The Position Vol. Four

By Izzy Mason

This was supposed to be heaven on Earth. I finally got the one thing in the world I desperately wanted--my brilliant but damaged ex-boss, Jude Lazarus. He has finally dropped the games and opened his heart to me completely. But instead my life has become a living hell. Suddenly everything is on the line. The decision is mine. Which am I willing to sacrifice: my love or my life?

This story develops over five novellas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Izzy Mason
• Release date: Feb 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311853479

Izzy Mason

I'm a city girl who writes fun, sexy, entertaining novellas meant to take your mind off your troubles for a while. I have an adorable husband, a fish named Frank, and a fat black cat with codependency issues.

Book preview

The Position

Vol. 4

Izzy Mason

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 by Izzy Mason

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

Chapter One

The man pushes me back and closes the door behind him. I don’t know who the hell he is, but I instinctively make a dash around him and try to get out. He leans against the door and grabs my wrist. He’s not much taller than me, but his back and chest are broad, like a barrel, and his arms are muscular. He has black hair buzzed short, a big face with a flat nose, and a scar cut right through one of his eyebrows.

Sorry, sweetheart. You are not going anywhere.

He tightens his grip on my wrist and drags me across the room to the sofa. With one hard push, he flings me down onto the cushions. I’m paralyzed with fear. I flash back to the black town car with a shudder.

Even though I’ve had my share of scary run-ins with bad guys, no one has hunted me down and broken into my home. Of course, I’d never really had a home to break into.

You and me are going to have a conversation, the man says in perfect, but accented English. And then I am going to leave. I am not going to break anything and I am not going to hurt you…unless you do something stupid, of course. He sits down on the coffee table and leans toward me. His eyes never leave mine. I make no such promises if I have to come back again.

Who the fuck are you? I manage to get out, forcing at least a hint of ferocity into my voice.

Okay, let me clarify, the man goes on. We are not going to have a conversation so much as an information session. Okay? You are going to listen very carefully and answer my questions. But you are not going to be the one asking. Are we clear?

There’s nothing I can do but nod stupidly. The man turns his head and stares through the open door of the bedroom, as if he is taking in some invisible information. He clears his throat.

You do not need to know who I am. I know who you are. I know where you are. I even know where your dark, curly-haired buddy is. You know, the guy you were talking to yesterday?

My best friend Travis. My stomach goes sour. I can’t breathe. So it was the guy in the town car. I’m not crazy. I was being followed. But why?

You are causing problems for someone close to me, the man says, pointing his thick finger at me. And you are going to stop. A lot of work has gone into making things come together for this person. But now you are fucking it all up. And no one in my family has ever been very tolerant of pointless problems. Like you.

I shake my head and narrow my eyes, confused. What are you talking about? I don’t even…

You know Jude Lazarus? he interrupts.

I can feel myself go pale. But…why? Why do you ask me that?

The man falls silent. He nods to himself and steeples his fingers. Then he sighs. You will not see him again. If he comes to your apartment, you will not let him in. If he comes to your work, you will refuse to see him. You will refuse his calls. His texts. All communication ends now. Today. Do you understand?

I stare at the man in disbelief. Of all of the things he could say to me, and all of the things he could threaten to take away, he lands on the only one that matters. I try to imagine never seeing Lazarus again. Never ever being near him. Never feeling his hands on me, nor his weight on top of me again. It’s all I can think about. I finally hooked Lazarus for real, and now some meathead wants to take him away from me forever? The anger wells up inside me.

Or what? I bark, finding my voice.

The man leans in closer now. I can smell the cigarette on his breath and see the greasy pores of his skin. Or I come back. This time, without knocking. I visit your friend Travis, too. And Lazarus, that little snake, loses every penny he has ever made.

He grins, showing off weird, cosmetically whitened teeth. The words have left me again. Who the hell is this guy? How is Lazarus involved with him? How does he happen to have such power over Lazarus’s finances? And why in the hell would he care about…

Celestina. Somehow, this all points to her.

This is insane, I breathe, almost to myself.

The man leans back a little, though his eyes are still blazing holes into me. Oh, you have no idea how much is at stake, little girl. Especially for that treacherous little weasel, Lazarus. If you care about him, even a little bit, you’ll do what I say. And keep your fucking legs closed. Yes?

He pushes himself up by his