Chapter 13: Chapter 13

As soon as the Samsung QLED monitors were positioned and connected, Elnora moved to retrieve the Alienware laptops, but not before plugging in the keyboards and mouse. She couldn’t help but steal a glance at Mason, who was typing away on his phone with the kind of focus that made her wonder what could possibly be more important to him than keeping an eye on her.

Despite herself, Elnora was impressed. The speed and efficiency with which everything for her setup had been arranged was nothing short of astounding. No doubt Mason had pulled some serious strings, probably cracked a few ribs, to make it all happen so fast.

As she set the mount components on the desk and grabbed the bolts and screws, a sense of satisfaction settled in. This was her favourite part—piecing everything together just the way she liked it. She was in control here, at least for now.

“I can help you with that,” Mason offered, his voice cutting through her concentration as he rose from his chair and crossed the room in five brisk steps. His hand reached for the screwdriver lying next to her.

Elnora slapped his hand away, shooting him a stern look. “You’re only here if I need you, and I don’t.”

For a moment, he stared at her, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes, before he returned to the chair by the doorway. As he sat down, crossing his legs and leaning back comfortably, his gaze never left her, watching her with an intensity that was both unsettling and oddly flattering. It was as if he’d never seen anyone work like this before, and the attention made her skin prickle.

She continued installing the laptop lift mounts at her workstation, annoyed that she had to hunch over to work since Mason had taken her chair hostage. When she finished the first mount, she moved on to the second, making sure both were properly stationed before reclining them to her satisfaction.

A thought crossed her mind, and she turned to look at Mason, who was still watching her, waiting—no, daring her to need him. It was sweet in a twisted sort of way, but also disturbing. She was convinced Mason was the real don of the Castelli family. Didn’t he have better things to do?

“Need something now?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yes. I just realized there’s no TV in my bedroom,” she said, her tone casual, but her eyes sharp, waiting for his reaction.

Mason sighed, looking away in exhaustion. “I understand, this isn’t a getaway resort,” she continued, throwing his own words back at him. “But my kryptonite is entertainment; I can’t do without it while I’m here.”

Amused, Mason leaned back further in his chair, a sly smile playing on his lips. “I can think of a few other entertaining things you could do here,” he said, his tone low and suggestive.

“I suppose. Even so, I would still need more entertainment after a few rounds of passionate lovemaking with Kristine, don’t you think?” Elnora shot back, her eyes locked on his.

Mason’s eyes narrowed, the intensity of his gaze sending a spike of adrenaline through her. She knew she was poking the lion in his den, but she wanted him irritated enough to leave. Instead, he did nothing more than adjust in the chair, his expression unreadable.

“That can be arranged,” he said finally, his voice calm, almost too calm. “It’ll be ready by the time you’re done.” He glanced at the gold watch on his left wrist. “So how long is all this going to take?”

Elnora smirked. “As long as it takes, Mason. All day and well into the night.” An obvious lie, a couple more hours and she would be ready to get started on her Faraday cage. “I want to make sure that everything is set up correctly before I get started on software.”

His gorgeous eyes twinkled at her, and her heart squeezed tightly. “You are uncomfortable with my presence,” he observed.

“Honestly, I’m curious about your purpose for being here,” she replied.

“I told you earlier that I would change your mind about mixing work with pleasure. That can’t be accomplished through a computer.”

“So you intend to stalk and lord over me until I’m finished with the network?”

“No.” He replied with a firm tone.

She stared at him for a while, waiting for him to elaborate, but when he remained silent, she returned to her task. Setting the laptops up on the mounts, she plugged the cables into the power outlet to charge. Each movement was precise, methodical—a calculated effort to ignore the man watching her every move.

After stacking the empty boxes neatly to the side, Elnora dragged the box containing the routers closer to her workstation. A grin spread across her face as she cut the box open, revealing the multiport industrial router inside.

“Is this like sex for you?” Mason’s voice cut through her thoughts. “There’s something almost orgasmic about the way you’re ogling that router.”

Elnora turned to him, gauging the curiosity in his eyes. So this was it—he was here to learn, to dissect her every move. She chuckled, shaking her head. “It seems Icarus isn’t interested in heeding my warning.”

His jaw tightened, the muscles rippling beneath his skin. “There’s no willpower left in him at this point. Perhaps the sun could dim her light a bit,” he replied.

“Fat chance. I intend to scorch you,” she grinned.

They laughed briefly, and then she returned her attention to the router with a queasy breath. Elnora turned her attention back to the router, skimming over the specifications before quickly plugging it in and connecting it to each of the four systems. She needed a faster, more secure network, so she unboxed the second router and added it to her station. This setup was as close as she could replicate her own.

With her hands on her hips, she scanned the workstation, a sense of satisfaction washing over her.

Then she snapped her head back to Mason. “Is it possible to get these empty boxes out of here? I need to set up the system and go online. They’re interfering with my flow.”

The phone in his hand dinged, drawing his attention. He eyed the unopened boxes before glancing at his screen.

“Those go in the Faraday cage, M,” she added, a smirk tugging at her lips.

His expression hardened instantly. “Don’t call me that,” he said, his tone cold and biting. “Not M. Not boss. It’s Mason.”

Even though she had a lot of follow-up remarks, Mason’s glare froze her tongue. She nodded, retreating behind the desk as she watched him type away on his phone. This was the moment she should have leaned back in her chair in satisfaction, but Mason still held it hostage. When his gaze suddenly flicked up to meet hers, she quickly looked away from him.

“Say it,” he commanded.

With her gaze still averted, she muttered, “I need the chair.”

Through the corner of her eye, Elnora saw him stand, the chair sliding back with a soft scrape across the floor. As he lingered behind her, his body pressed against her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, making her skin tingle with anticipation. A shiver ran down her spine as his breath brushed against her neck.

“I’m certain you’re not scared of me,” he murmured as he leaned in closer behind her, brushing his lips against her ear.

Her eyes fluttered shut at the warmth of his breath, the intoxicating scent of him flooding her senses. “If you must know,” she whispered, her voice betraying a tremor, “I am frightened to my core.”

“Considering that, how come you called me an ass hat?” he asked, and she heard the smile in his voice.

Elnora turned to face him, frowning slightly. “No. I was very particular with my words,” she corrected. “I believe it was entitled mafia prick.”

A smile spread across his face, slow and spurring. “But you’re terrified?” he repeated, as if savouring the contradiction.

She grinned, the absurdity of the situation hitting her all at once. “To my bones,” she admitted, the words barely more than a whisper.

His gaze flicked down to her lips, and Elnora felt a dry swallow catch in her throat. The hunger in his eyes was hypnotic, and before she could react, Mason cupped her face in his hands, pulling her into a kiss that stole the breath from her lungs.

“Crap,” she muttered against his lips. She was playing right into his hands, and she knew it. Elnora tried to pull away, to regain some semblance of control, but Mason wasn’t having it. His grip tightened, pulling her deeper into the kiss, his lips demanding, relentless.

He kissed her with a torrid intensity, each touch igniting a fire that spread through her veins. His scent, masculine and heady, wrapped around her like a shroud, clouding her thoughts. Elnora’s resolve crumbled as her legs buckled under the weight of her own desire, and Mason seized the moment, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist, her body surrendering to the heat of the moment.

In one smooth motion, he grabbed the nape of her neck, breaking the kiss with a deliberate slowness that left her gasping for air. His lips trailed down her neck, sending shivers down her spine as she trembled in his arms. Mason’s touch was both gentle and possessive, a contradiction that left her reeling.

No mixing business with pleasure, my ass, she thought bitterly, as the lines between the two blurred beyond recognition.