Unseen Love

LAUREN

Aaron wasn’t exactly the clubbing type.

So, Athena decided to throw him a little shindig at her swanky apartment. I didn’t see it coming, but I quickly learned that Athena had a soft spot for celebrations.

She insisted on handling everything herself, so Beth, Aaron, and I spent the day shopping. By the time seven o’clock rolled around, the party was in full swing.

Athena was already on her fourth drink, dancing with a couple of guys. Her green hair and vibrant dress made her the center of attention among the twenty or so people in the apartment.

She was having the time of her life, while we hung out near the bar, Beth cracking up every time Athena stumbled or struck a pose.

Athena wasn’t exactly a pro dancer, but she didn’t seem to mind.

No one else seemed to mind either. They must have gotten used to her unique dance style.

Aaron, the birthday boy, was hanging out with us. I couldn’t figure out why he’d want to stick around us when it was his party.

Shouldn’t he be mingling with his friends or letting loose? Isn’t that what people usually do on their birthdays?

“Should we get her out of there?” Aaron asked, echoing my thoughts. We watched as Athena clung to a pillar for support, dancing while the guys behind her slapped her ass.

Beth leaned forward, laughing so hard she slapped her thigh. “No, don’t. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. I think I might die laughing. My stomach can’t take it.”

I shook my head, knowing Beth loved it when people made fools of themselves while drunk.

“Give me your phone, Lauren. I need to record this from two angles so I can watch it later and die all over again.”

I handed over my phone and she quickly started recording, bursting into laughter when Athena started grinding on an empty cup, her tongue sticking out.

It was hilarious, and I couldn’t help but join in the laughter.

“We should stop this,” I said, but I didn’t make a move to get up. I was too busy watching Athena. I’d never seen this side of her before.

Aaron nodded. “It’s funny but also kind of fascinating. Does it make me a bad friend if I want to see what she does next?”

I nodded. “We’re bad friends if we’re enjoying this.”

Beth jumped up from the couch and whistled at Athena, clapping her hands.

“You go girl!” she yelled, even though Athena couldn’t hear her over the loud music. “You’re a star!”

I pulled her back down onto the couch and she laughed at my attempt to look stern.

“She’s going to kill you tomorrow when she finds out you recorded her,” I warned.

Aaron looked at Beth, clearly amused by the idea.

Beth didn’t look scared at all. She was too busy grinning. “Well, don’t be so quick to rat me out. Besides, I don’t care,” she said, her eyes darting between my phone and hers. “These are gems.”

I shook my head, grabbed another cocktail from the table, and leaned back to drink. I glanced at Aaron.

“Where’s your boyfriend, anyway?” The elusive boyfriend we’d heard so much about but had never met.

Even Athena, his best friend, hadn’t met Rolland. We were all a bit puzzled.

At the mention of Rolland, Beth dropped the phones and turned her attention away from Athena. She was always ready for a new topic, especially if it gave her a chance to tease Aaron.

“We all know Rolland doesn’t exist. You’ve been talking about your boyfriend for months and we still haven’t met him. I think it’s time you admit you made him up.”

Beth loved to tease. Sometimes she took it too far and ended up pushing people’s buttons.

Aaron’s mysterious boyfriend was her favorite target.

He shot her a look that wasn’t mean, but still got his point across. “He exists. You’re just jealous because I’ve got a hot guy and you’re still sleeping with a six.”

Now it was his turn to smirk.

Beth’s latest fling wasn’t much to look at, but she said it was what was in his pants that mattered. Until she got bored and moved on to the next one.

Ever since I moved out, Beth had found other ways to fill the void. I wasn’t thrilled about it, but if it made her happy...

“So you say,” she shot back. “But at least everyone can see Kai. Unlike you, I don’t blow my imaginary boyfriend.”

“Okay, break it up,” I said, stepping in before they could start bickering like they always did.

But I had to ask, “Why all the secrecy, Aaron? You’ve given us reason to doubt you.”

