tried singing telegrams. I’m turning into a pathetic whipped pussy, man.”
Chase gripped his friends shoulder and laughed. “You’re not a pussy, pathetic yes, but not a pussy.” He tipped his head to the side. “Back off for now, give her room. Come on, let’s go see what new names they’ve come up with for you.”
“Funny, you fucker,”
“No, that one’s been used,” Chase laughed.
Chase and Mason ambled into the TV room where the girls sat huddled together on the sofa and joined them. Eden sank into Chase’s side, his arms wrapping her in a cuddle and he kissed her gently on the temple. Mason sat on the opposite side of the far sofa from Mikala, with a cloud of tension hanging heavily in the air.
“How long do think it’ll take to find a contractor?” Mikala asked Chase, breaking the silence.
“I can set you up with one as soon as tomorrow, but I advise you to wait until you hear from the insurance first,” Chase warned. “Then you’ll know what you have to play with. I can get you a great guy at a great rate I’ll call in a few favors, but let’s not jump in blind.”
Mikala nodded in agreement. “Okay, I’ll wait.”
“Maybe you can take advantage and do an entire makeover, change the dance floor and redecorate the private rooms with a fresh new look, the apartment has needed a makeover for years,” Eden rattled on.
“Back up the bus chick, any extra cash is going to help my staff while they sit at home without work. Most of them have mouths to feed and mortgages to pay. There’s only me and I don’t need much.”
Another kick in the head reminder that she was alone and it was entirely his fault, Mason thought, as he sucked back the remains of his beer and set the bottle on the coffee table. Listening to the three of them talk designs and fabrics and architectural changes, his mind drifted off to nights when he had trouble sitting in the same room with Mikala without tearing her clothes off and throwing it into her. Mikala loved it rough and he was always happy to make it happen for her. He’d forever get lost in her beautiful hazel eyes when he made her cum, he’d lose it at the sight and sounds that were pure ecstasy only she could supply.
Mason looked up when he heard his name.
“Mason?” Chase asked. “What do you think?”
“What do I think about what?”
“Surely if you could pay attention for five minutes instead of thinking only about yourself, maybe you could think of someone else and their needs for once?” Mikala snapped.
A quick slap to her knee from Eden startled her and her eyes met Mason’s. She thought she actually saw a pang of hurt there, “Sorry,” she said.
Mason bit the inside of his mouth and dropped his eyes to his lap. He stretched out his arms and latched his hands to the back of his neck working tension from his neck with a twist. He gave no answer, made no attempt to speak and when his eyes met hers again, he stared blankly without looking away.
Mikala swallowed hard, feeling terrible for being so nasty, it was escape time she surmised. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and stood stretching. “Better call it a night.”
“Me too, I have a meeting with clients in the morning,” Mason said.
“Where are you going to stay?” Eden asked Mikala. “You can’t go home.”
“I booked a hotel room. I’m staying at the Carlton down the street from the club. It’s nice and close.”
“But it’s not safe,” Eden cried, taking hold of Mikala’s hands and holding her attention, “Stay here with us, there’s plenty of room.”
“How can it not be safe?” Mikala asked. “You’re being crazy. I’m a call away, you’re a call away and they have security at the hotel. Besides I don’t want to be a bother, you two are still newlyweds and need your privacy.”
There was no arguing with Mikala because her head strong I’ll-do-as-I-please attitude always won in the end. Eden had hoped that if she stayed with them,