Read Online Queen In Play (The Manhattan Tales Book 2) by Willa Thorne - Free Book Online Page B

games.”  He repeated in a low voice.  The sexual current between us was crackling.  It was suffocating.
    “It’s not a game, Mason.  You’re trying to control me because I won’t give in to your demands. You just want to order me around.”
    The darkness faded from his eyes and he looked at me in all seriousness.  “No more games, Jillian.  I’m determined to have you, and not for the sake of winning, but because I’m still in love with you.”
    I shook my head, putting distance between us. I slumped to my feet. “No, I already have a date.”
    “Jill, give me another chance-”
    “How many chances do I have to give you?  Do you think I’m an idiot?  That I’m just going to run back to you after you pushed me away countless times? After you positioned everything so that you’d have leverage on me to use against my brother?”  I gave him one cock-eyed look.
    “Jillian, I swear it’s-” his tone was adamant but I didn’t care. After seeing his public display at the bar, I was in no mood to hear his bullshit excuses.
    “Don’t.” I stormed away from the hall, completely forgetting my trip to the restroom.   I was exhausted.
     

 
    4. Mason Woodward
     
     
    One week passed since Jillian refused me in the hall outside the restrooms.  It was another Wednesday evening.  The only company I had was my laptop and a bottle of MaCallan… and Piper, on the other end of the line.
    “How was Vegas?”  Piper’s calm voice filtered through the speaker as I poured a bit of whiskey into a tumbler.
    “Everything is on point.  It should be opening in June as expected.” 
    I didn’t care to talk about my hotel’s expansion to Vegas.  I was angry with myself for trying to simmer jealousy within Jillian at the pub the week before.  What the hell was I thinking?
    There was a pause of silence between Piper and myself as I balanced the mobile on my shoulder and sat at the desk in my study to get some work done.
    “What are your plans tonight?”  Piper asked.
    I glanced up at the ceiling, inwardly annoyed.  I wish she’d just get to the point of this call.
    “I’m sitting in my study, attempting to get some work done.  You seem idle this evening.  Don’t you have some case studies to review?”
    “I’m going to ignore that comment.”  Piper quipped.  “For your information, I’m sitting at the apartment with a carton of takeout.  Jill is out this evening so it’s just me and the TV.”
    My lip twitched and I felt that knot in my jaw tighten.
    “She must be enjoying the fact that she is finally feeling better.  Is she out with Elyse?”  Of course, I was digging for information.  She better not be out with that fucker…
    “She has a date this evening,” Piper responded calmly, as though that statement would not at all bother me.  My entire frame went rigid with pure venomous jealousy.
    “With who?”  I demanded, but I corrected myself.  “I hope he’s a nicer bloke than I am.”
    Piper scoffed.
    “Is she with that friend of Jackson’s?”  I asked, my tone sounding much more furious.
    “She may or may not be at Finley’s.  You didn’t hear that from me.”
    I swear smoke escaped my nostrils.  I ended the call.  My knuckles were knotted white as I debated what to do.  Finley’s?  He took her to Finley’s?  I’d never been there, but I knew of that place.  It was a dive bar just off Lexington Avenue.  He took her to a dive bar as a first date?  I was stewing.  I knew that man had one intention, and one intention only.
    With nothing more than tunnel vision, I left my penthouse.
    I couldn’t handle it if another man had her, if another man ever used her and broke her.  I’ll never get over her , I knew that much.  I will show her. Enough is fucking enough.  This is not over.
     
    I stormed into Finley’s and looked around.  My entrance was so abrupt, I startled the bartender behind the counter. I didn’t wait long enough to let him acknowledge me.