“Hah!” Beth exclaimed, pressing her lips together when I shot her a glare as she tried to stifle a chuckle.

“You know I wouldn’t lie about having a boyfriend, Lauren. Rolland is always busy. He’s a photographer and he’s always traveling for his projects.”

Before I could say that I didn’t think he was lying, just that I was confused, Beth jumped in with a sarcastic comment.

“A photographer, huh? Think he can take my picture with his imaginary camera? I can pay him with my imaginary million pounds.”

“I’m sure we can work something out,” said a smooth voice to our left.

We turned to find a tall man looking our way, his smile as perfect as a toothpaste ad. His blue blazer hugged his broad shoulders, a crisp white shirt peeking out from underneath. His leather pants clung to his muscular thighs. His big blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones, and dark hair made him ridiculously handsome.

Beth and I found ourselves leaning into each other, our eyes glued to the man standing before us.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Beth asked, her voice filled with disbelief. “Please tell me you see him too. I can’t afford therapy.”

“That’s Rolland.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” she shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “How long do you think he’s been standing there? You think he heard our whole conversation?”

“Maybe.”

Or maybe not.

Aaron got up and walked over to Rolland, the two of them sharing a quick hug and a peck on the lips. “You made it.”

Rolland grinned at his boyfriend, his eyes sparkling with affection. “Sorry I’m late, babe. Traffic was a nightmare.”

Aaron nodded and turned to us. “These are my friends, Lauren and Beth.”

“Guys, this is my boyfriend, Rolland,” he introduced, shooting a quick glance at Beth, who was trying her best to hide her embarrassment.

“Hi, it’s great to finally meet you.”

I smiled as he took a seat next to Aaron, his own smile warm and inviting. “You too. We’ve heard so much about you.”

He chuckled, glancing between us and Aaron. “Good things, I hope.” Aaron’s face was on the brink of a smile as he handed his boyfriend a drink.

Beth looked up, a mischievous grin on her face. “Can I just ask why you’re dating this one?” She jerked her thumb at Aaron. “You could do so much better.”

“Beth!”

“Just kidding.” She quickly defended herself, grinning into her cup.

We spent the next hour talking and laughing. Rolland was funny and charming, and he quickly won us over.

He was good for Aaron, and I found myself a little envious that Aaron had someone so easygoing and likable.

My thoughts drifted to my own man, with his stormy gray eyes and permanent scowl.

Athena joined us, and it didn’t take her long to start grilling Rolland, asking him questions she had no business asking.

She backed off when she saw Aaron was about to lose his patience.

The night was filled with drinks and laughter. Athena and Beth brought out Aaron’s birthday cake, despite his protests. We ate cake, made toasts, and danced the night away.

But despite all the fun, my thoughts kept returning to one man. I wished he was here with me.

I wished he could experience the joy of being surrounded by friends and just having a good time.

When Beth excused herself to go to the bathroom, she returned holding my phone. Someone was asking for me, so I headed to the balcony for some privacy.

The cool breeze hit me like a wake-up call, and I leaned against the railing, bringing the phone to my ear.

I had already checked the caller ID before stepping outside, and it wasn’t a number I recognized.

“Hello?”

“M-ma’am?” Coop’s voice was shaky and filled with panic. A wave of anxiety washed over me. His next words nearly knocked the wind out of me.

“I drove sir to a place, but there was a commotion. Something happened and I can’t find him.”

I froze.

“What do you mean you can’t find him?” I forced my voice to stay steady, even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

The whirlwind of emotions inside me was hard to put into words.

“I’ve looked everywhere, ma’am. It’s been ten minutes and he’s just…gone. I don’t know what to do.”

I turned away from the door and buried my face in my hands. “He can’t just disappear, Coop.”

My words echoed in my chest, the fear growing with each passing second. “Call him! Text him!”

Even as I said it, I knew that was probably the first thing Coop had done before calling me.

I could barely breathe, my chest tight and my ears ringing. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my temples.

He had to be okay. He had to be safe.

