We walked down the short hallway and split up at the end, each of us going in opposite directions.
“My room is fine. Everything is where I left it,” Alissa shouted.
I slowly walked into my room. Everything was a mess. My bed had been slashed, my blankets and pillows were the same. My clothes had been pulled out of the closet and thrown onto the floor where they were covered in nail polish and lotions I had in my room.
My drawers were pulled out of the dresser, everything I had on top of my vanity was broken or thrown on the floor, and everything was ripped from the walls.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I sat down in the middle of the bedroom floor and cried.
“Why is he doing this?” I asked Mason, who took a seat next to me, pulling me into his lap.
“It’s okay, this is just stuff. You’re what’s important.” He slowly rubbed my back, instantly soothing me.
He’s right. All this is just stuff, it’s nothing I can’t live without. I need to be stronger than ever. Get up and stop crying.
I dried my tears and forced myself up, looking around the room. “Let’s get to work.”
Mason and I started on my room, while Alissa started in the kitchen. We ended up throwing away most of the stuff that was in the apartment. I didn’t understand why he was doing that to me. Doing all those things wouldn’t make me come back to him any faster, it only made me hate him more.
Finally, around five P.M, everything was cleaned up and Mason had taken the last load of trash to the dumpster.
I stood in the living room, looking at how bare it was. “Let’s go get a drink.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Alissa joined me from the kitchen.
“No Jack for you.” I pointed my finger at her.
“Deal, no Jack,” she held her hands up, surrendering, “Just rum.” She smiled.
We were at the bar within minutes and we all ordered a round of drinks. We sat back, not saying much just drinking and thinking about the day.
“Shit, I forgot to call about the security system,” Mason said out of nowhere.
Alissa’s eyes got big. “Great, looks like I’m bunking with you two again.”
I shook my head. “Oh no, call now.” I pointed at Mason.
Mason got up from the table and went outside to make the call.
I noticed Sarah and Trent walking through the bar. “Hey, over here,” I waved, trying to get their attention.
They made their way over and sat down at our table.
“Where’s Mason?” Trent asked.
“He went to call about a security system since both our places were broken into last night.”
Just then, Mason walked in and took his seat. “Their closed already.”
“Why do you need to hire someone? We have a ton of stuff left over from doing the shop last summer. I bet we could do it ourselves tonight.” Trent shrugged.
“I forgot all about that. I will run down to the shop and grab it and then we can all head back to my place.” Mason leaned over and gave me a quick kiss before leaving.
“Great, Trent and Mason hooking up a security system.” I eyed Sarah.
“This will be entertaining,” Sarah said laughing.
Trent looked offended. “Hey, it’s not rocket science. We can do it, no problem.”
Alissa, Sarah, and I looked at each other and busted out laughing again.
As time passed, the four of us sat around the table talking and drinking. Dane made his way over and pulled Alissa away. I tried listening in, but couldn’t hear anything. I wished she would’ve just admitted to herself that she still had feelings for him.
“What’s taking Mason so long?” Trent looked at his watch. “He’s been gone for like fifteen minutes.”
“He has been gone awhile. Let’s go check.” I grabbed my phone off the table.
We all made it to the door, laughing and joking about what the guys were about to get themselves into, when we heard sirens. The fire truck and ambulance pulled into the parking lot but drove past the bar, right to Mason’s shop. I pushed through the door, my heart pounding in my chest and ears ringing. I ran down the gravel road as fast as my legs would carry me, ignoring the pain in my side. I had to find Mason.
When the shop came into view, my feet stopped as I took in the scene before me.
The entire building was engulfed in flames, the heat burned my face even though I was a good thirty feet away. Tears flooded my eyes as my brain and feet finally agreed on something. “Mason!” I screamed, taking off into a dead sprint toward the building.
I ran toward the fire, almost reaching the building, when I was grabbed and held back.
“You can’t go in there, Miss.”
“Mason!” I screamed again while fighting against the fireman holding me back. He managed to pull me away. I couldn’t do anything but watch. Watch as flames took away something that Mason worked so hard for.
Firefighters rushed the building, some getting to work putting the fire out. I couldn’t hear anything that was going on, only the rush of blood pumping in my ears. Tears flooded my eyes while I screamed until my throat was raw. The heat of the flames so hot, it burned my skin.
A beam in the roof broke, causing a part of the roof to come falling down. I fell to my knees, crying and screaming. Where is Mason? Was he in the building when this happened? Is he still in the building?
Seconds after a part of the roof came crashing down, two firefighters walked out, holding up Mason. His skin was covered in black ash, he had a gash on his forehead, and he could barely walk, but he was alive.
They walked him over to the ambulance and instantly put a mask on him. I got up and ran toward the ambulance and climbed in the back. I grabbed his hand and leaned over to look into his eyes. He gave me that sexy smile of his while he brushed my cheek before falling unconscious.
The ambulance doors got slammed shut and we sped toward the hospital. I watched the EMT’s as they pried open his eyelids and shined a light into his eyes. They poked and prodded around the rest of his body, after covering the gash on his head.
