MASON (Second Chance Novels Book 2) (33 page)

"Mason," she moans, still keeping eye contact. Her strength astounds me. "Ahh…"

Slowly she gives herself over now, dropping all tension and accepting the pleasure in complete abandon. I move faster and harder, taking her strong like she wanted. She spurs me along with her moans and the drag of her nails on my chest, grinding and panting with me. She tosses her head back. All I can do is fuck her and watch. Seeing her writhe over me is intoxicating, and plain old fucking hot.
 

"Come on, Sofia," I grunt. "I want to make you come."

"Yes," she moans loudly. "I'm so close…"

I push against her harder, faster, and with more passion than ever.
 

Finally, in a load groan of pleasure, Sofia climaxes. God, she's beautiful. Only a moment passes before I come explosively into her body, still in awe of her. She leans down and kisses away the sweat from my neck in long, dragging, open kisses. I tilt my chin back to accept every lick.
 

"I love you," she whispers. She lets go completely.

"You amaze me," I whisper in her ear in genuine admiration. I lean up and kiss her shoulder.

"I love you," she says again in total satisfaction and contentment.
 

"
La mia fenice,
" I smile as I roll us and rest by her side. "I love to watch you fly."

She smiles with me and rests her body beside mine. I skim my hand along her back and pull her leg around me again. With this connection and chance to celebrate, I don't need to finish the war tonight. We deserve a few hours, and I need her close.
 

"Definitely strategy tomorrow," I agree with her earlier statement. I feel her nod against me. We fall asleep after a while, still completely tangled. I had no idea I was capable of this much love.

The following morning we wake up with renewed determination. We need to finish this fight, not only to deliver justice, but also to have the chance to move forward. Sofia is clear-headed and preparing for her shift with keen eyes shining as she thinks through her upcoming day.
 

I get myself dressed, equally ready to push our next step. I stare directly into her intelligent eyes with a determination that matches her own.
 

"We're this close," I remind her. "I have a few people to piss off, and a conversation to have with the DA."

"Ok, I'll deal with Evelyn's phone. If she wants those messages to help, she'll have to press charges. The DA can't do that on her behalf unless he's ready to go public."

I nod and kiss her with one hard press of my lips, holding her face between my hands. "Let's kick a little ass."

"You sound like a bad actor in a cheesy movie."

"Baby, you're so special…"

She smacks me upside the head and I smile so widely as she walks away, swinging those perfect hips as she goes.
 

I chuckle and watch her walk out the door, amazed as ever by my phoenix.
 

After a quick shower, I prepare myself for what I hope will be one of the final days of this fight. I dress in my Sunday best to join two councilmen for a breakfast meeting, regardless of the fact that I'm never invited to join them. Before I can leave, though, Bash calls me.

"Thanks for the new digs," he says, sounding more relaxed than before. "Evvie calmed down once we got isolated."

"Good," I say. "But get prepared to leave. Sofia will need her to come in and press charges. Does Evelyn trust we'll protect her?"

"Without a doubt."

"Why don't you go in at eleven. I'll meet you both there."

Smiling widely after we hang up, I drive my piece of shit truck to a ritzy place in a ritzy suburb, amused my targets are avoiding downtown for the moment. Did they think I wouldn't find them?
 

A charming, clean-shaven smile helps me impress the hostess as I grin and point. "There's my party over there," I say as I walk past her. There's very little you can't get away with if you offer the illusion of purpose and an air of confidence.
 

"Gentleman," I smile at them. Both of their faces drop when they see me. Red-faced, overweight jackass to my right slumps his shoulders.
 

"You are not welcome here.
Please leave,
" he emphasizes as I sit at their table. The waitress comes by and I order coffee, simply to watch them get more frustrated. I love this part.

"I think you'll want to hear what I have to say, you corrupt fucks," I return pleasantly. I'm met with icy stares, but I continue with a smile anyway. Watching them squirm is too damn fun. "I'm sure you heard, I pressed assault charges against the mayor yesterday. He's already back to the status quo, but I'm nowhere near done with him."

They listen with narrowed eyes. I pause entirely too long for their comfort.
 

"And?" one of them finally pipes up.

I grin wider. "And…more charges will be brought today. One piece at a time we will chisel him away to nothing. We've knocked his support out from under him, and we've helped his wife get away from him. Right under his nose, one of his closest allies has been conspiring against him…and against you, too…for a long time. I can't wait until you find out who. Either way, John Bennett is done."

I pause for effect and to allow my words to sink in. Let them wonder whom among their circle of friends is actually an enemy. Watching them try to think is amusing, but I don't have all day to play with them. I continue, "You need to decide if you want to be taken down with him, or take this single chance to get off my list. Help me and I'll leave you alone." They glance at each other and back at me. I remind them, "Obviously, I'll win either way."

"What assurances do we have that you'll leave us alone if we help? What protection can you offer us from him?" one says, considering his options cautiously.

"Simple. You resign as councilmen and stay the fuck away from any city office. You do that, and I won't go after you. I'll
watch
you, but I won't go after you. That's your assurance. As for protection from him, that's not my problem," I lay out for them. "But you have at least one enemy either way. I already know enough about you to see you burn. You need to ask yourself this: who will gun for you harder, him or me? Who will see your asses rot in jail, me or the guy stripped of his power? Who's stronger? More determined? It shouldn't take you long to come to the obvious conclusion."

"You're threatening us. We can take
you
down," the graying, narrow-eyed asshole to my left says.
 

I chuckle. "Go ahead."

