Bound by the strings of desire

ront of her. Mason Blackstone remained propped against the marble-topped bar, deceptively unhurried, but his eye f

olding up a crystal t

oke of threat, the type of threat that left you no choice but to be destroyed. H

, she said finally, her voice steady

l, I'm relieved to say at least that I

owed. "We've o

ty, I feel as though I've known you all along. He moved the

, she took a sip. However, the bubbles did feel against her throat but

kstone? She asked, deciding that it

n transformed away from harmless into somethi

the bottom of the glass between her fingers. "It's vague," sh

er face and engulfed her. "I don't believe in coincidences, Lily. You d

her. "You sound like you've alrea

simply. "I alway

her crave his closeness. There was a raw quality in the way he communicate

t? she retorted, a

sound low and dang

to hold on to the edge of the bar in order to keep from falling. "You

is eyes glinting with de

re she could, her phone buzzed in her purs

away now, or y

mplication was unclear, but ominous, an

ange in her expressi

act, quickly putting the cell pho

on her, and she couldn't help bu

ly. "I'm not a man who enjoys playing

ted, her voice ting

ping to a whisper. "I want you. But I'

in her throat. "And w

w. "From your struggles, your pain. From t

"You don't even know

our mother's illness. The bills are piling up. Like yo

n cold. "How do

took another drink, his eyes fixed on her. "I make it my b

t fascinated her. There was something about Mason that was mesmer

is. arrangement? she asked, he

ly in the space between their two faces, bringing th

e space in between, b

, that every meeting with a man, imagine Mason Blackstone, woul

proposing? she asked,

llbe taking care of everything regarding the treatment of you

rt pounded

mply. "In every w

one step back from them, to space them off. "I don't think

voice like silk. "You're exact

went out and the sound died away in the room. She turned

she asked, her voi

e gave a bland covertly possessive, comforting han

men's party in black suits came in, their appearanc

th Mason and smirked. "Bla

d tightly upon Lil

. "Oh, I think t

kers. She had no idea what was happening, but one thing was cle