Unforgivable Secrets | One Mistake Away Series Bk 1 [Mob Romance]

Chapter 17 - Make Me Look Perfect

Harper's POV:

"O'Sullivan?" A hand waving in my face drew my attention back to reality. Mason had stolen my attention, reminding me that his approval still mattered to me. Yet I still didn't have it.

Shoving Smitty's hand out of my face, I sent a glare his way.

"Don't look at me like that." He shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

Rolling my eyes, I began working my way toward the crowd of both dancing and mingling people. His hand on my shoulder twisted me around.

"Do you want those fingers cut off?" I growled at my second in command.

Relinquishing his grip, he shrugged, casually looking around the room. "I'd be a less effective soldier if I didn't have my fingers."

"I think you'd figure out a way to manage." My words were dry, but a tease of a smile flickered and disappeared from my face. Mason caught my attention again, my brows furrowing as I noticed Alec Ricci with his hand on him.

"This is a big night, O'Sullivan. Why aren't you focused?" He adjusted his cufflink, his gaze following after mine. "Are you focused on Ricci or the fellow he's threatening?"

"Threatening? You think he's threatening him?" My instant reaction elicited an arched brow from Smitty.

"Why does it matter?" He watched me, weighing out the stress lines in my forehead.

"Because it does." I pulled away from him, stalking toward my victims. If Ricci were threatening Mason, I'd drop him then and there. Nobody threatened him except for me.

Pausing, I watched Mason walk away from Ricci. He may have thought he hid his feelings well, but I could tell he was shaken up. His shoulders were bunched tighter than usual, his hands flexed from fists to being open and back again, his jaw was tight, and his eyes more watchful than usual. Being calm was the last thing on his mind.

My eyes flitted between Mason and Ricci, unsure who I wanted to confront. Taking a step forward, I found my feet dashing after Mason once again. We still had things to discuss. And I needed to know he was on my side.

I didn't want to think about whose eyes were following me as I left the ballroom once again. I was sure questions of my departure were sure to be raised, and I would handle them when I needed to. Right now not only did I have the matter of allies to deal with, I also had a friendship on the line.

The hallways were easier to navigate now that I'd been down them once before. Approaching Mason's door, I took a deep breath, releasing it as I knocked.

Looking to my right, then to my left, I raised my hand to knock again. My fist had nearly made contact with the door as it opened wide. My eyes opened equally wide as I lurched forward, stumbling into the room.

"What the hell, Mason!" I screeched as his gaze followed my attempt at regaining some form of balance.

"Come in why don't you." He stared at the open door for a moment before closing it. Draining a glass of a brown liquid, he walked over to the bar and made himself another drink.

"How much have you been drinking?" My eyes never left the glass bottle as he poured it in his glass.

"Does it matter?" He didn't look at me, just slammed another drink down.

"Well I need to know if I should be prepared for you to start puking on my dress or if I'm going to need to figure out where the nearest emergency room is for alcohol poisoning." I watched his gaze finally meet mine. Hints of warmness filled his eyes before coldness took over.