Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Mason kissed her deeper, each touch feeding the insatiable desire only she could stir within him. The heat between them grew, a blazing fire that threatened to consume him whole. Elnora’s hands roamed over his arms, their urgency like flames licking at his skin. He cupped her face in his hands, breathing in the scent of cherry blossoms and bubblegum that clung to her. It was intoxicating, and the urge to devour her, to explore every inch of her, pulsed through him like a primal instinct.

As she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders, she pulled him closer, her body pressing against his with an intensity that made his pulse race. Her head fell back as he traced his lips from hers down to her throat, then to the soft skin just below her ear. She buckled beneath his touch, releasing an open-mouthed moan that sent a shiver of satisfaction through him. He looked up into her eyes, searching them, finding them raw, hungry, and searingly hot.

Elnora’s lips curved into a playful smile, a wicked glint flashing in her hazel eyes. Mason stroked her cheek, trying to rein in the storm inside him. She was his; he should take his time, savour her, but the way she intoxicated him—with her scent, her softness, her burning gaze—made him crave her in ways that were far from patient.

“Is this how you break me into my office?” she teased, slipping away from his grasp. She sauntered to the door, closed it with a click, and gave her hair a seductive whip, sending waves of temptation crashing over him. “We may as well do it right, a little show on those cameras would be nice.”

She pointed to the cameras, and Mason turned to face her, a laugh rumbling from his chest. Folding his arms, he leaned back against the table, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Not here,” he replied, his voice rough with desire. “I want you screaming till Sunday, and I’ve got a soundproof room across the hall.”

Elnora’s grin widened. “I’ve got time in between assembling that cage and getting down to business. Want to duck out?”

He did—more than anything. But she wasn’t just a fleeting moment of pleasure; she was far too magnificent for that. She deserved to be worshipped, thoroughly and completely, not rushed through like a mere dalliance. Yet, even as he told himself to stay sharp, to keep his head in the game, the way she moved, the way she looked at him, made him forget everything else.

Pushing himself off the table, Mason closed the distance between them, his eyes locked on hers. This woman was his undoing, and he was dangerously close to losing control.

“El, I am a man of my word. I will savour you slowly when the time is right,” Mason whispered. His voice was thick with the promise of what was to come, but even as he said it, he knew he had to pull himself away. “Right now, I have some business to attend to.”

With a final, lingering glance at her, he stepped around Elnora, forcing himself to open the door and slip out of the room. His pulse was still racing, his mind clouded by thoughts of her, but he pushed it all aside as he made his way downstairs.

Exiting the house through the side door, Mason felt the cool night air against his skin, a brief comfort from the fire she’d ignited in him. He knew he wouldn’t see her for a while, and that was likely for the best. She had consumed his thoughts from the moment they met, and that kind of distraction was not only dangerous—it was lethal in his world.

It took five measured minutes to walk the quiet path through the garden, his mind already shifting gears as he approached the secure door leading to his meeting room. The familiar sense of control settled over him as he cleared the biometric locks, the slight beep of approval snapping out the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind.

The conclave, hidden deep within the estate, was a bright white room designed to facilitate order and purpose. As he entered, the atmosphere shifted. The capos, already gathered, rose from their seats as Mason made his way past them to the black leather chair that commanded the room from an elevated platform. Antonio stood among them, his gaze brooding.

“Report,” Mason ordered, his voice cutting through the silence as he settled into his seat.

“Octavia and her task force have confiscated our shipment from Ordridge,” Luca began, his tone clipped. “We may have a rat. Ready to exterminate, Grey?”

Mason’s gaze flicked to Antonio, catching the glint of resentment in his old friend’s eyes. Antonio was a womanizing hothead, but he was invaluable. After a few nights with some belles in one of their clubs, he would simmer down. It was a good thing Antonio was so useful, otherwise, his temper might have earned him a bullet by now.

“Giorgio?” Mason called, turning his attention to the capo who had his ear to the digital underworld.

“There’s a massive auction happening on the deep web,” Giorgio reported, rising to hand Mason a tablet. “All kinds of files—government, mob, mafia. Some very interesting assets are being sold.”

Mason took the tablet, scanning the information with a critical eye. Each document, each line of text, tightened the grip he had on the sleek device. If their information was being sold, it meant their operations were compromised, more vulnerable than he’d ever imagined. This was no minor breach—this was war. Elnora’s work was becoming more crucial by the second.

