I sighed. She really wasn’t going to stop until I’d done as she asked.
“Melissa is doing great in her studies,” said Hugh Gardener as he walked into the dining room with his wife and Brian trailing him. “So good that she thinks she’ll finish a semester sooner than she thought.”
“Oh really?” asked Brian as he came around to the head of the table. It never ceased to amaze me how much Mason looked like his father. Brian could be mistaken for his older brother if not for the gray streaks in his hair and the wrinkles around his eyes. “That’s wonderful. I think the same thing will happen for Carly with her journalism pursuit. She’s such a hard worker.”
“I have no doubt about that,” Hugh said, pulling out a chair on the left side of the table and sitting down. “She’s always been a very driven young lady. I’m sure she’ll make a great journalist.” He beamed at me.
“Thank you, Mr. Gardener,” I said politely.
“Oh hi, Carly,” Anne Gardener said as if it was her first time seeing me that day, grabbing a seat next to her husband. “How have you been, dear?”
I flashed a fake smile. “Fine,” I replied. “Just setting the table for Mom.”
“Such a good girl,” Anne complimented.
My fake smile widened.
My mom beamed at our guests, giving no hint that she’d just been bitching at me just a few seconds earlier. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“Thank God,” Hugh said, rubbing his stomach. “I haven’t eaten all afternoon.” He frowned. “Where’s Melissa?”
“I think she said she had to use the bathroom, dear,” Anne replied.
Anne flashed a smile at my mom. “You’ll have to forgive him, he forgets things sometimes.”
“Now, now Anne,” Hugh said. “Don’t’ go spreading rumors.”
Anne playfully tapped her husband on the arm. “You know I’m just playing.”
Hugh grunted noncommittally. “Right.”
“Carly, can you go up and see what’s keeping Mason?” asked Brian. Though he tried to hide it, I could hear the anger in his voice. Mason, with his cocky attitude and massive ego, always made sure he was the last to arrive. “I told him to be down here by now.”
I bit my tongue. I usually had the temerity to defy mom, but I often did as Brian said, especially now since he was paying my tuition.
“Okay,” I said cheerily, flashing another fake smile at the Gardeners. “Be right back!”
As I walked out of the dining room and into the hall, mom had to get the last word in.
“You should’ve done it already,” she hissed under her breath as I passed her.
I kept walking right on by, and even managed to keep the fake smile on my face. But as soon as I hit the stairs, my grin morphed into a scowl.
I should’ve never even came, I thought sourly. Then I wouldn’t have to be subjected to this crap.
“Mason!” I called as I reached the top of the stairs. “It’s dinner time.”
Of course I received no response.
“Mason!” I called again, moving toward his room.
When I reached his door, I was about to knock when I heard music and the sound of . . . creaking wood?
I slowly turned the knob, surprised that it was unlocked, and swung the door open.
A gasp escaped my lips. Chiseled ass, strong muscular thighs, powerful hands squeezing breasts. And Thrusting. Lots of thrusting.
“Fuck me!” Melissa cried softly as Mason pounded her from behind, her head bobbing forward with each thrust.
A torrent of emotions rolled through my body as I gaped in shock at the sight before me.
Lust. Anger. Pain.
“You piece of shit!” I yelled, my limbs suddenly shaking uncontrollably.
I knew that Mason was a whore, but to actually see it with my own two eyes filled me with rage.
He didn’t even miss a thrust as his gaze whipped around on me. I expected him to yell at me to get out, but instead he continued to pound away, gazing at me with that cocky grin of his.
His eyes seemed to say to me, “Yeah, you like it don’t you? You wish it were you.”
Or maybe it was just my subconscious mind saying that.
Melissa, it seemed, was too overwhelmed by pleasure to notice me, her teeth clamped down on one of Mason’s pillows as he railed her.
He started pounding her harder, swiveling his hips, as if to show off, all while looking right at me, the sounds of smacking flesh filling my ears.
It was more than I could take. Gasping for air, I turned and ran from the room.
Don’t cry, don’t cry, I told myself as I raced down the hall and stopped at the staircase. My chest heaving, I struggled to quell the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Don’t let it bother you. You always knew he was like that.
It wasn’t like he was doing anything he hadn’t done a million times before. I just didn’t have to witness it before. I knew should’ve never came home!
I calmed myself as best I could and descended the stairs. By the time I reached the dining room, I was almost entirely composed. I even managed to put my fraudulent smile back on.
Mom looked at me like I was from Mars as I sank into my seat. “Well?”
I played stupid. “Well, what?”