Arranging the Conclave

EMMA

I’m jolted awake by a knock on the bedroom door. I assume it’s Levi, so I tell him to come in. But instead, the flight attendant walks in, carrying a tray with three cups of steaming coffee.

“Ma’am, we’ll be landing in an hour. I thought I should wake you up so you can get ready.” I try to sit up, but something heavy is holding me down.

When I open my eyes fully, I gasp. Both Alex and Levi are in bed with me—thankfully, fully clothed. Levi’s hand is resting on my right hip, and I’m facing him.

The weirdest part is that I can feel Alex’s chest against my back, his arm draped over my stomach. What the hell happened? Why are both of them in the same bed as me? I thank the flight attendant after she sets the coffee on the dresser.

I give her a small smile, my face burning. I can only imagine what she’s thinking. Honestly, I’d ~also~ like to know why both of them were in the same bed as me.

I shake both of them, trying to wake them up. Neither one of them stirs. I push them harder, and they finally start to wake up.

“Where are we?” Alex asks, his voice husky.

“Still in the air, we’ll be landing soon,” I answer softly. “Can either of you please explain to me why you’re both in bed with me? I came in here to rest. It wasn’t an invitation to join me.”

Both men exchange a look. I can tell they’re deciding whether to tell me or not.

I lose the last bit of patience I have.

“Just fucking tell me already. You don’t have the right to be in here, either of you. So please explain to me why I’m sandwiched between the two of you, ~now~,”

“Ems, you were screaming and thrashing around in your sleep. You had a nightmare. We came in here trying to wake you up, but we couldn’t. You kept screaming—you only calmed down when we held you.

“Eventually, you settled down. I guess we both fell asleep after that.”

I’m a little unsure why I had a nightmare in the first place, and also why it took the two of them to calm me down. Unsure of what to say, I try to downplay the situation, especially considering my state of undress.

“There’s coffee on the dresser. Could you both leave so I can get dressed and have my coffee in peace?”

After they both leave, cups in hand, I start thinking about what I could have been dreaming about.

My first thought is that it must have been Diablo, as usual; thoughts of him consume me constantly. I wouldn’t be surprised if he consumed my nightmares as well.

It finally hits me that both Levi and Alex saw me almost naked. I am their boss, after all.

It does bother me, but what’s more troubling is the fact that I only calmed down when they held me. Why couldn’t they wake me up? It’s the first time I’ve had a nightmare.

I just wish I could remember what it was about. I drink my coffee and decide a quick shower will do me good.

We’ll be heading to the hotel first to check in before heading to the first meeting.

I’m just glad the meeting with Mason is scheduled toward the end of the trip. Dealing with him first would surely break my confidence.

The things I’ve heard about him so far make me cringe. He’s cruel, ruthless, relentless, and an all-around asshole.

Combining those personality traits with the fact that he’s ranked as number one makes for one daunting individual.

I want the number one spot, and I have to go through him to get it.

When I emerge from the bedroom, I see both guys already in their seats. We’ll be landing soon. I go to my seat and strap myself in.

“Thank you, guys, for calming me down earlier. I don’t know what I was dreaming, but I guess I’m just glad that both of you were here to calm me down,” I say sincerely.

“So, you’re not angry that we slept on the same bed as you?” Alex asks.

“I must admit it’s a bit unusual knowing that I shared a bed with the two of you, especially considering I was almost naked. It just shows me that even asleep I trust the two of you.”

“It seems that we’ve made a little progress, I guess…” I trail off and look out the window, avoiding making eye contact with either of them.

After we land and check into the hotel, we all get dressed for the first of many meetings.

Let the challenges and games begin.

***

We’ve been away from home for two weeks, two whole fucking exhausting weeks. Meeting after meeting, dinner after dinner. We’ve made it to the day of the final meeting, the day I’ve been dreading since this trip started.

All of the meetings we’ve had so far have gone well. Every boss signed with me, making me and the organization stronger. Alex has been keeping tabs on Travis and the club in New York as well as the other clubs.

He’s become a real asset; he’s proven his worth and loyalty ten times over. Levi and I both agree that without him accompanying us on this trip we’d be struggling with everything that needed to be handled.

He only asked me for authorization on one or two things when he was uncomfortable with making a certain decision.

The rest of the time he made the decisions himself and informed me about them when we had our morning meetings.

I’m glad he’s here, and yes, he’s becoming a big part of my life and organization, and even part of my inner circle, which I’m very happy about. I can also see that he’s become more relaxed with me.

Diablo has gone completely off the rails, as I expected. Luis is no longer by his side taking care of him. He’s been drinking a lot and using drugs. He’s a complete and utter mess, but I can’t intervene just yet.