“Ma’am…”

“Where are you? Text me the address and I’ll meet you there.” I rested one hand on my hip and cupped my forehead with the other.

Coop hesitated, not replying until I snapped at him, “Coop!”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can’t disclose that information.”

What the…

“Mason is missing! And you won’t tell me where you are? Are you kidding me?”

Panic and anger were a dangerous combination, but that’s exactly what I was feeling.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am, but I can’t. Sir said under no circumstances am I to disclose this location.”

“I’m his wife!”

“Even to you, ma’am,” he replied, sounding almost embarrassed. I should be the one feeling embarrassed, not him.

I was stunned into silence. I hadn’t expected this.

The realization that I didn’t mean as much to my husband as I thought I did hurt. It hurt to be reminded that I was just like everyone else to him. But most of all, it hurt to be reminded that our relationship had an expiration date.

Deep down, I knew I should have seen it coming. I knew I wasn’t going to be a permanent part of his life. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

There were secrets, things kept from me that only a chosen few were privy to.

So why did it bother me that my temporary husband was out there, lost and still imposing rules on me?

But it did. It bothered me a lot. If anything happened to Mason, I didn’t think I could stop myself from spiraling into a dark abyss.

“Ma’am,” Coop’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I took a deep breath, trying to lighten the weight in my chest. “I will find him. I promise, ma’am. Sir is all right.”

But of course, he was all right. If something awful had happened to Mason Campbell, the sky would have shattered.

If he were shot five times, I believed he would be too stubborn to accept death and would fight to bring himself back to life.

I firmly believed he wouldn’t die so easily.

That was the only thing keeping me sane: the knowledge that Mason Campbell would return to me.

And that was why I accepted that I wouldn’t get into the car and end up dying from reckless driving because I had been too consumed with worry about my husband and not how fast I was going.

Even as Coop promised to find him, I didn’t think he would.

If Mason wanted to be found, he would be found, and if he didn’t, he would show up when it was time.

I tried to calm myself and think clearly. I needed to decide what to do next, and there was no point in destroying Athena’s expensive furniture.

Should I go back home and worry about him alone? Or stay here where my friends could offer comfort and support?

A soft creaking from the glass door caught my attention and I turned to see Beth slowly approaching me as if she was worried about my reaction. She stopped right in front of me and studied my face.

“What’s wrong? Is it your mom?”

A laugh that felt out of place welled up in my throat, but I didn’t let it out; instead, it seemed to choke the words on my tongue. “Mason is missing.”

“Missing? Like no one knows where he is?”

At my slight nod, she added, “How can a grown-ass man like Mason be missing? And I’m sorry, but it’s Mason Campbell. Him being missing is laughable and unrealistic.”

The disbelief in her voice was enough to make me grit my teeth. Because she was right.

“You don’t look too good. Do you want to leave? I can cover for you.”

I let out a noise, my eyes rolling to the sky, and I hated that I could do nothing but wait. “I don’t even know where to look, Beth.”

She suggested hesitantly, in the voice of someone who wasn’t sure of what to do, “Should we go to the police, then? We can file a missing report if it will ease your mind.”

“It hasn’t even been an hour.” My tone was indifferent, but there was more behind the words than I let on.

“I’m sure if we tell them who we think is missing, they’d throw their ‘file a report after twenty-four hours’ out of the window and send a bloody SWAT team.” Beth almost smiled at her ridiculous certainty.

I snorted despite myself. “Yeah, let’s do that and face the consequences after. I’m sure Mason would love to hear that we announced to the world that he’s missing.”

“I’m only trying to help, Laurie.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated, angry, and worried.”

She stared at me for a few moments before muttering, “Do you love him?”

I squeezed my eyes shut because no, I was not going there. “Ask me another day.”

“Do you want to leave?”

I glanced at her. “Yes, please.”

I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to Rolland. I didn’t even remember Beth driving me home and offering to stay with me, which I ended up declining.

I remembered looking at the driveway and not seeing the car Mason usually drives. The spot was empty.

