Mason's Revenge Read online

  Mason’s Revenge

  A Billionaire Boss Romance

  By Lorena Jackson

  Copyright

  ©2019 Lorena Jackson

  All rights reserved. First edition.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Digital Mojo Ltd.

  Original photos from Unsplash.

  Chapter 1

  Mason

  * * *

  Mason stood in Stillwaters, fifteen years since he last stepped foot there. The town he tried to forget hadn’t changed a bit. Same narrow high street, same pretty river running through the town. Only the shop facades had changed. Mobile shops and coffee shops now dominated the familiar high street.

  “How does it feel to be back, sir?” asked his chauffeur.

  “Like I never left,” he admitted.

  Yes, the town was the same but he was a different person. His friends and business partners didn’t understand his reasoning for returning to such a small-time town. Away from London. Away from the big city back to this virtually unknown town on the outskirts of London in the home counties. Not many people knew he actually grew up here. He always left that part of his life out.

  This town – his childhood home – had made an impression. A huge impression. An impression so negative that it drove him to depression as a teenager. Over the years, this depression turned to anger. It was this anger that drove him to become the determined businessman that now stood here, with a chauffeur and millions in the bank.

  He stood on the street admiring his new acquisition – a local finance company. This company had been the town’s main employer when he was a kid and it still was. Without it, Stillwaters would have no local economy. The highstreet would be reduced to a ghost town rather than the thriving little centre it was now.

  Mason’s area of expertise was the acquisition of underachieving businesses at a low price. With his expert team around him, he converted these sinking ships into profitable businesses and sold them on. He was not averse to sacking the staff if he felt they did not meet his expectations – his very high expectations.

  He never thought he’d ever return to this town – there was nothing here for him. No friends, no family and certainly no fond memories. He was back for one reason and one reason only – revenge.

  This company wasn’t normally one he’d take notice of but when it came to his attention of its impending liquidation, it got him thinking. He couldn’t help but imagine the scenario of him stepping in and becoming the hero who saved the local employees...or the villain – he hadn’t quite decided yet.

  Chapter 2

  Polly

  * * *

  Polly paced her office. Normally cool and in total control, her nerves were getting the better of her. Last week, they all expected to lose their jobs until some billionaire stepped in and saved the company at the last minute. Her team celebrated. Those with hefty mortgages felt relieved as did those with families. Even Polly – single and mortgage-free – felt the stress. Great at her job, she could no doubt find another one but it would mean moving away. Jobs were hard to come by in this town and she wasn’t exactly in a position to relocate.

  As the financial director of the company, Polly had no idea what the attraction of this company was to a successful businessman. Being close to the operations, she knew of the years of mismanagement and mishandling of funds. Due to her intervention – she could no longer stand back and be quiet – it led to the uncovering of the deep-rooted financial trouble of the trouble and the shocking fall in the share price. The employees of the company shared the opinion that she should have kept her mouth shut. The rapid dive in the share price and the company almost going bust were blamed on her. They didn’t understand the bigger picture – that the whole business was a house of cards and would have blown down at any minute.

  Her secretary tapped on the office door.

  “How exciting – he’s just arrived. You should go down and greet him,” said Louisa.

  Louisa had been the senior secretary here for years. Trustworthy, reliable and discreet, Polly had no hesitation in making Lousia her personal secretary – a kind and mother-like figure she’d known since she was a child.

  “Exciting is not the word, Louisa. Nerve-wracking more like,” she confided to her secretary.

  Louisa offered to go with her for moral support. Polly smoothed down her suit – it was time to meet him. With all top management resigning, she was now the most senior person of the company – apart from the new owner. So it was up to her to greet him and show him around – unless he decided to sack her. With no idea what his intentions were or what sort of person this Mason Archer was, being fired was a realistic possibility.

  With barely any background information, she knew little about this man – a social media enigma. From London, single, aged thirty and from the few pictures she found, he looked reasonably handsome. Negotiations and meetings were usually dealt with by his numerous staff with him in the background. No doubt playing golf or sailing on a yacht she assumed. She’d heard of his stand-offish and unapproachable attitude, that his staff were intimidated by him and he didn’t like to deal with the minions – so why was he here today? Maybe he was a complete jerk and enjoyed the thrill of delivering bad news in person. Who knew what went on in the mind of some ruthless billionaire. Determined not to let him get to her, Polly and Louisa took the lift down to reception. There was no sign of him.

  “Look, he’s still outside,” pointed Louisa.

  Probably regretting his decision to invest in such a small town, thought Polly. She decided to take control. With another deep breath, she walked straight outside and approached the man.

