I throw the back of my fist into his chest. It hits his shoulder instead.Ouch!Alessia giggles as I purse my lips and shake my hand, soundlessly.
“What did you expect?” Mason strokes my knuckles.
“Rookie mistake, Eva,” Alessia tuts, reaches for a steel ladle on the worktop, and throws it at me. I catch it before it hits me in the chest. “Use that next time. You’ve got to protect your bones.” She flashes her own hand.
“Don’t teach her bad habits, Ma.” Mason swings his arms around my shoulders and pins me to his chest. “She’s trouble enough.”
“Got to give the girl a little help. She doesn’t know what she’s dealing with.”
A smile curls my lips as I bat the ladle in my palm like a whip. “Please, tell me more.”
“Mason takes after his father. There are a few nuts and bolts missing in their heads, but you’ll get used to it.” She lazily waves a hand.
“Not just a few nuts and bolts, his whole cylinder block is missing.” Kane enters carrying six platters of delicious-smelling food. Some sweets and savories, some pastas in silver trays. He stacks them in the cupboards and the freezer. Hugo follows with a half-eaten platter of snacks and biscotti.
“Stop eating all the food,” Alessia scolds. “Do you know how much time I put into that? It’s supposed to last you a month. And save some for the girl.”
“Fuck that!” Hugo makes a face. “She got us kicked out.Now you want us to share our food? Unlike your traitor spawn, I have principles.”
“Some principles.” Alessia giggles. Hugo’s brows furrow in question. “Tom came to see Reg this morning. He was furious. Something about naked girls passed out in his study.”
Kane and Mason laugh at Hugo’s expression.
“Oh, fuck him.” Hugo drops the near-empty plate on the table. “It was one girl, and she was dressed.Mostly,” Hugo says over a mouthful and jabs a finger toward Mason. “It’s his fucking fault. Fucking Romeo of fucked-up fantasy fucking land, ruining my fucking life.”
“That’s a lot of fucks.” Alessia laughs.
It’s refreshing to see how playful Alessia is with them. I’m not used to mothers being so… carefree.
Mum would never. She’s raised to be the definition of soft and polite. Even her scolds come with a please. Apart from family board games, or when someone steps on one of her many plants, she only lets herself be relaxed with Valerie. Sometimes, she’ll make an exception for me. Coming up with some eye-widening stories of her youth to cheer me up when I’m feeling down. But when Dan had a girl stay the night, without asking, she greeted them both at the bottom of the stairs with waffles, then gave her a ride home.
Hugo continues on his long rant while Alessia, Kane, and Mason take turns teasing him. Once Hugo scarfs down the rest of his plate and steals another, Kane and he drive Alessia back. But not before she gives me a nerve-wracking “don’t hurt my son or Iwillshoot you” warning with a kiss.
As soon as the door clicks shut, I pat Mason’s bicep with the ladle. “Stop springing things on me.”
“Shut up and kiss me.” He grips my hips and pulls me into him, claiming my mouth.
I can’t help but kiss him back. My arms wind around him, hands gripping his T-shirt, tugging at the fabric, already tryingto pull it off. He lets me. I drag it over his head and chuck it on the floor, my fingers eager to trace the hard muscles of his chest, just as his slide up my thigh while our lips move against each other in perfect harmony. That is, until his hand touches my arse, and hefreezes.
My eyes open, brows furrowing in question. He looks mad.
Before I can ask what set him off now, he yanks the ladle out of my hand, spins me around, and throws me against the counter. My face lands on the cold black quartz, my arse hanging off the edge.
I feel the cold ladle on my thigh, rising higher, slowly lifting my skirt up.
Then, without a warning…
Smack!
He spanks me with the head of the ladle, making me purr.
“What was that for?” I complain. It wasn’t hard. Just enough to make me wet.
“Where are your panties, princess? You’re supposed to keep my cunt hidden.”
“You tore them off last night, remember.”
“I don’t care. This is my fucking property.”
