ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (298 page)

Lily’s heart fluttered, Mason was going to be ok. “I will and thank you,” Lily whispered, she owed the doctor everything she had but for now she hoped thank you would suffice.

The doctor nodded and walked quickly away; leaving Lily alone at the door that led to the man she loved. With a deep breath she pushed open the door, nowhere near ready for what awaited her but not caring in the slightest.

“I should have known it would be you,” Mason laughed dryly, his words were weak and muffled but the sarcasm still seemed to drip through.

Lily stared at him and fresh tear ran steadily down her cheeks. The sarcasm that made her smile was the only thing that was right about the scene in front of her. Sure enough Mason looked at her through his bright blue eyes but as much as she told herself not to, Lily stared at the tubes attached to him and fear filled her. His normally messy brown hair was messy for all the wrong reasons now and blood still stuck to the strands.

“Mason,” Lily whispered, daring to take a step closer to his bed.

Mason’s face softened as he looked at Lily and saw the fear in her chocolate brown eyes, he had never wanted this. “Don’t cry Lily, trust me, it’s not as bad as it looks,” he said softly.  With a little effort he pulled himself up on the bed, forcing away the wince as a shot of pain pounded his body.

Lily took a step closer, regardless of Mason’s words her eyes were still watering. “How could I ever trust you again?” she whispered. Her eyes met Mason’s and he saw anger there now, this time he could not hold back the wince of pain but it had nothing to do with his aching body.

“I can explain,” he said, praying that she would find a way, any way to forgive him.

“Yet you never do Mason,” she said and as quickly as the anger had come it was replaced with sadness.

“I saw you with that guy you know, I’m not the only one who needs to explain,” Mason shot back at her. He regretted the hurtful words as soon as they left his lips yet he couldn’t take them back, not now.

Lily’s tears dried up and she glared at the man she loved, wishing for the first time in her life that she didn’t. Mason saw the hatred in Lily’s normally soft eyes; he had been waiting for the hate, since the very first time he had kissed her he had waited for the day. However much he had been expecting it, it did nothing to sooth the pain, hate didn’t belong in Lily’s eyes and he had been the one to cause it.

“Chris is my friend and unlike you he hasn’t left me, he has always been there Mason,” Lily shouted.

“He didn’t look like just a friend to me,” Mason spat back.

Lily took a step away from Mason, she had never wanted Mason to change, she loved him for who he was, but this side of him; this side full of hate was something she had never seen. “What would you know about friendship?” Lily retorted.

Mason glared back at her, his anger was nothing compared to the fear he felt, he had become the person he had never wanted to be. He had become the person who harmed the ones he loved for as Lily stood staring at him, her eyes full of anger and hurt, he knew he loved her.

Chapter Eight

“Just go Lily, nobody asked you to be here,” Mason said despite every part of him screaming not too. He knew he was in too deep now, that there was no coming back.

Lily’s eyes were dry, the shock barely registered as Mason rejected her so casually. “No,” she stated her voice weak but full of resolve, she couldn’t give up on him, not so easily.

“I want you to leave,” Mason said, he couldn’t hurt her anymore.

Lily walked towards where Mason lay on the bed; all the fear was gone now. “Nobody ever asked me to stay Mason because nobody had to, I want to be here whether you want it or not. Three weeks ago I told you that I loved you and I meant it. I don’t know what love means to you Mason but to me it means that you don’t give up. You are sarcastic, arrogant and more often than not a complete jerk but I whether you understand it or not, that I why I love you,” Lily breathed. The words that she had bottled up for so long came pouring out in one breath, she had laid her cards on the table, shown every hand she had, now she knew it was up to Mason to accept it or not.

Mason stared at Lily, saw the honestly in her soft brown eyes and he couldn’t doubt her words. A small smirk twisted at his lips and he opened his arms to her, hoping that just maybe she would come to him. “I can’t Mason,” Lily cried, “not until you tell me what you want from me. If you don’t want me Mason, tell me to leave, not just with words, I want to see it on your face, tell me you don’t want me,” each word was like a shot of pain straight to her heart, she didn’t know if she could cope through what her words told him to do.

