Unwanted Calls

LAUREN

Why does it always seem like something has to interrupt a good night’s sleep? For me, it was my phone. I really should remember to turn it off.

I considered ignoring it or tossing it across the room, but the persistent ringing wouldn’t let me. I reached under my pillow, squinting at the caller ID.

With a groan, I silenced the phone and rolled over, trying to reclaim my sleep.

Damn Mason.

He never had good timing. Always interrupting my sleep for some trivial matter.

I’d bet anything that his call wasn’t about anything urgent. He was just being impatient, acting like he wouldn’t survive until morning.

Whatever he wanted to tell me could wait. Tonight, I was sleeping.

He could turn green and rip his shirt off for all I cared. His anger was no match for my love of a warm bed.

My sleep was interrupted again by Beth’s relentless knocking. I groaned and buried my head in the pillow. When I didn’t respond, she let herself in with the spare key.

“Lauren, get up.”

I ignored her. Ignoring people usually made them go away.

Unfortunately, my roommate wasn’t one of those people. She was stubborn. It was one of her less endearing qualities.

“Lauren, I’m serious,” she said, her tone grave. “Get up and see for yourself.”

Unless the apartment was on fire, I wasn’t interested.

But if my fiancé showed up at our door in a pink dress and matching heels, that would be worth getting up for.

“What time is it?” I mumbled into my pillow.

I knew it was early, but I didn’t know how early.

“Does it matter? Your fiancé’s driver is parked outside.”

“What?” That got my attention. I shot up, sleep forgotten. I looked out the window to see Mason’s car parked outside.

Why was Coop here?

“How long has he been there?”

She shrugged. “A while, I guess. Do you know why he’s here?”

~Why?~

A thought struck me and I stepped back from the window.

“Where’s my phone?” Beth held it up and I grabbed it, unlocking it with a sense of dread.

I had ten missed calls and six messages from Mason. I sat down hard on the bed, scanning the messages.

~Pick up your phone.~

~Phones are for answering calls, Lauren. You seem to have forgotten that.~

~I’d answer if I were you.~

I skipped over the rest of his messages, which were mostly insults about my intelligence. The last message made my eyes bulge.

~Coop is waiting for you downstairs. We’re going away for a few days. Our flight leaves at eight. Don’t be late and pack light.~

~I’ll decide whether your bags come or not.~

“Oh, how exciting!” Beth chirped, reading over my shoulder. She was the only one who would find this exciting.

I wondered where he was planning to take me, but I wasn’t eager to find out. Just because he was my fiancé didn’t mean I trusted him.

“I can help you pack?”

Beth, always eager to help.

“No, I’m not going.” I climbed back into bed, but Beth pulled me back up.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to pack and you’re going to get in Mason’s car.”

I pulled away from her. “And let him kill me where no one can find me? No, thanks.”

“For someone who claims to be an adult, you sure act like a child sometimes. Mason isn’t going to kill you, Laurie.

“I bet he’s taking you somewhere amazing, and you’re going to miss out because you’re being stubborn!”

“And you’re being annoying,” I shot back.

“Listen to me,” she said, her tone serious. I couldn’t remember the last time Beth had been this serious.

“You’re going to marry him, and you’re going to live with him for a year. The more you fight him, the harder he’ll make your life when you move in with him.

“You should be trying to get on his good side. Don’t do anything to piss him off and you might actually have a peaceful year.”

Beth was the smart one, even if she didn’t always show it. I couldn’t ignore how right she was.

If I was going to survive in the lion’s den, I needed to learn how to tame the lion.

If I couldn’t tame him, I could at least calm the storm.

She smiled when I pulled out my duffel bag and started packing. He did say to pack light, or I’d lose everything. I snorted.

He was the most dramatic person I’d ever met. And I was going to have to listen to his demands for a year.

It was going to be a long year, but one thing was certain: I was going to remind him that I wasn’t someone to be controlled.

I deserved respect. I’d earned it. He wasn’t going to treat me like his employee.

I was going to be his wife, and no wife deserved to be walked all over by her husband.

Respect and be respected.

I apologized to Coop for the hundredth time. I felt terrible for keeping him waiting, and for dragging him away from his home in the middle of the night.

I wanted to ask him if he had a family, but it wasn’t really my business. Still, curiosity was gnawing at me.