When I walked inside, I was greeted with silence. I had already called Coop on my way home, and he never picked up, confirming that Mason hadn’t been found yet.

Going upstairs, I stopped short when I reached my floor, my eyes landing on other stairs that led to Mason’s floor, and before I could stop myself, I was moving.

I was forbidden to go into his room, but I wasn’t big on following the rules. Besides, if I didn’t go into his room, I would feel worse than I already did.

I just needed something to ease my nerves.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside but stopped dead at the sight. I was not prepared to open the door and see him.

My veins pulsed with awareness and sudden, unexpected calm. The relief was flowing through me, and I could finally breathe properly.

He was all right. There were no traces of injury on his body.

But he seemed to be in a hurry.

I eyed Mason for a few seconds, the big duffel bags on his bed, wide open and filled with his clothes. Taking a deep breath, I marched forward.

“Going somewhere?”

I expected him to jump in surprise at my voice, but he was perfectly calm, slowly zipping his bag, then retreating to his walk-in closet.

“Yes.”

“Where were you?” I asked coolly. If he noticed the change in my tone, he was careful not to show it. He still wasn’t looking at me as he grabbed his things, putting them in another bag.

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

I clenched my jaw. “I was worried something happened. Coop couldn’t find you.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Mason, I’m talking to you.”

He sighed, finally looking up at me with a stare that made me want to claw his eyes out and at the same time, sparked something in me.

“What do you want me to say?” he asked with little softness.

I could see what was happening. He was trying to be mean Mason, the one who got irritated by questions he didn’t like.

But if this were the Mason that I’d met at the beginning, he would have come right out and told me it wasn’t any of my business.

But this Mason was gentler. He would rather feign confusion than say what he was actually thinking.

In all honesty, sometimes, I preferred the old Mason.

I shot him a look that could kill, thinking he should have had the decency to explain things to me. I wasn’t so dense that I wouldn’t get it.

I wasn’t some self-absorbed woman who cared more about herself than his troubles.

“Really? That’s all you’re going to say to me? What about the fact that something went down tonight wherever you were, and Coop couldn’t find you? A place that I’m not allowed to know about.

“And where do I find you? Here. Leaving me to worry and wonder about you.”

I couldn’t believe this! He wouldn’t even look at me or give me a straight answer.

He was hell-bent on keeping everything to himself, and my anger was only outdone by the crushing hurt that started to choke me.

“Are you looking for an apology?”

“If I thought you’d apologize to me right now, I clearly don’t know you at all.” I glanced at the bed. “And what’s with the bags? Where are you headed?”

My anger was on the verge of bursting out in a high-pitched scream when he looked annoyingly pleased. “Somewhere.”

“Why does everything have to be a secret with you? If something’s up, just tell me, please. I need to know, Mason. I can’t stop worrying that something might happen to you.”

His face hardened and he leaned in, glaring at me with icy eyes. “Your curiosity isn’t my problem, Lauren.” It was a harsh statement meant to send me packing.

But I moved closer to him until we were toe to toe, our faces just inches apart, returning his glare with equal intensity.

“Oh, really? Then fine. If you want to be a jerk, I can be just as stubborn.”

I sidestepped him, my hand grabbing the zipped bag and yanking it off the bed.

Once it was on the floor, I positioned it so that I could sit on it. “Looks like it’s going to be a long night.”

Mason was struggling not to glare at me for my comment, especially since I’d delivered it with such a deceptively sweet smile. He forced himself not to scowl at me.

“I don’t appreciate childish games. Get up,” he said gruffly.

“I’m just responding to your stubbornness.”

“Lauren, enough. I have a lot to do before I need to be at the airport,” he said plainly, then sneaked a look at me through his long lashes.

“Get up.”

I smiled sweetly, trying not to laugh. “See, we’re making progress. At least I know it’s a long trip. So, where are you going, Mr. Campbell?”

“Where you’ll be going is to your friend’s for a few days while I sort things out. Staying here alone is not an option, and you’ll do as I say without arguing.”