Carly and Travis have broken up, but the club is doing great. Travis is handling everything and more, which surprises me.

He’s been in constant contact with Alex; he even called me once or twice, bouncing a few ideas off me, which I, in turn, said he could implement.

I’m glad he’s finally using his intelligence to make things better without having to be told. All in all, things are working out according to plan, except for Carly and Travis’s breakup.

Even though Carly and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now, she’s still a part of my life. There’s something strange about our breakup, but I can’t quite figure out what it is yet.

After stepping out of the shower, I slip into one of my signature business suits, sans shirt underneath. I opt for a vibrant lime green suit, paired with black stilettos, and use a touch of gray eyeshadow to make my blue eyes pop.

Slipping on the ring Dean gave me, I head over to the bar cart to pour myself a whiskey. I’m meeting Mason for a late lunch—or early dinner, depending on how you look at it—at his mansion.

The guys are all decked out in black suits, black dress shirts, and black shoes. I usually prefer a more casual look, but for this meeting, I thought it’d be more fitting for them to dress up a bit.

We make quite the striking trio; the men’s black attire makes the green of my suit stand out even more.

I just hope everything goes as planned and there aren’t any unexpected surprises waiting for us.

Normally, I don’t bring my firearms along, but I’m not willing to take any risks with this meeting. I strap on my custom-made holster and slide my pistols into place at the back. My jacket conceals them.

I adore my golden Desert Eagle pistols. I had them custom-made just for me.

They’re programmed so that if anyone other than me touches them, they’ll send an electric shock through the person’s hand—kind of like a fingerprint recognition system. I can’t risk being killed by my own guns.

We leave the hotel in a black SUV and arrive at Mason’s mansion in no time. Levi pulls up to the gate and gives my name to the security guard.

The guard checks under the SUV with a car bomb detector before opening the gate to let us through. The security here is tight.

When we finally pull up to the mansion, there are probably fifteen men waiting for us. Mason is definitely not taking any chances. We get out of the SUV, and we’re immediately stopped at the entrance.

I know what’s coming; we’re going to be frisked for weapons. All three of us are carrying guns. Shit. Mason won’t allow any of us to enter his house armed.

Levi and Alex are relieved of their weapons. None of the men try to frisk me. I wonder why?

My question is answered when I see a man approach us from behind the security squad. I can only assume it’s Mason. As he gets closer, I notice he’s wearing a black suit, black shirt, and a red tie.

He finally stops in front of me. I have to look up to see his face. He’s really tall—I’d guess six-five—with black hair, green eyes, and a strong jawline.

A five o’clock shadow accentuates his features, and his enticing lips draw me in. He’s a very handsome man. I can see a hint of a tattoo peeking out from the collar of his shirt. I wonder what it is. I love tattoos.

If I wasn’t already in love with a green-eyed god, I’d definitely let myself be swept away by his attractiveness. I notice that he’s also giving me a once-over.

If I had to guess his age, I’d say he’s no more than thirty.

“Finally, we meet, Emma. I’m Mason Magaddino. It’s nice to meet you.” He extends his hand for me to shake.

I notice that his hands are quite large compared to mine. His touch sends a shockwave through my entire body.

“In the flesh,” I say, quickly pulling my hand from his grip.

“Do you mind if I frisk you, Emma? I instructed my men not to do it, as I wanted to be the one to touch your beautiful body.”

“You’ll find that I’m carrying my two babies behind my back, but I don’t think you want to take them from me, Mr. Magaddino.”

“And why is that, Emma? I can’t have you armed in my house. I think it’s best if you leave the dangerous toys in your car.”

“I disagree, Mr. Magaddino. The only way this meeting is happening is if I have my guns with me. If you don’t allow that, I might as well get into my car and leave now.

“Your men are all armed. You’ve already taken my bodyguards’ guns. The least you can do is let me keep mine.”

I can see the conflict in his eyes as he considers my demand.

“My dear Emma, the stories I’ve heard of what you can do ~without~ guns are chilling enough. I’m sure you don’t need them. But for the sake of good faith, I’ll allow it.

“This time only. Next time leave them at home,” he orders me.

“Thank you kindly, Mr. Magaddino,” I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Please, enough with the ‘Mr.’ nonsense. It’s ‘Mason.’ You make it sound like you’re addressing my father—and baby, I’m not my father.”

“Please, let’s break bread and have some wine while we talk business.”

We start walking up the stairs to the mansion, Mason’s men parting to let us through. Mason places his hand on my lower back, guiding me to the entrance of the house.