Getting dropped off at the airport without a word of explanation wasn’t exactly the best start to my day. I was convinced Coop had abandoned me, but he returned five minutes later and led me inside, where Mason was waiting for us.

You know that strange feeling you get when you’ve messed up and you’re too scared to face the fallout? That’s exactly how I felt as I prepared to meet my fiancé.

I wanted to turn tail and run, but Lauren Hart wasn’t a quitter. Well, maybe I was a little bit of a quitter, but I wasn’t about to hide from Mason.

The Campbell logo was emblazoned on the private plane Coop guided me into. I found out it was set to take off in four minutes, so I was just in time.

I’d never been inside a private plane before, and let me tell you, it was so stunning I wanted to just curl up and live there forever.

It was immaculate, gleaming, and smelled like money.

But something was missing:

Mason.

The friendly flight attendant flashed me a polite smile and asked if I needed anything.

I wanted to tell her to fetch her boss, but I didn’t want her to misconstrue my words and think I actually liked Mason or was eager to see him.

I just wanted to confirm he was on the plane, that he hadn’t just lured me here to stage a plane crash and call it an accident while the pilot and the flight attendants made their escape.

I settled into my seat, leaning back and trying to enjoy the flight. I wasn’t usually one for daytime naps, but I could really use some shut-eye to stave off the boredom.

And where on earth was Mason?

After drinking too much water, nature called, and I got up to use the restroom, only to come face-to-face with the imposing figure of my fiancé.

He loomed over me like a protective shield, his sweet minty scent filling my nostrils and making my head spin.

He always smelled amazing.

Mason Campbell had a way of making the air around me feel heavy and my lungs constrict. He’d had such a profound impact on my life, and I wished he hadn’t.

I didn’t want to look up at him, because looking at him led to all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.

I wanted to look away to avoid the damage I knew I’d inflict on myself if I kept staring.

Because Mason was dazzling.

Enthralling.

He was a unique kind of man.

He was like a dangerous drug you couldn’t help but get hooked on. It was beautiful, but it was bad for you.

My breath hitched in my throat when my eyes betrayed me, and his gaze met mine.

Annoyance.

Irritation.

Intensity.

His face was a clear display of these emotions, and my stomach twisted. Never before had someone affected me so deeply with just a single look, and I found myself gasping for air.

He finally stepped aside and walked away without a word, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The idea of going to the bathroom was forgotten, and I quietly returned to my seat.

His silence was unusual. He didn’t even complain about me ignoring his calls or arriving late. It was unsettling.

Especially since he was ignoring me while sitting right in front of me.

He was engrossed in a book, but I couldn’t make out the title. Mason had forgone his usual suit for a more casual look.

The black shirt he wore clung to his broad shoulders like a second skin, not a wrinkle in sight. His dark blue pants and black shoes suited him well.

I studied him, my lips pursed.

He seemed angry, judging by the way he was gritting his teeth and flipping the pages of his book with such force. I had to stifle a laugh.

He was like a petulant child.

I rose from my seat and took the empty one in front of him.

“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to break the tension between us. “I’m calling a truce.”

He didn’t respond or give any indication that he’d heard me.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. “I know I made a mistake…”

His soft, velvety voice washed over me like a drug when he finally replied, “That’s a first.”

~So he’s just going to keep mocking me. Got it.~

“Maybe if you stop calling me in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t be pissing you off. If it were any other boyfriend, I wouldn’t have picked up either, so it’s really not that strange.”

“Talking about a boyfriend when you’ve only had one.”

I scowled at his back. “Oh, like you’ve had a lot, Mr. I-hate-women-that’s-why-I’m-so-miserable-and-uptight,” I retorted sarcastically.

“I’m neither of those things you mentioned,” he drawled lazily, turning another page in his book.

“Please, tell that to someone who doesn’t know you.”

But he didn’t respond again, his attention fully absorbed by his book. He didn’t show any sign that he’d heard me.

I grew curious.

What was he reading that was so engrossing? “What are you reading?”

“A book.”

“Duh. I mean what’s it called?”

Without lifting his gaze from the page, he spoke. His words cut me to the core. He may not have said much, but his words spoke volumes.

“Don’t worry about what the title is. The book is not something your little mind can understand, Lauren. We best not torture you.”

“Wow, I love it when you insult my intelligence,” I shot back sarcastically, trying to hide the sting his words had caused. Sarcasm was always my go-to defense mechanism.

