Embedded

First Session

Suddenly, Gina materialized from the shadows. Her expression was severe, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. The couple who had been speaking about her scattered in opposite directions like roaches. Gina shifted her weight and crossed her arms as she spoke, “I just wanted to catch you before you left,” she said, her voice low and strained. “Be careful with Mason. He can never not be in control. He’s damaged and been broken for too long and can’t be put back together.”

Thea c****d her head to the side and widened her eyes, feigning innocence. “Really?” she asked slowly, as if she actually believed the statement, but in reality, she was all ears, eager for more information.

The corners of Gina’s mouth turned down, and her eyes were sad as she spoke, “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not trying to paint him in a bad light. He’s a good man. He just has a problem with loving women. He can be sweet and charismatic and make you feel like you are the only one in the world who matters...but he’ll never feel the same way about you. He’ll never be able to be vulnerable with someone else. It’s not his fault. It’s how he was raised and how he will always be. All that matters is that you know what you’re getting into.”

Thea turned to fetch a replacement flute of bubbly from a tray presented by a server and glanced back, only to find that Gina had disappeared into the crowded ballroom. Thea stirred the honey-colored liquid of her drink in her glass, eyes occasionally glancing around the crowded room. Across the space, she saw Mason, his strong jawline illuminated by the soft light of the chandelier. He was surrounded by a small group of people, deep in conversation, but his eyes suddenly shifted her way. It was as if time slowed down, and their gazes locked. A warm, genuine smile spread across his face, and he began to walk through the crowded room toward her. “Ready to go?” he asked.

Thea slowly lifted the glass to her lips as she tipped it back and finished the last of her drink in one final, determined gulp. “Yes, please.”

“Good,” Mason smiled and relieved Thea of her empty glass, placing it on a nearby waiter’s silver tray. He entwined their fingers and led her away toward the door. Thea glanced over her shoulder to find Gina standing in the middle of the room, her icy gaze seeming to follow them until they stepped out of the door and into the night.

Mason led her to his car. She shivered as they walked, the frigid winter air slicing through her thin coat. The car hummed to life, and they drove in silence, the headlights illuminating the otherwise dark road ahead of them. As they rode, she looked out the car window as the snow swirled in small flurries, calming her restless mind. She watched it settle on the ground, remembering what she had learned in rapid succession at the party while desperately trying to make sense of it all.

The car’s engine hummed to a stop, and they climbed out. They walked towards the garage door, which opened to a long foyer. A gilded elevator with ornate doors stood in the center of the space. Mason tapped his card against the reader, and with a soft whirr, the doors opened. The elevator hummed smoothly as they ascended. Mason’s silence was so thick that it almost seemed to match the labored purr of the machine. When the doors opened on the top floor, Mason slowly shuffled into the vast and luxurious penthouse, pausing to take in the panoramic views. He dropped like a rock onto the leather chaise, and Thea sat beside him, the soft cushion giving way with a sigh, “How was it seeing your ex?” her gentle question cut through the heavy atmosphere as Mason’s gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

“Tiring…” He sighed, the long day finally coming to a close. But when he looked at her, his fatigue melted away. The floor-length red gown she wore sparkled in the dim light, and her hair was styled in soft waves around her face. He grinned and said, “...but it was worth every second to see you in that dress tonight.”

Thea refused to let the subject be changed. She maintained eye contact as she spoke, her voice calm yet firm. “What happened between you two?” she asked, shifting the conversation back to the topic at hand.

Mason shifted in his seat and looked Thea in the eye. He felt a chill in the air as the gravity of his past relationship with Gina hit him. “She used to be my submissive. I wanted to be everything she wanted, but in the end, I couldn’t bring myself to give her what she craved.”

Thea leaned in closer, her eyes widening with curiosity. “What’s that?” she asked, her voice barely a murmur.

He clenched his teeth and hissed the word, “Control,” his face was tense as he continued, “It was months later when I found out she was cheating on me with the son of one of our clients.” He loosened his tie and nervously ran a hand through his hair. His jaw tightened as he added, “I just thank God I didn’t run into him at the party tonight.”

Thea’s eyebrows were furrowed in concern as she leaned forward, “How do you feel about what happened?” Her voice was gentle but persistent, and her gaze was fixed on him, making it clear she wasn’t going to give up until he opened up to her.

Mason shifted in his chair and glanced out of the window, unable to look at her. His face was wracked with sorrow, and his eyes glistened as if he was on the verge of tears. He could still smell the man’s spicy cologne drifting around him and picture the burgundy satin sheets scattered across the bedroom floor as if it had happened only yesterday. “I felt so embarrassed and devastated,” he said in a low voice, his fists clenching and unclenching. “I’ll never let it happen again.” Thea remained quiet, her brows furrowed, and her lips pursed as she mulled over the information. He glanced over at her, taking in her thoughtful demeanor. “So, what’s the diagnosis, doc?” he asked half-heartedly.

Her eyes cast down as she muttered, “Well….” She started to bend down to undo her strapped heels, but Mason beat her to it. He gently pulled her foot into his lap and began unlacing her shoe. His fingers were warm against her skin, “You take on a lot of divorce cases that deal with infidelity because of your past with Gina,” she said as he undid the buckle. He dropped the first shoe to the ground and started on the second. “You relate to these cases on a personal level, and it’s nothing wrong with that. But Gina did come up to me at the party,” his fingers faltered for a moment, but he kept working.

Mason’s eyes flickered across her face, desperate for an answer. “What did she say?” he asked.

“To be careful of you. That you’re damaged.” Thea’s words came out softly, yet she felt like they had the power to knock him off his feet. Her words hung in the air like a thick fog, making it hard to breathe. Mason slipped off her other shoe, dropping it next to the other on the floor as he sat quietly, a mix of shock and sadness floating across his features. She kept talking, aware of the fact that she was probably breaking his heart, “Gina thinks she was your one last chance at love.”

Mason’s familiar ocean-blue eyes had turned stormy. Thea watched as the hurt welling inside him seemed to be held back by some unknown force. Then, in a split second, the hurt vanished, and his expression became an emotionless mask. He stared out the window at the bustling city street below for what felt like an eternity before eventually heaving a long sigh and softly muttering, “She’s wrong.”

Thea’s sigh seemed to hang in the air for a moment before dissipating into the room and breaking the silence. She carefully rose from the couch, her movement graceful yet determined. Her gaze was fierce, her voice low and stern. “Then prove her wrong,” she said. Mason felt his heart race as they stared at each other; the words she had just spoken shook him to his core. With a resolute nod, Thea grabbed her high heels from the hardwood floor and made her way towards her bedroom door, her long red dress trailing behind her like a cape. The door clicked shut, and Mason found himself alone with his thoughts.