Page 16 of Love Corrupted
“I know you.” He shrugged. “And before you ask, I had an implant put in your arm the night you came with me. That’s why the cotton was there.”
I knew I could either be upset or be relieved. I tried not to let the second emotion broadcast on my face, but it was too late—he saw it. The same look I’d seen before, that almost seemed like hurt, flashed across his face again.
“Don’t worry, Katie-Kat. When I want you pregnant, you’ll know.”
“You said when I found my sister I could go home,” I reminded him.
“And did you somehow think me sending you home would free you?”
He tucked his phone into his pocket and gave me his undivided attention.
I hadn’t thought much beyond the wordsgo home.I suppose it was naïve of me to think Mason would simply give me up. Even more naïve was the ridiculous part of me that didn’t want him to.
Not wanting to dwell on those thoughts, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and told him I was ready to go.
Chapter Twelve
Mason stood beside me as I looked up and down the corridor, giving me no hints as to what door had what behind it. Twelve doors, and I had to pick seven in seven days.
“What’s the catch to this?” I turned and asked him. He looked at me but he didn’t answer. Ever since the birth control topic had come up, he’d been more withdrawn than usual.
I had to remind myself that he was just a man. He was strong, cold, and painfully ruthless, but he was still just a man, and he had feelings. I had no idea what kind of things went on his head. Ihatedthat I could unintentionally hurt him.
“No catch. You just have to deal with whatever you find on the other side,” he explained.
“Why can’t you just tell me?” I muttered, more to myself than to him.
“Its better this way.”
With a jerky nod, I began to move again.
1…2…3…4…
“This one.” I gestured to the fourth door on my right.
“Are you sure?” Mason asked, studying me in the way he always did.
I nodded, trying to ignore the sweat building up on my palms.
“Go ahead. It’s open.” The grin on his face and the gleam in his eye had me regretting my decision. Exhaling a shaky breath, I opened the door and slowly walked inside. As soon as my eyes landed on the girl in the middle of the room, I immediately wanted to backtrack.
What wasshedoing here?
“Mason.” I looked at him, alarmed, confusion clear in my tone. “Why is she here?”
“Because she hurt you,” he answered slowly, like that should have been my first conclusion.
I glanced back at the pretty redhead restrained to one of the altered dental chairs.
Shehadhurt me, but it was with words, not physical violence. Macy used to come into the diner where I worked and make countless comments about me, laughing loudly for added measure.
I wasn’t really sure why she didn’t like me. Janice, my old boss, said it was because some people were just assholes—judgmental, stuck-up assholes who thought the world owed them something.
“How did you get her here?” I kept my attention on Macy, who had now turned her head to stare at me. Oddly, I didn’t exactly feel guilt, seeing her like this.
“I pretended I was going to fuck her,” he openly admitted.
“Did you touch her?” The question was out of my mouth before I could stop it, and it sounded angrier than I’d intended. Mason’s face split with a Cheshire cat-like grin.