Mason’s arms dropped and he felt the true sensation of being alone for the first time in his life. He could let her go, he could save her anymore hurt, hurt he knew he would surely cause. “I can’t do that,” he whispered.

“Why?” Lily asked quickly.

“Because I’m selfish,” Mason answered. The weight of Lily’s eyes grew too much and with a sadness he didn’t know he was capable of he dropped his gaze.

“Well I could have told you that,” Lily chuckled and for the smallest of moments the tension in the room disappeared and it was like it had been during the summer; happy, carefree and just the two of them in a world of their own.

“Thanks,” Mason muttered a smirk on his lips.

Silence fell and the harsh reality of what was happening weighed down on them both, neither having expected the night to turn out this way. “You promised me you would stay Mason,” Lily whispered.

“I never broke that promise,” Mason said quietly. He dared to look back up at Lily only to find her staring her at the floor, her long blonde hair hiding her features.

In an instant her eyes were back on his and the intensity of them almost knocked the breath out of Mason. “Three weeks Mason, not a single word, you left me so you could do this, you left me to go kill yourself at some stupid competition. I guess congratulations is in order, well done on winning the race and losing everything else in the process, good job Mason,” Lily fumed.

“It was for you,” Mason shouted, admitting the thing he never thought he would.

Lily paused, her anger making way for the confusion that claimed her overwhelmed mind. “For me?” she whispered.

“You wanted normal, you wanted a life I could only ever dream of giving you. When I had the money I was going to make that dream come true Lily. I wanted to give you everything; a house and even a bloody dog if that was what you wanted,” Mason retorted. The anger in his words did nothing to effect the impact they had on Lily.

Lily’s eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Mason. “I only ever wanted you Mason, just you,” she said with a small smile.

“And how long would that have been enough?” Mason said harshly.

“Say it Mason,” Lily whispered, she was sure now, more sure than ever.

“Don’t make me,” Mason said quietly, his eyes widening as he realized what she meant.

“Say it or I leave and this time it will be for good Mason, no more chances,” Lily breathed. She was gambling on her life, on her love and on everything.

Mason leant up in his bed and with a wince of pain he pulled the first of many tubes out of arms. “What are you doing?” Lily screamed.

Mason smirked at her. “If I’m going to do this, at least let me do it right,” he laughed.

The machines beside him buzzed and multiple alarms went off as he struggled to pull the last of the wires from his body. With a staggered step he climbed out of bed but Lily was there before he could fall, holding him close.  “Lily,” Mason whispered, he had missed what it felt like to hold her more than anything.

His hand caught her cheek, cupping it softly as he cradled her in his shaking arms. “Yes?” Lily breathed.

His fingers brushed away the tears from her pale cheeks and for the first time in weeks she felt her body come alive under his touch. She stared at the man she loved and she waited. Mason’s hands moved higher, gently stroking away the stray strands of blonde hair that had dropped into Lily’s eyes.

It had been so long since she had felt his touch and with each overly careful brush of his skin on hers electric thundered though her, igniting her body and her heart. Far too slowly he moved closer, holding her tighter to his aching chest and then when she thought he never would again, he claimed her lips for his own.

So soft and so tender Lily moaned against the touch, it was different to how he had ever kissed her before. Where he was once fuelled by passion and desire, it was now something different that guided his lips so softly over his, it was love. “Mason,” Lily breathed.

Her arms wrapped around his back, holding him as tightly as she dared. His lips pressed harder, biting gently down on her lips until she allowed him access. Masons scent swirled with hers and Lily felt like nothing in the world could pull them apart now. “Let me speak now before I lose my nerve,” Mason chuckled and only now did Lily realize she was holding onto him tightly, her lips examining every part of his.

“Sorry,” Lily murmured, a small blush forming at her cheeks.

“Never apologize Lily,” Mason said with a smirk.

He pulled away from her, Lily wanted to hold on; she too scared to let him go but his eyes promised her something, something she had been waiting for. Lily closed her eyes, waiting for the words she needed to hear the most but as the seconds passed there was only silence. Slowly she opened her eyes, letting them become accustom to the overly-bright hospital lights.

