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Assessment

Thea squinted in the sudden light that filled the room, her sleepy eyes adjusting to the morning sun streaming in through the windowpanes. She rose and stretched, arching her back as she yawned. She ran a hand through her disheveled hair, “Mason?” The sound of a knife scraping against a plate pulled her out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen.

Mason was already at the kitchen island, nursing a cappuccino from his favorite mug. The steam still lingered in the air, the creamy foam still clinging to the sides, when he turned and beamed up at her. “Morning,” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Thea squinted at the clock and frowned. Her mouth tasted of cotton, and her voice was dry and raspy when she spoke. “It’s 11 am. Why didn’t you wake me up?” she shuffled to a chair at the kitchen island, curled her toes into the cold tile floor, and slumped against the backrest.

Mason chuckled softly, and his voice was deep and warm as he smiled. “You needed the sleep. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Thea yawned, her muscles relaxing as she shook off the last vestiges of sleep. She opened her eyes and raised her arms high above her head, taking a deep breath before letting out a satisfied sigh. “I do feel better,” she said, stretching out the last word with a smile. Her gaze shifted to the clock on the wall, and her smile faded. “What about work?” she asked with a heavy sigh.

Mason bent his head and pressed a soft, tender kiss to her forehead. “I pushed my first meeting back to 2 pm,” he said, setting a plate in front of her. She glanced down, and the dish was filled with golden scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, and fluffy biscuits.

Thea eagerly scooped up a large helping of eggs. With newfound enthusiasm, she shoveled it into her mouth, hastily munching on a piece of bacon. “Thank you, this is delicious!” she spoke between bites. “By the way, I finished your assessment.”

Mason’s mouth curled into an amused smirk, “When did you have time?”

Her lips curled into a sardonic smirk, and she shook her head. “Oh, it was sometime between your mother insulting me and seeing my abusive ex again,” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Mason’s lips curled into a wide smile, and he chuckled. He grabbed the arm of the chair beside her and pulled it closer, settling himself in it. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he leaned toward her, prompting, “Go on then. Hit me with it.”

Thea smiled as she enjoyed the last bite of her breakfast, dabbing her mouth with a crisp white napkin. She looked up to meet Mason’s gaze, eyes slightly narrowed with understanding. “The reason you gravitate to being a Dom is because of your mother,” she said in a gentle tone.

He furrowed his brow, struggling to make sense of her words. “My mother?” he asked, his voice dropping as though he was afraid to speak too loudly. His expression conveyed a mixture of confusion, surprise, and shock.

“You’re her submissive,” Thea replied.

“What?!” Mason exclaimed.

“Not a submissive in that sense,” she said, “It’s more like she’s the master of your life. You don’t get to call the shots in any of it. Work, appearances, relationships, all of it. And being a Dom gives you a way to feel like you have some control over something.”

Mason tensed, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the armrests of his chair. His eyes were hard and focused as he stood, his jaw clenched tight. “So, I’m messed up because I enjoy b**m,” he said, his voice rising in volume.

“No,” Thea stood abruptly, her chair scooting back with the force of her movement. “b**m isn’t bad, and I think you’ve helped me see that. But you shouldn’t do it because you feel like you have no control.”

Mason gulped, feeling the stress of the moment overwhelming him. But then he looked into her eyes and felt a coziness radiating from them. He took a deep breath and asked, “Okay. So what should I do?”

Thea walked calmly over to him and gently but firmly took his hand, guiding him back to the chair. She sat down next to him, her piercing eyes penetrating his soul. “You can either keep trying to numb out the pain with b**m escapism, or you can take the brave path and set some boundaries with Genevieve.”

Mason tilted his head slightly and raised one of his eyebrows, a telltale sign he was questioning the suggestion. “How do you suggest I do that?” he asked in a low, curious tone.

Thea’s gentle touch on his arm was comforting, but her words were firm. “I know you feel obligated, like you owe it to your father now that he’s gone, but you can’t let her keep taking advantage of you. You need to start saying no and drawing some clear boundaries.”

