Deceitfully Yours by Bethany Bazile Page B

you?”
    “It ’s not what you think.” My jaw is aching from his punishing grip, but I still manage an attempt at saving us.
    “I think it is.” He releases my face, and I can feel a throbbing pain. “I can almost forgive Shane for wanting to be with you. You ’re sexy and mysterious with a quiet innocence about you. That’s why you’re so good at what you do. Men never think a sweet girl like you is conning them.” He walks across the room and sits at the edge of a table. “What I can’t forgive is how Shane thought he could steal from me. The stupid fuck thought he could actually get into my safe, take my money, and run off with you.”
    What? Why would Shane do something so risky?
    “If he was smarter, he’d have gotten you to do it. Shit, I taught you myself. I know you could get into my safe undetected.”
    This is true. Mason taught me how to break into safes using the one he has in his office. If Shane had told me what he was planning, I would’ve told him Mason doesn’t keep money in that safe. The safe is a decoy.
    He walks over and pulls me up from my seat. His dark eyes bore into mine. He passes his finger over what has to be the beginning of bruises on my face. “You disappointed me.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward a back room. When he opens the door I nearly keel over and lose my lunch.
    Shane is kneeling on the floor, badly beaten. His face is swollen and bleeding, almost to the point of unrecognition. “Oh my God,” I whisper. As soon as Mason releases his hold on me, I ’m kneeling in front of Shane, gripping his hand.
    “I ’m sorry,” he whispers, pain laced in his voice.
    “No, no , don’t be sorry.” I reach out to wipe his face, but pull my hand back when he flinches from my touch.
    Mason walks up behind him and grips his hair, pulling his head back. His answering hiss pierces my heart. “You betrayed me for this piece of shit.”
    “Mason, please, I ’ll do whatever you want.”
    “You don ’t have anything to bargain with. I already own you.” He releases Shane and walks behind me. He pulls me up by my arm. My back is against him, and I can see Shane watching me with fear. “Now do you understand why I taught you never to sleep with your next con? Because you can’t disconnect. You let this piece of shit fuck you, and now you’re looking for some kind of happy ending.”
    There ’s a clicking sound, and cold metal is pressed against my temple. “In this business I can’t just let people betray me and steal from me without consequences.”
    My legs are quaking, and I can see Shane fighting against his bonds to save me. “Someone has to pay.”
    The blast of the gun is deafening. Warm liquid trickles down my legs. I want Shane’s face to be the last thing I see before I die, but I was the last thing he saw before he died. Mason moves the gun at the last second.
    The bullet hit him in the chest, perfectly aimed at his heart. He gasped and cackled for air before he collapsed.
    Lifeless in seconds.
    How can someone live for twenty-four years and cease to exist in three gut-wrenching seconds?
    My screams are endless. I collapse to my knees, too afraid to touch him but needing to be near him. Mason tries to drag me out of the room as a big guy comes in and takes my Shane. I claw and scratch at Mason ’s face, trying to get him angry enough to kill me too. At least then I wouldn’t have to feel like I’m choking on my grief. But nothing I do gets the reaction I want from Mason. He just calmly says to me, “Next time you betray me that will be you.”
    I was molded into everything Mason wanted me to be that night, and I haven ’t even tried to hope for more since.

Chapter Thirteen
    Kylie

 
    I’ve been stalling for a whole week , but I’ve finally dragged myself to Erik’s office. I walk into the building and go straight to his floor. I don’t know what cover Mason and Erik use to keep these offices, but I know for sure the business they do can’t