The two look at me, assessing and considering their options. Neither speaks for a few moments, so I speak one final time. "I'm due at the precinct soon. I need your answers now. You either come with me and give your statements against John Bennett or you stay here and I move you to the
top
of my list. Bennett's done, and you'll receive my undivided attention."

"Will you excuse us for a moment to talk?"

"No."

Each drops a heavy sigh, grits their teeth, and makes other overt signs of stress and frustration. Pathetic. They glance at each other, hoping for some silent communication to help them decide. I sip my coffee patiently as their breakfast cools on their plates. I'm enjoying their uncomfortable silence entirely too much, so I allow the waitress the refill my mug.

"The coffee here is good," I comment while I wait. "But I'll have to get going when this cup is finished."

My subtle time limit isn't lost on them. I sip away, sometimes loudly to make them squirm again. I have to force myself not to chuckle.

"Fine," one of them finally says. "But do you have any idea what you've done to us here?"

"Yep," I say simply. "But allow me to point out that it's your own corruption which put you in this position."

The other councilman glares. "Let's get this over with."

Within twenty minutes I'm leading the two of them into the detective's bullpen of Sofia's precinct. She's already watching over Evelyn as she gives her statement to the top detective on their squad. Bash watches silently from a few yards away, his eyes constantly scanning the area. Training never fades.
 

Sofia looks up at me when I walk in flanked by two ashen-faced men in suits, here to give their statements. I see the triumph in her eyes, well hidden by her professional exterior. She directs them both to two other detectives, having kept nearly her entire squad in house for the day. Only moments later the DA brings in the bank CEO who was deep into the corruption with them.
 

With the entire room now over run with people working against Mayor John Bennett, Sofia walks over to me in calm professionalism. I can see heavy emotion behind her eyes. I assumed I understood the reason behind the emotion, but she reveals one level I hadn't realized was there.

"The banker," she nods discreetly toward him. "He handled the money for all Bennett's proclivities. He'll testify to handling the funds for Bennett's prostitutes, drugs, Amber's apartment, everything."

I keep my expression subdued based on the look on her face. "What is it?"

"He paid Shank," she says quietly but firmly. "He fucking paid that lowlife to rape me, and he's going to get off, just for giving up Bennett."

"Can you link him directly to Shank, and to Amber's death?"

"That's what we're going after. My squad is good. They'll make the connection legally or press him hard enough to admit to it. He knows he's going down, but he can soften the landing by turning on our dear mayor."

I want to take her in my arms, but I can't do that here. I want to beat the shit out of that damn banker, but I can't do that here either. All I can do is remind her that Bennett will be done. She nods, but I can see her continued frustration. I can only offer one promise.

"If what he gets isn't enough, I'll make sure it's enough. My way."

Sofia takes a deep breath and makes no response. She doesn't need to. We'll deal with every challenge as it comes. She does, however, keep her professional focus.

"We're bringing in Bennett's secretary and a few other key people for questioning. After that, Hanover will file formal charges, which means we'll be brining Bennett in by this afternoon. I requested of my chief that I be the one to cuff him."

"Did he ask why?"

She nods. "I spent a chunk of my morning confessing the depth of our investigation. He was pissed, but he was glad I kept an official side. I told him what Shank did to me, and also to Amber. He was furious that I kept all of that from him, but he also wanted to know if I was ok. Bottom line, he agreed to let me be the one who brings Bennett in."

"Do you want me to stay?"

Sofia shakes her head. "Go home and destroy the board. Get all the digital evidence on a flashdrive and hide it. No one needs to know how deep we went. I'll try to hold off on the arrest until you can come back, but you'll see it on tv either way. As soon as the DA files charges, this will be everywhere."

I nod and discreetly squeeze her hand. She reacts with a tiny flex of her fingers, and nods to me. "I'll see you soon."

I offer a quick glance to Bash as I walk past, and he nods shortly. Silent communication between teammates such as us doesn't take long. He'll have Evelyn hidden again at Ledger's property until he's sure any threat has been eliminated. Based on the look in his eye, I have no doubt he'll protect her long after.
 

Within three hours, months of work has culminated into a tiny series of fucking awesome events. Evelyn Bennett finishes her statement and leaves the precinct before they bring her husband in. I know where she's hiding to avoid him, but the police don't need to know.

Nearly our entire investigation is up in smoke, literally, having been destroyed in the fire pit of my back yard. Our digital information is safely hidden behind the wood trim of my bedroom window. As far as the world knows, we did nothing.

District Attorney Hanover is now on the news making a public statement about the task force, taking full credit for the removal of city corruption, which doesn't bother me at all. It does, however, make me want to keep tabs on him. If he has tendencies toward the same power-hungry bullshit at Bennett, I want to see it coming early.
 

I'm back at the precinct, patiently waiting for Sofia to walk him into an interrogation room and work her investigative magic. I'm entertained in the mean time by the tv screen again showing the grand arrest. Smiling ear-to-ear along with most of the detective squad around me, we watch the news as John Bennett is walked down the steps of City Hall by my triumphant woman. She's keeping her cool professionalism and walks with her efficient, strong stride, but I know that look in her eye. I am so goddamn in love with her.
 

We all have to wait about ten minutes before Sofia leads the soon-to-be-former mayor into the building, dodging cameras along the way. She glances at me quickly before she pushes him into the interrogation room and closes the door behind her. I saw everything I needed to know in her eyes for that fleeting moment. She's in control, she's triumphant, and she will finish this her way…strong to the end. What I wouldn't give to watch her question him, and bring him to his knees with only her words. That is true power.