Mason’s face fell, his lips pressed into a thin line. His shoulders slumped, and he exhaled a deep sigh. Tears welled in his eyes as he murmured softly, “I just feel like I’m letting her and my dad down.”

Thea kept her hand on his arm and spoke kindly, “How do you think your dad would feel if he knew how your mother was treating you? You need to make a stand for yourself, Mason. Not for your mother or father, but for you.”

Mason’s lifted his mug of steaming coffee to his lips and took a sip. He sighed deeply as he lowered the cup, his brows furrowed in thought. “You’ve given me a lot to think about,” he said softly.

Thea nodded, a relieved smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She slid off the stool and stepped closer to Mason, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Good. Now that we have that out of the way. I’ll go get ready for work,” she pulled away, her eyes flashing with relief, and headed for her room.

* * *

Mason and Thea approached the office building, Mason’s dread growing with each step. When they entered his office, Addison’s presence immediately threw Mason off-guard. She had been tracing an anxious path up and down the lines of his carpet, but as soon as they walked in, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her voice trembled with remorse as she said, “Thea. I can’t apologize enough.”

Thea quickly raised a hand to stop Addison’s emotional plea, her voice soft but firm. “It’s okay, Addison. It’s all right.”

Addison’s gaze shifted between Mason and Thea, her brow heavy with disapproval. She rolled her jaw, trying to find the right words. “If it makes you two feel any better,” she paused and then sighed. “I thoroughly chewed up and spat out our mother. She’s done some outlandish things, but this was way out of line.”

Thea’s eyes lit up with gratitude as she looked over at Addison. She smiled, her mouth forming a crescent moon and her eyes crinkling in joy. “You’re the best friend a girl could ask for,” she said, feeling an immense joy that Addison was in her corner.

Addison smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with admiration. “Please, she deserved it. And more,” she said earnestly.

Thea glanced at the clock and furrowed her brow. She turned towards Mason, “I’m going to get the case notes from Kim before the meeting.” She shifted her focus between the two of them, “Do either of you need anything?”

Mason replied, “No. I’m good.”

Addison shook her head as well, “Nope. I’m all set.”

Thea disappeared out the door, and Addison spun around to face Mason. She narrowed her eyes, her jaw tense. “You and Thea,” she said in a low, accusing voice. “Are you two dating?”

Mason’s face lit up with a smirk as he stifled a laugh. “It’s none of your business,” he said as he slowly walked around to the other side of the desk.

Addison strolled confidently across the room and perched on the edge of Mason’s desk. She leaned forward as if to emphasize her point. “Come on, Mason. You can tell me,” she said, her voice full of determination.

Mason leaned back in his chair, which creaked beneath his weight. “It’s all new. We’re still trying to figure out everything.”

Addison grinned, her eyes crinkling with amusement. “So, that’s a yes?” Mason’s cheeks tinged pink, and he tried to avoid eye contact. Addison jumped up from the desk and placed her hands on her hips. “You’re blushing!” she exclaimed.

He picked up a pen and pretended to fill out paperwork, avoiding her gaze. “I am not,” he said in a small voice.

Addison stepped forward and threw her arms around him, “You so are,” she said, her voice muffled from the embrace.

“Come on, stop it, Addy!” Mason’s face flushed, and his ears burned as she playfully tugged at him. He tried to brush her away with a laugh, but the embarrassment still lingered in the air.

She smiled at her brother and reached up to pinch his cheek. “Oh, you haven’t called me Addy in so long,” she said fondly. “There’s my loving big brother. I’m really happy for you and Thea. She’s a great person.”

Mason just smiled in agreement, “I know.”

“Anyway, I need to get back to work. I have a meeting with the DA at 1:30.” She winked, “See you later,” she teased one last time and closed the door firmly behind her.

Mason watched Addison’s retreating figure, an amused smile tugging at his lips. Just then, he heard the click of Thea’s shoes against the floor before she reappeared in the doorway. Her hands were filled with folders, and her expression was a mix of curiosity and confusion. She crossed the room and plopped into the chair across from him as she asked, “What’s so funny?”

“Just Addy being Addy,” Mason replied with a fond smile. He felt a closer connection with his little sister for the first time in a while.