Hey," he said, gesturing to the bar in the corner of the space.

“No.” Lily crossed her arms, her posture defensive. “Let’s just get this over with.”

His smirk deepened. “Impatient, aren’t we? I like that.”

She didn’t respond, holding his gaze. But if Mason felt unsettled by the defiance, it was not evident. But he continued to press on, the gulf between them getting wider with each tick of the clock.

“I want you, Lily, " he said, his voice dropping an octave.

"For one night. No questions. No strings.”

Her breath held, and her hands squeezed together. She was prepared for that, and told herself it was just a business. However, speaking the words out loud caused it to come to life very realistically.

" And reciprocally," Mason continued, in a slightly less formal tone of voice, “your brother's debt is no more. Completely. No one will come after him again.”

Lily swallowed hard, her heart pounding. Her brother’s life hung in the balance, and this man, this infuriatingly smug, devastatingly handsome man held all the power.

“Do you swear? she asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to appear strong.

“I don’t break my promises", Mason replied, his gaze unwavering.

The room fell silent except for the faint hum of the city below. Finally, Lily nodded. “Fine. One night.”

Mason’s lips curved into a slow, triumphant smile. “Good. Then let’s begin.”

The bedroom was dark, the soft light of a bedside lamp casting long shadows on the floor. Lily stood at the edge of the massive bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as Mason approached her.

“You’re trembling,” he murmured, his voice softer now.

So just do it, she snapped, disgusted with the way her own trembling voice shook.

Mason tilted his head, studying her. " I'm not sure it's control, he replied, thoughtfully.

“About me taking what I want.”

“Isn’t it?” she asked shakingly.

He smiled wryly, and mirth filled his eyes. “Not entirely. You agreed to this, Lily. That gives you more power than you realize.”

She frowned, confused by his words. Even before she could get a word out, Mason shed his jacket and tossed it on a chair over , a bit farther in the room.

"Something small," he murmured, unbuckling the sleeves of his shirts. “Why didn’t you come to me sooner? You knew I could help your brother.”

Lily hesitated, caught off guard by the question. “Because I didn’t want to owe you anything.”

Mason chuckled, the sound low and rich. “And now you owe me everything.”

His words stung, but before she could fire back, he stepped closer. His hands closed in on her center, and she, braced for the usual, prepared herself. On the other hand, not at all. He did not push her any closer, he moved in and his lips touched the back of her ear.

“Relax,” he whispered. “I’m not the monster you think I am.”

What followed was nothing like Lily had expected. Mason did not push her, did not ask for more than she was prepared to give. On the other hand, he appeared to be working on the destruction of her defenses step by step. His caress was gentle, his gestures fluid, as if he was simultaneously responding to and reciprocating her.

By the time of the evening, Lily was, as it were, exhausted. She had prepared herself to experience violation and pain, but she instead experienced something truly unnerving. She felt seen.

As dawn broke, Mason stood by the window once more, the early morning light casting a golden halo around him.

“Your debt is paid,” he said, his voice quiet. “Matt is free.”

Lily nodded, her throat tight. “Thank you.”

Mason turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “This doesn’t have to be the end, you know.”

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You intrigue me, Lily. I’d like to see you again.”

The rhythm of her heart soared but she put on a display of shaking their head to break through the feeling of being exposed. “That wasn’t the deal.”

Deals can change, Mason said, and his lips turned up in a slight smile.

Lily didn’t reply. It wasn't that she got up and grabbed her belongings, no, she just left, all thoughtless, mind blank and void, flowing out of the penthouse.

Lily, as soon as she arrived home at the apartment, just collapsed on the couch, completely exhausted. She reached for her bag , but her fingers came into contact with something which was there.

Pulling a black, glossy envelope with her name in writing on the front by the edge of her teeth she grimaced .

Inside was a contract.

Her stomach dropped as she read the terms this time

One year. Exclusivity. In exchange, complete financial security for your family.

At the bottom was Mason’s signature.

And beneath it, a handwritten note: And beneath it, a handwritten note:

The choice is yours, Lily. But I don’t think you’re done with me yet.

Lily’s hands trembled as she stared at the contract. The horror was far from over; it was clear Mason Stone was determined to make it so.

And, to her dismay, a minute area of her felt that maybe she didn't want him to be.