His hand moves lower, slipping under my jacket before moving upward again toward the guns. I know he’s trying to disarm me.

My lips start twitching. When Mason goes to remove one of the guns, he abruptly jumps back from the shock the gun sends through his hand.

“What the fuck, Emma?”

“Oh, sorry Mason. I forgot to tell you. They’re custom made. If anyone touches them except me it sends a small bolt of electricity through the person’s hand.”

“No one can touch or use them except me,” I say, laughing at him.

“You’re definitely living up to your reputation, Emma. Who would have thought. I just assumed they were rumors, but here you are proving them to be true. I must say I’m thoroughly impressed.”

We make our way to the dining room and take our seats.

All of Mason’s guards stand behind him at the dinner table, while Levi and Alex take their positions behind me, one on each side. They leave enough space for Mason and me to have a private conversation.

“Listen, Emma. I know what you’re capable of. Frankly, I’m pleasantly surprised by your accomplishments. Everyone I’ve spoken to only has good things to say about you.”

“You don’t take any shit. You get to the point and you get the job done. You’re not melodramatic like most women and you don’t fuck around; you tell it like it is.”

“You’re a breath of fresh air, Emma. But we both know there can only be one top dog. I’m not ready to step down without a fight.”

“I don’t want anyone to die over this either. How about we call a meeting with the other bosses? They can vote on who gets to be number one.”

“We’re evenly matched, so it seems fair to let them decide. What do you think?”

“I’m with you, Mason. No more blood needs to be spilled over this. How about we hold the meeting in a week at my club in New York?”

“I’ll arrange some entertainment for the men, separate from their wives. I’m guessing all the spouses will be there too?”

“That’s usually how it goes, Emma.”

“I like to shake things up a bit, Mason. The invitations will make it clear: spouses are welcome. All the wives should wear red, and the men should wear black.”

“The women I hire to entertain the men afterward will be in yellow. As the hostess, I’ll be in black, and the men entertaining the wives will be in black jeans and purple shirts.”

“This way, no boss will mess around with another's wife, and vice versa. I know how things can get at these gatherings.”

“Lastly, neither of us can contact the other bosses to try and sway their votes.”

“I’m on board, Emma. You’re really stepping into this role with confidence and authority. I like it. Almost makes me wish we weren’t rivals going into this meeting.”

We finish our meal in silence, now that the rules and arrangements have been set.

There’s no reason to linger after dinner. Everything’s been arranged and finalized.

I stand up from the table, and Mason follows suit.

“Mason, can I ask how old you are?” I’ve been curious about this little detail since we got here.

“I’ll be twenty-nine in a few weeks. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious, that’s all. It’s not important.”

“And how old are you, Emma?”

“Twenty-three. I’ll be twenty-four in a few months.”

“You’re kidding me. A twenty-three-year-old woman with this much power? Damn, that’s something.”

I laugh at his reaction. We head outside to the SUV, and Mason opens my door for me.

“Emma, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Mason. What’s up?”

“Can I kiss you? I’ve been wanting to kiss you since you got here. Your lips are so tempting, and when you bite your bottom lip like you’re doing now, it makes me want to kiss you even more.”

“Mason, I don’t think that’s a good idea. We just met tonight, and with everything that’s going on, I don’t see this ending well.”

“We’re not going to have sex, Emma. It’s just a kiss. Please?”

I’m not sure what to do or say. This is a first for me, and not something I expected. I’m in love with Diablo.

But I know Mason. From what I’ve learned about him tonight, he’s not one to back down until he gets what he wants. And right now, he wants to kiss me.

“As long as you don’t read anything into it, Mason. This doesn’t change anything between us. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” he says, his voice filled with anticipation. The word “crystal” brings back memories of that night with Diablo and Crystal.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I look up into Mason’s green eyes, now a dark emerald color.

He leans down toward me, stopping just before our lips touch. “So fucking beautiful,” he whispers, then closes the gap between us.

His lips are soft, and he tastes like wine with a hint of mint.

Mason runs his tongue over my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I let him in, and he slides his tongue into my mouth, playing with mine. He lets out a soft moan.

Pulling back a bit, he bites my bottom lip before kissing me again. He deepens the kiss, pulling me closer, and moans softly.

I can feel his arousal pressing against my stomach through his pants. That’s enough to snap me back to reality. I break the kiss and pull away from him.

“I think that’s enough, Mason. Goodnight. See you in a week.” I turn and get into the waiting SUV, closing the door behind me. When I look back, I see Mason’s shocked expression.

I wonder why he asked to kiss me in the first place. It didn’t mean anything to me. Sure, he’s a good kisser—but he’s not Diablo.

So why does he look so taken aback?