In front of her was Mason, his face screwed up in pain but sure enough, as much as she rubbed her eyes, Mason was in front of her, Mason was on one knee. He captured her shaking hand as his eyes met hers and the pain disappeared from his face. “Lily, you gave me a summer I could never forget. When I’m with you I can be myself and so much more, but the best thing is that you love me for that, you love me for who I am, the good and the bad. Lily, I can promise you I will do everything I can to make you as happy as you have made me. I know it won’t be easy but, will you marry me Lily? You love me Lily and I…”

“What the hell is going on?”

Staring into the eyes of her dad, Lily felt her world come crashing down. “We can explain.” Lily and Mason said in unison, both knowing that an explanation might not cut it this time.

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MASON: BOOK 4

By ELISA ELLIOT

Chapter One

The day was growing late and the sun had long since disappeared behind the daunting gray clouds overhead. Lily looked up at the sky, cradled in Mason’s warm arms and smiled. The relationship that she had once thought would never last the summer had stretched long into autumn. To Lily the time they had spent at the hospital and the aftermath of Mason’s lifelong promise seemed like a distant memory in this one moment of freedom. The summer was over yet their special place deep in the country was as special as ever, they both knew though that the moment wouldn’t last forever and that soon enough, when the darkening clouds showed their true purpose, the day would come to an end like so many before it.

Lily’s dad wasn’t speaking to her, or at least she had assumed he wasn’t. They had only been back home for a month, having spent longer than anyone wished at the hospital and in that time, if Lily was being honest with herself, she had never really given her dad a chance to speak. She had seen his face the first day at the hospital, seen how outraged he was and in the instance she had felt like her life was over. It was Mason that had pulled her through it, told her everything would be ok and he was still doing so, even his arms now, wrapped around her as they were, were a source of the most blissfully perfect comfort.

Mason rested his head softly on Lily’s and followed her gaze up to the sky. “We’ll have to go soon,” he muttered quietly.

Lily could feel his jaw move gently against her ruffled blonde hair and despite his words she couldn’t help but to smile. “I know,” she whispered.

Mason’s arms tightened around Lily’s slender body and with a content moan she pressed herself into his warmth. As she had been for the last two months though, she was careful, Mason’s arm still hadn’t healed from the crash. The bandages were long gone, Mason being Mason he had taken them off at the first opportunity, but there was still pain there, Lily could see it in his eyes whenever she pressed a little too roughly against him. It was a stark reminder to them both of that day and the weeks that both proceeded and followed it.

Mason pressed a gentle kiss to Lily’s head before he carefully lifted her from him. Lily groaned, she had hoped that perhaps they might just have a few minutes longer amongst the orange tainted leaves that now covered the place that was most special to them. “We can come back tomorrow,” Mason said sympathetically, sensing the unwillingness in the woman he now helped to stand.

With her brows furrowed Lily stared down at the ground, not daring to meet Mason’s eyes. “There won’t always be a tomorrow,” she said quietly. She had tried not to count the days or even to think about the time she was spending away from college.

Mason turned the woman he loved around in his arms and gently pressed his hand to her cheek. Slowly he coaxed her face upwards, her sorrow-filled soft brown eyes met his equally as sad bright blue ones and despite everything they both smiled; it was an instinctive response when they looked at each other. “We have a lifetime of tomorrows,” he promised softly.

Lily’s lips twitched and much to Mason’s surprise she placed a soft kiss on his lips, so unlike her. “We can’t keep going on like this, living for tomorrow, we need to face our problems,” she sighed. As they both knew, their problems were just a short ride away, the second they got home reality would hit.

The arms around Lily tightened and she could feel the badly suppressed shiver that raced through Mason. Slowly his hands shifted back a little and his finger’s brushed against the shallow of her back. Lily’s let out an involuntary moan as teasingly Mason’s fingers lifted her shirt and his warmth flooded into her skin. Painfully slowly his fingers traced the subtle contours of Lily’ back, leaving in their wake a trail of temptingly torturous heat that sparked Lily’s arousal deeply.