As his eyes flicked over the list of documents, one file snagged his attention:~ Project Ignite~. Octavia’s file on his organization, was Elnora the one who worked on that? He needed to get his hands on that file to know exactly what they knew about him. His jaw tightened as he noted the hacker’s calling card, a signature that was becoming all too familiar.

“Who’s behind this?” Mason’s voice was a low growl, his eyes still locked on the tablet.

“The king of the dark web,” Giorgio replied, his tone reverent. “The Priest has nothing on him.”

Antonio snorted, disbelief etched into his rugged features. “The Priest is the king of the dark web, Giorgio. Don’t get it twisted.”

“Not any more,” Giorgio explained. “Five months ago, Icarus took him down in record time during their hacker marathon. Since then, Icarus has been untouchable, hacking security agencies, auctioning off their secrets, and forcing even the most powerful entities to join the auction to protect their intel.”

~Icarus~.

Mason’s thoughts swirled with the name. Could El be this infamous hacker, or was he merely connecting dots that weren’t there? The pieces didn’t quite fit—he hadn’t been able to find any trace of her on the dark web. No alias, no calling card, nothing that linked her to this ghostly figure.

“What’s the plan for the rat, boss?” Luca asked as he reached for a half-empty glass of whiskey on the table.

Mason leaned back in his chair, setting the tablet down with deliberate care. “The answer’s right there,” he said, pointing to the tablet with a steady hand. “Giorgio, get your best guys in on that auction. I want those files, and I want to know who’s been feeding Octavia our secrets.”

Giorgio nodded. “Yes, boss.”

Mason shifted his gaze to Antonio, his expression darkening. “And the shipment?”

His enforcer hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his sharp features. “That’s handled. We had a problem with some Russians, but it’s been taken care of.” He coughed, the sound almost nervous under Mason’s relentless stare.

“Does this have anything to do with why Akim wants a sit-down?” Mason asked. It wouldn’t surprise him if Antonio had stirred up trouble, inadvertently sparking a conflict with the Russians.

Antonio’s sigh was heavy. “It shouldn’t. One of our holdouts happened to be a Russian diplomat’s son. He took a bullet, so I decided to eliminate any further complications. We couldn’t afford the potential fallout.”

Mason’s eyes narrowed, scanning the room. The capos were all watching him, waiting for his judgment. It was a brutal move, but sometimes necessary. If they’d allowed the Russians time to mourn, revenge might’ve been their next step. Blood for blood—no one would win in that scenario.

“Hmm.” Mason stroked his chin, crossing one leg over the other. “Benny, look into the compromised supply chain from Ordridge. Make sure those shipments are replaced, and let the clients know there will be a delay.”

“~Si~, boss.” Benny leaned forward, the chair creaking under his weight. “M, Gia wants to know where to set up for the dame you picked up at the auction.”

Mason’s eyes swept over the room, lingering on each face—Giorgio, Luca, Benny, Donni, Mateo, Antonio. Their curiosity was so obvious, but that wasn’t their business. He could almost hear their thoughts buzzing with speculation about the woman he’d bought from the club, but that was a matter he’d keep to himself.

“If I needed a spot prepared, I’d tell Gia myself. She needs to focus on the tasks assigned to her. Let this be the last time she oversteps.”

Benny nodded, his expression remanned neutral. “~Si~, boss.”

Mason stood, heading to the bar on the left side of the den. “Everything else running smoothly?”

Mateo, who was usually reserved, got to his feet and followed Mason. “M, I may have something.”

He poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid catching the light as he watched Mateo from the corner of his eye. He raised the glass to his lips, the warmth of the whiskey sliding down his throat as he observed the younger man pulling out his phone.

Mateo wasn’t one to speak out of turn, and his loyalty was unshakable, but Mason knew better than to trust blindly. He had personally selected each of his men, moulded them, but in this business, loyalty was as fragile as it was rare. Trusting the wrong person could cost you everything.

Mateo placed the phone on the bar in front of Mason with a message on their secured network. “The Priest wants to meet.”

Mason set the glass down slowly. The Priest—legend of the dark web, king of shadows. If he wanted a meeting, it wasn’t just a casual request. It meant something was up, something that could tip the scales in a way Mason wasn’t so sure about.

“Interesting,” Mason murmured, his fingers drumming lightly on the bar before he picked up the phone.