After my meeting with Victor, I knew that if I wanted to finally put the Black Widow Corporation down, I needed something substantial. I’d known that all along, but I wasn’t sure how to get it. Donicko gave me that perfect opportunity.
Before my meeting with him, I’d made the decision to keep my phone on ‘record’ in my pocket while I was there. I had no idea if he’d have me frisked or what kind of security he’d have. Being the man he was, I figured he’d have more men guarding him, but apparently he felt safe in his own home. And even if he did have security, I had to take that chance, especially since I’d had no idea what he wanted to see me for.
That’s where Steve’s number came into play. I wanted it just in case. I knew if I got something good, I’d end up calling. What I wasn’t prepared for was Donicko giving me more than I could have asked for or even wanted. I was still battling with the information, and I wasn’t sure how to cope with it. He’d turned my life upside-down in a matter of minutes.
Dialing the number, I sat back in my chair and waited.
“Morison,” he stated into the phone.
“Mr. Morison, it’s Mason Cline.”
“Mason, thank you for calling me back. I have to say, I’m speechless from the email you sent.”
I wasn’t surprised.
“That’s understandable. What did you need to speak to me about? I was pretty detailed in what I wanted to happen in that email.”
I heard Phil let out a sigh. “You do realize what you’re asking me to do. This is big, Mason. Huge. You come out with this story, it’ll go national, I’m sure of it. This is…the biggest story we’ve had around here in a long time. But as a friend of Steve’s, I have to ask you, are you sure you want to go through with this? Authorities need to be involved. And—”
“The FBI has already been sent information, too,” I stated, cutting him off. “However, I’d like that to stay out of the story. They received the same information you did, plus more.” I wiped a hand down my face, exhaustion taking over my body. “I’m sure I want to go through with this. It’s been hidden for far too long. When are you going to run it?”
“That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about. If all things go according to plan, it’ll be the headline story on Monday, then probably national news for the rest of the week.”
I nodded to myself. I knew this was going to happen fast, so I’d been preparing myself mentally for the past week.
“That sounds good to me. Please forward me the final story.”
“I will. And Mason?”
“Yeah.”
“For what it’s worth, you’re a good man. I don’t know all the ins and outs, but no child should’ve had to go through what you did. I hope they burn in Hell.”
My lip curved into a slight grin. “Me, too. Me, too.”
We ended the call and I sat there, staring at the scotch I’d poured. I’d need a lot more of it to get me through the next few weeks. Once the news hit the stands, all Hell would break loose.
Twenty-seven
Emmalynn
A week had come and gone, yet I was still in a daze after my visit with Mason. When I’d arrived at his house that day, I had all intentions of pampering him and making sure he was okay. Things went differently, but nothing I didn’t want to happen. I wanted him to know my feelings. I wanted him to open up to me. I just didn’t realize how open he’d be. The information he threw at me was overwhelming, and I didn’t know how to process it. I needed time to go over all of it alone. Part of me was hoping it was all a lie, but that was too elaborate of a story to tell someone if you just wanted to scare them off.
It was Saturday morning, and I hadn’t talked to or seen Mason since that day. I had, however, seen him on TV. Once the story broke, he began to be stalked by reporters. They asked him an obscene amount of questions, but that friend of his, Luke, was always there to back them off and tell them ‘no comment’. But the look on Mason’s face spoke volumes. It brought a pain to my chest. He was hurting, and in a way I didn’t understand. I didn’t know what to do.
He told me things I could never imagine someone I’d have feelings for to have done. Can I look past that? Could I have a future with someone who has that kind of past, including his sickness of self-mutilation?
And what about my family and friends; what would they think? This wasn’t something I’d be able to keep from them. This news was turning national, and they were bound to find out about his past sooner or later.
I stretched and looked around my new room. Quinn had moved in with her boyfriend over the past week, and I’d spent a majority of my downtime getting the room organized and fixing things to my style. I tried to enjoy the time, establishing my independence, but it was hard for me to do so with Mason taking over all my thoughts.
I flipped my new fuchsia and purple polka-dotted comforter off my body and slid out of bed to head to the kitchen. I needed coffee to get through another day.