“I’m not sure I can do that. See, you think you can have your way while I can’t have mine. Does that seem fair to you, Mr. Campbell?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Isn’t that your name?” A mischievous little smile played on my lips as I stared hard at him. If I could annoy him a bit, I’d feel so much better.

In three strides, he was standing right in front of me, looking down at me with his hands on his hips, and the sternest face he could muster.

“I strongly suggest you don’t say my name in that tone.”

“What tone, Mr. Campbell?” I responded softly. His eyes narrowed with clear annoyance. I stood up, my hands still gripping the handle of the bag.

“I seem to have forgotten the chip that lets you control me.” I looked him straight in the eye, boldly daring him to say anything more.

“Fine. You win. I’m going to the States and that’s all you need to know.”

“Okay, and what happened tonight? Where did you go?”

His gaze shifted to my face with his signature look of cool impatience.

“What happened tonight had nothing to do with me. I went to meet someone, and it didn’t seem right for Coop to know who I met with.”

“Are you doing illegal stuff?” He raised an eyebrow at that one and I shrugged. “I’m just checking.”

“Is there anything else you want to ask, Lauren, or can I get going? My flight is in an hour.”

Hearing the sharp note of impatience in his voice, I tried hard to hide the hurt I felt over it. “Can I come with you?”

He gently shook his head. “Ask me something that’s possible.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I’m not sure. It depends on whether I get what I need in time or not.”

“You’re not sure? Then no, you can’t go. Unless you agree to take me with you. You can dump me at the hotel and lock the room, so I won’t follow you.”

He pressed two fingers to his forehead and let out a sigh. “Lauren, I can’t,” he said softly.

“Please.”

I didn’t know why I was begging, or why I wanted to go with him. I just knew that I wanted to be with him. The reason didn’t matter.

“Lauren.”

“I don’t want to miss you, okay?” I admitted honestly. I felt compelled to tell him everything I was feeling.

The thought of being away from him hurt me. The idea of losing him was completely unthinkable right now.

His eyes sparkled with surprise. “Lauren.”

I pressed my lips together before speaking in a defeated voice, “Forget it. Let me just pack my bags and go to Beth’s. Have fun in the States,” I said as I moved to go past him.

“Lauren.” The spark in those gray eyes was mesmerizing, and he surprised me by suddenly grabbing my upper arms and pulling me to his chest.

“What?”

He held me close, my slim body pressed against the full length of his hard, muscular frame. His gaze swept from my fiery eyes to my mouth, pursed with nervousness.

“I’m not leaving you,” he said, his voice softer now. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

I was at a loss for words, just staring at him, unable to process what was happening.

He looked different, almost melancholy. It was as if he didn’t want to leave, but had no choice.

Fuck these feelings.

It was absurd to feel like I was losing him. But I couldn’t shake the fear that he might not come back, that he’d leave me just like my mom did.

Tears welled up in my eyes, a bitter mix of disappointment and fear. I blinked them away and looked down. He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.

His eyes were filled with raw emotion, as if he could see right through me.

I didn’t want to feel this way.

“American girls are supposed to be pretty hot,” I tried to joke. But then I got serious. “You used to hate women, but I think I’m growing on you. You’re getting soft.”

He gave me a devilish grin. “I think I’ll stick with the annoying Brit in my life,” he said, letting go of me to zip up his bag. He picked it up from the bed, holding it in his hands.

My heart was racing, and I couldn’t tell if it was because of his intense gaze or the power of his words.

“Hilarious, Mason.” I followed him out of the room, closing the door behind us. “But seriously, have a good time in the States.” I couldn’t help but smile as we walked down the hallway together.

Mason stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to me, a small smile playing on his lips. “A few days without you nagging me? I’m sure I will.”

I shot him a dark glare.

“You’re just dying for me to come with you, aren’t you?” I rolled my eyes and turned to walk down the stairs, his footsteps echoing behind me.

His laughter was the last thing I heard.