  On first impressions, he was much taller than she imagined – a well-built six-foot-four man in a sharp, navy suit. The pictures on the internet didn’t do him justice. He was handsome – undoubtedly handsome. The word handsome an understatement, perhaps? Hot. Completely hot was a better description. With his dark hair, tanned skin and electric-blue eyes with an intense gaze, he oozed masculinity. His slight stubble and angled cheekbones made her think that maybe he was some model instead of the new boss. She checked around, no it was him. And there he stood, expressionless, just staring at her, making her feel the intimidation that he was obviously going for. Ignoring this feeling, she held out her hand and introduced herself.

  Chapter 3

  Mason

  * * *

  And there she stood, as he’d always remembered – beautiful and confident. The next few moments would determine his plan. If he was recognised or if someone had done their homework, then they’d know who he really was. But if not, he could act as the benevolent, high-flying stranger swooping in to save the little people.

  “Polly Taylor, Financial Director,” she announced with an outstretched hand. “Welcome to Stillwaters Investments.”

  The memory of the last time he saw her flashed through his mind. His face set to stone. With no shake of the hand, he left her hanging. He wasn’t ready to exchange pleasantries.

  “It’s now called Mason Investments. As part of the Mason Holding Group,” he said.

  She stared at him momentarily before pulling her hand away. Was there a hint of recognition or was she just checking him out?

  “Of course,” she replied, and then introduced him to her secretary Louisa.

  Louisa, lovely kind Louisa. Would she recognise him?

  “My, you’re a handsome young man. Mason Archer, isn’t it? If I was twenty years younger…anyway, we’re so happy to have you here. If
you need anything, let me know.”

  Polly glared at her but he laughed. Remembering her kindness towards him as a kid, he didn’t care about her unprofessionalism when meeting the new boss. Obviously, she didn’t recognise him either – so benevolent stranger it was. Ignoring Polly and leaving her standing behind him on the street, he walked arm in arm with Louisa through the company's doors and asked her for a guided tour.

  Polly caught up with them in the lift.

  “We should arrange a meeting,” she suggested as she pulled open the closing lift doors.

  “I’ll get my secretary to let you know. Won’t you, Louisa?”

  Louisa stared blankly at him. Polly wasn’t so confused.

  “Louisa’s my secretary,” she informed him.

  “Not anymore. You don’t mind, do you, Louisa? I’ve heard good things about you and I need someone I can trust.”

  Louisa looked delighted while Polly’s face turned to thunder. A face that Mason recognised from school. A mean scowl. No, Polly hadn’t changed much. She may have become a big fish in a small pond with her semi-success in this company but beneath all the fakeness, Mason knew she was still the cold-hearted bitch he remembered from school...

  “Mason Harris! You’re so fat that you’re...just really fat!” yelled one kid from down the corridor at school.

  The other kids found this witless wonder hilarious. Mason didn’t hang around to hear the rest of the insult and continued walking. Used to the taunts by now, he pretended he didn’t care. Sticks and stones…that’s what his mum always reminded him.

  “Four eyes,” yelled another original genius.

  Puberty had not been kind to Mason Harris. As a younger kid, he’d always been short and wore glasses but he looked cute in a geeky kind of way. Now his body was getting wider but not taller. Despite this, he couldn’t stop eating. He blamed his parents due to their constant arguing. In an attempt to avoid their company, he retreated to his room, watching telly and pigging out on junk food.

  And then puberty struck. His voice broke – he now sounded odd. His skin had not been kind to him either and his eyesight worsened so he needed an even thicker prescription. As the new proud owner of thick, black bottle-top glasses, this attracted even more taunts. Just to add to the whole humiliation, his trousers were too short for him. His family had no money. Most of the rows between his parents were over money so he could hardly ask for new trousers – that would just make it even worse.

  “My god Mason, could you get any uglier?” asked Charlie White, the meanest kid in school.

  “Get lost, Charlie,” Mason said to the floor as he tried walking past the school bully.

  “What did you say?”

  Shit, he’d heard him.

  His heart quickened, his stomach lurched and his body tremored. Feeling utterly terrified, he was out of his depth and he knew it.

  “Nothing,” he stammered as he tried to walk away.

  Charlie the thug pulled him back by the arm and slapped him across the face, causing the kids nearby to whisper and laugh.

  “Just a bitch slap this time. Next time you answer back, you’ll know about it.”

  Not one kid came forward to check if he was okay. That suited him fine as he’d probably cry if anyone showed him any sympathy. Polly Taylor stood there passively with the rest of them. They were all out for number one. It was a matter of self-preservation.

  Once upon a time, she would have launched herself at a bully like Charlie but since secondary school, she’d turned into the rest of them – just another spineless face in the crowd. He straightened his glasses, held his shoulders up high and walked to the next class. His mum was wrong, sticks and stones may break his bones but the names would always hurt him.