Lily reached up, running her fingers through Mason’s messy short brown hair as he placed the lightest of kisses on her jaw. As the shivers of his lingering touch radiated through her, Lily lifted her head causing Mason to trail soft kisses along her jaw, earning a gentle moan to caress the tip of Lily’s tongue. “Mason,” she breathed as his lips went higher and his hands travel dangerously lower, brushing at the top of her jeans.

They found each other’s eyes, each equally as filled with the passion of the moment and a lust that had been present from the very first time that they had kissed so long ago. Brown stared at blue and with a teasing grin Mason let his lips skim across Lily’s, showing her just the smallest hint of the desire that pounded so readily through his body. Lily breathed in deeply as heat thundered through her small frame and Mason’s addictively unique scent washed over her, so sweet and familiar, while he was this close it felt like nothing could get between them.

Mason pressed his lips down harder, claiming Lily for just a second before pulling away. He tasted the sweetness her lips left on his and as his tongue lingered on the sensual taste, taking in every last bit of it, his own arousal spiked. “That day at the hospital, you never gave me an answer,” he whispered against her sweet parted lips.

A shiver ran down Lily’s spine at his words, with his finger’s still brushing at the tip of her jeans the shivers did not fade easily. She looked into the bright blue irises of Mason’s eyes and smiled. “Yes,” she breathed, yes she would marry him.

The same moment the word crossed her lips the clouds finally broke and the rain that had been kept at bay for hours came pouring down. Neither spared a glance at the sky or moved to shelter from the downpour. Mason chuckled lightly as relief consumed him. “Then today we face our problems,” he said quietly capturing Lily’s lips once more before she could even begin to worry about what awaited them when they got home. For now all Mason wanted was to relish in the most important moment of his life to date.

Chapter Two

Lily had no idea how she had managed to suppress her nerves but she suspected Mason had something to do with it, a lot to do with it. Right up to the moment where she stood awkwardly with Mason outside the front door to their home she had been fine, now though worry and nerves ran wild inside of her. As she slowly raised her hand to knock on the door, a formality she had never actually had to do before in her own home, she held onto the lingering happiness of her answer, the most important answer she had ever had to give.

The echo of Lily’s knock seemed to go on forever as she stood, slightly shaking, with Mason’s hand in a death grip. Ever the almost uncaringly calm person, at least on the outside, Mason tried to calm Lily’s shaking body with slow swirls on the soft skin of her palm. He knew it was doing little to help but as the door swung open and her body froze against his, he was grateful himself for the contact, however small it may be.

Lily’s dad answered with a skeptical and surprised expression, his eyes darting between his daughter and Mason. His lips finally settled into a frown as looked into the eyes of both, he had been putting off this moment but if one thing was obvious to the three it was that there was no getting out of what was to come. “Come in.” Lily’s dad said slowly, the only thing he could think to say to break up the silence of the strange and highly awkward moment.

Despite having only actually been away from the house for a few hours as Lily walked down the hall behind her dad, it felt like the very first time she had stepped foot in the house. Mason held her hand tightly, squeezing it comfortingly every few seconds until after what felt like hours but was likely only a minute, they reached the kitchen. Mason’s mum was waiting for them, coffee in hand and a smile on her face. Lily had to do a double take as she watched the woman smile at them; she had expected anger at their relationship, but a smile, that was beyond comprehension.

“It looks like we all had the same idea at the same time,” Lily’s dad chuckled nervously.

Lily looked at her dad properly for the first time in a month and she felt both sadness and guilt fill her. “I’m sorry it took so long,” she whispered, diverting her eyes from her dad’s stare, preferring instead to look at the floor, something that couldn’t make her feel any worse.

“So am I,” her dad said sadly. The tension in the room dissolved a little as a more comfortable silence filled the small space.

“So, you’re getting married?” Mason’s mum asked in a casual voice that surprised Lily further. Slowly she brought her eyes to meet the woman who was clearly trying to contain a wider smile.

Mason gently dropped Lily’s hand and with a deep breath he took a step forwards. Everyone in the room eyed him with confusion as for the first time since they had walked in he looked nervous. “No,” he answered his mum but his words were directed instead at Lily’s dad.