We were at the hospital within minutes and we were rushed through the halls.
“I’m sorry, Miss, but this is as far as you can go. You will have to wait in the waiting room. We will come get you when we’re ready for you,” a nurse said with her hand on my arm, trying to comfort me. I glanced down to her name tag that read, Kelly.
Her hazel eyes held softness that instantly helped to soothe me. She offered me a small smile before leading me toward the waiting room.
I almost fell into a seat. I was covered in ash from Mason, and all I could smell was smoke. I sat in the chair and cried. I knew he would be okay but that didn’t stop me from worrying. I was angry that Chris would do something like that. He could have really hurt Mason, although I knew he didn’t care, he hurt me almost every day.
Alissa, Dane, Trent, and Sarah rushed into the waiting room.
“What’s going on? Is he okay?” Sarah asked.
“I don’t know. They haven’t told me anything yet. He was awake at first, but he passed out. He had a big gash on his head, but I didn’t notice anything else.”
Alissa pulled me in for a hug before we all took our seats, waiting impatiently. There wasn’t anything to do but wait. Alissa kept asking if I wanted coffee or anything to eat, but I couldn’t think of anything but Mason.
Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, a doctor came out of those swinging doors, I hated so much.
“You came in with Mason Reynolds, correct?” he asked.
“Yes, how is he? Is he okay?” I stood on shaky legs.
“We stitched up a laceration on his forehead and he has a slight concussion. He has some smoke inhalation, so we’re treating him with oxygen, albuterol, which is a steroid to help keep the lungs from becoming inflamed, and he’s receiving antibiotics to help prevent infection. He will be required to stay for a few days to make sure he is responding well to treatment
and so we can keep an eye on his blood gases, but he is expected to make a full recovery. He’s awake now, if you’d like to go see him.”
I followed the doctor back to his room and gasped when I saw him hooked up to all the machines. The gash on his head had been stitched up and bandaged and he was wearing a mask, breathing in his medications. I sat down beside him, his eyes watching my every move.
I reached for his hand. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” I felt a tear slide down my cheek.
Mason mouth opened but no words came out. Instead, he wiped my tear away.
“He’s having a little trouble talking right now due to the smoke inhalation but he should be back to himself within a few days. If you have any questions, please ask.” The doctor walked out, leaving us alone.
I curled up to Mason’s side and we just held each other. He couldn’t talk above a whisper and it pained him to do that.
“I can’t believe he did this. I’m so sorry I got you involved in this mess.” More tears filled my eyes and rolled down my cheeks as I laid my head against his chest.
He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me to him. Being in his arms again after thinking I would lose him, was overwhelming. I was relieved but filled with anger and sadness.
As happy as I was to have Mason back, I wasn’t sure it was worth all the trouble I had brought into his life.
Since I had shown up, he’d had his truck destroyed, his house broken into, and his shop set on fire. The shop his dad built, the shop he gave up his future for. I hated myself for turning his life upside down.
Mason drifted off to sleep, but I couldn’t. I was blinded by hate. I hated Chris for doing that to him and bringing all those problems into our lives. I thought I had escaped him when I left California, I didn’t realize he would find me and torture me and everyone else that I cared about. I had managed to protect Alissa but I couldn’t protect the one person I truly loved.
“Visiting hours are over. You will have to come back in the morning,” Kelly, the same nurse as earlier, said peeking her head in.
I stood from the bed and pressed a kiss to Mason’s forehead before leaving him alone in the room. I found my way back to the waiting room.
“Visiting hours are over,” I said when they all stood.
“How is he?” Dane asked.
“He’s going to be okay. He should be released in a few days.”
Walking through the hospital, my body was numb. I couldn’t believe what had happened and I was so frustrated by it all, that I think my body just shut down.
Dane wrapped his arm around my neck and led me toward the doors leading to the parking lot. “He’s going to be okay, Lennox. I know my brother, he won’t give up that easy.”
Sarah and Tent got in their car and drove away leaving Alissa, Dane, and myself standing in the parking lot.
“Looks like I will be staying with you girls.” Dane winked at Alissa as we all climbed into Dane’s car.
He dropped us back at the bar to retrieve our rental car. I couldn’t help but look at the shop. What was left of it, anyway. It was still smoking, half the structure had fallen and the rest was black and charred. I couldn’t look any longer.
“Can you drive? I can’t concentrate on anything right now.” I handed Alissa the keys.
“Sure.” She took them and climbed into the car.
I took one last look at the shop before getting in. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, just needing to escape reality in any way I could. I didn’t like to think of Mason being stuck in a hospital because of me.
The day’s events wore on me, mentally and physically. I jumped awake when I felt the car shut off. “Did I fall asleep?”
“Yeah, didn’t take you long.” Alissa pulled the keys from the ignition and stepped out just as Dane parked beside us.
I let us into the house and headed straight for the stairs. “I think I’m just going to shower and go to bed.”
I collapsed on the floor of the shower.