“How does your ego fit into your head?”

He carefully closed the book, taking his time before finally looking up at me.

His eyes were aflame with an emotion he managed to keep hidden behind his cool exterior.

A lock of hair fell over his face, giving him a sort of wild, boyish look. I had to resist the urge to brush it away.

“If you’re bored, you can ask the flight attendant for a chess board or you can use the exit door,” he said through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowing at me. “Whichever suits you best.”

His voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I scowled.

“Just say you want me dead and go. It’s not like you haven’t brought me on this plane to kill me. Best get on with it right here and right now.”

“I’m not a fan of getting my hands dirty,” he said, his voice low and husky.

“You’d rather have someone else’s hands get dirty. That way, you’re not involved and you can avoid jail time.”

He snorted, a sound so unlike him that I had to turn around to see if someone else was behind me. But there was no one. He really did snort.

“I’m not planning on killing you, Lauren. If I wanted to, wouldn’t I have done it the moment we met?

“And it gives me great pleasure to see you squirm, not knowing where we’re headed.”

The intensity in his eyes made my heart flutter. He really did enjoy teasing me.

“Sick bastard.”

“What was that?” he asked, his voice edged with anger.

“I said hallelujah.” I wasn’t about to repeat my mistake.

I remembered Beth’s advice about not crossing him. It seemed my job was going to get tougher by the minute.

The more time I spent with him, the more he made me want to toss sensible Lauren out the window, the one who knew better than to provoke a lion.

“Are you hungry?”

I laughed. “Wow, I’m shocked. Mason Campbell actually cares about a human being,” I said, surprised. “You do have some humanity in you after all.”

“If I knew asking you if you were hungry would bring out your dramatic side, I wouldn’t have asked.”

“I’m not dramatic.”

“Your actions suggest otherwise.”

I clenched my jaw. “You’re annoying, Mr. Campbell.” That was a weak comeback.

“I’ll let you know when I start caring about your opinion.”

“Aw, you shouldn’t say that to your future wife. What would the media think?” I asked, grinning wickedly.

I knew how to push his buttons. If there was one thing he didn’t want to mess up, it was this engagement.

“Tsk tsk, I could be recording this conversation right now. The media would have a field day with this.”

His eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to read my thoughts. “I dare you.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Please.” His intense gaze held me in place and my heart skipped a beat.

I snorted. “You’re full of surprises today, Mr. Campbell. I didn’t know the word ‘please’ was in your vocabulary.

“You’re surprising me today, Mr. Campbell, but please, go easy on me. There’s only so much a girl can handle,” I said, placing my hand over my heart for dramatic effect.

He raised an eyebrow. “This just proves my point. You’re a drama queen.” Then he looked down, opened his book, and decided he was done with our conversation.

I gave him an innocent smile.

Scotland.

That was our destination, but what was in Scotland?

I had thought he was taking me far away. I should be relieved that I was close to home.

A young man in a black suit was waiting for us when we exited the airport. He nodded at us before opening the door of a black Range Rover.

“Where are we really going?” I asked, looking out the window.

The only time I had been to Scotland was when I was a child, on a trip with my parents.

Everything was a blur, but I remembered something happening between my parents. We had to leave earlier than planned.

“Home,” he replied quietly. “To meet my family.”

Surprised, I turned to him. “What? You’re taking me to meet your family?”

“Yes.”

Oh my god! I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t meet Mason’s family. I thought I had more time. Hell, I didn’t think I would meet them this soon. He should have warned me, so I could prepare.

Prepare to disappear.

I glared at him. “You didn’t think to give me a heads up?” I snapped.

The gleam in his eyes, like he had won by keeping me in the dark and surprising me with this news, made me want to throw him out of the car.

“I did. Just now.”

I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep my words in check. ~Breathe, Lauren, Breathe.~ If I could handle Mason, I could handle his family. It was that simple.

But my heart pounded in my chest.

“Why do we have to meet them now? Why not after the wedding?” I asked, lifting my chin.

“My parents won’t be able to attend the wedding.”

“What kind of parents don’t attend their son’s wedding? It’s a major event in his life.”

His eyes blazed. “Maybe we should ask them that? Remind them how important their son is and how selfish it is to miss it.”

I gave him an annoyed look. “I didn’t say I was curious.”