Lily’s mouth dropped open; it had been less than an hour since she had said yes. She had seen the happiness in his bright blue eyes yet as she listened to his answer she could barely believe what was happening. Mason turned to Lily with what was supposed to be a comforting smile, it only made Lily wince a little. “What I mean is,” Mason started, turning back to Lily’s dad, “I don’t do many things right but I wanted to this right,” he said and Lily could sense how nervous he was now.

“What do you mean?” Lily’s dad questioned warily, voicing everyone’s concerns.

Mason took a deep breath and only now did Lily notice that he was shaking, it was just a little but sure enough it was happening, something Lily never thought she would see. “Lily has already said yes and I will honor that but I know it would mean the world to her if you could be happy for her, for us. So I wanted I wanted to ask, can I have your permission to marry your daughter? ,” Mason said quickly, his eyes never leaving Lily’s dads.

Silence fell again as everyone stared at Mason, all equally as shocked by what was happening. A single tear ran down Lily’s cheek as she stared open mouthed at the man she loved. Ever since she was a child she had imagined her potential husband asking her father’s permission to marry her, but not in her wildest dreams could she have imagined things to play out as they had. Mason with all his messy brown hair and thick black Celtic tattoos stood before her and she knew that whatever she had dreamt of, the man to fill the shoes of her childhood dreams couldn’t be anyone better.

With baited breath Lily stared at her dad, waiting for the answer that seemed it would never come. She wanted to believe it didn’t matter what he said, but deep down she knew it did. Mason met Lily’s dads eyes, refusing to look away, he had never been so nervous in his life.

Then it came, the second answer Mason needed, the second answer Lily was desperate for. “Yes.”

Chapter Three

Lily collapsed on her bed, a million different emotions were flooding through her body but it was only one she was focused on, relief. She had said yes, her dad had agreed and she was going to get married, it was almost too surreal for her to think about. There was something else playing on her mind though, a thought that she just couldn’t shake, she had something to tell Mason and he really wasn’t going to like. With a loud groan she buried her head into the pillow, to her nothing seemed to be easy with Mason around.

The door to Lily’s room opened slowly and through the crack the hallway light shone in. Lily jumped up from her bed, eying the door warily; she definitely didn’t fancy a ‘special talk’ with her dad. Relief then worry filled her instantly as Mason stuck his head around the door, a smirk on his face. She was happy to see him that much she couldn’t deny, but him being in her room; that was a whole other story.

Lily met Mason’s eyes and he winked at her making her cheeks flush a bright side of red. “Mason, you can’t be in here,” she groaned. She could readily imagine her dad’s face, a wedding may be fine but if he caught Mason in her room there would be hell to pay.

“They’ve gone out to dinner,” Mason chuckled as he took in Lily’s alarmed face.

Lily’s shoulders relaxed instantly and she let out the breath she didn’t know she had been holding in. “I suppose you can come in then,” Lily teased.

Mason smirked at her, his brows rising at her attempt at a teasing voice. Without wasting any time Mason let himself fully into the room and shut the door quickly behind him. In just a few seconds Lily was in his lap and he cradled her softly on the bed. He ran his hands through her soft blonde hair, brushing away the few strands that fell across her face. With Lily’s lips so temptingly close he couldn’t help but to place a soft kiss against them.

Lily kissed him back, harder than he had done her, there was just something about the darkened room and the fact they were on her bed that heated the moment behind the normal passionate kisses. Her hands ran freely through Mason’s hair, forcing him closer to her parted lips. Mason responded quickly, groaning against the soft pressure and capturing Lily’s lips completely. He could feel her cheeks heat up instantly and the image of her blushing cheeks only increased his need for her.

“Mason,” Lily warned without taking her lips off his or untangling her fingers from his messy brown hair.

Mason chuckled and reluctantly pulled away from Lily, he wanted her and he wanted her badly but he needed to wait, he needed her to be his wife first. “It was you’re fault,” he muttered childishly.

Lily stuck her tongue out at Mason but before she could turn away he captured her lips, bringing her into one last lust filled kiss before moving out of temptations way. Just the shortest of Mason’s desire ridden kisses left Lily breathless, the effect he was having on her body was almost becoming beyond controllable. “Now that was your fault,” Lily scolded between deep breaths that she hoped would calm her racing body.