The day felt surreal, I couldn’t believe what my life had turned into. Everything was a mess and Mason was lying in a hospital bed. Once the water began to run cold, I pulled myself out and wrapped a towel around me.
I pulled on one of Mason’s shirts and climbed into his bed, alone. His smell was all around me and it helped to ease my racing thoughts.
The next three days flew by in a flash, I spent my days in the hospital with Mason until they kicked me out. I came home, showered and went to bed. I wasn’t in the mood to eat or to talk to anyone but Mason. I had noticed Alissa and Dane seemed to bond over their time together and as happy as I was that they had found each other again, it made me jealous to be around them when Mason was still in the hospital.
Finally, on the fourth day, Mason was released. His smoke inhalation wasn’t as bad as they had predicted and his body reacted well to the medication. When Mason saw me walk into his hospital room, a big smile broke out and he was finally able to kiss me since they had removed the mask.
The moment our lips touched, every hair on my body stood on end. My knees felt weak as everything else fell away. I was consumed with him. His heat, his smell, his heartbeat that I could feel pounding against his chest, he was everything.
I had been so worried about him but there he was, kissing me with so much passion that even a fire couldn’t stop.
“I’m so glad you get to come home today. I don’t like your bed if you’re not in it.” I stared up into his ice-blue eyes and a shiver ran down my spine.
“I can’t wait to get you alone,” Mason whispered in my ear.
“Hey, the doctor said to take it easy, remember?”
“I will take it easy, you can do all the work.” He gave me his cocky smile.
My cheeks heated up and I felt the red creep up my face.
“I love when your cheeks turn that color.” His ice-blue eyes lingered over my heated skin.
I couldn’t keep away the smile that spread across my face. “Let’s go.” I took his hand in mine and tugged him in the direction of the door.
The nurses insisted on wheeling Mason out in a wheelchair, which he did not approve of. Once they told him it was the only way he would be leaving, he finally gave up and sat down. I walked beside him quietly laughing.
“Shut up, asshole.” He glared at me.
It only made me laugh harder. “You’re acting like a child.” I pointed out.
“I don’t care, I don’t need a damn wheelchair.”
The journey to the main floor couldn’t have come soon enough. When Mason saw the doors, he was up and out of that wheelchair.
“Thank you for the ride, but I can take it from here,” he darted for the door. “I need a drink. That was the worst hospital stay I’ve ever had. Hey, call Trent, have him pick up some more security stuff and bring it by so we can finally get this taken care of,” Mason said, climbing into the backseat of the car.
“Let’s just hire someone. You’re supposed to take it easy, not electrocute yourself.” I rubbed the back of his neck, hoping to relax him.
“Here, stop at the pharmacy.” I handed Dane the prescription for Mason’s pain pills.
“I don’t need that shit.”
“Do you have to be a pain in the ass right now? Let’s just get it just in case you need it later. Okay?”
“Fine. I’m not a baby, you know.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared out the window.
“I think someone needs a nap.” I stuck out my bottom lip before turning his face toward me for a kiss.
That seemed to improve his mood and he stopped bitching for the moment.
Pulling into the driveway, I noticed a van parked in the driveway.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“While you two were bickering, I called the security company,” Dane said from the driver’s seat.
I turned to Mason and stuck out my tongue, which he tried to bite.
17
Mason
From the moment I
stepped foot into the house, Lennox had been trying to wait on me hand and foot. I finally had to get out of bed and go sit on the balcony. She knew I was annoyed with all the special attention everyone had been giving me, so she left me alone. I didn’t know why everyone was making such a fuss. I knew I could have died in the fire, but that was no reason to treat me like a baby. I was healing well and they needed to accept that I liked to do things on my own. It was bad enough that I had been taken out of practice for a couple of weeks.
I had met with the police in the hospital to talk about the fire. I told them that someone had hit me with something, knocking me out. When I woke up the fire was blazing. I didn’t have much information for them, I didn’t see anyone there, but someone was.
I thought back to that night, I let myself into the shop and quickly pressed in the security code. I made my way back to my office where I rifled through my closet, looking for the security system. When I found it, I picked up the box and turned around, that’s when I was hit. It knocked me out cold. I never saw anyone or heard anyone else come in. The police found no proof of anyone being there and there wasn’t any proof of someone starting the fire. They blamed wiring as the cause, therefore not looking for an arsonist.
My phone rang drawing me from my thoughts. I picked it up and saw Nicole’s name flashing across the screen. I almost hit ignore but changed my mind at the last second.
“Hello?” I answered, annoyed by her calling.
“Can we talk?”
I let out a long breath and rubbed my forehead, avoiding the stitches. “I have nothing left to say to you.”
“Listen, I know how you feel about me after what happened, but we need to talk. Can we please meet, without her?”
“I don’t know what you’re getting at. What could you possibly have to say to me after what you did?”
“Mason, what I have to say, you probably want to hear. It’s up to you if you come or not. I will be home until noon.”
I sat my phone down and thought about whether I wanted to hear her out or not.
A Second Chance at Forever (Chance #2) Page 17