  Chapter 4

  Polly

  * * *

  Good god, this Mason Archer proved an even bigger jerk than she expected. If she wasn’t very much mistaken, he sneered at her out on the street, refused a hand-shake and then left her standing there like a total idiot. When she followed them to the lift, he didn’t bother pressing the hold button, allowing the lift doors to shut on her instead. His final act was to nick her secretary just like he owned the place. A scowl crossed her face as she remembered that the big arrogant pig did own the place. Damn you, Mason Archer. There was no way he was going to intimidate her like he did with the rest of his staff, even if he was incredibly good-looking.

  “Traitor,” she called out to Louisa a bit later on. Half joking but half meaning it too.

  “I’m so sorry, Polly; I had no choice. He’s the boss after all. He’s lovely, don’t you think?”

  Lovely was definitely not the word she’d use to describe this Mason Archer person.

  “He seems a bit familiar don’t you think?” asked Louisa.

  No, if Polly had met him before she’d have remembered.

  “You’re right. He probably just looks like one of those movie stars with his Hollywood good looks.”

  “I didn’t notice,” she lied. “Anyway, haven’t you got any work to do?”

  “You’re not my boss anymore, remember?” Louisa cheekily reminded her.

  How could she forget? The arrogant man behind those doors had waltzed in and made changes already. Determined to be involved in all decision making from now on, she stormed into his office and sat down, uninvited. The direct approach would probably work best on a man like this. He glared at her while he talked on the phone. Swivelling in his chair, he turned to face the window.

  “Tell me what you’re wearing,” he whispered into the phone.

  Ewww, thought Polly. What the hell had she walked in on? She sat there uncomfortably. With her show of confidence of marching into the office, she didn’t want to sculk out now.

  “That sounds sexy, baby. I can’t wait to see it later...when? When I finish here. I’m just going to sack some people and then whisk you off to Venice. Sound good? Yes, I can’t wait to see that underwear tonight.”

  Polly rolled her eyes and coughed to remind him she was still in the room. He swivelled back to face her with the same frosty glare he gave her outside. Maybe his face permanently looked like that? It certainly detracted from his handsomeness. And she didn’t care if he thought of her as some sort of pushy pest but she had a job to do.

  Chapter 5

  Mason

  * * *

  The arrogant woman waltzed into his office as if they were equals. Her recent position of the most prominent person in the company must have gone to her head. It was time to take her down a peg or two.

  Not actually on the phone to a girlfriend, Mason quickly changed the conversation he’d been having with his best friend Rupert. All Rupert could say over the phone was, ‘what the hell! Why do you want to know what I’m wearing?’

  “Bye sexy,” he said.

  By this time, Rupert gave up and said ‘bye sexy’ back. That made him laugh. He’d actually been talking to Rupert about how to handle Polly. Only Rupert knew the background story – the only person Mason ever confided in. Sack her immediately and any of the other losers from school that worked here? Or string them along? Treat them badly. Be the worst boss ever. Make their lives so horrible that they’d quit. That appealed as he wouldn’t have to fork out for redundancy payouts. But Rupert had an interesting idea – make Polly fall in love with him and then dump her. He stared at her as she sat there impatiently waiting for him. Could he do it? Could he bear this woman’s presence in his life? He looked her up and down. Yes, an attractive lady; it wouldn’t be a hardship to sleep with this woman but would it work? With her cold as ice demeanour, he doubted if heartbreak was possible.

  “Sorry, just my girlfriend. She’s a model,” he lied.

  Mason had no time for girlfriends. He’d had a few dates and short-term flings but had always been focused on building up his business and building up his body. Now at thirty, he was completely unrecognisable from school.

  “Right,” said Polly, completely uninterested.

&nb
sp; “That was a joke about sacking people,” he smiled.

  “Glad to hear it,” she said coolly.

  She talked the talk but her face just gave it away – a sign of relief, if he wasn’t very much mistaken. Maybe the way to get to her was through the security of her job? Lull her into a false sense of security initially but make her life at work a living hell. Yes, a perfect idea and this set the plan in motion. Now it was time to turn on the Mason charm.

  “Polly, I’m so sorry for being abrupt earlier.”

  Then he launched into the spiel about how he’d heard great things about her and how interested he was in making her the number two around here. Together, they could turn this company around and make it successful again.

  Yes, this seemed to appease her as she launched into a bunch of ideas. He nodded politely. Great idea, he agreed. What enthusiasm, he gushed. He hoped the rest of the staff shared her drive and commitment. They agreed to meet for dinner the next night. She left the office almost giddy, admitting to him of her newfound optimism towards the future of the company. He agreed with a fake smile as he shut the door behind her.

  Poor fool, he thought. He didn’t give a damn about the company whereas she seemed passionate about it. Hitting her where it hurt – her precious job – seemed the best payback.

  Chapter 6

  Polly

  * * *

  Maybe she’d misjudged him? That talk went well – much better than she expected. He shared her optimism and enthusiasm about the success of the company. And she could relax, her job was safe. Although she still didn’t fully understand his motives for investing in this company. Maybe she’d find out at dinner tomorrow?